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Archive for March, 2011

Overcoming Negativity – Consistent Building

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »

…be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.(Romans 12:2).

This is Paul’s admonition.

Many people understand this in principle, but they fail to demonstrate because they do not carry it out logically in practice. During prayer, they carefully build up the new mental structure, but as soon as their time of prayer is over, instead of faithfully preserving that structure intact they promptly knock it down again by negative thinking. Obviously, a bricklayer could work hard in this fashion year after year without ever accomplishing anything.

If you are failing to demonstrate, it is probably due to the same cause; building followed by wrecking. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Few understand how truly destructive negative thinking is. While it is not an enjoyable subject for discussion, it is as necessary as our understanding joy. One of the reasons it is so unpleasant is because we all fall into this behavior every day. Further, when bad things happen to us or those we love, we feel justified in harboring such thoughts. However, none of this changes the undeniable truth that all negative thinking is harmful to us whether justified or not.

Our bodies react to negative thoughts in so many harmful ways that it is nearly impossible to list them all. A laundry list of harmful chemicals flood our systems, immunity is decreased, our digestive system is compromised, blood pressure increased and on and on.

Our minds are poisoned with thoughts that block constructive thinking, our focus centered on destructive mental activities such as self-pity, self-recrimination, self-righteousness and many, many more. All these things tear down the mental communion with healthy, affirming and regenerative mental activity.

And most importantly, our spirits are locked down and made inaccessible to God and all His power to manifest himself through us. The very water of life which is God’s spirit flowing into us is cut off. We are left without the essential spiritual nourishment upon which we depend to overcome that which plagues us.

Negative thinking attacks our physical selves like acid and rust tears downs a metal structure; it poisons our spirits as arsenic would our bodies; it cuts off the valve through which life-giving spiritual water flows.

Over the next few lessons, we will explore the nature of negativity and how to embrace or reject it. This is a proper and vital exercise if we are to overcome negative thinking in our lives. During this season of Lent, we are called to honestly review our human weaknesses, practice self-denial and charity.

May God grant that our discernment of negativity in our lives will produce a firm resolve on all our parts to draw closer to God, eschew negativity and reveal the beautiful garden that awaits us on the other side of this journey.

And may God’s peace and hope abide in us and guide us to that garden and the renewing of our minds.

Peace,
Z gardener

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Priming the Pump

Posted in Good Morning, tagged on March 30, 2011| 2 Comments »

An Understanding faith is the life prayer. It is a great mistake, however, to struggle to produce a lively faith within yourself. That can only end in failure. The thing to do is to act as though you had faith. Act out what you wish to demonstrate, and you will be expressing true faith. This is the right use of the will, scientifically understood.

Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done (Matthew 21:21).

This statement of Jesus is perhaps the most tremendous spiritual pronouncement ever made. Jesus knew the law of faith and proved it many times. We shall move mountains when we are willing to believe that we can, and then not only will mountains be moved, but the whole planet will be redeemed and re-formed according to the Pattern in the Mount.

True faith is demonstrated through action, not belief. It is when we act on our faith that mountains can be moved. Wishing mountains would move, commanding mountains to move or going around mountains are not acts of faith. Taking action as if the mountain were moved is an act of faith.

So, when we are separated from that which is right by any obstacle, we must seek righteousness regardless of the obstacle. We must make a leap of faith, believing that whatever is blocking us from right action will yield if we act rightly and pursue that which is right.

When we act rightly, (according to God’s will) on our faith, the entire universe will turn to support us. Then we will find that anything is possible for those who believe, act, and follow God’s will regardless of the obstacles. Whether we are trying to save the world, or just our little gardens, God will ensure that we find our best good when we take the leap of faith.

Leaping for joy,
Z gardener

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Register Joy

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 29, 2011| 1 Comment »

The principal revelation of the Jesus Christ teaching is the omnipresence and availability of god, and the belief that God not only transcends His universe but is everywhere immanent in it; that He indwells in it.

If you really believe in the existence of God you should be happy and cheerful. God has all power, and God is Good; so life must be good too.

Meet the world with a smile. You owe this to God, to your fellows, and above all, to yourself. If you go about with a face like an east wind, what can you possibly expect to attract from the world? We all know people who carry a fixed, frozen, mirthless, almost professional, smile. Such a smile is just a permanent wave in the face.

Smile, even if it takes a little effort, and keep it up until it becomes spontaneous, as it will. In the graphic language of Hollywood, register joy, and hold it!

For ye shall go out with joy. (Isaiah 55:12).

The positive health effects of joy, laughter and smiling have long been recognized in professional medical and mental health circles. Joy is the inward and outward manifestation of God’s love expressed through us. God loving people demonstrate God’s love through the sharing of joy. A true smile is the best sign to others that God’s love is alive and active in us.

