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Archive for August, 2008

Your Own Place

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »

If you say that you are unhappy, dissatisfied, perhaps ill or impoverished, a failure, this is simply another way of putting the fact that you are not allowing the will of God to have free play in your life—you are not doing the thing that He meant you to do.
 
Discontent is not necessarily a bad thing. It is your duty to be discontented with anything less than complete harmony and happiness. A wholesome discontent with dullness, failure, and frustration is your incentive for overcoming such things. Whoever you are, your true place is calling, and, because you really are a spark of the Divine, you will never be content until you answer.
 
Remember that this call is the call of God, and when God calls you to His Service, He pays all the expenses. Whatever you may require to answer that call—all will He furnish, if you be about His business and not your own.
 
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16).

What a blessing it is to know that God has a plan for us. That plan does not include mediocrity, disharmony or unhappiness. The plan is that we would live in the Eden He created filled every day with awe, joy and enthusiasm. Of course, to live into that reality, we must follow his will.  This is both the most simple and most difficult thing we as humans can be asked to do. It requires that we put him first.

Following Him,

Z Gardener

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Self-Condemnation Keeps Us Back

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 28, 2008| Leave a Comment »

People who are honestly trying to follow the spiritual life often make the mistake of being too hard on themselves. Because they do not seem to be progressing as fast as they would naturally like, or because they find themselves repeating some old fault that they thought they had completely overcome, they feel discouraged, and condemn themselves mercilessly.
 
All this is foolish. If you are doing your best to use what Truth you know, at present, you are doing all that you have a right to expect of yourself.
 
Don’t be impatient with yourself—but this does not mean that you are to be lazy or complacent. Handle yourself as a wise parent handles an obstreperous child—kindly, patiently, but with gentle firmness, not expecting too much too quickly, but foreseeing inevitable growth and improvement.
 
…and all of you are children of the most high (Psalm 82:6).

There is a fine line between pushing one’s self  too hard and not pushing hard enough. There is no set formula and each individual must evaluate the question on an ongoing basis. One thing however is universal. Negativity aimed at oneself is just as wrong as negativity aimed at someone else. Every second we spend condemning and criticizing ourselves is time and effort robbed from seeking the solution and applying it to remedy the problem. If God loves us and instructs us to love one another, doesn’t that also apply to how we feel about ourselves? When self-condemnation, doubt and self-recrimination creep into our lives we should remind ourselves of how far we have come and give ourselves credit for all the good. We must must accurate and sober assessments of our weaknesses and mistakes, but we must not use them to beat up on ourselves. Try live this motto. We are better than we were yesterday, but not as good as we will be tomorrow.

Better tomorrow,
Z Gardener

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All God’s Universe

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 27, 2008| Leave a Comment »

What is nature? What we call nature is a small part of God’s universe that we are able to see at the present time,and much of which we see awry. All the wonderful things that are going on in the woods, all the marvelous happenings that take place in the depths of the ocean, the whole sublime story of the heavens, are all parts of God’s self-expression. Above all, our own bodies themselves are part of nature, perhaps the most wonderful part of all; and probably the part about which we ourselves know least.
 
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind…With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding
(Job 12:7-10, 13).

One of the most beautiful and peaceful ways to commune with God is in a nature setting. Conversely, when we cut ourselves off from nature we find ourselves isolated from God’s creation. We spend so much of our lives closed up in boxes like our houses, cars and offices. We isolate ourselves in other ways by being plugged into I-pods, immersed in text messages or locked into our cell phones. This can become like living with ear muffs on, closed up, muffled and insulated. We need to take some time each day to rip those ear muffs off our lives. Look up, breathe deep, listen to the birds, smell the cool morning air and feel the breeze on our faces. Then will we experience God’s creation surrounding  us, lifting us up and freeing us from the cares and challenges each day brings. God created this Eden as a place of joy for us. We would do well to embrace it each day while we can.

