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Posts Tagged ‘Spiritual’

A Basic Miracle

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on November 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Let us suppose, for the sake of example, that on a certain Monday, your affairs are in such a condition that, humanly speaking, certain consequences are sure to follow before the end of the week. These may be legal consequences, perhaps of a very unpleasant nature following upon some decision of the courts; or a physician may decide that a perilous operation will be necessary. Now, if someone can raise the consciousness of the harassed individual above the limitations of the physical plane then the conditions on that plane will change, and, in some unforeseen and normally impossible manner, the legal tragedy will melt away, and to the advantage, be it noted, of all parties to the case; or the patient will be healed instead of having to undergo the operation.
In other words, miracles, in the popular sense of the word, can and do happen as the result of a change of consciousness, and a change of consciousness is usually accomplished through prayer. Thus prayer does change things.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).
Raising our consciousness through prayer does in fact change things. And when the outer problem is not changed, the inner reality changes to convert the problem into a blessing. Either way, we are blessed and at peace.
In conscioussness raising prayer,
Z gardener

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Miracles

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on November 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Jesus taught through miracles.
If the miracles did not happen, the rest of the Gospel story loses all real significance. If Jesus did not believe them to be possible, and  undertake to perform them, then the Gospel message is chaotic, contradictory, and devoid of significance.
But the deeds related to Jesus in the Four Gospels did happen, and many others too, “the which, if they should be written, every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” Jesus himself justified what people thought to be a strange teaching by the works he was able to do; and he went further and said,
…the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works… (John 14:12).
Now what, after all, is a miracle? Those who deny the possibility of miracles on the ground that the universe is a perfect system of law and order, to the operation of which there can be no exceptions, are perfectly right. But the explanation is that the world of which we are normally aware, and with whose law alone most people are acquainted, is only a fragment of the whole universe as it really is; and that there is such a thing as appealing from a lower to a higher law—from a lesser to a greater expression. In the sense of a real breach of law, miracles are impossible. Yet, in the sense that all ordinary rules and limitations of the physical plane can be set aside or overridden by an understanding that has risen above them, miracles can and do happen.
When we accept God’s truth, our eyes are opened to a greater law, greater perception and greater understanding of the universe than we are capable of alone. The act of belief pulls back the curtain of human perception and sensory limitation to reveal the true nature and reality of the universe in which we otherwise blindly navigate (“as through a veil, darkly”).
This new perception and understanding gives the believer access to the higher law that is not subject to human perception, senses and knowledge. When we operate under higher law, miracles do in fact happen that may appear to up end natural law as the unbeliever understands it (because their earthly “wisdom has made them foolish”.
Even better, Jesus himself said we are all capable of such miracles, and even greater ones. So, if we are to create miracles and benefit from them. we must open our hearts, minds and spirits to the higher law revealed by God. Then let our “foolishness (faith) make us wise”.
Living the miracle,
Z gardener

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Letter or Spirit?

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on November 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Jesus made a special point of discouraging the laying of emphasis upon outer observances; and, indeed, upon hard-and-fast rules and regulations of every kind. What he insisted upon was a certain spirit in one’s conduct, knowing that when the spirit is right, details will take care of themselves. Yet, in spite of this, the history of orthodox Christianity is largely made up of attempts to enforce all sorts of external observances upon the people.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (2 Corinthians 3:6).
Jesus’ entire ministrry was based on this principle. Mere adherence to form without spiritual integrity is hollow. Take any example. The Good Samiritan violated all the religious rules to help the injured traveler, yet he was cited by Jesus as the only one who acted as the person’s neighbor.
That which is within in our hearts, our spirits and our minds is what makes an act right or wrong most of the time. Even the criminal code supports this same priciple. The person who kills another person is self defense is not guilty of murder and is innocent of that charge.
So today, let us evaluate our owm motives and whether our actions meet the spirirt of the Bible, instead of just following the forms. Let us critically review if our “Christian” behavior is based on love, acceptance and tolerance.
In the spirit of the law,
Z gardener

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Jesus’ Teaching

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on November 1, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Jesus explains what the nature of God is, and what our own nature is; tells us the meaning of life and of death; shows us why we make mistakes; why we yield to temptation; why we become sick, and impoverished, and old; and most important of all, he tells us how all these evils may be overcome, and how we may bring fulfillment into our lives, and into the lives of others.
            Jesus warns us, not once but often, that obstinacy in sin can bring very severe punishment, and that a man who parts with the integrity of his soul—even though he gain the whole world—is a tragic fool. But he teaches that we are only punished for—and actually punished by—our own mistakes; and he teaches that every man or woman, no matter how steeped in evil and uncleanness, has always direct access to an all-loving, all-powerful Father-God, who will forgive him, and supply His own strength to him to enable him to find himself again.
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him (1 John 2:29).
The only place we can be lost from God is in refusal to accept him. Even then, God knows where we are and waits hopefully for our response to his call. God suffers from our sins because we suffer, and God’s love and healing are always available to us. But we must say yes, and accept the invitation to sublime unity. And we must say no, and deny the false illusion of separation. Then we will follow Jesus’ teaching and walk in the Eden that was created for us.
Yes Lord,
Z gardener

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What Did Jesus Teach?

