Good Morning Garden

Read Matthew 7:1-5.

These few verses consist of only about one hundred words, and yet it is hardly too much to say that at their simple face value they comprise the most staggering document ever presented to mankind. In these five verses we are told more about the nature of man and the meaning of life, and the importance of conduct, and the art of living, and the secret of happiness and success, and the way out of trouble, and the approach of God, and the emancipation of the soul, and the salvation of the world, than all the philosophers and the theologians and the savants put together have told us—for it explains the Great Law. “Burn the rest of the books, for it is all in this one,” would hold in reference to those words.

People are very apt to think, especially when they are strongly tempted, that they can probably escape the clutches of authority in some other way. If, however, they understood that the law of retribution is a cosmic law, impersonal and unchanging as the law of gravity, they would think twice before they treated other people unjustly. The law of gravity is never off duty, and no one would ever dream of trying to evade it, or coax it, or bribe it, or intimidate it. People accept it as being inevitable and shape their conduct accordingly—and the law of retribution is even as the law of gravity.

You may like or dislike the law, and if you wish, you may try to ignore it; but you cannot deny that Jesus Christ taught it, and in the most direct and emphatic way when he said:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged (Matthew 7:1-2).

Dear brothers and sisters,

Peace,
Z gardener

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Why not make the following experiment, which will not only be thrillingly interesting, but will certainly teach you more in one day than you could learn from books or lectures in many weeks.

Here is what you have to do. For one whole day think, speak, and act exactly as you would if you were absolutely convinced of the truth of the statements that God has all power and infinite intelligence, and that His nature is infinite goodness and love.

To think in this manner all day will be the most difficult thing, because thought is so subtle. To speak in accordance with these truths will be easier, if you are vigilant. To act in accordance with them will be the easiest part, although it may require much in the way of moral courage.

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4:21).

What would we have to change to think, speak and act this way?

As a man thinketh,
Z gardener

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Here is one way of solving a problem by scientific prayer.

Get by yourself, and be quiet for a few moments. Do not strain to think rightly or to find the right thought, but just be quiet. Remind yourself that the Bible says “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Then begin to think about God. Remind yourself of some of the things that you know about Him—that he is present everywhere, that He knows you and loves you and cares for you. Read a few verses of the Bible, or a paragraph from any spiritual book that helps you.

During this state it is important not to think about your problem, but to give your attention to God. In other words, do not try to solve your problem directly (Which would be using will power) but rather become interested in thinking of the nature of God.

Next claim the thing that you need. Claim it quietly and confidently, as you would ask for something to which you are entitled. Then give thanks for the accomplished fact as you would if somebody handed you a gift. Jesus said when you pray, believe that you receive and you shall receive.

Do not discuss your treatment with anyone.

In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…(Isaiah 30:15).

Acknowledging and accepting the truth about God is the most important step we can take toward realizing and demonstrating God’s power here below.

The peace of the Lord be with you,
Z gardener

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Jesus has told us that we always demonstrate our consciousness. We always demonstrate what we habitually have in our mind. What sort of mind have you? Do not let anyone else tell you, because they do not know. People who like you will think your mentality is better than it is; those who do not like you will think is worse. Just examine your conditions and see what you are demonstrating. This method is scientific and infallible.

If an automobile engineer is working out a new design for an engine, for instance, he doesn’t’t, say: “I wonder what Smith thinks about this. I like Smith. If Smith is against this I won’t try it.” Nor does he say, “I won’t try this idea because it comes from France.” He is impersonal and unemotional about it. He says, “ I will test it out, and decide by the results I obtain.” All that anyone can do for you is to help you change your thought. You yourself must keep it changed. No one else can think for you. “No man can save his brother’s soul or pay his brother’s debt.”

…and I will put a new spirit within you… (Ezekiel 11:19).

Our actions are the greatest testament to our thoughts. Words can reflect what we think or they can just be what we want to believe about our thoughts. It is in our actions that the truth about our consciousness resides. If our actions demonstrate judgement, condemnation and disdain, then our thoughts are the same.

Acting on love,
Z gardener

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An Inexhaustible Supply

As far as God is concerned, there is no check of any kind upon the amount of divine energy that we can do or be. Yet, for practical purposes, you can draw from the inexhaustible Source only in accordance with the measure of your understanding, just as you can draw water from the Atlantic only in accordance with the size of the vessel that you use. Almost everyone is foolishly content to fill his pitcher, small as it may be, to somewhere very short of the top.

The true manner of God’s working is illustrated by a simple anecdote. A certain man was working in his garden, assisted by his little girl who had undertaken the task of watering the lawn by means of the usual rubber hose. Suddenly she cried out: “Daddy, the water has stopped.” The father looked over, and, taking in the situation quietly, said, “Well, take your foot off the hose.”

The ultimate cause of all our troubles is just this. Behind all secondary and proximate causes lies the same primary mistake. We have been pressing our feet and the whole weight of our mentality upon the pipe line of life, and then complaining because the water does not flow.

And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought…and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not (Isaiah 58:11).

When we rise above our physical limitations, we can discover the unlimited abundance of God’s love and power. Even when we are not actively or intentionally diminishing the flow of God’s divine energy, the fact of our physical existence can be a limiting factor.

Opening the gates,
Z gardener

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Dear friends,

The message today is a different format.

It is a Christmas card designed to remind us all of the reason that we have a garden in which to express our joy and gladness.

Click on the link to the right titled “reason for the season” and please accept this prayer that we all have a blessed, safe and joyful Christmas with a happy and prosperous New Year.

In joy,
Z gardener

If the link doesn’t work paste this into your web browser

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=2007134554829&source=jl999

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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).

While God may in fact choose or “call” us, we all have a choice to follow God’s will or to deny it and follow our own will. When bad things happen to us it is usually caused by denying God’s will in our lives. The other most likely cause of trouble in our lives is that they are sent by God to guide and shape us into the beings God created us to be.

Hearing the call,
Z gardener

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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).

This truth is easy to understand and difficult to practice, especially when one deals with chronic faults that one seems to overcome only to have it return in a different guise. The truth is that God does not want us to judge and condemn ourselves or others. Our job is to recognize the truth of our failings, reaffirm our commitment to change and then go back to work on resolving them. If we do this with God’s help, we will find resolution in a way that is good for us. It is also our job to recognize the advances we have made and remind ourselves that we are making progress. It is a fine line between reason and rationalization, and that is the line we must walk if we are to live in our garden.
Z gardener

One tip: we should never say or think anything about ourselves that would offend us if someone said it about our family or friends. God loves us and we should love ourselves, even when we don’t love our behavior.

God’s child,

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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).

And if we are all God’s creation, then God in fact does have dominion over everything we see, taste, touch, smell and hear. However, we only perceive a small percentage of God’s creation. Like ancient peoples who could not understand most of the scientific knowledge we take for granted, we are yet incapable of understanding most of the universe.

Nurturing nature,
Z gardener

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