Using the Power of the Spirit to Make Right Judgments

1 Cor 4:1-15
Brothers and sisters:
Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Now it is of course required of stewards
that they be found trustworthy.
It does not concern me in the least
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes,
for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness
and will manifest the motives of our hearts,
and then everyone will receive praise from God.

Judgment is defined as “the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions.”(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:judgement&sa=X&ei=PD9qTcjHKYa0lQeP_PD-AQ&ved=0CBcQkAE).

As human beings, we make decisions and draw conclusions constantly. Yet in the reading, Paul is exhorting the Corinthian community not to judge, going so far as to say he does not even judge himself.

Jesus also instructed his disicples to “judge not, lest you be judged.” But, how is it possible for a human being to stop drawing conclusions and reaching decisions? It seems that this teaching is unnatural, and if followed would create a person who is paralyzed and unable to function. Choosing, and making decisions is as natural to a being human as breathing. What is going on here?

It is clear from the passage that the judgment Paul is referring to is not the human capacity to reach a conclusion, but is instead more like a judgment rendered by a tribunal, or some other institution empowered by the ruling authorities to determine guilt or innocence. Jesus is referring to the same type of judgment in the Gospels. Paul is not exhorting the Corinthians to stop thinking and choosing, but is instead teaching them to not determine guilt or innocence by themselves, but instead to leave it to the Lord to decide. But, Paul leaves us another mystery when he says, “do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes.” Now, he seems to be switching things around to say “you can judge like a human tribunal, but you have to wait until the appointed time, when the Lord comes.” It can be very confusing.

This mystery can also be solved by looking at the rest of the passage. Paul is speaking in symbolic language, however his point is clear. The Spirit of God is to be the judge and tribunal of the individual Christian, and the larger Christian Community. However, the execution of the decision of the Spirit is left to the individual members of the community. Once the Lord comes, at the appointed time, it will be clear what needs to be done, and the individual/community can then judge rightly. In other words, the Lord will shine light on the problem, and reveal the decision that should be made. Until that happens, nothing can and should be done.

How many of us wait for the Lord to tell us what needs to be done before we choose to do something, or pass judgment? I know that I am extremely impatient as I wait for the Lord's “appointed time.” This method of judgment calls for a deep spirituality, one that surrenders completely to the Power of the Spirit within. It is something that takes practice to learn to patiently wait for the Lord. However, it is the only way to be sure that our judgments are right and just.

As Human beings, we cannot stop making decisions. To be successful in life, we must learn to allow the Spirit of God to guide us as we make judgments. As Paul Points out:

“he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.”

Once we learn to wait for the Lord to judge the situation, we will always judge rightly.

The 3 Keys for Transforming Negative Thoughts Into Positive Beliefs

Are you a perfectionist? Do you brood and worry that the work you do is never good enough, and as a result you will never be good enough?

You are not alone in feeling this way. Millions of people in America and the West have been raised to appropriate this negative mindset. We are taught from a very young age that what we do, and who we are, is just not good enough. To fix this problem, we are advised to work harder while expecting less in return. To spend more, even though we receive less quality, are paid less, and prices are rising. We are told to accept, without question, the myth that humans are by nature lazy, shiftless, and imperfect beings who must continually strive to overcome their inherent imperfection through mindless drudgery and toil. The cure for our affliction, we are told, is (surprise) to work harder and longer, spend more, while knowing our inherent imperfection will always rise up to keep us from achieving the perfection we seek. It is a vicious cycle, which dominates the western mind.

There are many reasons why this negative mindset has taken root in western culture. However, I would like to focus on how to begin rooting it out of your mind, so that you can begin to appreciate who you are, and the many good and positive contributions you bring to life.

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus teaches:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The modern westerner reads this and likely thinks that this passage advocates laziness, a lack of ambition, and if taken seriously will lead to poverty and lack. However, the passage cited above, if understood, can instead lead you to a life of freedom, happiness, abundance, and prosperity. But how can your needs be met without labor or worry? This seems too idealistic, too good to be true. But is it?

No it is not. In fact, this passage offers 3 keys for achieving true success, and overcoming the negativity of perfectionism. They are as follows:

The First Key: Believe life is orderly and good, and all life receives exactly what they need to live a full and happy life.

Whether you believe in God or not, it is a scientific fact that all life, yours included, is supported by invisible forces (energy) and unconscious processes (like breathing) which your striving and worrying has no impact on, other than to impede their proper functioning. For example, anxiety and worry makes the breath shallow, and increases the heart rate and blood-pressure. Stress releases hormones that cause metabolic damage, and negatively impact the nervous system. So the first key is to cease worrying and striving, and to become convinced that God, the universe, whatever you choose to call it, is good, and will provide for your needs abundantly. Striving, worrying, and working long hours only impedes and frustrates the natural order and function of life, which is to provide the necessities of life for all.

