Good Morning Garden

Next comes the silver. This stands for greed of money or money’s worth, for material objects that can be bought, and even for riches themselves. Or it may be that the offender is not interested in riches themselves but in their ability to give him a position of honor in the eyes of the world. He wants to be considered important and to have adulation or applause. Often he wants to be a “leader,” not because he has a message to give but to be important. He is the victim of egotism. Now this is a base and ignoble sin; an insurmountable barrier across the spiritual path.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

Money is not evil. Having money is not evil. It will not defile us nor will it corrupt us. In fact, properly used and given its appropriate status, it can facilitate great good and bring life, health, comfort and hope. The problems associated with money comes from within us. Jesus said nothing from without can defile us, but it is what we have within us that defiles us. Greed, vanity, egotism, power mongering, desire for control of others and the idolatry of wealth all comes from within and are expressed (pressed out) into the world by us. But beware of this. Money and wealth do appeal to our weaknesses, easily lend themselves to abuse and can facilitate our separation from God. Because of its power to provide material security, it often becomes a substitute for spiritual security and blocks our path to God. If we want to be sure that our relationship with wealth is a healthy one, we should ask ourselves a few simple questions. Which do we enjoy more, giving it away or piling it up and spending it? How much do we spend on ourselves versus how much we spend on others or give away? If we were penniless tomorrow, would we still be happy? The honest answers to these questions self-reveal whether our reaction to money is defiling us from within. It will also may help determine whether we live in the Garden or reside East of Eden due to our inner materialism.

Seeking the Temple,
Z gardener

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The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the beginning of knowledge. This has misled many people, because the truth is that fear is entirely evil and is indeed the only enemy we have. You can heal any condition if you can get rid of the fear attaching to it. Trouble or sickness is nothing but subconscious fear out-pictured in our surroundings. It is true at all times that “we have nothing to fear but fear.”

How then do we account for the texts quoted? The answer is that in the Bible the fear of God means reverence for God, not fear in the usual sense of the word. Reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom. Howe do we show reverence for God? By seeing God everywhere, refusing to recognize anything unlike Him, and by living the Christ life.

Confidence is worship. You worship whatever you trust. Are you trusting more in fear or in God? What are you worshipping? That is the test.

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. (Job 22:21).

Overcoming fear is a true test of our faith. Whether facing lif e threatening illness, issues that are trying to tear our family apart, financial ruin or other personal tragedy, our faith is challenged by fear. If we are trusting in our own ability, intelligence or strength, fear will overcome us and rob us of our faith. When we trust in God and work according to that trust, our faith will vanquish our fear. The key is to remember that God sends all things to us for our best good, especially fear. For just as the tree grows stronger because it is blown by fierce winds, so our faith increases when we depend in it to overcome fear. Our reverence for and faith in God is the beginning of wisdom and the end of fear.

Facing fear with faith,
Z gardener

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GOLD

We know that the spiritual consciousness which we are all engaged in building is spoken of in the Bible as the Temple of Solomon. The name Solomon means peaceful, and symbolizes wisdom. This is logical, for peace of mind is the foundation of all spiritual building, the hallmark of understanding.

The Bible states that five things were to be found around the temple—For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22).

This is the Scriptural manner of telling us that there are five principal temptations that may come to the soul that is striving to build the spiritual temple. The particular form that each temptation takes will vary according to the temperament and circumstances of the subject, but in principle will be the same.

First comes the gold, and this stands for desire for personal power over other people, the desire to regulate their lives, to make them toe the line—our line, naturally—and even to make use of them. Many people on the spiritual path have given way to this temptation. They must dominate other people’souls. They tell themselves that it is done for the good of the victims, of course, but it is really a craving for personal power and glorification. It is not an ignoble sin like that connected with the silver, but for that very reason it is far more dangerous, far-reaching, and enduring.

The thing that gold symbolizes when rightly understood is the omnipresence of God; and of course religious tyranny is a denial of this. You should do all you can to help, to enlighten, and to inspire others, as far as your own understanding will permit, but you must never try to dictate their convictions; or to hold to your own opinions. Religious tyranny is poisonous to the victims; but it is absolutely mortal to the tyrant.

Woe be unto that believer who attempts to force their religious convictions on others. That believer usurps the role of God and convicts themselves of putting their judgement above God’s. Now this is bad enough for the non-believer or the ignorant. But for those who know God’s truth, it is paramount to self- damnation. All believers should tend to the beam in their own eyes and leave the splinters in their sisters and brothers eyes to God. Remember, judge not, lest ye be judged my brothers and sisters.

