The Garden of the Mind

"And let Jerusalem," the God-lit city, " come to your mind." Ask yourself, What do I let come into my mind? If a man lets his garden alone, it pretty soon ceases to be a garden; and if a saint lets his mind alone, it will soon become a garbage patch for Satan's scarecrows. Read the terrible things that Paul says will grow in the mind of a saint unless he looks after it (see Col. 3:5). The command to let jerusalem come into our mind means we have to watch our intellect and devote it for one purpose; let only those things come in that are worthy of the God-lit city. "Let"... it is a command. See to it by the careful watching of your mind that only those thoughts come in that are worthy of God. We do not sufficiently realize the need to pray when we lie down at night," Deliver us from the evil one." It puts us in the attitude of asking the Lord to watch our minds and our dreams, and He will do it.

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 ~My Utmost for His Highest~

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication,uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.   Col. 3:5

What will Jesus see?

When Jesus looks upon my life,

What picture does He see?

Does He see His own reflection, 

Or does He just see me?

Does He see His likeness

The product of His hand,

Or just another Christian,

Who never took a stand?

Does He see a child of God,

A child that He made free?

Living life to honor Him,

Or does He just see me?

What about the other folks,

I meet along the way,

Do I show them Jesus,

To brighten up their day?

When someone looks into my eyes,

Can they truly see,

That calm and gentle peace of God,

That dwells inside of me?

I try to be like Jesus,

Every single day,

Spreading love and kindness,

All along the way.

I'm afraid that I have failed,

I could not pass the test,

Deep inside my heart I know,

I haven't done my best.

I have had to fight my flesh,

Since the day that I was born,

It's always causing trouble,

And being such a thorn.

He knew I'd never pass the test,

That's why He took my place,

He gave His life to save my soul,

He suffered my disgrace.

Now I try to be like Him.

I must present Him well,

So other folks will want his gift,

And turn their backs on hell.

Other folks should see the joy,

That Christ has given me,

They should want to have it too,

Especially since it's free.

They should begin to ask me.

What is it they must do,

Just how it is they go about

Getting Jesus too.

Then I get to tell them,

This wondrous gift is free,

It only takes a humble heart,

A prayer on bended knee.

Someday when I'm face to face.

With the Lord who made me free.

Will He see His own reflection,

Or will He just see me?

Written by Chick Velaso@2000

Living as Jesus Lived

The Holy Spirit transforms us through the renewal of our mind (Romans 12:2). It is in our thoughts that the seed of true Christlike humility is sown. It is not by our actions or by our behaviour before others but rather by our thoughts (when we are by ourselves) that we can ascertain whether we are being transformed into Christlikeness in this area or not - our thoughts concerning ourselves and about how we compare with others.

It is only when we are truly small in our own thoughts, that we can genuinely "regard others as more important than us"(Phil. 2:3), and consider ourselves as "the very least of all the saints"(Eph. 3:8).

Jesus always considered Himself as a man to be nothing before His Father. Therefore the glory of the Father was manifested through Him in all its fulness.

Because Jesus took this form of nothingness before the Father, He could joyfully submit to anything that the Father ordered for His life, and obey all the Father's commandments wholeheartedly.

"He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death" (Phil. 2:8)

By Zac Poonen in Living as Jesus Lived.

Very thought provoking and an area I can and need to really grow in. I hope it inspires each one who has that desire.

To Kill or to Heal

Every art, every healing, and every good, can be used for an opposite purpose.Every possibility I have of producing a fine character in time, I can use to produce the opposite; I have that liberty from the Creator. God will not prevent my disobeying Him; if He did, my obedience would not be worth anything. Some of us complain that God should have made the universe and human life like a foolproof machine, so simple that there would be no possibility of going wrong. If He had, we would be like jellyfish. If there is no possibility of being damned, there is no need for salvation.
In the time between birth and death, most of us are in our " shell." There is something in us that makes us peck, and when the crack comes, instead of it's being the gentle light and dawn of a new day, it is like a lightening flash. The universe we awaken to is not one of order, but a great big howling confusion, and it takes time to get adjusted. The distresses we reap in between Gods decrees for us, we, together with other human beings, are personally responsible for. If we make our life a muddle, it is to a large extent because we have not discerned the great underlying relationship to God.
By My Utmost for His Highest

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to see;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

He has made everything beautiful in It's time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should enjoy the good of all his labor--it is the gift of God.
I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

To all The women, young and old

This is a serious calling, I simply can't add to it, I think this says it all and its a great responsibility and calling.

Courage is resistance to fear,

mastery of fear.

Not the absence of fear.

Courage is not a matter of simply not being afraid. It is a matter of taking action even when you are afraid!

Courage is also more than sheer bravado shouting, "I can do this!"

and launching out with a do-or-die attitude over some reckless dare.

True courage is manifested when a person chooses to take a difficult or even dangerous course of action because it is the right thing to do. Courage is looking beyond yourself to what is best for another.

The source of all courage is the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. God has given Him to us to remain at our side to help us. When we welcome Him into our lives and He compels us to do something, we can confidently trust He will be right there with us, helping us get it done!

Therefore take up the whole armor of God. that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore.

Ephesians 6:13-14

Be Watchful Where You Are Weak

This morning I read this, " Be watchful where you are weak" and as I read the whole piece I remembered I posted this once before probably a year or so ago. It still speaks volumes today as it did then and I see how very important it is to  know where we are weakest and that when we come up at a place in our life we are tested in our weak point that we will be able to quench Satan's desire to catch us in his wicked net and to be able to stand against his wicked wiles, that we will be alert. I need this reminder so much and thats why I felt like sharing it for anyone else that could be inspired.

Much attention is given to small details of worship, but who is looking after the little child--that is, the main duties of Christianity? Was there ever less love, compassion, self-denial, or power of holiness than today? Unfortunately these cardinal duties, like the child, are in great danger of perishing in the fire of contention and division which a perverse zeal for lesser things has kindled among us.

Be especially careful to watch yourself in those areas where you know you are weak. The weakest part of the city needs the strongest guard; in our bodies, the most vulnerable parts are covered and kept warmest. 

Watch most carefully the area you find weakest. Is your head weak--your judgement I mean? Is your weakness in your passions? Watch over them as one who dwells in a thatched-roof house is careful of every spark that flies out his chimney, for fear one should land on the thatch and set the whole house on fire. When our neighbor's house is ablaze, we throw water on our own roof, or cover it with a wet sheet. When flame breaks out at another's mouth, throw water on your own hot spirit to prevent a fire breaking out in you. You should always have available some cooling, wrath-quenching scriptures for just such a situation.

These preventive measures will enable us to secure our house against any attack by the devil. And when the enemy has been put down, you will still be "standing."

~William Gurnall~