By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sam_Olu_Odus]Sam Olu Odus
Everyone needs help at one point or the other in life. No man has the capability to achieve alone all his desires in life. The great Greek Sociologist, Aristotle said: "men in general desire the good and not merely what their fathers had". This implies that every man needs help at one point of his life. We all strive to get things beyond our reach using different strategies and methods. The saying "no man is an island of anything" is true because we all need help to keep us going in life. It is also generally believed that we need one another to survive in life as people who live in the same world. Yes, this is true, but to a certain extent. You will find out in this article that you need someone more than the ordinary, like the person next to you to survive. Keep reading to find out the help you need and where it will come from.
King David, the Psalmist in the Bible in Psalm 121:1-2 said to himself after feeling vacuums in his life "I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth". This was the conclusion of a man who had gone through troubles of life to the point of death. He got a promise and prophecy confirming his greatness as a chosen King over God's people but he was far from the fulfillment for many years. He needed help and support to keep him going in life. He wanted to be freed from the oppressions and threats from another man greater than him. Haven't tried all to help himself and to attain his destiny, he discovered he could not help himself. So, he changed his focus from 'self' and people to the Almighty God who rules the affairs of men. He decided to quit self help.
What is that situation that seems 'bigger' than you are? What is it that you are passing through that you have not been able to overcome by yourself? Who did you trusted so much for help in the past that eventually disappointed you? Where did you expect to find solace for your troubles, but the reverse was what you got? Do you need help on any matter? Bearing in mind that you have answers to these questions in relation to your experience(s), I want to say here that the help you need is not from that uncle or aunt, not from that brother or sister, not from your guardian or parents, neither is it from your wife or husband. Your help will actually come from God the maker of heaven and the earth. Only the help of God does not fail. What he says, he does without compromising. Only God has the capability to say and to do at the same time without any probability. Did you know that God does not actually delay in response to our cry for help? What will call delay is actually 'time of preparation'. God takes his time to prepare us for whatever he has in mind for us. I understand it sometimes hard to wait, but it pays to wait for His manifestation. Let me say here that God has not forgotten you. He has the best in store for you. Your best is yet to come if only you will believe. He says in his word; Isaiah 41:10- "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".
I encourage you to shift your attention away from man and begin to put your trust in the Lord - "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in human" - Psalm 118:8.
Say this to yourself; I am a winner! I receive the help of God. I get the help I need from God per time. I am highly favored. It is well with my soul.
Remember, the help you need is from God not from any man. God uses people as vessels to manifest his glory in the world. You are blessed!
Best Word For You (The word of God reflects you better...) - http://bestwordforyou.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Help-You-Need-Is-God&id=6682865] The Help You Need Is God
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Two Sides of the Same Coin (1) Ezekiel 37:1-10
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tunde_Alli]Tunde Alli
For everything that has a physical side, there is a spiritual side also. Most Christians relate more to the physical to the detriment of the spiritual. Even though man exists in the physical realm but is ultimately a spiritual being. Essentially there are two sides to man, the physical side and the spiritual component. The famous story of the dry bones (Ezekiel: 37) illustrates the foregoing explicitly. God instructed Ezekiel in verse 4 to "prophesy upon these dry bones and say to them O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord".
As far as common sense goes, dead things don't hear. And God, of all people should know that. He knows everything, doesn't He? It seemed bizarre therefore that God would expect the dead bones to hear the words of Ezekiel. The bones in question were very dry and very dead. So why did God instruct Ezekiel to talk to dead things. Maybe God knows something we don't know, maybe God knows that everything that has a physical side also has a spiritual side, maybe He knows that physical death does not translate to spiritual death.
No question, the bones were dead but that fact is not by any means conclusive or irrefutable. As far as death goes, Sarah's womb was dead, physically that is, but spiritually, it's a different ball game. Life and death are in the spirit, not in the physical. No one can be certified dead except their spirit leaves them, conversely, no one can be said to be alive or living if they didn't have the spirit inside of them. It is the spirit that dictates whether one is dead or alive. Same applies to issues and situations that daily confront us. We only see the physical side of things but we never bother with the spiritual side. For everything that has a physical side also has a spiritual side. Doctors may have certified that you have a rupture in your womb and therefore are not able to bear a child. That is the physical side, how about the spiritual side? You are looking at your bank account which is almost always in red and you're thinking 'Am I ever going to be financially solvent? Am I ever going to be able to afford a home of my own?' Again, that is the physical side you are looking at, how about the spiritual side? It might seem hopeless, look hopeless but it does not necessarily mean it is hopeless. It might seem dead look dead or even certified dead, but it does not necessarily mean it is dead.
Is it not amazing that both Ezekiel and God were looking at the same thing at the same time and yet were both seeing different things. Ezekiel was seeing a valley full of dead bones whereas God was seeing an exceedingly great army. There are eyes that look and there are eyes that see. Sometimes what you see determines what you get. How far you see determines how far you go. So the question I pose before you today is: what do you see?
Tunde Alli is the senior pastor of HIS PRESENCE ASSEMBLY (RCCG) in Manchester, United Kingdom. He carries a passion for the Word of God and the empowerment of the body of Christ through revelation of the mind of God. Through his personal blog: 'Notes from Tunde Alli' located at http://www.hispresence.org.uk he tries to reach a wider audience with the undiluted word of God.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Two-Sides-of-the-Same-Coin-(1)-Ezekiel-37:1-10&id=6680950] Two Sides of the Same Coin (1) Ezekiel 37:1-10
For everything that has a physical side, there is a spiritual side also. Most Christians relate more to the physical to the detriment of the spiritual. Even though man exists in the physical realm but is ultimately a spiritual being. Essentially there are two sides to man, the physical side and the spiritual component. The famous story of the dry bones (Ezekiel: 37) illustrates the foregoing explicitly. God instructed Ezekiel in verse 4 to "prophesy upon these dry bones and say to them O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord".
As far as common sense goes, dead things don't hear. And God, of all people should know that. He knows everything, doesn't He? It seemed bizarre therefore that God would expect the dead bones to hear the words of Ezekiel. The bones in question were very dry and very dead. So why did God instruct Ezekiel to talk to dead things. Maybe God knows something we don't know, maybe God knows that everything that has a physical side also has a spiritual side, maybe He knows that physical death does not translate to spiritual death.
No question, the bones were dead but that fact is not by any means conclusive or irrefutable. As far as death goes, Sarah's womb was dead, physically that is, but spiritually, it's a different ball game. Life and death are in the spirit, not in the physical. No one can be certified dead except their spirit leaves them, conversely, no one can be said to be alive or living if they didn't have the spirit inside of them. It is the spirit that dictates whether one is dead or alive. Same applies to issues and situations that daily confront us. We only see the physical side of things but we never bother with the spiritual side. For everything that has a physical side also has a spiritual side. Doctors may have certified that you have a rupture in your womb and therefore are not able to bear a child. That is the physical side, how about the spiritual side? You are looking at your bank account which is almost always in red and you're thinking 'Am I ever going to be financially solvent? Am I ever going to be able to afford a home of my own?' Again, that is the physical side you are looking at, how about the spiritual side? It might seem hopeless, look hopeless but it does not necessarily mean it is hopeless. It might seem dead look dead or even certified dead, but it does not necessarily mean it is dead.
Is it not amazing that both Ezekiel and God were looking at the same thing at the same time and yet were both seeing different things. Ezekiel was seeing a valley full of dead bones whereas God was seeing an exceedingly great army. There are eyes that look and there are eyes that see. Sometimes what you see determines what you get. How far you see determines how far you go. So the question I pose before you today is: what do you see?
