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Unremitting Vigilance

September 22, 2008 by zgardener

Read Matthew 7:21-23.
 
We are all willing to do God’s will sometimes and in some things, but until there is a complete dedication of one’s whole self, there cannot be a complete demonstration. “There is no home for the soul in which there dwells the shadow of an untruth,” said George Meredith.
 
Never is it more true than in the life of the soul that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. We must not allow any consideration whatever, any institution, any organization, any book, or any man or woman, to come between us and our direct seeking for God. Centers, churches, schools, all fill a useful purpose in providing the physical framework for the distribution of right knowledge, but the actual work must be done by the individual.
 
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21).

Complete dedication of one’s whole self is a tall order! It does not happen overnight, although a decision to dedicate oneself often is instantaneous. Such a decision must be followed by an eternal commitment to obey God’s will in our lives. It is a process of shedding the old human self and manifesting the new godly self. It is a life long pursuit that will fill one’s life with joy, peace and hope. It also ensures that our eternal lives will be filled with the same.

Ever vigilant,
Z Gardener

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Bearing Fruit

September 19, 2008 by zgardener

 Read Matthew 7:15-20.
 
If man really were left without a simple practical test of religious truth, he would assuredly be in a sad plight; but happily this is not the case. Jesus, the most profound, and at the same time the most simple and practical teacher the world has ever known, has provided for this need, and has given us a universally applicable test for truth. It is as simple and direct as the acid test for gold. It is the simple question—Does the truth work in our lives? This test is so staggeringly simple that most clever people have passed it over. Truth heals the body, purifies the soul, reforms the sinner, solve difficulties, pacifies strife. There is no such thing as undemonstrated understanding. If you wish to know how you really stand spiritually, look about you at your environment, beginning with the body. There can be nothing in the soul that is not demonstrated sooner or later in the outer, and there can be nothing in the outer tha t does not find some correspondence in the inner.

         By their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:20).

When our religion produces love, light, hope, faith, miracles or joy we can be sure that we are on the path of truth. If on the other hand, our religion is producing anger, hate, darkness, desperation, resignation, judgement or sadness we can be equally sure that we are not on the path of truth. To see the truth in our faith we have to look no farther than the mirror. What are the fruits of our faith?

Being fruitful,

Z gardener

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The Gracious Will of God

September 18, 2008 by zgardener

A tragic mistake that is often made is to assume that the will of God is bound to be something very dull and uninviting, if not positively unpleasant. Consciously or not some persons look upon God as a hard taskmaster, or a severe parent. Too often their prayers amount to something like this: “Please God, give me such-and-such a boon, which I sorely need—but I don’t suppose you will, because you won’t think it is good for me.” Needless to say, a prayer of this sort is answered as all prayers are answered, according to the faith of the subject; that is to say, the boon is not granted. The truth is that the will of God for us always means greater freedom, greater self-expression, newer and brighter experience, wider opportunity of service to others—life more abundant.

 
God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
(1 John 4:16).

Dwelling in love is easier some days more than than others. But here is something to remember that should help on those days it is more of a challenge. Do two things. First, remind yourself that God almighty wants us to be happy, loving, free, new and bright every day. Second, do something for someone else. He wants us to have what we need and will respond to faith in Him and love within us. If we pray to dwell in love, express our gratitude for our blessings, serve our brothers and sisters and pray with faith, God will respond. The first thing He will do is help you see the challenge of a difficult day as just another opportunity to excel, overcome, triumph and serve. The rest of your day will be much better.

Dwelling in love,
Z Gardener

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The Dual Law of Thought

September 17, 2008 by zgardener

            Every thought is made up of two factors, knowledge and feeling. A thought consists of a piece of knowledge with a charge of feeling, and it is the feeling alone that gives power to the thought. No matter how important or magnificent the knowledge content may be, if there is no feeling attached to it nothing will happen. On the other hand, no matter how unimportant or insignificant the knowledge content may be, if there is a large charge of feeling something will happen.

