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The Everlasting Gates

May 29, 2012 by zgardener

 

Read Psalm 24.
The Twenty-fourth Psalm is the great summing up of the Bible teaching on letting God come into your life.
The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof…
The key to the true meaning of this first stanza is found in the two pivotal words Lord and earth. In the Bible the word Lord means the I AM. The earth is a general term covering all expression or manifestation under the jurisdiction of the I AM. Now all trouble of every land really arises from the belief that the earth is subject to the dominion of some outer power or law that is able to govern it independently of the I AM. But the Law of Being is, that man is the image and likeness of God, and has full dominion over all his conditions, and this psalm emphasizes this wonderful fact by adding the world, and they that dwell therein.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
The hill of the Lord, or His holy place, means the realization of God. It is that vivid, real sense of the Presence. When one attains to this he has a marvelous power of helping and healing others. To reach this state is the real object of all our prayers.
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…
But who are the pure in heart? Fundamentally, purity means complete loyalty to the belief in one single, all-embracing, omnipotent God, Our Father which art in heaven. Hold unswervingly to God – this is purity.
To keep one’s mentality consciously loyal to the One Power is only half the battle. The other half is to purify and re-educate the soul, not merely from the grosser sins that everybody recognizes, but from the thousand-and-one concessions to limitation belief that fill the everyday life of humanity. This is to have “ clean hands,” and to be able to ascend that wondrous “hill of the Lord.”
There is enough wisdom here to fill a lifetime. Ponder it well, accept it and base your life on it. Then, enter the everlasting gates to the garden.
Everlastingly blessed,
Z gardener

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Making Your Own Fortune

May 24, 2012 by zgardener

You think, and your own 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).

Listen and hear! There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God or each other if we know how to think. Each thought takes us closer to or farther away from God, but they can not separate us from God's love. Even death can not separate us from the love of God and those who love us.

And us sure as it is that we can not be separated from their love; it is equally sure that we will be with them forever. Even though we may be parted temporarily here, we will be reunited in eternity.

So, let us create our fortunes and futures by thinking rightly and living in joy each day as God wishes for us. And, let us take both sun and rain knowing that God and those we love are with us regardless of anything else.

Being fortunate,

Z gardener

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Fools’ Gold

May 22, 2012 by zgardener

In mining country one comes, across a valueless substance that is so like gold ore that inexperienced people cannot always tell the difference. This is called Fool’s Gold, and many a young prospector has wasted much time and hard work before discovering that he has been deceived by the spurious article. Old timers used to say to the tenderfoot: “When you think you have found gold you probably have not; but when you do find it, you will know it for certain.”
So it is with the prospectors on the mountain range that we call life. There are many kinds of fools’ gold to be found, but when you meet the genuine article you will have no doubt in your mind. The true gold will give you a sense of peace and poise, a sense of freedom and power because you will no longer be in bondage to passing material things. It will set you free from much of the tyranny of time and space beliefs. The True gold is that sense of the Presence of God with us, to obtain which is the object of this life.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights… (James1: 17).
We only need to ask ourselves, “Have I found peace, poise, freedom and power in my faith?” If the answer is yes, stake your claim. If the answer is no, then we need to examine ourselves and our faith. We may have found true gold and are not living our faith. Or we may have found fools gold and need to keep looking for the real thing. Either way, the proof is in the fruits of our faith.
Mining the real thing,
Z gardener

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May 21, 2012 by zgardener

Have You A Dinosaur’s Egg?
In a certain museum in New York there are a couple of dinosaur’s eggs on view. This exhibit appeals to the imagination. Visitors say, “Those eggs were laid millions of years ago, and here they are today untouched!” These people are apt to overlook the fact that for the dinosaur in question they represent complete failure. After all the trouble of laying those eggs nothing ever came of them.
It is surprising how many otherwise intelligent men and women waste the best days of their lives laying dinosaur’s eggs that never hatch out. Either through lack of energy, or lack of intelligent planning, or failure to make God a partner, or more often sheer muddle headedness, they lay an excellent egg and then stroll away and forget it. Do not start a plan unless you really think it is worthwhile, do not rest until you have brought it to fruition.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).
It is not how many seeds we plant or how many eggs we lay that is most essential. That which matters most is how well we care for the seeds planted and eggs laid. The planting and laying are only the first steps; the success of the seed or egg will depend upon its value and how much work we put into it.
Planting and caring,
Z gardener

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How Much Conviction?