Naturally,
Z Gardener

 

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Raise the Shades

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 26, 2008| 1 Comment »

We do not have to create good. We do not have to persuade God to be Love, or Life, or Truth, or Intelligence. We do not have to ask Him to remember us. We only need accept the undeniable power and truth of good. Fundamentally, evil is a false belief about the power and availability of good.

 
If we draw down the shades in every room in a house, that house will be in darkness, and is likely to become damp and unhealthy as well, no matter how brightly the sun may be shining outside. Salvation consists in raising these shades and opening the windows—then He does the rest .
…walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

All evil arises from the denial of good or in accepting the limitation of good. However, we should understand that all “bad” things that happen in our lives are not evil. God sends sunshine, and rain, light and darkness, winter and summer to all creatures and all creation. Evil enters the picture when we fail to accept or actively reject the fundamental goodness of all God’s gifts. The actions flowing from such denial and rejection manifest the full range of sinful thoughts, words and deeds. Sin is separation from God. We can not be one with Him while judging and rejecting His gifts. Adam and Eve were the first to understand. The rest of us have been trying ever since.

Still trying,
Z Gardener

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Ever Present Help

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 25, 2008| Leave a Comment »

Resignation in defeat is really a sin.
If an old problem continues to stick—pray for inspiration and intelligence. Stop struggling and thank God constantly for setting you free.
If nervous or frightened—throw the responsibility on God, and tell Him that you know you are safe in His hands.
If someone is being troublesome—see only the Presence of God where the troublesome person seems to be.
If you want to make faster progress—claim understanding and affirm that divine Love is working through you.
 
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (1 Peter 5:7).

When we come to fully accept that Jesus is the son of God, our lives and our reality are instantly changed forever. In the flash of an instant fear, defeat, guilt and doubt no longer have dominion over us or our universe. Suddenly, we are immersed in infinite love, protection, power and forgiveness. No longer must we be driven by weaknesses, mistakes and anxieties. Immediately,20we are freed to exist in the Eden God created for each of us; where we can live in peace, joy, faith and love.

This acceptance is but the beginning, and the benefits, while instantaneously available are not automatic. It is up to each of us to turn our backs on the old reality and choose that Eden, to live in God’s presence and to exist in his consciousness. It starts when we say, “Thy will be done”.
 
Yes, Jesus loves us,
Z Gardener

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Mental Assent

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 22, 2008| Leave a Comment »

When you give your mental assent to any idea, good or bad, you associate yourself with that idea and you incorporate it into your consciousness—to the extent that you realize it. When you read a passage of Scripture you will, if you assent to it mentally, incorporate it into your life to that extent.
 
This law, of course, works the other way too. If when you hear or read of some piece of injustice or cruelty, you approve it mentally by thinking that “it serves him right,” you are associating yourself with that deed, and making it a part of your own life, even though you do not speak a word. It is the mental as sent that counts.
 
Give your assent only to Truth.
 
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my numbers, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity….So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God…. (Romans 7:22, 23, 25).

We should chose carefully those things we think and say. They determine both our inward and outward reality.

Our thoughts and words are are more powerful than bullets and bombs. One bullet can harm a few, while the words of Hitler caused the death of six million people. One terrorist bomb can harm hundreds, yet the thoughts that led to the invention of the atomic bomb could end all life on our planet.

Conversely, the words of Jesus have brought more peace, love and salvation to the planet than all the hate, fear and pain created by all the hateful words in history . The thoughts and revelations from which biblical truth flows ensures the survival , salvation  and eternal life for all who have ears to hear.

In discernment,
Z Gardener

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Common Sense Vocabulary

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 21, 2008| 1 Comment »

When you apply a certain word to God, it must bear the same essential meaning as it does when you apply it to man—otherwise it has no meaning at all. When you say that God is Love or Intelligence, or that He is Just, these words must mean substantially what they mean when applied to human beings. The love of God must be essentially the same that we know as the love of the mother for her children, or the love of the artist for his creation, purified and increased to infinity, of course.
 
The truth is that God is Love and Intelligence; and that He works with perfect wisdom and perfect justice to all, at all times, in the ordinary and correct meaning of these words.
 
