Good Morning Garden

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9)

To the casual reader this Beatitude might sound like a mere conventional religious generalization, even a sententious platitude. Here we receive an invaluable practical lesson in the art of prayer—and prayer is our only means of returning to communion with God. As a matter of fact, prayer is the only real action in the full sense of the word, because prayer is the only thing that changes one’s character. When such a change takes place, you become a different person and, therefore, for the rest of your life you act in a different way. If you should get a very strong realization of the presence of God with you, it would make a very great and dramatic change in your character, so that, in the twinkling of an eye your outlook, your habits, your whole life would completely change. Many such cases are on record, including cases of what used to be called “conversion.” Because the change is radical, Jesus refers to it as being “born again.”

The great essential for success in obtaining that sense of the Presence of God is that we first attain some degree of true peace of mind.

How do we achieve peace of mind? It begins with prayer. Effective prayer requires that we actively seek God’s presence in the present moment. To do this one must separate one’s self from the material world, address God and invoke God’s presence.
One method that works for the author is this. Breathe deeply and ask God to relax the body, release all tensions and earthly concerns while lifting our spirits, hearts, minds, consciousness and wills (attitude, feelings, thoughts, awareness and desires). Then ask God to enable us to demonstrate God’s Holy Spirit, divine will and universal consciousness and express them (press out) in th e material world through God’s grace. This prepares our body and mind for communion with God.
Next, we should express our gratitude and thanks to God for all our spiritual and material blessings. Then we should confess our sins to God, take personal responsibility for them, forgive those who have hurt us and ask forgiveness for ourselves. CONFESSION IS THE GATEWAY TO FORGIVENESS WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF PEACE.
Once we have faced our failings, asked forgiveness and forgiven others, our hearts are cleansed and we will attain true peace of mind and are then prepared to be in the presence of God and in communion with mankind. Then we can turn our burdens over to God with a grateful and hopeful heart. Then we can visualize with confidence a day or an eternity in peace. Then we can enter and live in the joy and gladness of the Eden God created for us.

In peace,
Z gardener