May 18, 2012 by zgardener

What do you really believe? It is as a man thinketh in his heart that matters, says the Bible, and this means the heartfelt conviction as distinct from mere formal assent.
If you want to know what you really believe, simply watch what you do. We always do what we believe, although we frequently talk differently. If you feel that you are not making the most of your life, change your beliefs. Your present beliefs must be wrong if they are not producing harmony and satisfaction.
Start believing in health; start believing in prosperity; start believing in the Christ in those about you; start believing that your own divine Selfhood is rapidly unfolding. Act as though you believed these things and the results will surprise you.
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul…Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as was told me (Acts 27: 23-25).
“Act as if what you believe is true”. This is one of the great truths of existence. We do this every day, whether we realize it or not. If we are not acting in accordance with our faith, then we do not truly believe that which our faith teaches. We may espouse it, go to church each time the door is open and feel that we truly believe God’s word. Yet, if we are not acting according to those truths, then we are misleading ourselves.
This is the toughest test of faith. It is not easy, in fact, it is the hardest thing we could do. However, if we do it, then we will see the fruits of God’s grace and love in every aspect of our lives. If we don’t act according to our faith, then we need to revisit that which we think we believe.
Acting from faith,
Z gardener

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Lean Back On Life

May 17, 2012 by zgardener

Mental relaxation is just as important as right mental activity. Wise relaxation and wise activity are the balanced poles of all true actions. Many people are constantly subjecting their minds to totally unnecessary wear and tear.
We speak colloquially of “taking the train” somewhere and actually many people who ride in trains do take the train mentally the whole journey. Many years ago I noticed that when a train arrives in the terminal after a long run, the locomotive men always seem to come off the train looking fresher than most of the passengers; although they have been working and the passengers have not. The explanation is that for the engineer and fireman it was only a routine day’s work. They did not “take the train” mentally – they let the engine take it.
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…(Deuteronomy 33:27).
Stress, anxiety and worry are the enemies of peace. We can control all of them with God’s help. When we believe our welfare is solely on our shoulders, we expose ourselves to these enemies of peace.
When we lean back on God and look to God for our guidance, help and deliverance, then we can release our negative mental states. Then we can know that God is in control and whatever the outcome, it will be for our best good.
So today, let us look to God for our strength and support and let’s leave the negative mental states behind. And, let us walk in the joy, hope and love that God created us to enjoy.
In peace,
Z gardener

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Look Where You Go

May 15, 2012 by zgardener

Look where you are going because you will inevitably go where you are looking. Where your attention is, there is your destiny. Attention is the key to life. Whatever you really give your attention to, you become. Whatever you really concentrate upon will come into your life. The Bible says, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). It does not say simply as a man thinketh, but as he thinketh in his heart, and this means thinking with interest or feeling.
This law is often illustrated most amusingly in practical life. The “horsy” man with his equine looks is known to us all. Kipling speaks of a Newfoundland fisherman who appeared for all the world like a great codfish himself; and Dickens speaks of a pedantic old lawyer who looked just like an animated roll of parchment. Keep your eyes open for these amusing dramatizations, and be sure to take to heart the tremendous lesson that they teach.
In which direction are we looking? What is it that we feel intensely about or for which we have strong desire? These are the elements that shape our reality and bring things into our lives. If we are looking to the physical realm and our passions are directed to the material world, that is where our present exists and where our future will be.
If we are focused on our spiritual lives and our desires are directed toward our relationship with God, then we can live in the Eden God created for us here and our future with God will be assured forever.
Looking rightly,
Z gardener