…God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is Love (1 John 4:8).
Good and upright is the Lord… (Psalm 25:8).

We have all heard “God works in strange and mysterious ways, his wonders to perform”. While not pretending to understand these mysteries, we can all rest assured in total faith that his ways do work, and that his desire for each of us is joy, peace and harmony. Just as all our children have been mystified by our actions as parents when acting to shape, help or protect them, we are sometimes unable to understand God’s ways. And just as our children, that understanding will grow as we mature spiritually.

Mystified,
Z Gardener

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Use That Broom

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 20, 2008| Leave a Comment »

 
A good housekeeper sees to it that dust and dirt do not accumulate in nooks and corners and on shelves. Periodically, the house is gone over and given a through cleaning. Too often in our spiritual lives, we allow negative things to accumulate in the corners of our minds. We tackle the obvious problems as they come along, but allow the small difficulties to pile up in the corners.
 
For instance, if we are faced with a problem of health or finance, we get to work on that immediately, but if, on the other hand, someone has injured us, instead of handling the incident spiritually at the time, we tuck it away and perhaps pack in a little resentment along with it. Such problems should be dealt with as they arise. If someone has injured you, forgive him now, and be done with it. Take care of the other difficulties in like manner.
 
Be a good housekeeper. Clean out every nook and corner—and God will make you worthy of greater accomplishments in the future.
 
And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over then cities (Luke 19:17)

We all have things in our corners that bother us, yet seem to small to deserve our attention. However, we should all remember the old saying “the devil is in the details”. It is in these very corners that he gains a foothold=2 0and watches for an opportunity to parlay the small hurt, disappointment or insecurity into a large one. Like a small speck of black mold that seems insignificant and too hard to reach, then one day has spread through our house. Let’s get out the spiritual broom of aknowledgement and the bleach of forgiveness to rid our corners of any such blackness. Let’s experience today the fresh, clean feeling of a spirit free from this contamination.

Breathing freely,
Z Gardener

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Use What You Have

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 19, 2008| Leave a Comment »

 Many people say, “I want to get on faster. I want more understanding.” And as a rule they go on to ask for a list of books to read or some “advanced course” that they can take.
 
This attitude is quite mistaken. It implies that spiritual advancement is a question of intellectual activity—of the mere accretion of knowledge. That is true in the study of mathematics, or of physics, or chemistry, but it is not true in metaphysics. Spiritual growth comes from putting into practice the knowledge we already possess. Instead of readi ng another book, read your favorite book once more and apply it more carefully than ever in your practical life.
 
Metaphysics, like music, is both a science and an art. In metaphysics it is absolutely true that you learn by doing.
 
…be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only… (James 1:22).

If we ask ourselves, “what spiritual knowledge do I have that I am not putting into practice/”, likely we would find enough to write a book. While the quest for knowledge is an essential part of our spiritual journey, it is the application of that knowledge that gets us to the destination.

Apply within,
Z Gardener

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This World Is A School

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on August 18, 2008| Leave a Comment »


Pass a test in Spiritual understanding, and never again throughout eternity will that particular task have to be done. Your attitude should be: 

           I am going to live forever; in a thousand years from now I shall still be alive and active somewhere; in a hundred thousand years still alive and active somewhere; and so the events of today have only the importance that belongs to today. I greet the unknown with a cheer, and press forward joyously, exulting in the great adventure.
Armed with this philosophy, and really understanding its power, you have nothing to fear in life or death – because G od is All, and God is Good.
 
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus… make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight… (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Think of it! We will live forever! When we truly understand and accept that truth, how could our lives ever be the same? How could we let this the present events of this world get us down? Yes,  but the rent is due, the kid is in trouble and my feet hurt. Yet when we are thinking of this day a year from now, no ten thousand years from now, will any of this seem worth losing one day in the paradise God has given us. So get over it! Be grateful, celebrate life. Better, celebrate the next breath. And know God’s desire is that we live in the Eden He has provided, not in the “world” we have created.

Living in the now, seeing in the forever
Z Gardener

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