Tending my beam,

Z gardener

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Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you (Matthew 5:10-12).

In view of what we know about the teaching of20Jesus, that the will of God for us is harmony, peace, and joy, and that these things are to be attained by cultivating right thoughts, or “righteousness,” this is a very startling statement . Jesus tells us again and again that it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom, and that the way in which we are to receive it is by cultivating serenity, or peace of soul. He says that the peacemakers who do this, praying in “meekness” shall inherit the earth, have their mourning turned into joy, and that, in fact, whatever they shall ask the Father in the manner of this teaching, that will He do. Yet here we are told that it is blessed to be persecuted as the result of our “righteousness” for by this means we shall triumph; that it is cause for rejoicing and gladness to be reviled and accused; and that the prophets and Illumined Ones suffered these things too.

All this is indeed very startling, and it is perfectly correct. However, persecution only becomes an occasion for rejoicing when we are deeply aware of our real nature, our true immortality, and know that the suffering of our bodies can be transcended and even transmuted by our state of consciousness. Pe rsecution can be for us a blessed condition when we realize that in such moments we are really advancing… be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Revelation 2:10) is a promise that may become a reality right here on this earth.

How strange it seems that our righteousness would cause us to suffer. On its face it seems unfair and counterproductive. Yet, our suffering does accomplish God’s purpose when we understand and accept that through God we can overcome our troubles and be better for the struggle. It is not what we want, nor is it meant to punish us. It is merely part of life that elevates us when we overcome it. God, please send to us that which we need to live in our Garden. Grant us the faith and trust to accept that which you send as a blessing and to give thanks for it.

In thanks,
Z gardener

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Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

This true, interior soul-peace was known to the mystics as serenity, and they are never tired of telling us that serenity is the grand passport to the Presence of God—the sea as smooth as glass that is round about the Great White Throne. This is not to say that one cannot tackle even the most serious difficulties by prayer without having any serenity at all. But before you can make any true spiritual progress you must achieve serenity; and it is that fundamental tranquility of soul that Jesus refers to by the word peace—the peace that passes all human understanding.

The Peacemakers are those who bring about this peace in their own souls; they surmount limitation and become actually, not merely potentially, the children of God. This condition of mind is the objective at which Jesus aims.

Of course, to be a peacemaker in the usual sense of composing the quarrels of other people is an excellent thing; but, as all practical people know, an excessively difficult role to fill. But once you understand the power of prayer, you will be able to heal many quarrels in the true way; probably without speaking at all. The silent thought of the All-Power of Love and Wisdom will cause trouble to melt away almost imperceptibly. You will become a peacemaker.

Once we truly understand and accept that God’s power and love are always available to all we face each day will yield to that love, then we can experience true serenity. All our doubts, fears and problems will be resolved for our best good when we live according to God’s will. The faith, hope and confidence that flows from our trust in God becomes the foundation for our peace. When we achieve this, we can recognize the Eden around us and are then able to exist there in joy and gladness filled with God’s peace.

In peace,
Z gardener

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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

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Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

Most people, and learned people especially, have all kinds of knowledge that does not in the least affect or improve their practical lives. Doctors know all about hygiene, but often live in an unhealthy way, notwithstanding; and philosophers, who are acquainted with the accumulated wisdom of the ages, and assent to most of it, continue to do foolish and stupid things in their own personal lives. Now, knowledge such as this is only opinion, or head knowledge, as some people call it. It has to become heart knowledge, or to be incorporated into the subconscious, before it can really change one. The modern psychologists in their efforts to “re-educate the subconscious” have the right idea, though they have not yet discovered the true method of doing so, which is by single-minded prayer, or the Practice of the Presence of God.

Jesus, of course, thoroughly understood all this, and that is why he stresses the fact that we have to be pure in heart.

All the world’s accumulated knowledge has not made our hearts any purer. Nor has it defiled us. Both purity and defilement come from within and both are linked directly to our relationship with God or the lack of it. All that we know and all that we believe consciously have little or no impact on our true selves until we feel it in our core and act on it in our outer lives. First our hearts must be pure so that what we express into the world is pure and undefiled. The only way to a pure heart is through communion with God. Human nature presents barriers and obstacles to purity that alone we can not overcome. In order to “keep our hearts with diligence” we must give them to God. Then we will be living in our Gardens with pure hearts.