Tunde Alli is the senior pastor of HIS PRESENCE ASSEMBLY (RCCG) in Manchester, United Kingdom. He carries a passion for the Word of God and the empowerment of the body of Christ through revelation of the mind of God. Through his personal blog: 'Notes from Tunde Alli' located at http://www.hispresence.org.uk he tries to reach a wider audience with the undiluted word of God.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Two-Sides-of-the-Same-Coin-(1)-Ezekiel-37:1-10&id=6680950] Two Sides of the Same Coin (1) Ezekiel 37:1-10
Friday, November 25, 2011
Two Sides of the Same Coin (2) Ezekiel 37:1-10
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tunde_Alli]Tunde Alli
In part 1 we established some fundamental truths. That everything that has a physical side also has a spiritual component; that life and death are in the spirit not in the flesh, that man is like a coin with two sides - physical and spiritual.
The fact is, we relate more to our physical side but ever hardly our spiritual side. We are more comfortable on this side (physical side) than the other side (spiritual) and that is simply because all our 5 senses are on this side. We connect more to things we can see, hear, touch, smell and taste rather than things we are intangible. We do not relate to our spiritual side because we do not understand it, we do not see it. We tend to ignore things that we do not understand, we never want to explore them.
But the big problem is that all our blessings are on the other side, the side tend to ignore, the spiritual side. In Ephesians 3:1 the scriptures say we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. 'Heavenly places' is not some far away random place as many people are wont to think; it simply means spiritual place - our spiritual side. Spiritual place is the other side of you, your spiritual constituent. Same you. One coin, two sides. Man is spirit being who lives in a body and has a soul.
What is on this side is what the other side has released. Whatever blessings you have in the physical is what has been released to you from the spiritual side. Whatever treasures you have here, no matter how much, is a trickle, an infinitesimal proportion of what is on the other side. A story was told once of a man who after his transition to eternity was taken on tour of heaven by Angel Gabriel. On beholding the grandeur splendour in heaven he was completely awed. After the tour, he pointed to a locked door that he deemed the angel had missed. Angel Gabriel however waved it off as not important and suggested they moved on. His curiosity taking the better of him, the main insisted he would love to see what was behind the locked door. Eventually, Angel Gabriel yielded to his persistence. On opening the door the man saw the most glorious and beautiful blessing that eyes could behold. He then asked the angel - 'whose are these?' to which the angel replied 'these are the blessings that were reserved for you while on earth that you failed to claim'. On receiving this revelation the man immediately burst into tears knowing how much he suffered while on earth when he could have had all the goodness of life. The logic to the story therefore, is for you to come into the fullness of God's blessing, you have to reach across to your spiritual side to bring them into the physical. The big question then is how?
5 keys to accessing the blessing on the other side include:
- Prioritise God. Let God, His interests and His needs be your priority. Matthew 6:33 reads 'seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you'.
- Be diligent in prayer. To relate with your spiritual side you have to be a man of prayer because God is spirit. 1Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 22:44. Spend quality time in His presence. Always bear in mind that prayer is a two-way traffic. Make out time to listen to God not just talking to Him.
- Meditate on His word. Spend time studying and meditating on His word. God speaks through those pages. Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:1-3, 2Timothy 2:15.
- Holy living. The second part of Matthew 6:33 reads 'and His righteousness' The righteousness of God can only be achieved through His spirit. 1Peter 1:15-16. The accuser cannot bring any charge against you if you are living a holy and blameless life. John 14:30, James 5:16.
- Raise your faith level. There are 2 parts of faith (1) the hearing part - Romans 10:17 - faith cometh by hearing and (2) the acting part. James 2:17 - even so faith, if it hath not works is dead being alone. Act on what you have heard. Hebrews 11:8
In verse 4 of our main text (Ezekiel 37) to "prophesy upon these dry bones and say to them O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord". The word prophecy is translated from the Hebrew word 'nabal' which means 'to speak God's message to a person, people or situation' Prophecy is also translated as the 'speaking forth or the 'declaring of the mind and counsel of God'.
Notice that in verse 4 God instructed Ezekiel to speak 'to' the dry bones. Rather than speak to the dry bones of our lives, most of us speak to God. God is not the problem, the dry bone is. When Moses was caught between the red sea and the pursuing Egyptian army the scriptures records that he cried to God (Exodus 14) but God showed His irritation when He replied: 'wherefore criest thou unto me?... Lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea'. In essence, what God was saying here was: don't cry to me, speak to the situation, prophecy to your dry bones.
God is not interested in your tears. Tears do not move God, faith does. There is a reason why God located our blessing in spiritual places, so we can reach out by faith to our other side and access the blessings. Sometimes we do not fully grasp the fact that we carry the fullness of God, not, not 99.9%, but the fullness of God (John 1:16, Ephesians 3:19). We carry His nature, His power, His glory, His beauty, His presence, His authority, His personality - the full essence of God.
Job 22:28 reads: Thou shall decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee. For your decree to be established you have to carry the authority of God. For the earth to yield to you, you have to possess the authority that created it. The fact of the matter is that your dry bones will remain dry unless you prophesy to it; the situation will not change unless you speak to it; the mountain will not move except you command it. The dry bones will not come alive in the physical realm except they first come alive in the spiritual realm.
Why are prophetic words important?
- Prophetic words prepare the ground for miracles. In 2King 4 the scriptures record the account of a Shunammite woman who laid her dead son on her bed and went in search of Elijah, the man of God. Upon sighting her far off, Elijah sent his servant, Gehazi to meet her asking whether everything was alright. The words she uttered in response were prophetic. She answered 'it is well'. Those words activated the miracle that she subsequently received. Prophetic words carry the power to activate the supernatural.
- Prophetic words give direction; they forecast the future. In 1Samuel:1 the scriptures records that Hannah was barren. Year after year she made trips to Shiloh for sacrifice; year after year she cried unto God for a child; year after year God ignored her... until one particular year when she made a vow. The vow she made was prophetic - 'if thou will give thine handmaid a man child then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head' (1Samuel 1:11). Those words opened her womb. Those words also forecast the life of Samuel, her son, as a prophet. All the days of his life, Samuel never left the house of God.
- Prophetic words bring orderliness to messy situations; they bring shape and give form. In verse 7 of our main text, the bible records that as soon as Ezekiel prophesied, bones began to move towards bones. There were piles upon piles of countless dry bones from countless bodies scattered all over the place but amazingly, bones from same genetic make-up located their genetic match. Not one single bone going the wrong direction.
- Prophetic words create. They bring something out of nothing; tangibles out of emptiness. Prophecy actives the power of creation. Hebrews 11:3 records that 'the worlds were framed by the word of God'. The word of God word created the world out of a vast nothingness. When God said 'Let there be', those words were uttered into emptiness, into void but the words were able to generate tangibles out of the said emptiness. Verse 8 of Ezekiel 37 say sinews and flesh came upon the assorted bones after the Ezekiel had prophesied on them. Prophecy gives flesh to God's promises. Prophetic words have the capacity to create something out of nothing.
We all have a spiritual component which we have neglected for far too long. We cannot become all God has purposed for us to be; possess all God has reserved for us; enjoy the fullness of His blessings except we relate to our spiritual side. The spiritual is as real as the physical. The fact that we cannot physically see it does not in any way diminish its actuality or existence. Hebrew 11:3 reads '.. Things which are seen were not made by things which do appear.' Put in another way: the physical is created by the spiritual.
Tunde Alli is the senior pastor of HIS PRESENCE ASSEMBLY (RCCG) in Manchester, United Kingdom. He carries a passion for the Word of God and the empowerment of the body of Christ through revelation of the mind of God. Through his personal blog: 'Notes from Tunde Alli' located at http://www.hispresence.org.uk he tries to reach a wider audience with the undiluted word of God.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Two-Sides-of-the-Same-Coin-(2)-Ezekiel-37:1-10&id=6680997] Two Sides of the Same Coin (2) Ezekiel 37:1-10
In part 1 we established some fundamental truths. That everything that has a physical side also has a spiritual component; that life and death are in the spirit not in the flesh, that man is like a coin with two sides - physical and spiritual.
The fact is, we relate more to our physical side but ever hardly our spiritual side. We are more comfortable on this side (physical side) than the other side (spiritual) and that is simply because all our 5 senses are on this side. We connect more to things we can see, hear, touch, smell and taste rather than things we are intangible. We do not relate to our spiritual side because we do not understand it, we do not see it. We tend to ignore things that we do not understand, we never want to explore them.