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Increasing Your Dividends

May 14, 2012 by zgardener

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. (Matthew 25:29).
This great text has been a stumbling block to many. It looks like injustice. It sounds like cruelty. Yet Jesus said it, and we know that he was always right.
The explanation is logical when you have the key to life. Your experience is the expression (pressing out) of your state of mind or consciousness, at any time. When your consciousness is high, everything goes well. When your consciousness is low or limited, everything goes wrong.
When trouble comes the usual thing is to meet it with fear, anger, disappointment, self-pity, or brutal will power. This naturally lowers the consciousness a good deal more, and things get still worse. From him that hath not (much) harmony, shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Harmony and joy naturally raise your consciousness and your faith in God still higher, and so things improve further. Unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance. This is a simple statement of natural law. Let us thank God that this wonderful law exists.
Just as with the servant who hid their master’s money under a tree and did not use it or increase it, we are expected to use and benefit from God’s gifts and grace. We are to expand it and give it substance in our reality. We are to share it and receive joy and harmony for it. If we do not, then we will most surely lose it.
Living God’s abundance,
Z gardener

 

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The Law of Limitation

May 11, 2012 by zgardener

A Young doctor and his wife were entertaining an elderly aunt. After-dinner coffee was served, whereupon the visitor said excitedly, “John, you know I cannot drink coffee! The nicotine in it keeps me awake all night.”
The nephew said, “ I assure you, my dear aunt, there is no nicotine in this coffee.” The aunt replied, “There is always nicotine in coffee, and it keeps me awake the whole night.” The host then said, “My dear aunt, I assure you upon my word of honor as a doctor, that there is no nicotine in this coffee.”
The old lady, who had the highest regard both for her nephew’s professional qualifications and for his personal integrity, was satisfied; and thereupon drank three large cups of coffee, enjoyed them immensely and slept like a top all night.
Naturally, there can be no nicotine in coffee; the old lady meant caffeine. Of course, one does not approve of the deception employed – deception is never legitimate – but the story illustrates perfectly the power of good and bad suggestion. The old lady first made a law of limitation for herself, and then repealed it without any trouble. Why not start today and repeal some of the many such laws you are sure to have made for yourself.
If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23).
Let us begin living without false limitation today. If we look at our lives and identify those things which holding us back, we will find that they can all be overcome. We will also find many if not most are self imposed or arise from our perceptions and prejudices.
Today we can begin to free ourselves from self-limitation and turn to God in thought, word and deed. Then we will clearly see the unlimited richness of a world in which God’s word rules. Once the scales of “self” drop from our eyes, the Eden created for us will appear to replace the world of limitation we have created for ourselves. Then we will possess the key to unlock us from our self-imposed imprisonment.
Being freed,
Z gardener

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Divine Abundance

May 10, 2012 by zgardener

When you go down to the seashore, you find what is practically an unlimited supply of sea water at your disposal. There are billions upon billions of gallons there, but the amount that you can carry away will depend upon the vessel with which you have provided yourself. If you take a ten-gallon can, you can get ten gallons, but if you take only a pint pot you can take away only a pint, and if you have nothing bigger than a thimble, you would not be able to take away more than a thimbleful.
So it is with divine abundance. The only limit is the limit of our capacity to receive.
Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:16).
Just as we are the only things that can limit ourselves, we are the only ones who can limit what we receive from God. Will we present an open hand to God’s grace and bounty or a raised fist that is closed in anger, bitterness or another destructive attitude? The choice is ours. The way is clear. We must accept God’s will and believe God’s word. In our hearts, minds and actions, we must live and love as God instructs us. Then all God’s love and joy will find a way into our lives and we will be able to recognize and live in the Eden God created for us.
Heart and hand opened,
Z gardener

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