The Second Key: Be generous with your gifts, talents, and possessions.

The universe obeys certain fixed laws, and one of them is the law of cause and effect. In the passage, Jesus teaches us that if we wish to effect success, abundance, and happiness in our life we must first cause it by giving life the very best we have to offer. This is not perfectionism, because perfectionism teaches you will never be good enough. No, this law tells us that whatever talents or gifts we have, if we offer them freely to the world with passion and purpose, we will receive goodness and abundance in return. By storing our gifts (the symbol Jesus uses is a barn), and refusing to share them freely with the world, we show our lack of belief in the goodness and abundance of life, and create a state of lack, struggle, and poverty in our life. So the second key teaches us to act on our belief in the goodness of life by giving life the very best we have. This will cause life to return to us every good thing that we need to live in happiness, freedom, and abundance.

The Third Key: Live for today.
Most people live either in the past, brooding over regrets and mistakes, or the future, hoping that someday their life will be happy and complete. In the passage, Jesus instructs us not to worry about tomorrow, that today has problems of its own. If you want to be truly happy, you have to accept that the only moment you really have is right now. Do you want to live this moment worrying about what other people think? Is it really worth it to worry about things you cannot control?

Instead, use the time you have to effect positive change, first in your mind, and then in your life. Believe you are good enough and life is good. Practice this belief by giving to life the very best you have. And live now, and enjoy the miracle of life in all its fullness.

Follow these three keys and you will overcome the negativity of never feeling good enough, and you will begin to enjoy success in life.

Click Here! to find out about Christian Meditation.

How Do You Define Success?

Success is a word which has different meanings for different people. For some, success may mean achieving great wealth, or social status. For others, it may mean living a much simpler life, a life free of the concerns and cares of the material world. Whatever the definition, this blog is dedicated to presenting a view of success that may be somewhat countercultural. I believe that success, ultimately, can only come to those who are able to commune with the Divine Spirit which resides within each person. That Spirit is called many things by many different religious traditions, however whatever we as human beings choose to call it is immaterial; it exists and can be found within if we take the time to look for it each day. Jesus said “Seek and you shall find” and “Go into your closet (mind) and seek the Father in secret, and he will reward you” and these promises of his were not made in vain. If we take the time to quiet ourselves each day, preferably twice a day; once in the morning, and once in the evening, we will find the power to be successful in life is with us, waiting to be actualized in our lives, and the lives of those around us. We will discover true success.

Success, then, seems very simple, but it is so very hard to practice. When we first try to practice seeking the Father Within, our conscious, waking mind fights us with distractions. It does not like being ignored and quieted, which we must do to link up with the Divine Mind of the Universe. Our culture will not support our efforts, as it teaches us that our busy lives are much too hectic to spare a few minutes each day to find the Divine Power Within. Our friends and family members will not understand us when we talk about the benefits of seeking the Power of the Spirit, and they may wonder if maybe we have joined a cult, or gone crazy. And there are our own doubts, and fears, and rationalizations as to why this cannot be true. What seems so very simple is in fact very difficult, which is why Jesus said the Road to Perdition is wide and many travel it, while the Road to the Kingdom is narrow, and very few attempt to travel this way.

You must understand this: if you take the time to connect with, and actualize the Power of the Spirit Within, then you cannot fail, you will ultimately be successful in life. The Father of Creation, the Divine Mind who supports and sustain you and the entire created order, will be unleashed into your life. And since this Divine Power is Infinite, it cannot be contained, frustrated, or opposed. You will live as a Son or Daughter of God, full of wisdom, knowledge, love, compassion, and every high ideal that you can think of or imagine, for what you meditate upon, you become.

The manifestation of the Power of the Spirit in your life may not happen immediately because it takes time for the finer energy of Spirit to manifest in the dense vibration of our material universe. However, know that it will happen; slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, your life will begin to change, and be full of all good.

Be faithful, humbly practice communing with the Divine Mind twice a day, and watch your life change for the better. And remember, the Power of the Spirit is a gift from the Divine Mind, and can be taken away if it is being abused, taken for granted, or if you cease communing with the Spirit twice a day. Find the Spirit Within, and begin living a life of success.


Click Here! to find out about Christian Meditation.

Reaching Your Goals and Dreams in 2011

Would you like to know how to make 2011 the year when you reach your goals and make your dreams a reality? If so, you should know that the road you will travel will not be easy. After all, if the road to reaching your goals and dreams was easy, then everyone would be traveling on it. The fact is, the road to mediocrity is the easy road, and it is the road that many people travel. Make up your mind now to accept that problems and difficulties will arise and they have to be met with persistence, courage, and confidence. This is an important first step in making 2011 the year you reach your goals and make your dreams a reality.