But the big problem is that all our blessings are on the other side, the side tend to ignore, the spiritual side. In Ephesians 3:1 the scriptures say we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. 'Heavenly places' is not some far away random place as many people are wont to think; it simply means spiritual place - our spiritual side. Spiritual place is the other side of you, your spiritual constituent. Same you. One coin, two sides. Man is spirit being who lives in a body and has a soul.
What is on this side is what the other side has released. Whatever blessings you have in the physical is what has been released to you from the spiritual side. Whatever treasures you have here, no matter how much, is a trickle, an infinitesimal proportion of what is on the other side. A story was told once of a man who after his transition to eternity was taken on tour of heaven by Angel Gabriel. On beholding the grandeur splendour in heaven he was completely awed. After the tour, he pointed to a locked door that he deemed the angel had missed. Angel Gabriel however waved it off as not important and suggested they moved on. His curiosity taking the better of him, the main insisted he would love to see what was behind the locked door. Eventually, Angel Gabriel yielded to his persistence. On opening the door the man saw the most glorious and beautiful blessing that eyes could behold. He then asked the angel - 'whose are these?' to which the angel replied 'these are the blessings that were reserved for you while on earth that you failed to claim'. On receiving this revelation the man immediately burst into tears knowing how much he suffered while on earth when he could have had all the goodness of life. The logic to the story therefore, is for you to come into the fullness of God's blessing, you have to reach across to your spiritual side to bring them into the physical. The big question then is how?
5 keys to accessing the blessing on the other side include:
- Prioritise God. Let God, His interests and His needs be your priority. Matthew 6:33 reads 'seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you'.
- Be diligent in prayer. To relate with your spiritual side you have to be a man of prayer because God is spirit. 1Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 22:44. Spend quality time in His presence. Always bear in mind that prayer is a two-way traffic. Make out time to listen to God not just talking to Him.
- Meditate on His word. Spend time studying and meditating on His word. God speaks through those pages. Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:1-3, 2Timothy 2:15.
- Holy living. The second part of Matthew 6:33 reads 'and His righteousness' The righteousness of God can only be achieved through His spirit. 1Peter 1:15-16. The accuser cannot bring any charge against you if you are living a holy and blameless life. John 14:30, James 5:16.
- Raise your faith level. There are 2 parts of faith (1) the hearing part - Romans 10:17 - faith cometh by hearing and (2) the acting part. James 2:17 - even so faith, if it hath not works is dead being alone. Act on what you have heard. Hebrews 11:8
In verse 4 of our main text (Ezekiel 37) to "prophesy upon these dry bones and say to them O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord". The word prophecy is translated from the Hebrew word 'nabal' which means 'to speak God's message to a person, people or situation' Prophecy is also translated as the 'speaking forth or the 'declaring of the mind and counsel of God'.
Notice that in verse 4 God instructed Ezekiel to speak 'to' the dry bones. Rather than speak to the dry bones of our lives, most of us speak to God. God is not the problem, the dry bone is. When Moses was caught between the red sea and the pursuing Egyptian army the scriptures records that he cried to God (Exodus 14) but God showed His irritation when He replied: 'wherefore criest thou unto me?... Lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea'. In essence, what God was saying here was: don't cry to me, speak to the situation, prophecy to your dry bones.
God is not interested in your tears. Tears do not move God, faith does. There is a reason why God located our blessing in spiritual places, so we can reach out by faith to our other side and access the blessings. Sometimes we do not fully grasp the fact that we carry the fullness of God, not, not 99.9%, but the fullness of God (John 1:16, Ephesians 3:19). We carry His nature, His power, His glory, His beauty, His presence, His authority, His personality - the full essence of God.
Job 22:28 reads: Thou shall decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee. For your decree to be established you have to carry the authority of God. For the earth to yield to you, you have to possess the authority that created it. The fact of the matter is that your dry bones will remain dry unless you prophesy to it; the situation will not change unless you speak to it; the mountain will not move except you command it. The dry bones will not come alive in the physical realm except they first come alive in the spiritual realm.
Why are prophetic words important?
- Prophetic words prepare the ground for miracles. In 2King 4 the scriptures record the account of a Shunammite woman who laid her dead son on her bed and went in search of Elijah, the man of God. Upon sighting her far off, Elijah sent his servant, Gehazi to meet her asking whether everything was alright. The words she uttered in response were prophetic. She answered 'it is well'. Those words activated the miracle that she subsequently received. Prophetic words carry the power to activate the supernatural.
- Prophetic words give direction; they forecast the future. In 1Samuel:1 the scriptures records that Hannah was barren. Year after year she made trips to Shiloh for sacrifice; year after year she cried unto God for a child; year after year God ignored her... until one particular year when she made a vow. The vow she made was prophetic - 'if thou will give thine handmaid a man child then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head' (1Samuel 1:11). Those words opened her womb. Those words also forecast the life of Samuel, her son, as a prophet. All the days of his life, Samuel never left the house of God.
- Prophetic words bring orderliness to messy situations; they bring shape and give form. In verse 7 of our main text, the bible records that as soon as Ezekiel prophesied, bones began to move towards bones. There were piles upon piles of countless dry bones from countless bodies scattered all over the place but amazingly, bones from same genetic make-up located their genetic match. Not one single bone going the wrong direction.
- Prophetic words create. They bring something out of nothing; tangibles out of emptiness. Prophecy actives the power of creation. Hebrews 11:3 records that 'the worlds were framed by the word of God'. The word of God word created the world out of a vast nothingness. When God said 'Let there be', those words were uttered into emptiness, into void but the words were able to generate tangibles out of the said emptiness. Verse 8 of Ezekiel 37 say sinews and flesh came upon the assorted bones after the Ezekiel had prophesied on them. Prophecy gives flesh to God's promises. Prophetic words have the capacity to create something out of nothing.
We all have a spiritual component which we have neglected for far too long. We cannot become all God has purposed for us to be; possess all God has reserved for us; enjoy the fullness of His blessings except we relate to our spiritual side. The spiritual is as real as the physical. The fact that we cannot physically see it does not in any way diminish its actuality or existence. Hebrew 11:3 reads '.. Things which are seen were not made by things which do appear.' Put in another way: the physical is created by the spiritual.
Tunde Alli is the senior pastor of HIS PRESENCE ASSEMBLY (RCCG) in Manchester, United Kingdom. He carries a passion for the Word of God and the empowerment of the body of Christ through revelation of the mind of God. Through his personal blog: 'Notes from Tunde Alli' located at http://www.hispresence.org.uk he tries to reach a wider audience with the undiluted word of God.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Two-Sides-of-the-Same-Coin-(2)-Ezekiel-37:1-10&id=6680997] Two Sides of the Same Coin (2) Ezekiel 37:1-10
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Shifting to a Cooperative Paradigm
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Claire_Louise_Hay]Claire Louise Hay
The angel guides tell me that we are shifting into a new paradigm. We have been living in a competitive world where we are distanced from others. We have been expected to stand on our own two feet and individually take care of ourselves.
We have had old tribal support structures broken down. We have moved towards a global way of living which has removed us from our small supportive communities. We have been asked to take care of our finances by ourselves due to limiting beliefs being placed on us by others who want to make money from each and every person here. We have moved away from communal living into individual houses for families, or individual houses for just 1 or 2 people, separating families.
This might sound like we have taken steps in the wrong direction, away from a loving, caring, sharing, communal way of living, to an individual, competitive, isolated way of being. But the angel guides say that we have gained many benefits from this.
We could not carry on in the old tribal and local community way of living as doing so would have stopped us from growing spiritually. This is because to grow spiritually we need ever expanding choice. The law of attraction states that we attract those around us who match our energy. Therefore how could it be possible to spiritually grow within a community without breaking away from it? The angel guides say that it is not possible. Therefore we needed to individualize ourselves ready for a bigger communal paradigm.