 
It makes no difference whether the knowledge content is correct or not as long as you believe it to be correct. Remember that it is what we really believe that matters. A report about something may be quite untrue, but if you believe it, it has the same effect upon you as if it were true; and that effect again will depend upon the quantity of feeling attached to it.
 
When we understand this law we see the importance of accepting the truth with joy in every phase of our experience.
 
Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy…(Psalm 16:11).

Without feeling, knowledge is just information. Without feeling, belief is just a mental exercise. Perhaps that is why so many people find their real faith in moments of deep crisis. It is when we are most fervent and having very strong feelings that the strongest connections come into being. Feeling and believing are not always conscious choices we make and often spring full blown into our lives. So we must exert some discipline in both areas. Negative feelings and unhealthy beliefs can slip into our lives unless we maintain control over our thoughts and responses to things around us. The choice of what we accept in our feelings and beliefs are ours to make, or not.

Choosing to believe,
Z Gardener

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The Strait Gate

September 16, 2008 by zgardener

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13-14).
 
There is only one way under the sun by which man can attain salvation, in the true sense of the word, and that is by bringing about a radical and permanent change for the better in his own consciousness.
 
For countless generations humanity has been trying in every other conceivable way to compass its own good. This change in consciousness is the strait gate that Jesus speaks of here, and he says, and the number of those who find it is comparatively small.
 
Now why should man be so reluctant, apparently, to try to change his consciousness? The answer is that the changing of one’s consciousness is really very hard work, calling for constant unceasing vigilance and a breaking of mental habits. Entering the strait gait is, however, worth much more than whatever trouble or effort it may call for.
 
If you make a qualitative, change in consciousness, which is what happens in prayer, then not only is the effect of that change felt in every department of your life, but it is with you through all eternity, for you never can lose it. Thieves cannot break in and steal.
 
As soon as you obtain this spiritual consciousness you will find that all things indeed work together for good to those who love God.

Isn’t it ironic that all the power to save ourselves rests within us? By changing our consciousness we open the door to our spiritual selves that God enters to change our universe for the better. It is a decision we make and even though it is very hard to achieve, each of us can do it. Prayer is the key that unlocks our spiritual consciousness. Each time we pray, our spirit grows and God’s power flows through us. Let our prayer for today be that we will love God, obey His will and be filled with his spirit.

In obedience,
Z Gardener

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The Golden Rule

September 15, 2008 by zgardener

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law of the prophets (Matthew 7:12).

 
Here in the sublime precept that we call the Golden Rule, Jesus reiterates that great Law in a concise summing up. This repetition follows upon his wonderful statement of the fatherhood of God. The underlying explanation for the existence of the great law is the fact that we are fundamentally all parts of the Great Mind. Because we are all ultimately one, to hurt another is really to hurt oneself, and to help another is really to help oneself. The fatherhood of God compels us to accept the brotherhood of man, and spiritually, brotherhood is unity.

What a wonderful world we would awaken to if today, every person in the world became our friend and a member of our family. Then we would truly see that every person is a part of God and us, and we would not think of hurting them, or wishing  them harm. We would not gloat over their failures or desire anything they have. Instead, we would forgive them, pray for them and help them, just as we pray for ourselves, our  family and our friends. We would have compassion for them and feel sorrow when they are sad. We would love them, wish the best for them and be one with them. As Louis Armstrong said, “What a wonderful world!”.

In wonder,
Z Gardener

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Largess Unlimited

September 12, 2008 by zgardener

The most mischievous thing in life is man’s reluctance to perceive his own dominion. God has given us dominion over all things, but we shrink like frightened children from assuming it, although that assuming is the one and only escape for us.
 
Jesus, who knew the human heart, and understood our weakness in this respect, commands us,
 
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Matthew 7:7-8) .
 
Is not this the Magna Carta of personal freedom for every man, woman, and child on earth? Is not this the decree of the emancipation of the slaves of every kind of bondage, physical, mental, or spiritual? We have no business to accept ill-health, or poverty, or sinfulness, or strife, or unhappiness, or remorse, with resignation. We have no right to accept anything less than freedom and harmony and joy, for only with these things do we glorify God, and express His holy will, which is our raison d’etre.
 
