Good Morning Garden

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. W e 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.

This passage accurately describes a “leap of faith”. That is when you act as if that which you desire is true. It is not called a thought of faith or a wish of faith or even a desire of faith. True faith implies action. That is not to say that one would leap off a cliff with faith that God will reverse gravity. It is to say that we must take the actions dictated by our faith even when the universe doers not appear to allow it or likely to sustain it. It means doing (as in leaping) what is right and following God’s will regardless of the apparent outcome or consequences. When we act according to our faith and God’s will, the universe will yield to that act and produce the result God intended for us that would not have happened without the leap of faith. This was true in Jesus’ acceptance of his sacrifice, and it is true of each decision we make to accept and follow God’s will. There is no path to our true destiny but that one which follows God’s will as revealed through prayer and faith.

Z gardener

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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 profession al, 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).

That which we express (press out) is that which shapes our existence. When we press out our hope, joy, confidence and faith, our world becomes the Garden God created for us. When we press out fear, hate, cynicism and doubt, our world becomes a prison from which we are helpless to escape because we create it around us like the cocoon spun by the caterpillar. Today, let us spin an Eden and press it out so that all around us may experience life in the Garden with us, created by us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Z gardener

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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).

This story also illustrates our need to “let go and let God”, handle our grievances. The more we struggle with the wrongs we have endured, the more we think about them, the more we ensure they remain in our lives. It is only when we release them that we are released from them. This is not accomplished by our fixing the problem, but by letting it go and by trusting God to exert dominion over it. The formula is simple yet difficult. Forgive the offense, bless the offender and then turn away from it and toward God. Then we will begin to experien ce the peace that surpasses all understanding and enter the gate to our gardens.

Z gardener

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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)

If one is constantly thinking about a problem, when would one have time to think about, or work on, the solution? Each thought we have about the problem increases the power of that which bothers us. On the other hand, each moment we spend affirming God’s control over our problems and working on the solution brings us out of despair and into peace and gives us dominion over that which concerns us. One can not be thinking. “poor pitiful me” at same time one is thinking “I am a child of God, blessed beyond measure and strengthened by God’s presence and love”. So beloved, give your fears, concerns and troubles to God by giving God your praise, hope, faith and confidence. Remember, hope trumps fear, faith consumes doubt and love conquers evil.

Z gardener

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God intended us to have dominion over our lives, to be the captains of our souls.

Of course, in the ship of life, you cannot make port unless all sails are set. You must pursue the spiritual life wholeheartedly. You cannot expect to reach port if you are faithful in your prayers and meditations for a time, and then for a time you forget God.

You are the captain of your soul when you can say with Jesus,

I and my Father are one (John 10:30).
…the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works (John 14:10).

It is not contradictory that we are captains of our souls with dominion over our lives, while at the same time, following the will of God. You see, we must choose to follow God’s will and let God operate through us. While it is God working through us who accomplishes the works, it is we who must decide to become one with God and pursue a spiritual life. If we are to reach our destined port, we must decide to give control to God. That is how we have dominion and control by choosing to give both to God in our lives.

Z

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Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever (Matthew 6:13).

This is a wonderful gnomic saying summing up the essential truth of the Omnipresence and the Allness of God.

We know that God is the only power, and so, when we work, it is really God working by means of us. Just as the pianist produces his music by means of, or through his fingers, so may mankind be thought of as the fingers of God. His is the Power. If, when you have anything to do, you hold the thought, “Divine Intelligence is working through me now,” you will perform the most difficult tasks.
The wondrou s change that comes over us as we gradually realize what the Omnipresence of God really means, transfigures every phase of our lives, turning sorrow into joy, age into youth, and dullness into light and life. This is the glory!

When we live as instruments of God, we will reveal God’s glory in our world. When we fully accept our true nature as children of God, the universe supports our every need. When we think, act and feel as God directs us, the power and the glory is given to God and passed on through God to us. The bible does say”Ye are Gods”. Today Father, let each of fulfill the role you gave us so that your Glory is made manifest through us.

Z gardener

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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.

The lack of willingness or desire to forgive is often the greatest obstacle to forgiveness. Yet, when one fails to forgive, they condemn themselves to be imprisoned by that which they judge and despise. When one turns to God for help and asks God to take the burden of anger and judgement from us, then one is empowered to lay down our burden, forgive those who offend us and free both parties in the process. So, when forgiveness seems too hard, let go and let God take it. Refuse to give hurt and anger a place to grow and fester. Bless that which caused the hurt and direct your thoughts, words and deeds toward God. God will make a way for everyone to be free.

Z gardener

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If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matthew 6:14).

Setting others free means setting yourself free, because resentment is really a form of attachment. It is a cosmic truth that it takes two to make a prisoner; a prisoner and a jailer. There is no such thing as being a prisoner on one’s own account. Moreover, the jailer is as much a prisoner as his charge. When you hold resentment against anyone, you are bound to that person by a mental chain. You are tied by a cosmic tie to the thing that you hate. The one person perhaps in the whole world whom you most dislike is the very one to whom you are attaching yourself by a hook that is stronger than steel. Is this what you wish? Is this the condition in which you desire to go on living?

Remember, you belong to the thing with which you are linked in thought, and at some time or other, if that tie endures, the objects of your resentment will be drawn again into your life, perhaps to work further havoc. No one can afford such a thing; and so you must cut all such ties by a clear act of forgiveness. You must loose him and let him go. By forgiveness you set yourself free; you save your soul. And because the law of love works alike for one and all, you help to save his soul too.

There is another element to the act of forgiveness. One must also forgive one’s self. Most of our anger toward, and resentment of others finds its true source in our anger and resentment toward ourselves. Whatever one has done, whatever one has failed to do, whatever one is disappointed about in one’s self must be forgiven if we are to live by God’s law. All it takes is to admit the wrong and repent of it, ask God to forgive it and commit to change it. Then one will find the grace to offer that same forgiveness to others. God’s grace flows best through an unburdened soul.

Z gardener

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And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise (Luke 6:31).

The forgiveness of others is the vestibule of Heaven. You have to get rid of all resentment and condemnation of others, and, not least, of self-condemnation and remorse. You have to forgive yourself, but you cannot forgive yourself sincerely until you have forgiven others first.

Of course, nothing in all the world is easier than to forgive people who have not hurt us very much. But what the Law of Being requires of us is that we forgive the very things that are so hard to forgive that at first it seems impossible to do it at all. But the Lord’s Prayer makes our own escape from guilt and limitation dependent upon just this very thing.

If your prayers are not being answered, search your consciousness and see if there is not some old circumstance about which you are still resentful. Search and see if you are not really holding a grudge against some individual, or some group. If so, then you have an act of forgiveness to perform, and when this is done, you will probably make your demonstration. If you cannot forgive at present, you will have to wait for your demonstration until you can, and you will have to postpone finishing your recital of the Lord’s Prayer too.

Forgiveness is not debatable. Forgiveness is not conditional. Forgiveness is not earned nor is it bought. If any of these were true, we could never be forgiven by God. Yet God does forgive all things when asked by a repentant sinner. What is required is that we forgive ourselves and others in order to receive God’s forgiveness. We also must forgive if we are to be free from that which offended us in the first place. We are the prisoners of our own anger and judgement. When we release that which hurt or angers us through forgiveness, we break the chains that bind us to our anger and hurt. When we remove the heavy yoke of judgement and condemnation, and take on the light yoke, which is obedience to God’s will, we set ourselves free to live in the Eden God created for us.

Z gardener

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