With the separation of communities has also come the internet and globalization. Within a few short years we have gone from being connected to a small limited number of people, to being connected to millions of people very easily. This is enabling us to find our new like-energized communities as we grow rapidly, changing our communities as we rapidly grow spiritually without having to move location each time! This is truly serving us in a bigger way than we can imagine yet.
The angel guides are saying that we are shifting into a new cooperative paradigm on top of this new globalized expansion of our connections with each other. This new paradigm will allow us to form support networks of like-energized people so that each of us can rapidly grow spiritually closer and closer to matching our higher selves energy. We can take up our rightful roles here safe in the knowledge that we have a massive group of like-energized people around us who will provide support should we need it.
Security can now be found in these expansive group connections, allowing us to feel secure in taking risks, releasing our patterns from the old paradigm, releasing our old paradigm jobs, releasing our old paradigm false securities based around fear. By calling out to your networks of like-energized spiritually growing people, you will each receive the back-up and support required from this group to be able to move forwards without fear.
A world without fear is coming and we are being asked to open up to our groups now to both ask for support and also to offer our support. This movement is as big as the world and can empower those ready to release all fear and step boldly into the new paradigm of expansive communities which change and grow as we each evolve spiritually.
Exciting times indeed!!!
Claire Louise Hay connects in with your angel or spirit guides to pass on their messages to you.
Her readings about about current issues, blocks, patterns and how to release those so that you can move forwards in life.
Whether you are trying to improve your relationships, your career, your life path, your inner being, Claire's readings will give you the highest spiritual insight into what you are currently experiencing and how to apply inner work to manifest your dreams instead.
Claire has over 15 years professional reading experience and a lifetime of personal reading experience.
Available from [http://www.behealing.com/claire-louise-hay.html]http://www.behealing.com/claire-louise-hay.html.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Shifting-to-a-Cooperative-Paradigm&id=6676917] Shifting to a Cooperative Paradigm
The angel guides tell me that we are shifting into a new paradigm. We have been living in a competitive world where we are distanced from others. We have been expected to stand on our own two feet and individually take care of ourselves.
We have had old tribal support structures broken down. We have moved towards a global way of living which has removed us from our small supportive communities. We have been asked to take care of our finances by ourselves due to limiting beliefs being placed on us by others who want to make money from each and every person here. We have moved away from communal living into individual houses for families, or individual houses for just 1 or 2 people, separating families.
This might sound like we have taken steps in the wrong direction, away from a loving, caring, sharing, communal way of living, to an individual, competitive, isolated way of being. But the angel guides say that we have gained many benefits from this.
We could not carry on in the old tribal and local community way of living as doing so would have stopped us from growing spiritually. This is because to grow spiritually we need ever expanding choice. The law of attraction states that we attract those around us who match our energy. Therefore how could it be possible to spiritually grow within a community without breaking away from it? The angel guides say that it is not possible. Therefore we needed to individualize ourselves ready for a bigger communal paradigm.
With the separation of communities has also come the internet and globalization. Within a few short years we have gone from being connected to a small limited number of people, to being connected to millions of people very easily. This is enabling us to find our new like-energized communities as we grow rapidly, changing our communities as we rapidly grow spiritually without having to move location each time! This is truly serving us in a bigger way than we can imagine yet.
The angel guides are saying that we are shifting into a new cooperative paradigm on top of this new globalized expansion of our connections with each other. This new paradigm will allow us to form support networks of like-energized people so that each of us can rapidly grow spiritually closer and closer to matching our higher selves energy. We can take up our rightful roles here safe in the knowledge that we have a massive group of like-energized people around us who will provide support should we need it.
Security can now be found in these expansive group connections, allowing us to feel secure in taking risks, releasing our patterns from the old paradigm, releasing our old paradigm jobs, releasing our old paradigm false securities based around fear. By calling out to your networks of like-energized spiritually growing people, you will each receive the back-up and support required from this group to be able to move forwards without fear.
A world without fear is coming and we are being asked to open up to our groups now to both ask for support and also to offer our support. This movement is as big as the world and can empower those ready to release all fear and step boldly into the new paradigm of expansive communities which change and grow as we each evolve spiritually.
Exciting times indeed!!!
Claire Louise Hay connects in with your angel or spirit guides to pass on their messages to you.
Her readings about about current issues, blocks, patterns and how to release those so that you can move forwards in life.
Whether you are trying to improve your relationships, your career, your life path, your inner being, Claire's readings will give you the highest spiritual insight into what you are currently experiencing and how to apply inner work to manifest your dreams instead.
Claire has over 15 years professional reading experience and a lifetime of personal reading experience.
Available from [http://www.behealing.com/claire-louise-hay.html]http://www.behealing.com/claire-louise-hay.html.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Shifting-to-a-Cooperative-Paradigm&id=6676917] Shifting to a Cooperative Paradigm
Monday, November 21, 2011
Angels - Angel Prince of the North Assists You With Clear Thinking
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Terrie_Marie]Terrie Marie
Clear thinking occurs in those moments when you are at peace, however briefly your thoughts and your emotions are peaceful and in alignment with your inner-Self.
Being at peace with you is the key to being able to discern ego-mind chatter with that of Angels and Divine Source Energy or Spirit. All that is not of love and light will not resonate within you with grace and ease.
To think clearly it is essential to be well grounded. So how do you become or practice being well grounded? Breathe deeply, exhaling slowly. Relax your body and your mind. Be willing to step beyond your comfort zone. Practice forgiveness not just for what has occurred in your life in the past but also forgiving yourself for the mistakes you think you have made along the way.
A Message from the Angel Prince of the North
In any given moment there are a multitude of thoughts in your mind, a multitude of emotions in your heart and in your body. Each thought, each emotion carries its own unique energy vibration. You always have free will to choose your thoughts, your emotions and your actions. In moments of turmoil and dis-harmony remember to breathe. For in breathing even for a moment, the body, mind and Spirit release all they carry. In the moment of each breath is the choice to choose differently. Choose to give thanks for your many blessings. Choose to reach for the next best thought, the next and the next. Choose to reach out to a trusted friend in moments when soothing yourself appears to be overwhelming. Choose to pivot your emotions; expressing gratitude for all that has come before this moment. Choose to give thanks for all that is before you. Clear your mind, releasing sorrow and pain clearing the way for more love and light to shine through you this day and the next and the next. Release thoughts from what is now behind you clearing your mind, your body and your Spirit for all that awaits you.
Thinking clearly is the ability to reach through fear and doubt enabling you to experience a knowing that messages and guidance you are receiving are coming from Angels and Spirit rather than from ego-mind chatter.
How will you know if what you are receiving is from Angels? An Angel will not ever ask you to do something that violates your boundaries or your sense of ethics and integrity. In other words, if it feels positive and loving, then an Angel or Spirit is guiding you. If there is any doubt, ask for clarification or to repeat the message in a way you will clearly understand and recognize.
Connect with Terrie Marie, Angels and the Realm of Spirit every day when you click this link http://angelladytm.com/ from Terrie Marie, the Angel Lady and Desert Rose Healing Arts! Enter your name and email address to begin connecting with your own Spirituality! http://www.desertrosehealingarts.com/?n=3
Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Angels---Angel-Prince-of-the-North-Assists-You-With-Clear-Thinking&id=6678496] Angels - Angel Prince of the North Assists You With Clear Thinking
Clear thinking occurs in those moments when you are at peace, however briefly your thoughts and your emotions are peaceful and in alignment with your inner-Self.
Being at peace with you is the key to being able to discern ego-mind chatter with that of Angels and Divine Source Energy or Spirit. All that is not of love and light will not resonate within you with grace and ease.
To think clearly it is essential to be well grounded. So how do you become or practice being well grounded? Breathe deeply, exhaling slowly. Relax your body and your mind. Be willing to step beyond your comfort zone. Practice forgiveness not just for what has occurred in your life in the past but also forgiving yourself for the mistakes you think you have made along the way.
