Saturday, September 25, 2010
Asking the Right Way
When Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer he was giving us the information we need in order to have our prayers answered. Right after He praised God’s name, the next line was “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
The Bible tells us Jesus said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Of course we cannot literally abide in the man Jesus. He wants us to abide in the spirit of His teachings. The whole spirit of his teachings is that God’s work is manifest through us as individuals. We must always ask in our prayers for things that are good and right. Our prayers are answered when they are in true harmony with God and how do we know when they are in true harmony with God? When the prayer is “Thy will be done” not..”my will be done.”
If there is a financial need is your prayer “God, please help me find a better job making more money to cover my bills?” You have to ask yourself, would that really solve the problem? Maybe the condition you are in is because you haven’t learned how to manage money. So God’s lesson is for you to learn how. In that case the prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
If the need is health is your prayer, “God, please make me well?” Maybe the condition was caused because you haven’t developed healthy “habits” and God’s less is for you to learn to be healthier in your lifestyle. Your prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
Believe me, in God’s infinite wisdom, He does not need us to make the plan, all He wants us to do is ask believing and he will not disappoint us.
If a “plan” does come to you and you are not sure that it’s God’s guidance, simply take the first step, always praying that if it not God’s will He defeat you in carrying out the plan. This really works and when it happens that it was not God’s plan but your plan and you are left thinking, “ok, that wasn’t right so now what do I do?” God’s way will open up for you and it will be much easier and better than you could ever devise with your own thinking. Maybe God will bring into your life will someone who can help you be a better money manager or someone (even a stranger) who has the same health problem as you and has seen a doctor who specializing in that health problem.
Many of you have already experienced and know “letting go and letting God” really works, so keep praying, believing. Maybe if you haven’t tried it, you will. Thanks letting me share.
The Bible tells us Jesus said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Of course we cannot literally abide in the man Jesus. He wants us to abide in the spirit of His teachings. The whole spirit of his teachings is that God’s work is manifest through us as individuals. We must always ask in our prayers for things that are good and right. Our prayers are answered when they are in true harmony with God and how do we know when they are in true harmony with God? When the prayer is “Thy will be done” not..”my will be done.”
If there is a financial need is your prayer “God, please help me find a better job making more money to cover my bills?” You have to ask yourself, would that really solve the problem? Maybe the condition you are in is because you haven’t learned how to manage money. So God’s lesson is for you to learn how. In that case the prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
If the need is health is your prayer, “God, please make me well?” Maybe the condition was caused because you haven’t developed healthy “habits” and God’s less is for you to learn to be healthier in your lifestyle. Your prayer should be, “This is the need, Your will be done.”
Believe me, in God’s infinite wisdom, He does not need us to make the plan, all He wants us to do is ask believing and he will not disappoint us.
If a “plan” does come to you and you are not sure that it’s God’s guidance, simply take the first step, always praying that if it not God’s will He defeat you in carrying out the plan. This really works and when it happens that it was not God’s plan but your plan and you are left thinking, “ok, that wasn’t right so now what do I do?” God’s way will open up for you and it will be much easier and better than you could ever devise with your own thinking. Maybe God will bring into your life will someone who can help you be a better money manager or someone (even a stranger) who has the same health problem as you and has seen a doctor who specializing in that health problem.
Many of you have already experienced and know “letting go and letting God” really works, so keep praying, believing. Maybe if you haven’t tried it, you will. Thanks letting me share.
Friday, September 17, 2010
FountainLady.com: How Can I Help You?
FountainLady.com: How Can I Help You?: "The particular need to have concern for one’s neighbors regardless of family connection or religion came from Jesus’ example. Actually it wa..."
How Can I Help You?
The particular need to have concern for one’s neighbors regardless of family connection or religion came from Jesus’ example. Actually it wasn’t part of his teaching, it was central to what is unique in Christ’s message and the whole story that his life represented, that GOD became flesh and dwelt among us. In Christ’s message all materiality and everyone - saint and sinner is God appearing. Unless we honor strangers as well as our own families, that message has no meaning to us, and we cannot call ourselves followers of Christ.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Jews saw a Samaritan, their enemy, take time, money and effort to help a disabled Jew. That represents another principle that is unique to Christianity, forgiveness. We are all off springs of one God and until we help each other, pray for each other, and forgive each other, family or foe, we deny charity and deny that we are all a part of GOD.
Sometimes it is easier to forgive a stranger than to forgive our closest love one. We alienate ourselves from family because of some perceived slight or words spoken and interpreted in the wrong context. These hurts build and build until they reach insurmountable heights. If we have a problem with forgiving others, we can begin to solve the problem in a way that has nothing to do with forgiveness…appreciation. The best way to forgive is to start appreciating, appreciating the good in others. Everyone has some virtue, because we are all made in the image of GOD.
Perhaps throughout his whole life, Jesus’ message was “Appreciate yourself, add to yourself by seeing the good in your brother. Then you will see it in yourself. Then will you include everyone in your love.”
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Jews saw a Samaritan, their enemy, take time, money and effort to help a disabled Jew. That represents another principle that is unique to Christianity, forgiveness. We are all off springs of one God and until we help each other, pray for each other, and forgive each other, family or foe, we deny charity and deny that we are all a part of GOD.
