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Posts Tagged ‘Faith’

With All Sails Set

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

            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).
The best way to have dominion over our lives is to turn them over to God and follow his will. If we set our heading according to God’s will, and if we stay that course, our ships will arrive safely at their true home port. That port will be a life filled with joy and gladness and our ships will come through every storm.
On God’s course,
Z gardener

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Thine the Glory

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

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 wondrous 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 understand that God works through us; that any power we have comes from God, then we are positioned to live in the Eden God created for us. This is when we can overcome all obstacles, turn bad into good and know true peace with God’s help and infinite power.
In glory,
Z gardener

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Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).

Many earnest people feel that God could not lead anyone into temptation in any circumstances, and that Jesus could not have said what he is represented to have said, and so some other phrasing is sought more in accordance with the general tone of his teaching. All this, however, is unnecessary.
The facts are these—the more you pray, the more sensitive you become, and the more powerful are your prayers. But you also become susceptible to forms of temptation that simply do not beset those at an earlier stage. Subtle and powerful temptations await; temptations to work for self-glory, for personal distinction; temptation to personal preferences other than perfect impartiality. Beyond all other temptations the deadly sin of spiritual pride. Many who have surmounted all other testings have lapsed into self-righteousness that has fallen like a curtain of steel between them and God.
Some old writers were so vividly sensible of these dangers that they spoke of the soul as being challenged by various tests as its traversed the upward road. The traveler was halted at various turnpike bars, and tested by some ordeal to determine whether he were ready to advance any further. If he succeeded in passing the test he was allowed to continue upon his way with the blessing of the challenger.
Now, some less experienced souls, eager for rapid advancement, have rashly desired to be subjected immediately to all kinds of tests, and have even looked about, seeking for difficulties to overcome. Forgetting our Lord’s injunction Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God(Matthew 4:7), they have virtually challenged him to give them difficulties. And so Jesus has inserted this clause, in which we pray that we may not have to meet anything that is too much for us at the present level of our understanding.
It becomes really clear when said this way. Lead us; not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Being led,
Z gardener

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How To Forgive

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

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 willingness to forgive is the keystone to forgiveness. It is our choice whether we will be freed from resentment or shackled to it. And, when negative thoughts arise about those we have have forgiven, simply pronounce a blessings on them and go to the next subject. It does require the desire to forgive and discipline to bless those who have caused pain. But the result is that we are able to overcome wrongs against us not by force and revenge, but by forgiveness and reconciliation. It is a win/win/win.
Winning through forgiveness,
Z gardener

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Freedom In Forgiveness

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

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.
Yes, we are still talking about forgiveness. Because few things are more important, this emphasis is needed. May we all have ears to hear and eyes to see this truth. May we be blessed by our hearing, seeing and then by our forgiving all.
Asking and giving forgiveness,
Z gardener

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Demonstrating Forgiveness

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

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.
This truth challenges us perhaps more than any in our faith. Our culture, self-centeredness and pride stand as constant obstacles to forgiveness of others. Our guilt, lack of self respect and self-recrimination join to cripple our ability to forgive ourselves. Yet the truth remains that we must forgive ourselves and others if we are to live fully in communion with God. Our live on earth and throughout eternity depend upon it.
So, let us commit to forgiveness, and live in the peace, joy and gladness that God offers us each day.
Forgiving daily,
Z gardener

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As We Forgive

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

   As we repeat the Great Prayer intelligently, we are suddenly caught up and grasped as though in a vise, so that we must face this problem of separation from God. We must extend forgiveness to everyone.
Notice that Jesus does not say, “Forgive me my trespasses and I will try to forgive others.” He obliges us to declare that we have actually forgiven, and he makes our claim to our forgiveness to depend upon that.Who could be so insane as to endeavor to seek the Kingdom of God without desiring to be relieved of his own sense of guilt? We are trapped in the inescapable position that we cannot demand our own release before we have released our brother.
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts(Psalm 139:23).
Release today, our brothers and sisters with forgiveness; and rise up, freed of our own guilt. Wash away today, that which binds us to our own judgement; and forgive all. This is our personal Emancipation Proclamation. Claim it, proclaim it and live in the Eden waiting for us TODAY.
Released,
Z gardener
Author’s note: Today, let us remember those lost on 9-11, their loved ones and the first responders who still suffer each day. Remember our men and women in uniform who are still rooting out this evil.
But also, let us remember the everyday citizens who stood up to terror and rose from the ordinary to the legendary. Neil Young put best it in his 9-11 anthem “Let’s Roll”. That song was inspired by the phone calls made from Flight 93. Proof to any cynic that people are good, and capable of making the ultimate sacrifice for others. The lyrics and link are below.   Peace, Z

 