A Message from the Angel Prince of the North
In any given moment there are a multitude of thoughts in your mind, a multitude of emotions in your heart and in your body. Each thought, each emotion carries its own unique energy vibration. You always have free will to choose your thoughts, your emotions and your actions. In moments of turmoil and dis-harmony remember to breathe. For in breathing even for a moment, the body, mind and Spirit release all they carry. In the moment of each breath is the choice to choose differently. Choose to give thanks for your many blessings. Choose to reach for the next best thought, the next and the next. Choose to reach out to a trusted friend in moments when soothing yourself appears to be overwhelming. Choose to pivot your emotions; expressing gratitude for all that has come before this moment. Choose to give thanks for all that is before you. Clear your mind, releasing sorrow and pain clearing the way for more love and light to shine through you this day and the next and the next. Release thoughts from what is now behind you clearing your mind, your body and your Spirit for all that awaits you.
Thinking clearly is the ability to reach through fear and doubt enabling you to experience a knowing that messages and guidance you are receiving are coming from Angels and Spirit rather than from ego-mind chatter.
How will you know if what you are receiving is from Angels? An Angel will not ever ask you to do something that violates your boundaries or your sense of ethics and integrity. In other words, if it feels positive and loving, then an Angel or Spirit is guiding you. If there is any doubt, ask for clarification or to repeat the message in a way you will clearly understand and recognize.
Connect with Terrie Marie, Angels and the Realm of Spirit every day when you click this link http://angelladytm.com/ from Terrie Marie, the Angel Lady and Desert Rose Healing Arts! Enter your name and email address to begin connecting with your own Spirituality! http://www.desertrosehealingarts.com/?n=3
Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Angels---Angel-Prince-of-the-North-Assists-You-With-Clear-Thinking&id=6678496] Angels - Angel Prince of the North Assists You With Clear Thinking
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Conversational Spiritual Progress
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham]Steve Wickham
Bad habits and indifference to spiritual progress do much to remove the guard from the tongue. Devout conversation on spiritual matters, on the contrary, is a great aid to spiritual progress-especially when persons of the same mind and spirit associate together in God.
~Thomas � Kempis.
In his grand work, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas � Kempis centres on the process of becoming just like Christ; doing the things we need to do, believing the things we need to believe, actively, in order to get there.
The above is talking about gossip - about the predilection we all have to move into conversation, to acquaint with others, to strike rapport; and this for very human need.
God designed us this way: to desire, seek, and find a common fellowship. But there is a trap and this trap is woven from the self-conscious mind, by the thread of mindless chatter.
Where we do not focus on spiritual things - the things that build up, that are godly, and portray us against the flesh - we will fall for the flesh. Our talk will descend and, therefore, arrive in the gutter. We are there before we know it.
A BETTER PLAN - BUT A HARDER ONE TO IMPLEMENT
Gossipy conversation leads to emptiness; a running away from ourselves, and the discrediting of others as we judge them later in hindsight, for, "How could they say such a thing!"
There is usually either incredulity or self-deceit as we look back on these wayward conversations.
A better plan, but one so rarely implemented, and one so often shunned for lack of interest in piety, is upon every conversation to focus on the pure, the complementary, and the urging, encouraging, and strengthening aspects of life with other people.
It doesn't necessarily mean that we talk about God all day, though that's not a bad plan! Certainly part of our day, every day, should be devoted to silence, as is custom in contemplative spirituality - something we learn from devout monks. Only in generous portions of silence will we learn to listen for the Lord.
It's a horrible state of affairs when we hear of people, especially in a church context, being criticised for being "too" spiritual. Can there be such a thing? If someone is genuinely passionate about their spirituality they will be passionate about others' spirituality, also. And love will be the winner. Anything falling short of love is not genuine spirituality, but maybe pretence. Nobody is perfect.
LEARNING TO FOCUS CONVERSATION
Perhaps the biggest challenge is centring on the things we should be talking about and disposing, truthfully in love, talk of the worldly, deriding sense.
What matters are politics, current affairs, religion, and ethics, to us if we don't have constructive intentions to make a difference? Chatting about them, and voicing our opinions (as if someone cared, for God doesn't), is vain if we're not doing something about it. This is taking us away from spiritual progress.
We would be better to focus the time and energy on making a difference. This may not be within our grasp - to make the sort of difference we'd like to. Therefore, we are best simply changing our minds to talk on different, more edifying, things.
Learning to focus our conversations toward matters of spiritual progress is an investment in the fellowship of friendship. It pleases God and, by it, within community, we worship aright.
� 2011 S. J. Wickham.
Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: [http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/]http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Conversational-Spiritual-Progress&id=6685024] Conversational Spiritual Progress
Bad habits and indifference to spiritual progress do much to remove the guard from the tongue. Devout conversation on spiritual matters, on the contrary, is a great aid to spiritual progress-especially when persons of the same mind and spirit associate together in God.
~Thomas � Kempis.
In his grand work, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas � Kempis centres on the process of becoming just like Christ; doing the things we need to do, believing the things we need to believe, actively, in order to get there.
The above is talking about gossip - about the predilection we all have to move into conversation, to acquaint with others, to strike rapport; and this for very human need.
God designed us this way: to desire, seek, and find a common fellowship. But there is a trap and this trap is woven from the self-conscious mind, by the thread of mindless chatter.
Where we do not focus on spiritual things - the things that build up, that are godly, and portray us against the flesh - we will fall for the flesh. Our talk will descend and, therefore, arrive in the gutter. We are there before we know it.
A BETTER PLAN - BUT A HARDER ONE TO IMPLEMENT
Gossipy conversation leads to emptiness; a running away from ourselves, and the discrediting of others as we judge them later in hindsight, for, "How could they say such a thing!"
There is usually either incredulity or self-deceit as we look back on these wayward conversations.
A better plan, but one so rarely implemented, and one so often shunned for lack of interest in piety, is upon every conversation to focus on the pure, the complementary, and the urging, encouraging, and strengthening aspects of life with other people.
It doesn't necessarily mean that we talk about God all day, though that's not a bad plan! Certainly part of our day, every day, should be devoted to silence, as is custom in contemplative spirituality - something we learn from devout monks. Only in generous portions of silence will we learn to listen for the Lord.
It's a horrible state of affairs when we hear of people, especially in a church context, being criticised for being "too" spiritual. Can there be such a thing? If someone is genuinely passionate about their spirituality they will be passionate about others' spirituality, also. And love will be the winner. Anything falling short of love is not genuine spirituality, but maybe pretence. Nobody is perfect.
LEARNING TO FOCUS CONVERSATION
Perhaps the biggest challenge is centring on the things we should be talking about and disposing, truthfully in love, talk of the worldly, deriding sense.
What matters are politics, current affairs, religion, and ethics, to us if we don't have constructive intentions to make a difference? Chatting about them, and voicing our opinions (as if someone cared, for God doesn't), is vain if we're not doing something about it. This is taking us away from spiritual progress.
We would be better to focus the time and energy on making a difference. This may not be within our grasp - to make the sort of difference we'd like to. Therefore, we are best simply changing our minds to talk on different, more edifying, things.
Learning to focus our conversations toward matters of spiritual progress is an investment in the fellowship of friendship. It pleases God and, by it, within community, we worship aright.
� 2011 S. J. Wickham.
Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: [http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/]http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Conversational-Spiritual-Progress&id=6685024] Conversational Spiritual Progress
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Catholic Questions - Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins To Priests?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=J._M._J._West]J. M. J. West
Question: Why do Catholics confess to a priest? Can't I just confess right to Jesus? Why the middle-men?
Answer: Catholics confess their sins to a priest because this is what Christ commanded of us, and gave the authority to do. Moreover, this is how the church has operated since the beginning, and it is good for us.