God does not want us to be angry, condemnatory and judgmental to each other. Those who manifest such behavior belie an attitude of self-righteousness and risk God’s ire.

Open the door to God’s garden with a smile today. Each one with which we share our gardens will be grateful to us and will become a blessing on us.

Smile on,
Z gardener

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THE DISCIPLINE OF SPIRITUAL TENACITY

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Tenacity is more than endurance, it is endurance combined with the absolute certainty that what we are looking for is going to transpire. Tenacity is more than hanging on, which may be but the weakness of being too afraid to fall off. Tenacity is the supreme effort of a man refusing to believe that his hero is going to be conquered. The greatest fear a man has is not that he will be damned, but that Jesus Christ will be worsted, that the things He stood for – love and justice and forgiveness and kindness among men – will not win out in the end; the things He stands for look like will-o’-the-wisps. Then comes the call to spiritual tenacity, not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately on the certainty that God is not going to be worsted.

If our hopes are being disappointed just now, it means that they are being purified. There is nothing noble the human mind has ever hoped for or dreamed of that will not be fulfilled. One of the greatest strains in life is the strain of waiting for God. “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience.”

Remain spiritually tenacious.

God has never given up on us. Regardless of how far we fall from grace, God will never give up on us. That is God’s promise and it has always been kept.

The problem occurs when we give up on God. When the road is too rough; or our hearts broken to bits; or our lives shortened by a fatal disease; it is then that we tend to give up on God. Yet throughout history, we know that victory is there for those who never give up on God.

Even when the Savior of the world, the Son of God, the Word who created us; was killed in the most shameful way possible; even that symbol of death and shame became the symbol of salvation, resurrection and victory for each of us. Just think of the consequences if Jesus had given up on God!

But he did not give up. And if we refuse to give up, regardless of the circumstances, then God will turn even the greatest tragedy into redemption, salvation and victory.

Never, never. never, never quit.

Tenaciously yours,
Z gardener

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Making Your Own Fortune

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

You think, and your thoughts materialize as experience, and thus it is, all unknown to yourself as a rule, that you are actually weaving the pattern of your own destiny, here and now, by the way in which you allow yourself to think, day by day and all day long.

Your fate is largely in your own hands. Nobody but yourself can keep you down. Neither parents, nor wives, nor husbands, nor employers, nor neighbors; nor poverty, nor ignorance, nor any power whatever can keep you out of your own when once you have learned how to think.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

What are we turning ourselves into by the way we think today? Are we becoming more gentle, peaceful, loving, kind and tolerant. Are out thoughts paving the way to success, hope, joy and glory? Do our actions today create a future that is lived out in the garden God created for us?

Make no mistake; today’s thoughts, words and deeds will determine not only the world we live in today, but also the one we live in for eternity. And remember this, there is no neutral gear in life. We are either going forward or backward. Both the rate at which we travel as well as the direction is determined by what we think, say and do.

May God bless each of us, so that today’s actions ensure a life lived in a beautiful garden for us and for those we touch.

Thinking with discernment,
Z gardener

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Bear Hugs Kettle

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

There is an anecdote of the Far West that carries a wonderful lesson. It appears that a party of hunters, being called away from their camp, left the campfire unattended, with a kettle of water boiling on it.

Presently an old bear crept out of the woods, and, seeing the kettle with its lid dancing about on top, promptly seized it. The boiling water scalded him badly; but instead of dropping the kettle instantly, he proceeded to hug it tightly;this being a bear’s idea of defense. Of course, the tighter he hugged it the more it burned him; and the more it burned him the tighter he hugged it; and so on in a vicious circle to the undoing of the bear.

This illustrates perfectly the way in which many people hug their difficulties to their bosoms by constantly rehearsing them to themselves and others.

Whenever you catch yourself thinking about your grievances, say to yourself sternly: “Bear hugs kettle,” and think about God instead. You will be surprised how quickly some long-standing wounds will heal.

Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord. (Psalm 25:15).

How much energy would we save; how many mistakes would we prevent; how much happier would we be if we let go of our grievances. When faced with difficulty, think God, thank God and then let go and let God.

Letting go,
Z gardener

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Change From Within

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Man is a mental being, and to know this is the first step on the road to freedom and prosperity, for as long as you believe yourself to be primarily physical, a superior kind of animal, you will remain in bondage; in bondage, that is to say, to your own habits of thought, for there is no other bondage.

Since you are a mental being, you will see how foolish it is for you to endeavor to improve your conditions by altering your environment while leaving your mind unchanged. To attempt this is to foredoom yourself to disappointment. Mind is cause, and experience is effect. If you do not like the experience or effect that you are getting, the obvious remedy is to alter the cause and then the effect will naturally alter too.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. (Matthew 23:26).

The first step in any action we take is mental. All else is merely a reflection of that which we think and feel. Even our very ability to perceive and experience our world emanates form the non-physical/mental/spiritual aspect of our existence. As within, so without.