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Forgive Us Our Trespasses

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us (Matthew 6:12).
This clause is the turning point of the Prayer. It is the strategic key. Having told us what God is, what man is, how the universe work, how we are to do our own work, what our true nourishment or supply is, and the way in which we can obtain it, he now comes to the forgiveness of sins.
The forgiveness of sins is the central problem of life. Sin is a sense of separation from God, and is the major tragedy of human experience. It is, of course, rooted in selfishness. It is essentially an attempt to gain some supposed good to which we are not entitled in justice. It is a sense of isolated, self-regarding, personal existence; whereas the Truth of Being is that all is One. Our true selves are at one with God, undivided from Him, expressing His ideas, witnessing to His nature. Because we are all one with the great Whole of which we are spiritually a part, it follows that we are one with all men.
Evil, sin, the fall of man, in fact, is essentially the attempt to negate this Truth. We try to live apart from God. We act as though we could have plans and purposes and interests separate from Him. All this, if it were true, would mean that existence is not one and harmonious, but a chaos of competition and strife. But, of course, it is not true, and therein lays the joy of life.
In this passage our forgiveness from God is linked to our forgiveness for others. If God forgives us “as” we forgive others, then the way we forgive directly affects our forgiveness from God. This raises a tough question. Are we forgiving others “as” we would have God forgive us? Would we be willing to accept the same level of forgiveness from God that we give to others? Do we show mercy to those who offend us as we would want God to show us mercy? The fact is we can”t have it both ways. I f we are harsh, unforgiving and judgmental, then we should expect to be judged and treated the same way.
Now is the time to let go of all those grudges, resentments and judgements against those who have hurt or wronged us. This day we can claim mercy and forgiveness for ourselves by giving it to others. Each day we can live in harmony with God and those we touch by freely offering forgiveness and mercy. Then we will be in communion with God and those around us as we walk in the garden God created to share with each of us.
In forgiveness,
Z gardener

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Our Daily Bread

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 5, 2012| 1 Comment »

     In speaking of the “bread of life,” Jesus calls it our daily bread. The reason for this is very fundamental—our contact with God must be a living one. It is our momentary attitude that governs our being.
…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation(2 Corinthians 6:2).
The most futile thing in the world is to seek to live upon a past realization. The thing that means spiritual life to you is your realization of God here and now.
Be thankful for yesterday’s experience, knowing that it is with you forever in the change of consciousness that it brought about, but do not lean upon it for a single moment for the need of today. The manna in the desert is the Old Testament prototype of this daily nourishment. The people wandering in the wilderness were told that they would be supplied with manna from heaven every day but they were on no account to try to save it up for the morrow. When, notwithstanding the rule, some of them did try to live upon yesterday’s food, the result was pestilence or death.
So it is it us. The art of life is to live in the present moment, and to make that moment as perfect as we can by the realization that we are the instruments and expression of God Himself.
What a wonderful blessing it is to be able to live in the present. Free from past guilt and future anxiety, we can live in a forgiven and hopeful present, regardless of the outer circumstances of our lives. With this freedom comes the responsibility to make each present moment one of joy and gladness in communion with God and God’s children. If we waste these moments with anger, doubt or fear, then we have abrogated our call to live in faith and grace for that moment.
So today, let us govern our attitudes is response to God’s desire for our best good. Let us be the loving, hopeful and enthusiastic gardeners that God created us to be. Let us treasure every moment as a non-recurring gift that can not be repeated or stored away for a rainy day. Let us spend each moment as if it were our last. Then we will find ourselves in the Eden God meant for us to have here below.
Being today,
Z gardener

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The Giver of Our Bread

Posted in Good Morning, tagged on September 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

People think of their supply as coming from certain investments, or from a business, or from an employer, perhaps; whereas these are merely the channels through which it comes, God being the Source. A particular channel is likely to change, because change is the cosmic law for manifestation. Stagnation is really death; but as long as you realize that the Source of your supply is the one unchangeable Spirit, all is well. The fading out of one channel will be but the signal for the opening of another.
In its inner and most important meaning, our daily bread signifies the realization of the Presence of God—an actual sense that God exists not merely in a nominal way, but as the great reality; we can rely upon Him to supply all that we need to have; teach us all that we need to know; and guide our step so that we shall not make mistakes. This is Emanuel, or God with us.
But my God shall supply all your need…(Philippians 4:19).
All we need to tap into the ultimate supply is to rely on God, believe his word and act according to his will. This means, of course, sublimating our will and desires to God’s. That is easier said than done. But just as it is easier listening to music than playing it; the music of God attracts us then we are motivated to learn how to play it. The more we practice our music and our spirituality, the better we get, and the easier it gets. Then, we can share this beautiful music with others.
So, when we turn to God for our needs, they are met and we learn how to receive them and share them with others. This is how we live in the garden God created for us, and how our music draws others to the garden.
Playing God’s tune,
Z gardener

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