Good Morning Garden

Jesus tells us . . . “When you pray, pray like this. ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.'”

When you say, “Thy kingdom come,” you are inviting the Messiah himself to walk into your world. “Come, my King! Take your throne in our land. Be present in my heart. Be present in my office. Come into my marriage. Be Lord of my family, my fears, and my doubts.” This is no feeble request; it’s a bold appeal for God to occupy every corner of your life.

Who are you to ask such a thing? Who are you to ask God to take control of your world? You are his child, for heaven’s sake! And so you ask boldly.

Have you invited Christ to be King in your heart? Your place of employment? Your home?

Hebrews 4:16         Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

What is the basis for boldness? Is it not the strong belief and assurance that such an attitude is well founded, appropriate and something to be expected? That is exactly how God expects us to come to him in prayer. If we truly believe we are children of God, would we not come boldly to him, as a child approaches a parent. If our faith is strong and our hearts ruled by God, then we have every assurance and belief that such boldness is well founded.

So, let us give our hearts to God and boldly seek God’s blessings in all we do, think or say. Then God’s kingdom will come and we will live in God’s kingdom, in Eden with God.

Boldly believing,

Z gardener

You want to make a difference in your world? Live a holy life:

Be faithful to your spouse.

Be the neighbor who acts neighborly.

Be the employee who does the work and doesn’t complain.

Pay your bills.

Do your part and enjoy life.

Don’t speak one message and live another.

People are watching the way we act more than they are listening to what we say.

Matthew 5:16        You should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

It is our actions that make a difference in the physical world, and our actions that demonstrate the condition of our spirituality.

We can say all we won’t to say, yet if our actions do not reflect those words, they are for naught. When we live our philosophy and our faith, they speak louder than any words.

So, if we want to live in Eden, we best be about the business of acting in ways that reflect God’s love and his will in our lives and the physical world around us.

You know, love God, love thy neighbor, help the least among us, etc.

Wholly Holy,

Z gardener

Where is there in our praying a time for us to listen to what our heavenly Father has to say? In our praying, like in our worship, we seem to feel that if we are not saying something or doing something we are getting nothing out of it.
We need to have some time in our day when we can be still and allow the quiet presence of God to surround us in such a way that even His slightest whisper will sound in the depths.       

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

One of our greatest gifts from God is also one the biggest obstacles to communing with God. Our sensory perception brings to us every sound, smell, touch, sight and taste. Yet it is this ever present flood of our physical senses that can block that still quiet voice, the spiritual voice of our father and creator.

It is in our spiritual or metaphysical perception that we truly communicate with God. There we find God waiting for us. He speaks to us in our spirits, thoughts, feelings, understandings and realizations. He reaches out to us through our obedience, faith and forgiveness. Therein abides the most powerful force in our lives, yea even the universe. But it is a small quiet voice in this wilderness of sight, sound and sensation.

Therefore, let us seek the quiet, still places in our souls and in our world. And infuse it into in our hearts, minds, spirit and will. Let us tune our mind to the spiritual. Even amidst the noise and haste, we can find that inner quietness where God is. Then, like an unstoppable silent tide, let God’s power rise through us, envelop us, empower us and lift us up to God. There, we truly become the children of God that we were created to be. There we live in Eden. 

Being quiet,

Z gardener

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you – depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here is the fifth way God wants to use the problems in your life:

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.

Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you’re going to take with you into eternity. We can rejoice when we run into problems – they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.

Romans 5:3-4 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Here’s the point:God is at work in your life – even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it’s much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

Michael & Alison Smitherman

The Singing NetSurfers

I will sing to my Lord as long as I live, I will sing

praise to my God while I have my being.

Think of when we were small children and faced with walking across a log bridge to get where we needed to go. Oh, how we wish we didn’t have to walk across it. Will I fall, will it break, is there another way to get across, why does this have to be the way  to the other side? Yet, when we have crossed it once, with nervous fear tingling in our bodies, we were at once more confident, braver and stronger for the crossing. Then, when we had to cross it again we were sure it would hold, hopeful that we could do it without falling and each time it became easier.

So it is with handling problems the right way. How could our faith increase, our hope be assured and our character strengthened had we not faced the bridge and crossed it once.?How could they increase without the need for perseverance, and how would we develop strong character, hope and faith unless we had to cross it many times?

You see, it is only through facing and overcoming problems that our faith and character are perfected. As much as we like to avoid facing problems, without them we would never truly become the creatures God created us to be. So, what do we prefer, temporary and imperfect comfort for our bodies here or eternal and perfect communion with God?

Praise God from  whom all blessings flow. For it is his good pleasure that we become his children.

Bridge walking,

Z gardener

God uses problems to PROTECT you.