So, my brothers and sisters, every journey, each action and any desired results comes from within ourselves. Once this truth is acknowledged and incorporated into our every thought, word and deed, we then will have possession of the key to the garden God created for us. Then, we can experience all the power, glory and peace that exists in our gardens.

First, we think,
Z gardener

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Quarantine Your Troubles

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

When you are praying or “treating” about a particular thing, you should handle it, mentally, very carefully indeed. The ideal way is not to think about it at all except when you are actually praying about it. Moreover, to talk to other people about it is exceedingly likely to invite failure.

When a new problem presents itself to you, decline to consider it except in the light of Truth. I call this “putting a subject in quarantine.” Even an old long-standing problem can be “put in quarantine” today, if you mean business and will resolutely break the habit of constantly thinking over that problem.

Whenever you think about any subject, you are treating it with your thought; either for good or evil.

The lip of truth shall be established forever. (Proverbs 12:19)

Aside from the ability to resolve new problems, just think of the blessed relief this process provides from long-standing issues that nag at our daily life. Just think of the freedom from burdened thoughts, the improvements to the quality of our daily lives and the renewed joy and peace we enjoy when we limit our treatment of our problems to times of prayer. And one last thing, just think of the increased prayer time such treatment creates, as we spend more time with God in the place where no evil can harm us.

That place is the garden God created for us, and when we walk there with Him , we find all the peace, freedom and joy that God intends for us.

Just think!
Z gardener

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The Lord’s Prayer – Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).

Many earnest people feel that God could not lead anyone into temptation in any circumstances, and that Jesus could not have said what he is represented to have said, and so some other phrasing is sought more in accordance with the general tone of his teaching. All this, however, is unnecessary.

The facts are these; the more you pray, the more sensitive you become, and the more powerful are your prayers. But you also become susceptible to forms of temptation that simply do not beset those at an earlier stage. Subtle and powerful temptations await; temptations to work for self-glory, for personal distinction; temptation to personal preferences other than perfect impartiality. Beyond all other temptations the deadly sin of spiritual pride. Many who have surmounted all other testings have lapsed into self-righteousness that has fallen like a curtain of steel between them and God.

Some old writers were so vividly sensible of these dangers that they spoke of the soul as being challenged by various tests as its traversed the upward road. The traveler was halted at various turnpike bars, and tested by some ordeal to determine whether he were ready to advance any further. If he succeeded in passing the test he was allowed to continue upon his way with the blessing of the challenger.

Now, some less experienced souls, eager for rapid advancement, have rashly desired to be subjected immediately to all kinds of tests, and have even looked about, seeking for difficulties to overcome. Forgetting our Lord’s injunction Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God (Matthew 4:7), they have virtually challenged him to give them difficulties. And so Jesus has inserted this clause, in which we pray that we may not have to meet anything that is too much for us at the present level of our understanding.

One other point needs to be considered. The more we attempt to bring our lives into harmony with God, the more the forces of evil align to prevent that communion. So that each step we take toward spiritual living comes with greater resistance form the evil one.

Remember, that when we have accepted God’s call, the battle for our soul then shifts to corrupting our faith as opposed to supporting our lack of faith. It is said in the old saying “if you can’t beat them, join them”. That is exactly what happens when evil attempts to infiltrate our faith.

So we must constantly be vigilant of our growing faith being used against us by the forces of evil.

To paraphrase another saying ” the price of salvation is eternal vigilance”.

On guard,
Z gardener

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The Lord’s Prayer – How To Forgive

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on March 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. (Psalm 55:22).

The technique of forgiveness is not very difficult when you understand how. The only thing that is essential is willingness to forgive. Provided you desire to forgive the offender, the greatest part of the work is already done.

The method of forgiving is this: Get by yourself and become quiet. Repeat any prayer that appeals to you, or read a chapter of the Bible. Then quietly say, “I fully and freely forgive X (mentioning the name of the offender); I loose him and let him go. I cast the burden aside. He is free now, and I am free too. The truth of Christ has set us both free. I thank God.”

On no account repeat this act of forgiveness, because to do it a second time would be tacitly to repudiate your own work. Afterward, whenever the memory of the offender or the offense happens to come into your mind, bless the delinquent briefly and dismiss the thought. Do this, however many times the thought may come back. You will find that all bitterness and resentment have disappeared, and you are both free with the perfect freedom of the children of God. Your forgiveness is complete.

How much better we feel when unburdened by the anger caused by those who have offended us, how much our souls are quickened; our steps lightened and our hearts lifted. Its like un-hitching ourselves from a hundred pound anchor we have been dragging. Suddenly, instantly and immediately we move with ease, our souls lifted and our thoughts free to experience gratitude, joy and peace.

Forgive and live in the grace, ease and hope that God intends for all his children.

Un-hitched,
Z gardener

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