When we look at the end of John's Gospel, we see Jesus giving a special blessing and authority to the 11 remaining apostles: "(Jesus) said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.'" (John 20:21-23) Christ says that as he was sent by the Father, so too does he send the apostles. And what was it that he was sent to do? Christ came not to condemn the world, but "that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:17) Christ came to reconcile the world to God, and he gave this job to his church, and specifically to his apostles and those they would appoint. Paul calls it a "ministry of reconciliation." (2 Cor. 5:18)
Note too that this command of John 20 is different than merely "as you forgive, so shall you be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) Christ is giving a definitive authority to these men standing before him to forgive sins in a unique way. They have the authority to forgive sins-as is said in Latin-in persona Christi, which is "in the person of Christ," who acts through them. And if they are to judge as to which sins ought to be retained, and which ones forgiven, they must know the sins. Thus, very clearly, the injunction is to confess sins to another, and this is the common witness of the early church, too.
From a more pastoral approach, however, confession to another just makes sense. In part it forces one to "own up" to one's sin before an objective third party. Moreover, it affords objective, third-party advice as an aid in overcoming sins. Sigmund Freud, the "father of psychoanalysis," and a professed atheist and skeptic, nevertheless saw the merit in the act of confession, and founded his whole theory of psychoanalysis upon it!
Over time the exact format of the sacrament has changed. The Irish made it confession a much more private act, and a much more frequent act, and the penance prescribed has certainly de-intensified over time, from fasting for months or saying 100 "Our Father" prayers in the middle of the night in a river, to just a handful of prayers as an expression of penitence. The penance is given after absolution (i.e., the actual "forgiveness" part), and the absolution is not dependent upon the penance (though willfully not doing the penance would constitute a newer sin.
The "seal of the confessional" is one of the most firmly guarded "privileges" in human history, whereby the priest - upon hearing the confession - is morally bound to take those sins "to the grave", and to not divulge the sins of the confessing, and even the United States Law recognizes this. Were this not the case, the ability to use the sacrament would be greatly hindered, naturally. The priest can assign as penance, however, some form of restitution or correction of the harm inflicted, for serious crimes.
It is extremely important to confess a mortal (i.e., serious) sin as soon as possible, and Catholics are obliged to confess at least once a year. There are plenty of opportunities to confess at most parishes, at least weekly (usually on Saturdays) and often by appointment, and those who frequent the sacrament will tell you that it is a liberating experience. One is free to make a daily confession to God in one's prayer life, but let us not neglect this gift given to us by Christ as a unique source of grace and forgiveness!
J. M. J. West is a revert to the faith, having been raised steeped in relativism, his study of philosophy and history led him to re-embrace the faith which was poorly passed on to him. He has taught RCIA for years, and runs a bi-weekly column, "Ask the Catechist" for his Alma Mater. He runs a successful business from home, and blogs at [http://www.LifeAfterLiberalArts.com]http://www.LifeAfterLiberalArts.com, where he's published a report to help other's step away from full time jobs and work from home to support their families. The report can be accessed by clicking on the "get access" link in the top right corner of his page. Questions can be sent to justin (at) lifeafterliberalarts (dot) com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Catholic-Questions---Why-Do-Catholics-Confess-Their-Sins-To-Priests?&id=6683791] Catholic Questions - Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins To Priests?
Question: Why do Catholics confess to a priest? Can't I just confess right to Jesus? Why the middle-men?
Answer: Catholics confess their sins to a priest because this is what Christ commanded of us, and gave the authority to do. Moreover, this is how the church has operated since the beginning, and it is good for us.
When we look at the end of John's Gospel, we see Jesus giving a special blessing and authority to the 11 remaining apostles: "(Jesus) said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.'" (John 20:21-23) Christ says that as he was sent by the Father, so too does he send the apostles. And what was it that he was sent to do? Christ came not to condemn the world, but "that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:17) Christ came to reconcile the world to God, and he gave this job to his church, and specifically to his apostles and those they would appoint. Paul calls it a "ministry of reconciliation." (2 Cor. 5:18)
Note too that this command of John 20 is different than merely "as you forgive, so shall you be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) Christ is giving a definitive authority to these men standing before him to forgive sins in a unique way. They have the authority to forgive sins-as is said in Latin-in persona Christi, which is "in the person of Christ," who acts through them. And if they are to judge as to which sins ought to be retained, and which ones forgiven, they must know the sins. Thus, very clearly, the injunction is to confess sins to another, and this is the common witness of the early church, too.
From a more pastoral approach, however, confession to another just makes sense. In part it forces one to "own up" to one's sin before an objective third party. Moreover, it affords objective, third-party advice as an aid in overcoming sins. Sigmund Freud, the "father of psychoanalysis," and a professed atheist and skeptic, nevertheless saw the merit in the act of confession, and founded his whole theory of psychoanalysis upon it!
Over time the exact format of the sacrament has changed. The Irish made it confession a much more private act, and a much more frequent act, and the penance prescribed has certainly de-intensified over time, from fasting for months or saying 100 "Our Father" prayers in the middle of the night in a river, to just a handful of prayers as an expression of penitence. The penance is given after absolution (i.e., the actual "forgiveness" part), and the absolution is not dependent upon the penance (though willfully not doing the penance would constitute a newer sin.
The "seal of the confessional" is one of the most firmly guarded "privileges" in human history, whereby the priest - upon hearing the confession - is morally bound to take those sins "to the grave", and to not divulge the sins of the confessing, and even the United States Law recognizes this. Were this not the case, the ability to use the sacrament would be greatly hindered, naturally. The priest can assign as penance, however, some form of restitution or correction of the harm inflicted, for serious crimes.
It is extremely important to confess a mortal (i.e., serious) sin as soon as possible, and Catholics are obliged to confess at least once a year. There are plenty of opportunities to confess at most parishes, at least weekly (usually on Saturdays) and often by appointment, and those who frequent the sacrament will tell you that it is a liberating experience. One is free to make a daily confession to God in one's prayer life, but let us not neglect this gift given to us by Christ as a unique source of grace and forgiveness!
J. M. J. West is a revert to the faith, having been raised steeped in relativism, his study of philosophy and history led him to re-embrace the faith which was poorly passed on to him. He has taught RCIA for years, and runs a bi-weekly column, "Ask the Catechist" for his Alma Mater. He runs a successful business from home, and blogs at [http://www.LifeAfterLiberalArts.com]http://www.LifeAfterLiberalArts.com, where he's published a report to help other's step away from full time jobs and work from home to support their families. The report can be accessed by clicking on the "get access" link in the top right corner of his page. Questions can be sent to justin (at) lifeafterliberalarts (dot) com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Catholic-Questions---Why-Do-Catholics-Confess-Their-Sins-To-Priests?&id=6683791] Catholic Questions - Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins To Priests?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
A Fearful Mishirase
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=William_T_Trotter]William T Trotter
To attend the wedding of one of our members in the town of Geelong, in January several years ago, my wife and I flew from Brisbane to the Avalon airport south of Melbourne, which was close to our destination. Upon our arrival we hired a car for our stay in the area and began the short 20 minute drive to Geelong. As we approached the outskirts of Geelong, we stopped at an information centre to obtain some maps of the area. In particular we wanted to know more about The Great Ocean Road along the southern coast of Australia that begins just past Geelong. It's well known as an attractive winding drive with gorgeous scenery.
The information centre was quite new, very large and had a great deal of material. It even had a room with a huge horizontal relief map of the area in large scale. There was also a number of staff and volunteers to assist those seeking information and a very pleasant senior gentleman came to help us. He was very enthusiastic and explained the history of the region in great detail as he was pointing out the areas we wanted to see. We soon learned that Geelong used to be an important port for sailing vessels and that during the gold rush of the 1800's thousands of foreigners, including many Chinese came to try and make their fortune. Indeed the town has many beautiful old brick buildings from that era.
The gentleman assisting us kept handing us more and more maps and at first it was quite interesting, but I think he just loves the history of the region and we got him going with all our questions. He began giving us material on many places we knew we wouldn't have any time to visit and explained about each of them in exquisite detail. Nevertheless, he thought they were all worth a visit. Slowly I began to get annoyed because we couldn't get away from him and the more I became irritated, the more he continued even more enthusiastically. He even began giving us maps he had already handed us. Anyway, we were finally able to gracefully thank him and make a quick exit. But by that time I was very irritated because we wanted to spend time looking around, not viewing countless maps and brochures.