We are to reorganize our lives in accordance with his teaching, continuously and untiringly until our goal is attained. That this attainment, that our victory over every negative condition is not merely possible but is definitely promised to us, finds its proof in these glorious words.

How many times do we fail to knock, seek and ask God for what we need? It is oftentimes when we don’t  want to assume the responsibility of acting on God’s will for our lives. When we shirk our responsibility to carry out God’s will and to shoulder the yoke of dominion, we are thwarting the flow of God’s infinite blessings and are being disobedient. Assume dominion today and live in the joy, peace harmony and love that God intended. Accept responsibility today and enter the Garden.

In acceptance,
Z Gardener

 

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Children of the Most High

September 10, 2008 by zgardener

Read Matthew 7:7-11.
 
This is the wonderful passage in which Jesus enunciated the primary truth of the Fatherhood of God. He says here, definitely and clearly, that the real relationship of God and man is that of parent and child. It is extremely difficult to realize the far-reaching importance that this declaration holds for the life of the soul.
 
It is axiomatic, of course, that the offspring must be of the same nature and species as the parent; and so if God and man are indeed Father and child, man must be essentially divine too, and susceptible of infinite development up the rising pathway of divinity. That is to say, as man’s true nature unfolds, he will expand in spiritual consciousness until he has transcended all bounds of human imagination. It is in reference to our glorious destiny, that Jesus himself says elsewhere, quoting the older scriptures:
 
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken…(John 10:34-35).

It is an awesome thought…we are children of the creator who is the ultimate power in the universe. Each of us is a divine being planned from the beginning of time to become part of God’s family. What do we think God had in mind for each of us when he brought us into existence. Do we think he put us here to worry and fret through a short physical life and then to cease our existence? Or do we think there is a divine purpose for each one of us that God expects us to fulfill? Let us accept today our divine nature and our divine responsibilities and be about carrying out the will of Almighty God. Then we will experience the peace that transcends all human understanding. Then we will return to Eden and stand in the presence of God as his children.

Standing in,
Z Gardener

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With What Measure Ye Mete

September 9, 2008 by zgardener

 

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again (Matthew 7:2).
 
If the average man understood for a moment the meaning of these words, they would turn his everyday conduct inside out, and so change him that, in a comparatively short space of time, his closest friends would hardly know him.

 
The Golden Rule in Christianity is: Think about others as you would wish them to think about you. In the light of the knowledge that we now possess, the observance of this rule becomes a very solemn duty, but, more than that indeed, it is a debt of honor.

 
However, it is a poor law that does not work both ways, and so it is equally true that for every good deed that you do, for every kind word that you speak, you will in the same way, at some time or other, get back an equivalent. The opposite is also true.

The plain fact is that it is the law of life that, as we think, and speak, and, act toward others, so will others think, and speak, and act toward us. Everything that we do to others will sooner or later be done to us by someone, somewhere. Perhaps by someone who knows nothing of our previous action, but for every unkind word that we speak to or about another person, an unkind word will be spoken to or about us. For every time that we cheat, we will be cheated. Every time we neglect a duty, or evade a responsibility, or misuse authority over other people, we are doing something for which we will inevitably have to pay by suffering a like injury ourselves.

Not only is it a good, noble and godly way to be, but being kind and loving to one another is also very rewarding. How would our lives be if everyone we ever met was loving us, talking good about us and trying to help us. Give that ye may receive and receive abundantly. Remember, one can’t give away more than one gets in return for the giving.

Not measuring,
Z Gardener

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Reciprocal Judgment

September 8, 2008 by zgardener

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).

How would we like to be judged? Would we want to have a merciful and just judge or a cruel and heartless soul evaluating our behavior, thoughts and words. The good news is that we will determine the nature of our judgement. So, how harshly are we judging others? How quickly do we decide someone deserves the worst or is not worth giving another chance? We must be careful about throwing around judgement and retribution. It always lands at our own feet.

In forgiveness,
Z Gardener

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