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on October 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Jesus Christ is easily the most important figure that has ever appeared in the history of mankind. This is true whether you choose to call him God or man. His life and death  and teachings have influenced the course of human history more than those of any other man who ever lived. There can hardly, therefore, be a more important undertaking than to inquire into the question of what Jesus really did stand for.
What did Jesus teach? What did he really wish us to believe and to do? How far does the Christianity of today present his message to the world? What did Jesus teach?
…for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21).
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:12).
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it (John 14:14).
Jesus did not say “love one another as I have said to love one another”.  He said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” He loved us enough to give his life for us; not just on the day he was crucified, but on every day of his life.
Who are we giving our lives for today and each day? Is it all about ourselves, or do we give ourselves to others. Remember, there is nothing we can give away that won’t come back to us many times over. This works whether we are giving love or selfishness.
The Kingdom of God is within us so that we can love one another and therefore we can know that anything we ask in God’s name (according to his word) will be given to us.
With love,
Z gardener

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Dig Deeper

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on October 29, 2012| 1 Comment »

March 13
The study of the Bible is not unlike the search for diamonds in South Africa. At first people found a few diamonds in the yellow clay, and they were delighted with their good fortune, even while they supposed that this was to be the full extent of their find. Then, upon digging deeper, they came upon the blue clay, and to their amazement found as many precious stones in a day as they had previously found in a year.
In your exploration of Bible Truth, see to it that you do not rest satisfied in the yellow clay of a few spiritual discoveries, but press on to the rich blue clay underneath. The Bible, however, differs from the diamond field in the sublime fact that beneath the blue clay there are more and still more and richer strata, awaiting the touch of spiritual perception—on and on to Infinity.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33).
And what do we suppose those miners were digging through? Were they digging through cotton candy, ice cream or pudding. No, they were digging through rocks, dirt and grit. Their efforts were not a walk in the park. It was hard, dirty and sometimes dangerous. And, so is the effort to mine the diamonds of truth, joy, peace and hope.
The good news is that the work, toil and danger does lead us to the sparkling, brilliant and priceless treasure that is the love of God. There, the soil is filled with precious gems and the Eden that God created awaits us.
Digging on,
Z gardener

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Cast Thy Burden

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on October 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22).
We sometimes hear the expression used, “ cast the burden,” and it is useful to consider what this phrase really means. Used intelligently, it is one of the great keys to spiritual victory. To cast the burden means really to insist upon harmony and peace of mind, and to cease from worry and anxiety there and then.
If, when you are faced with trouble, whether it be old or new, you can affirm positively the harmony of being and then refuse to reopen the case, no matter how much fear may urge you to do so, you have cast your burden upon the Lord, and you will win.
The harmony of being is the truth and the reality created by God. When we live in that harmony, regardless of our external circumstances, we inhabit the Eden God created for us. When we succumb to the false notion of disharmony, we are living a lie  that separates us (sin) from God, the truth and our garden.
In the garden,
Stan

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Prayer As Treatment

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on October 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Treatment is a psycho-spiritual term that means knowing the spiritual truth about any person or situation. If, like most people, you believe that appearances are realities and that they cannot be changed, then you cannot perform a treatment. But if you believe that the Bible is right when it says,
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…(Proverbs 23:7).
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement(John 7:24),
then it is in your power to change anything for the better and to heal most things. Begin every treatment (no matter how many you may perform) by saying: I can overcome this difficulty.
If we really know the spiritual truth about anything, then our behavior will manifest that knowledge.If however, are actions do not manifest knowledge of truth, then we are simply aware of it, we do not “know” it.
If we are to change something for the better and heal that which is broken, then we must behave according to the spiritual truth. The truth is that we can overcome any difficulty with God’s help when we “know” the spiritual truth about it and when our behavior demonstrates that truth.
Treating with truth,
Z gardener

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Open Your Mind

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

Have you an open mind? Is the window of your soul open for fresh air and the sunshine of Truth to come in, or is it closed and shuttered by mental laziness or the emotional congestion that we call prejudice?

None of us knows how many fine things we have missed through being self-satisfied and cocksure. No one can be considered really intelligent who does not have a readiness to examine new ideas with an open mind.

The history of scientific discovery shows that almost every new step was opposed by the very people who should have welcomed it.

Harvey was denounced for claiming that the blood circulated through the body; Galileo was persecuted for saying that the earth went round the sun; Pasteur was branded a quack for advancing the germ theory of disease; Jenner was threatened with the police for pioneering vaccination. The finality of the atom, which was a scientific dogma in the child hood of most of us, has been completely discarded.

Probably the only incorrigible fool is the man who says that anything is impossible, or that there is any limit to the conquests that divine Intelligence working in mankind can achieve.

The Lord is able to give thee much more than this (2 Chronicles 25:9).

It is only when we rise above the human limitations of sensory-based perception, that we are able to truly open our hearts, spirits and minds. The Bible says, “their wisdom (non-believers), will make them foolish, and our (believers) foolishness will make us wise”.

Consider this; those who persecuted and ridiculed the great scientists mentioned above, were the “wise” of their age. Just as the Scribes and Pharisees who attacked Jesus, were the “wise” of their community. All were made foolish by their “wisdom”.

So today, let us rise above our puny human limitations and open our minds and our hearts to the infinite wisdom of God’s word. Let us rise above the hubris of human assumptions that we can know everything, or even truly understand anything, based on our limited capability. It is only God’s capability operating through our open minds, that make us truly wise.

Mind open,

Z gardener

 

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Turn Within

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

Don’t wait about for God to act dramatically from the outside—because He probably won’t. When people expect a dramatic miracle from the outside, they are really hoping to change conditions without changing themselves; to get something for nothing, in fact, and that would be a violation of cosmic law.
Don’t wait for God to tell you what to do from the outside—He won’t.
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
As within, so without. The first order of business for all who are seeking God’s help is to work on themselves from within. We must face the truths about ourselves and commit to addressing those things which contradict God’s will for our lives. We are the switch that opens or closes our will, thoughts and deeds to God’s in-dwelling spirit and will.
We must prepare the soil of our souls for God’s planting. Then we must nurture that soil and that seed so that it germinates, grows. flowers and bears fruit in our gardens. Then we can walk with God each day in the Eden that awaits us. It starts with us; it starts within.
Working within,
Z gardener

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