Seeking purity within,
Z gardener

Author’s note – The computer is back and so is the Good Morning Garden. Today’s thought picks up The Beatitudes where the last devotional left off. It is good to be back in the Garden.

Z

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…for they shall see God. In this wonderful Beatitude we are told exactly how this supreme task is to be accomplished and who they are who shall do it. They are the pure in heart. Purity, in its full and complete sense, is recognizing God alone as the only real Cause, and the only real Power in existence. It is what is called elsewhere in the Sermon “the single eye.”

Note that Jesus speaks of the pure in heart. The word heart in the Bible usually means that part of man’s mentality that modern psychology knows under the name of the “subconscious mind.” This is exceedingly important because it is not sufficient for us to accept the Truth with the conscious mind only. At that stage it is still a mere opinion. It is not until it is accepted by the subconscious mind, and thus assimilated into the whole mentality, that it can make any difference in one’s character or life.

…as he thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).

Are we going to see God? For believers the real question is “do we have the ‘single eye”‘ described above? Do we believe in our hearts and our subconscious that God is the only cause and true power? If so, then we must examine our lives to determine if these beliefs manifest themselves in our behavior. For instance, on matters of faith or doctrine, do we treat those with which we disagree in ways that denote love and respect for them. Or do we criticize and condemn while organizing others to force our beliefs on those with which we disagree. Do we say “I love you, but I must disagree with you”? Or, do we call names, question motives and condemn their actions? As we search our hearts, let us also search our actions to ensure that they make a positive difference in ours’ and other’s lives and character. Then, and only then, shall we live in the Garden and see God.

Hoping we all see God,
Z gardener

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Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

This is one of those wonderful gnomic sayings in which the Bible is so rich. It is a summing up in a few words of a whole philosophy of religion.

Let us begin by considering what the promise in this Beatitude is. It is nothing less than to see God. To “see” in the sense referred to here, signifies spiritual perception, and spiritual perception is just that capacity to apprehend the true nature of Being that we all so sadly lack.

We live in God’s world, but we do not in the least know it as it is. Heaven, lies all about us—but because we are lacking in spiritual perception, we are unable to recognize it, to experience it, and, therefore, so far as we are concerned, we may be said to be shut out of Heaven.

We are very much in the position of a color-blind man in a beautiful flower garden. All around him are glorious colors; but he sees only blacks, whites, and grays. If we suppose him to be also devoid of the sense of smell, we shall see what a very small part of the glory of the garden exists for him. Yet it is all there, if he could but sense it.

Our task is to surmount these limitations as rapidly as may be, until we reach the point where we can know things as they really are—experience Heaven as it really is. That is what is meant by “seeing God.” To see God is to apprehend Truth as it really is, and this is infinite freedom and perfect bliss.

The day we fully understand and accept this truth is the day we can experience being in the Eden God gave us. When we, with God’s help, have overcome our human limitations, we can then live each day in our Gardens.

Seeking understanding,
Stan

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Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).

Righteousness is another of the key words of the Bible, one of those keys that the reader must have in his possession if he is to get at the true meaning of the book. Like earth and meek and comfort, it is used in a special and definite sense. Righteousness means not merely right conduct, but right thinking. In the Sermon on the Mount, every clause reiterates the truth that outer things are but consequences. As within, so without.

When people awaken to a knowledge of these truths, they naturally begin to apply them in their own lives. Realizing at last the vital importance of “righteousness” they begin immediately to try to p ut their house in order. The principle involved is simple, but unfortunately the exemplifying of it is anything but easy. Now, why should this be so? The answer lies in the potency of habit; and habits of thinking are at once the most subtle and the most difficult to break.

Perhaps failure to achieve righteousness is the failure of half-heartedness; you long but not too deeply. Your hunger and thirst do not rise from a sense of total need. Have a mental stocktaking or a review of your life. It could not happen that a wholehearted search for truth and righteousness, if persevered in, should not be crowned with success. God is not mocked, nor does He mock His children.

How can we seek truth and righteousness in the outer world, when we refuse to accept it within us. Of course, we can’t. It is much easier to say what is wrong with the world than to say what is wrong with ourselves. Yet with out that internal accounting of our inner righteousness, there can be no outer peace. Our environments will reflect our inner feelings and motivations more surely than our words and deeds. When we can not live and go forward without truth and righteousness within and without, then God will fill us with it.

In hunger,
Z gardener

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