As soon as we left I began to sneeze, and within about 10 minutes I had developed a full head cold. I couldn't believe it! Never before have I had a cold that consumed me so rapidly. My nose and head were completely stuffed up.
We drove to our motel where we found there had been a mix up with our reservation being cancelled and they had no more rooms. However, the couple running the motel were very apologetic and managed to find us a room in a nearby motel which turned out to be cheaper and almost the same quality.
I realised that I was suffering from a full head cold because of the irritated state of mind I had while at the visitor information centre. So I took out my portable Omitama (prayer symbol) and did a sincere prayer of apology and then rested for awhile after taking several vitamin C pills we had with us. I had hoped to get rid of my cold as quickly as it had developed. Unfortunately God was not going to let me get off that easily.
I knew that I would have trouble going to the wedding the next day in the state I was in, so I did an Oyashikiri Prayer several more times that day. By the time I went to bed my situation had not improved at all. Surprisingly though, when I got up the next morning I was completely free of the cold. I didn't even have so much as a trace of it.
To ensure it wouldn't return, I immediately did a prayer of appreciation to God and again apologised for having had such an irritated state of mind.
As a minister, I have to be very careful because God is very strict if we do things that we know we should not be doing. This is particularly true if we are teaching others not to do things like being irritated, but then we do them ourselves. In my case it was even worse because I noticed later on that a recent Mioshie (divine instruction) I was practising had the line: "I shall not have a mind to be irritated about anything." I had forgotten this line.
I think I recovered overnight because I took my Mishirase positively as God's severe teaching. Nevertheless, I was shocked that I could become ill so rapidly and I felt as the First Founder (Tokuharu Miki) did when he said the only thing he feared was God. I realised just how rapidly we can have a Mishirase occur if we do things that are contrary to God's way. The problem is that we may not even notice we are doing them and that's the fearful part. So we have to be alert at all times.
I truly appreciate that God gave me an opportunity to fully understand and practice the line in my Mioshie. Sometimes we need a shock like this to clearly realise our bad habits so that we can change them and improve our lives.
Bill Trotter
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Fearful-Mishirase&id=6684690] A Fearful Mishirase
To attend the wedding of one of our members in the town of Geelong, in January several years ago, my wife and I flew from Brisbane to the Avalon airport south of Melbourne, which was close to our destination. Upon our arrival we hired a car for our stay in the area and began the short 20 minute drive to Geelong. As we approached the outskirts of Geelong, we stopped at an information centre to obtain some maps of the area. In particular we wanted to know more about The Great Ocean Road along the southern coast of Australia that begins just past Geelong. It's well known as an attractive winding drive with gorgeous scenery.
The information centre was quite new, very large and had a great deal of material. It even had a room with a huge horizontal relief map of the area in large scale. There was also a number of staff and volunteers to assist those seeking information and a very pleasant senior gentleman came to help us. He was very enthusiastic and explained the history of the region in great detail as he was pointing out the areas we wanted to see. We soon learned that Geelong used to be an important port for sailing vessels and that during the gold rush of the 1800's thousands of foreigners, including many Chinese came to try and make their fortune. Indeed the town has many beautiful old brick buildings from that era.
The gentleman assisting us kept handing us more and more maps and at first it was quite interesting, but I think he just loves the history of the region and we got him going with all our questions. He began giving us material on many places we knew we wouldn't have any time to visit and explained about each of them in exquisite detail. Nevertheless, he thought they were all worth a visit. Slowly I began to get annoyed because we couldn't get away from him and the more I became irritated, the more he continued even more enthusiastically. He even began giving us maps he had already handed us. Anyway, we were finally able to gracefully thank him and make a quick exit. But by that time I was very irritated because we wanted to spend time looking around, not viewing countless maps and brochures.
As soon as we left I began to sneeze, and within about 10 minutes I had developed a full head cold. I couldn't believe it! Never before have I had a cold that consumed me so rapidly. My nose and head were completely stuffed up.
We drove to our motel where we found there had been a mix up with our reservation being cancelled and they had no more rooms. However, the couple running the motel were very apologetic and managed to find us a room in a nearby motel which turned out to be cheaper and almost the same quality.
I realised that I was suffering from a full head cold because of the irritated state of mind I had while at the visitor information centre. So I took out my portable Omitama (prayer symbol) and did a sincere prayer of apology and then rested for awhile after taking several vitamin C pills we had with us. I had hoped to get rid of my cold as quickly as it had developed. Unfortunately God was not going to let me get off that easily.
I knew that I would have trouble going to the wedding the next day in the state I was in, so I did an Oyashikiri Prayer several more times that day. By the time I went to bed my situation had not improved at all. Surprisingly though, when I got up the next morning I was completely free of the cold. I didn't even have so much as a trace of it.
To ensure it wouldn't return, I immediately did a prayer of appreciation to God and again apologised for having had such an irritated state of mind.
As a minister, I have to be very careful because God is very strict if we do things that we know we should not be doing. This is particularly true if we are teaching others not to do things like being irritated, but then we do them ourselves. In my case it was even worse because I noticed later on that a recent Mioshie (divine instruction) I was practising had the line: "I shall not have a mind to be irritated about anything." I had forgotten this line.
I think I recovered overnight because I took my Mishirase positively as God's severe teaching. Nevertheless, I was shocked that I could become ill so rapidly and I felt as the First Founder (Tokuharu Miki) did when he said the only thing he feared was God. I realised just how rapidly we can have a Mishirase occur if we do things that are contrary to God's way. The problem is that we may not even notice we are doing them and that's the fearful part. So we have to be alert at all times.
I truly appreciate that God gave me an opportunity to fully understand and practice the line in my Mioshie. Sometimes we need a shock like this to clearly realise our bad habits so that we can change them and improve our lives.
Bill Trotter
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Fearful-Mishirase&id=6684690] A Fearful Mishirase
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Transcending the Phantom Ego
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Craig_Villarrubia]Craig Villarrubia
The ego appears to be a complex web of beliefs, ideas, concepts and images that we believe we are. In its dysfunction, the ego can be a negative voice in our head that would have us believe that we are separate from Love.
The ego attempts to mask the truth of who we are by telling us that we are not enough, that we're incomplete and fragmented. Its voice may say things like "we're too broke, too ugly, unworthy and guilty." It will blame external circumstances for our suffering by having us think that we are victim to worldly situations. With each misleading thought the ego drives a wedge between us and the reality of love.
Its primary function is self-interest. Subsequently it's constantly inciting scenarios to plot, plan and strategize for its best advantage, often triggering the belief that we need to acquire more and be more in order to be happy. The ego engenders pain by defining us as past stories of hardship and regret. It can coerce us into feelings of sadness and belief in loss. It would have us think that salvation rests in a future point in time, all the while giving us reason to worry and be anxious about it.
It judges us physically, socially and financially. It is constantly measuring us up against others. It abides by illusory rules that say we will be happy when we achieve this or that. It tells us what we are capable and not capable of doing. Its voice sabotages our connection with the peace and joy that is ever present.
However upon inspection it's clear that the voice of your ego is a phantom; the ego is not real. You can't touch it or hold it. It relies on your attention for energy because it has no independent life source of its own. The ego is nothing but an idea that rests on your belief in it. It depends on you to identify with it.
Attacking your ego would be counterproductive because attacking the ego makes it appear real and reenforces certainty in its existence.
The ego is best dealt with by transcending it. The first step is to recognize that it is a product of imagination. Like anything imaginable, you renounce it by withdrawing attention from it. Identification with the ego is therefore relinquished by being present and quieting the mind. The thoughts that would ordinarily give a voice to the ego is replaced by silence and awareness. In the expanded space of presence you recognize that the ego is not who you truly are. With patience and practice you learn to identify with something bigger than your body.
