God lives in "unapproachable light;" He is served by myriads of angels and other heavenly creatures. He is robed in light, and all bow down before Him. Jesus speaks of the "Glory He had with God before the world existed," -- and then He says, "The glory which you have given Me I have given them." In the original, it's clear that He means the glory is ours already--the same glory that the Son and the Father have together. He does this, when you become a believer, by "making his home with you"--by uniting you with Him. Both the Son and the Father do this, so that you are united with Him, and become as one. Yes, you retain your identity. Yes, you are always going to be "you." BUT. Even so, you "belong" to Him, in ways that no words can fathom, with a relationship so deep that it can be described as "one." This is the essence of receiving God's glory, to be one with Him so that He dwells in you and empowers and informs your entire life. Because you are still "you," you can enjoy His fullness, or live in your own spirit. The life of fullness and wisdom in Him is potentially yours, but you must cultivate it. This all sounds very mystical, but in practical terms it's not. It's really very simple. To enter into all that God has for you, just do the following:
1. Start bringing things to Him all the time. Simple, easy prayers, such as, "Lord, what should I do about this?" OR, "Sammy has been really naughty today (if you're a Mom), what should I do?" And then see if He answers. It takes a bit of practice to hear Him all the time, but once you "get on to it" it's easy, and it grows on you.
2. Meditate on Scripture. Meditation is different than study, and different than reading. Meditation is actually thinking about and praying over, what God says, and personalizing it all, with His help.
3. Listen for His voice in your spirit. It's often very quiet, but if you know Him, you can learn to recognize His voice.
4. Remember that He's interested in you: Psalm 139:
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up, you are still with me!
All these things take some practice--but your heritage is to be united with God, and like His Son, if you are a Christian--so be those things now, and enjoy them.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thankfully...
Thankfully, you woke up today. You have life, and breath, at least for a short time; you have enough hope to stop your life and read this. You have time away from work to do the same. You have enough money to get on the internet, and use it.
The sun rose this morning, as it always does, and it was preceded by night, which it always is. Where I live, the weather is wonderful--maybe not so much where you live, but there is a beauty in all weather--whether the stark cold of winter, the heat of summer, the beauty of spring and fall, or just today. You probably had something to drink or eat when you got up, and I hope you looked outside to see what's there.
These are all things that God provides. Breath, life, sunshine, rain, snow, and the opportunity to make our way in life--and the help to gain those things, and live life. Thankfulness (to God) for the simplest of things is a sure sign of a grateful heart--and a grateful heart makes for a happy life. The writer of Proverbs (in the Bible) says, "A merry heart does good like a medicine;" and so does a thankful heart.
The old adage that says, "count your blessings" is true--so stop and look outside of yourself for a moment today (and if you want to be happy, every day)--think of the simplest of things that you get to experience, and be thankful for them. The sunrise. The sounds of morning. The change in temperature. A friendly smile from a loved one. The sound of children laughing and playing (or even fighting--if they fight, they can't be too sick, right?). Shopping malls filled with eager people (they are seeking something better than they have; that can't be all bad, right?); the cup of coffee or tea in your hand; the memories of family. You have something for which to be thankful. Find it. Thank God for it. Your heart will relax, and release its poisons, and the medicine of merriment will take hold.
Who could be ungrateful in the presence of such beauty--it's just a tree, but there are all the colors of fall, right outside the window!
The sun rose this morning, as it always does, and it was preceded by night, which it always is. Where I live, the weather is wonderful--maybe not so much where you live, but there is a beauty in all weather--whether the stark cold of winter, the heat of summer, the beauty of spring and fall, or just today. You probably had something to drink or eat when you got up, and I hope you looked outside to see what's there.
These are all things that God provides. Breath, life, sunshine, rain, snow, and the opportunity to make our way in life--and the help to gain those things, and live life. Thankfulness (to God) for the simplest of things is a sure sign of a grateful heart--and a grateful heart makes for a happy life. The writer of Proverbs (in the Bible) says, "A merry heart does good like a medicine;" and so does a thankful heart.
The old adage that says, "count your blessings" is true--so stop and look outside of yourself for a moment today (and if you want to be happy, every day)--think of the simplest of things that you get to experience, and be thankful for them. The sunrise. The sounds of morning. The change in temperature. A friendly smile from a loved one. The sound of children laughing and playing (or even fighting--if they fight, they can't be too sick, right?). Shopping malls filled with eager people (they are seeking something better than they have; that can't be all bad, right?); the cup of coffee or tea in your hand; the memories of family. You have something for which to be thankful. Find it. Thank God for it. Your heart will relax, and release its poisons, and the medicine of merriment will take hold.
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