Once you have made up your mind that the road you have chosen will require persistent effort on your part, you are then ready to practice a powerful affirmation which will serve you well in your journey to make your dreams a reality. I learned this affirmation from reading Dynamic Thought by Henry Thomas Hamblin, and I can attest to its effectiveness. However, In order for this affirmation to be successful, you must practice it every morning upon arising, and again in the evening. Spend a few minutes quieting your mind, and relaxing your body. When you feel sufficiently relaxed and clamed, repeat this affirmation slowly, trying as best as you can to visualize the significance of this statement, and impressing it deeply into your sub-conscious mind:

There must and shall be no failure this time. This time, I will succeed. This time, I will be victorious.

Once you feel the statement has made a significant impression, create a mental picture of yourself. In your picture, see yourself happy, healthy, full of joy and eager to begin living your new life. Imagine you are walking down a wide path which leads upwards to a sunlit summit, while behind you is a murky, foggy wasteland which is receding into the darkness behind you. Understand that whatever you mentally picture in your mind with clarity and purpose will manifest itself at some point.

Finish your meditation/affirmation session with the following statement and say it with conviction:

I cannot fail. I am Success. The power is within me to achieve what I set my mind to do.

Remember, the road you are choosing will not be easy, but then again nothing good in life ever comes easy. You will have to work at it. However, by using HTH's affirmation and visualization practice, you will draw to yourself invisible forces which will aid you in your quest. I wish you all blessings in your journey towards success.

Click Here! to find out about Christian Meditation.

Manifesting and the Law of Attraction

Do you often fee that life is a burden? Do you imagine that others are luckier than you are, or have figured some secret about how to be happy? Can you remember a time when you were happy, care-free, and full of idealism and zest for life? Do you wish you could be that person again?

If you have identified with any of these questions, know that you do not have to live this way. To live this way is a choice, and believe it or not it is a choice that many people make every day. You are not alone in feeling this way. Millions of people around the world live lives that are less than they had hoped for. Some people live trapped in despair and loneliness. Others are dealing with addictions which are threatening to destroy their lives. Some are in bad relationships that they do not know how to make better, or cannot find the strength to leave. Others work dead end jobs with no hope of advancement. But it does not have to be this way. You can choose to live a life of happiness, success, abundance, joy, and victory. You can choose to change your life.

*One disclaimer. Some personal problems need to be treated by a competent professional. Part of the choice of creating a new life for yourself may be seeking the help you need to get better. This journey does not have to be taken alone. Find the help you need.*

It is a proven fact that our universe obeys certain fixed laws. All modern scientific advancements are based upon this truth. And, since you are connected to this universe as its child, you must obey these laws as well. For example, if you were to foolishly imagine that you could fly, and you jumped out of a perfectly good airplane without the aid of a parachute, then the law of gravity would take over and the result would be pretty bad. However, if you jumped with the aid of a parachute, you could fly, or more accurately float safely to the ground. The lesson here is obvious: once you understand the laws that govern life it becomes possible to take steps to make them work for you, rather than against you.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the law of attraction, and quite frankly most of it is at best misunderstood, and at worst dangerous. However, while a lot of the information on attraction is confused and misleading, one thing is certain: you can easily attract to yourself what you think and believe is true about life, and the universe around you. For example, if you believe the universe is a chaotic, unfriendly, and confusing place then this will be the kind of life you will manifest. If you believe the universe is a dog eat dog competition where only the strong survive, then you will draw to yourself situations which mirror these beliefs. However, if you believe the universe is a kind and orderly place that was designed to offer each one of us an interesting, abundant, fulfilling, and happy life, then not only will you experience these things in your life, but you will finally be aligning yourself with the established and orderly laws of the universe. Instead of swimming against the tide of the laws of life, you will begin floating effortlessly with the streams of living water. You will have discovered the master key of creating a successful life.

I want to take a moment here to make sure I do not make the mistake many others make when talking about the law of attraction. Manifesting a good life does not mean I sit and think thoughts of abundance, and lazily wait for them to appear. Many abundance teachers are peddling this on the internet, and it is a false hope. There is no escaping this fact: if you want to align yourself with the laws of the universe, you must be willing to work for what you desire, and it must be something good for you and for the world around you. Otherwise you will remain frustrated, or you may draw to yourself a harsh lesson which the universe wishes to teach you. You may find yourself in worse shape than you were before you began manifesting.

The power lies within you. Once you learn to use this power, and align yourself with the laws of the universe, you can make it work for you. But do not be fooled. Throughout history, many have opened the bottle of the law of attraction and not understood the genie that has appeared to them. The old axiom that Jesus taught applies: what if you were to gain the whole world but lose your soul in the process? What can a man give in exchange for his very life? Tread carefully, and understand that by using your thoughts and creative imagination, you can either bless or curse your self. Either way, the choice to a good life is yours if you learn to align with the fixed laws of the universe.

Click Here!to learn more about Christian Meditation.