Sometimes it is easier to forgive a stranger than to forgive our closest love one. We alienate ourselves from family because of some perceived slight or words spoken and interpreted in the wrong context. These hurts build and build until they reach insurmountable heights. If we have a problem with forgiving others, we can begin to solve the problem in a way that has nothing to do with forgiveness…appreciation. The best way to forgive is to start appreciating, appreciating the good in others. Everyone has some virtue, because we are all made in the image of GOD.
Perhaps throughout his whole life, Jesus’ message was “Appreciate yourself, add to yourself by seeing the good in your brother. Then you will see it in yourself. Then will you include everyone in your love.”
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Its Not Why, But How We Handle Things
So many times after a tragedy we hear the words, “Why did God allow this to happen to me? I am a good person and try to live the right kind of life..why me?” and the reply. “We don’t always understand God’s will, but we know he allowed this to happen for a reason.” WRONG. God didn’t make the choice that led to the circumstances or consequences that we find ourselves in. He gave us free will and a conscious so we could make choices. Sometimes we are so burdened and grief-stricken by things that happen because of other people choices we might feel that God is punishing us for some forgotten and unforgiven sin, but I believe that God is so loving and caring that He forgives me for all my shortcomings every time I acknowledge them and ask for forgiveness. It’s ourselves who won’t forgive ourselves. We can feel sad, but not guilty for circumstances that happened because of a bad choice.
When you are faced with a problem, instead of trying to get God to do something about it, simply think about what God is, health, happiness, fulfillment, peace, harmony, companionship and as long as you have the “breath of life” in this body, God’s spirit is right here in you. If God is all these things and He is in you, how can you be anything but perfect? It does no good to try to ‘talk’ God into doing something about your discord, only you can do this.
God is my Father, He made me. His plan is for me to be happy, healthy, caring and to be his work manifest here on earth. This is I do daily by accepting his guidance, leadership and direction in each and every choice I must make each day. God uses us to make things happen…it’s up to us to make sure we use God’s choices in our lives.
When you are faced with a problem, instead of trying to get God to do something about it, simply think about what God is, health, happiness, fulfillment, peace, harmony, companionship and as long as you have the “breath of life” in this body, God’s spirit is right here in you. If God is all these things and He is in you, how can you be anything but perfect? It does no good to try to ‘talk’ God into doing something about your discord, only you can do this.
God is my Father, He made me. His plan is for me to be happy, healthy, caring and to be his work manifest here on earth. This is I do daily by accepting his guidance, leadership and direction in each and every choice I must make each day. God uses us to make things happen…it’s up to us to make sure we use God’s choices in our lives.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Remember the Important Things
A story is told about a man who was very lonely and felt a great void in his life. He decided that he would buy a bird and thereby have something that would talk to him in the evenings when he returned home from work.
He went into the pet ship and the owner of the shop showed him his very most talkative bird. “You will need a bird cage I’m sure,” said the shop owner to the man, “we have those also.” The man took the bird and the cage home and after a couple of days the bird still had not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet shop to company to the owner. “Oh,” said the owner, “the bird is used to having a ladder to climb on, I sell those, take one home to your bird and I’m sure he will talk.” After another couple of days the bird had still not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet store to tell the owner. “Oh,” said the man “He probably needs a mirror, I sell those, here take this home and put it in the cage, and then I’m sure the bird will talk.”
“Well, he had better talk, “said the man,” this bird has cost me a fortune and has not been one bit of company.” Upon returning home he placed the mirror in the cage and the bird, seeing his reflection in the mirror and thinking it was another bird, mustered up his last bit of strength and said, “Good luck, maybe the shop owner will remember to sell him some bird seed before it’s too late for you.”
Think about it, so many times our lives are filled with things we think will make us happy, but the truth is, sometimes we forget the most important thing, to put God first in our life.
Trust in the Lord and do good; so will you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Psalms 37:3
He went into the pet ship and the owner of the shop showed him his very most talkative bird. “You will need a bird cage I’m sure,” said the shop owner to the man, “we have those also.” The man took the bird and the cage home and after a couple of days the bird still had not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet shop to company to the owner. “Oh,” said the owner, “the bird is used to having a ladder to climb on, I sell those, take one home to your bird and I’m sure he will talk.” After another couple of days the bird had still not spoken a word, so the man went back to the pet store to tell the owner. “Oh,” said the man “He probably needs a mirror, I sell those, here take this home and put it in the cage, and then I’m sure the bird will talk.”
“Well, he had better talk, “said the man,” this bird has cost me a fortune and has not been one bit of company.” Upon returning home he placed the mirror in the cage and the bird, seeing his reflection in the mirror and thinking it was another bird, mustered up his last bit of strength and said, “Good luck, maybe the shop owner will remember to sell him some bird seed before it’s too late for you.”
Think about it, so many times our lives are filled with things we think will make us happy, but the truth is, sometimes we forget the most important thing, to put God first in our life.
Trust in the Lord and do good; so will you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Psalms 37:3
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