Transcending the ego is easier said then done, hence the reason why many of us are on a "spiritual path." A practice of meditation, forgiveness and extending love will help ensure that you see beyond the illusory phantom. http://www.craigvillarrubia.com http://www.facebook.com/craigvillarrubia
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Transcending-the-Phantom-Ego&id=6679421] Transcending the Phantom Ego
The ego appears to be a complex web of beliefs, ideas, concepts and images that we believe we are. In its dysfunction, the ego can be a negative voice in our head that would have us believe that we are separate from Love.
The ego attempts to mask the truth of who we are by telling us that we are not enough, that we're incomplete and fragmented. Its voice may say things like "we're too broke, too ugly, unworthy and guilty." It will blame external circumstances for our suffering by having us think that we are victim to worldly situations. With each misleading thought the ego drives a wedge between us and the reality of love.
Its primary function is self-interest. Subsequently it's constantly inciting scenarios to plot, plan and strategize for its best advantage, often triggering the belief that we need to acquire more and be more in order to be happy. The ego engenders pain by defining us as past stories of hardship and regret. It can coerce us into feelings of sadness and belief in loss. It would have us think that salvation rests in a future point in time, all the while giving us reason to worry and be anxious about it.
It judges us physically, socially and financially. It is constantly measuring us up against others. It abides by illusory rules that say we will be happy when we achieve this or that. It tells us what we are capable and not capable of doing. Its voice sabotages our connection with the peace and joy that is ever present.
However upon inspection it's clear that the voice of your ego is a phantom; the ego is not real. You can't touch it or hold it. It relies on your attention for energy because it has no independent life source of its own. The ego is nothing but an idea that rests on your belief in it. It depends on you to identify with it.
Attacking your ego would be counterproductive because attacking the ego makes it appear real and reenforces certainty in its existence.
The ego is best dealt with by transcending it. The first step is to recognize that it is a product of imagination. Like anything imaginable, you renounce it by withdrawing attention from it. Identification with the ego is therefore relinquished by being present and quieting the mind. The thoughts that would ordinarily give a voice to the ego is replaced by silence and awareness. In the expanded space of presence you recognize that the ego is not who you truly are. With patience and practice you learn to identify with something bigger than your body.
Transcending the ego is easier said then done, hence the reason why many of us are on a "spiritual path." A practice of meditation, forgiveness and extending love will help ensure that you see beyond the illusory phantom. http://www.craigvillarrubia.com http://www.facebook.com/craigvillarrubia
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Transcending-the-Phantom-Ego&id=6679421] Transcending the Phantom Ego
Friday, November 11, 2011
I Want to Know My Bible - Where Do I Start?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham]Steve Wickham
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
~2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NRSV).
The Holy Bible can be a daunting prospect just to flick through with an intention of reading it cover to cover later. Some chapters are long, others are heavy, and some might be downright boring. But every verse of the Bible is relevant in God revealing himself to us.
So, where do we start?
WHAT BIBLE TO USE?
Not presuming that we've picked out a Bible version to begin with, there is a discussion of the right one. For new believers it may or may not be better to begin with a plain English version, but it may be easier.
It's not the most important issue, which Bible to use.
It is far more important to read it, explore the questions that come up in our hearts and minds and resolve to learn more about God, enjoying the journey.
WHERE TO ACTUALLY START
New believers are always encouraged to begin with one of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Typically it's Mark that we might start with, because Mark is an eventful story with a smattering of teaching and miracles, and it plays out more like an action movie than the other three. A thorough reading of Mark, with time for questioning certain text, may take a couple of enjoyable and reflective hours. Do it when you're relaxed.
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN
With a bit of a play on ancient Ecclesiastes, we need to identify that different parts of the Bible are relevant for different times in our lives - to cater for different moods, varying situations, unique problems, and cherished opportunities.
This is not to say that reading the Bible through the year, or following a purposeful Bible Reading Plan is the wrong thing to do; far from it. A Bible Reading Plan is suitable, and commendable, for every Christian.
Purposeful Selections
If we want to grow in wisdom we can follow Proverbs' 31 chapters, one chapter each day of the month, for several months. Likewise, we could read New Testament James. Ecclesiastes and Job are also good wisdom books, but nonetheless challenging.
Knowing Jesus, biblically, is not better done than by a study of the gospels, the letters of the Apostles, even a reading of the Major and Minor Prophets. Truly, the entire Bible speaks relevantly regarding Jesus and God's plan for redemption.
If we want to learn about early Church history, Acts is the book we go to. Yet, we can learn a lot about the sense of community in church from reading the Old Testament, as well as from reading the letters of Peter and Paul.
If we want to feel God's Presence, and we have a yearning to connect with God emotionally, even in praise and thanksgiving, the Psalms are a logical place to go.
If the heritage of our faith is important to us we won't disregard the first five books: Genesis through Deuteronomy. The settings of our theology exist there.
The history books of the Old Testament, also, play a massive role in our understanding of the pre-Christian period. We learn a lot about God, Judges, monarchy, and the prophets, when we read Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.
***
Where to start is not so much the question. Journeying through the Bible, in our quest to know God, is simply committing to reading, exploring, and searching the Scriptures. It's about learning to hear God's voice through the words as we read, letting them speak into our lives.
� 2011 S. J. Wickham.
Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: [http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/]http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?I-Want-to-Know-My-Bible---Where-Do-I-Start?&id=6685547] I Want to Know My Bible - Where Do I Start?
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
~2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NRSV).
The Holy Bible can be a daunting prospect just to flick through with an intention of reading it cover to cover later. Some chapters are long, others are heavy, and some might be downright boring. But every verse of the Bible is relevant in God revealing himself to us.
So, where do we start?
WHAT BIBLE TO USE?
Not presuming that we've picked out a Bible version to begin with, there is a discussion of the right one. For new believers it may or may not be better to begin with a plain English version, but it may be easier.
It's not the most important issue, which Bible to use.
It is far more important to read it, explore the questions that come up in our hearts and minds and resolve to learn more about God, enjoying the journey.
WHERE TO ACTUALLY START
New believers are always encouraged to begin with one of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Typically it's Mark that we might start with, because Mark is an eventful story with a smattering of teaching and miracles, and it plays out more like an action movie than the other three. A thorough reading of Mark, with time for questioning certain text, may take a couple of enjoyable and reflective hours. Do it when you're relaxed.
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN
With a bit of a play on ancient Ecclesiastes, we need to identify that different parts of the Bible are relevant for different times in our lives - to cater for different moods, varying situations, unique problems, and cherished opportunities.
This is not to say that reading the Bible through the year, or following a purposeful Bible Reading Plan is the wrong thing to do; far from it. A Bible Reading Plan is suitable, and commendable, for every Christian.
Purposeful Selections
If we want to grow in wisdom we can follow Proverbs' 31 chapters, one chapter each day of the month, for several months. Likewise, we could read New Testament James. Ecclesiastes and Job are also good wisdom books, but nonetheless challenging.
Knowing Jesus, biblically, is not better done than by a study of the gospels, the letters of the Apostles, even a reading of the Major and Minor Prophets. Truly, the entire Bible speaks relevantly regarding Jesus and God's plan for redemption.
If we want to learn about early Church history, Acts is the book we go to. Yet, we can learn a lot about the sense of community in church from reading the Old Testament, as well as from reading the letters of Peter and Paul.
If we want to feel God's Presence, and we have a yearning to connect with God emotionally, even in praise and thanksgiving, the Psalms are a logical place to go.
If the heritage of our faith is important to us we won't disregard the first five books: Genesis through Deuteronomy. The settings of our theology exist there.
The history books of the Old Testament, also, play a massive role in our understanding of the pre-Christian period. We learn a lot about God, Judges, monarchy, and the prophets, when we read Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.
***
Where to start is not so much the question. Journeying through the Bible, in our quest to know God, is simply committing to reading, exploring, and searching the Scriptures. It's about learning to hear God's voice through the words as we read, letting them speak into our lives.
� 2011 S. J. Wickham.
Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: [http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/]http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?I-Want-to-Know-My-Bible---Where-Do-I-Start?&id=6685547] I Want to Know My Bible - Where Do I Start?
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