Using Mental Capacity to Enhance Spiritual Capacity

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There are several Bible verses that stand out to me as being hard to believe, but powerful once I do believe it. One such verse is John 14:12, which says “whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” For a long time, I questioned this. How could I do greater works than Jesus? No one can do that! However, over the years I have learned that if the Bible says it, it’s true. And, it’s Jesus Himself who said it!

This is a hard concept for many people to grasp. The struggle is the same as it was for me. After reading about all of the great miracles Jesus did, it is just too difficult to imagine myself or anyone doing greater things. However, here is how it happens… Because Jesus went to the Father, He sent His spirit to us. This spirit is the very spirit of God. The great thing about it (one of many great things) is that this spirit is everywhere all the time. During His time on earth, Jesus in His human form had the same time and space limits as we do. However, this spirit of God lives in us, and it moves with us wherever we go. It’s power is omnipresent and without limit, so there is nothing it can’t do!

The bottom line is that our spiritual capacity is unlimited. We can do all things through this spirit. We have everything we could ever need through this same spirit. That is a fact that is outlined in many different places in the Bible. So why do we seem to lack the power we need? Why don’t we see more of this power in action in our lives? It is simply because of a lack of belief in it. What we need to do is to open up our mental capacity to free the unlimited spiritual capacity. We need to believe that we walk in unison with the unlimited, omnipresent spirit of God.

You may be asking now, OK, great! This is great to know. But how do we use our mental means to unleash the unlimited spiritual power that’s in and around us? I believe there are many ways. However, here are the main ones that work for me and have really brought a greater awareness of and has helped to maximize the great power of God that is available to us. I have included links to articles I have written about each in case you would like more detailed information about them…

1. Get to know the word of God. This is important, and will help even more with the other ideas I will mention. The more you know what God says about you, His truths, and His character, the more your faith is developed. I suggest a New Testament reading plan to get started (there are many great Bible apps that have these), or whatever works best for you. The more you learn about the words and messages of the Bible, the more empowered you will be.
2. Positive Affirmations. – Affirmations are words and phrases you repeat to yourself on a regular basis. As you continue to say them, they start to sink in to your subconscious mind. They replace any negative, untruthful thoughts, and you start to believe them. And as you believe them, you act on them.Your current beliefs were formed by words that were repeated by others or yourself. In this case you’re just doing it deliberately with thoughts that you want to believe.
3. Hypnosis – I will be writing more about this topic in the near future. In the past, I have used hypnosis to make positive life changes. I have recently re-discovered its power and benefits, and it can really be used in a positive way to change your thinking and develop the faith necessary for an empowering life.
4. Visualization – This is another form of hypnosis, it’s just usually done in a more awake state. Like hypnosis and affirmations, the goal is to change the dominant thoughts of the subconscious mind that ultimately determine your actions.

A very effective practice I have learned is to combine your knowledge with the powerful word of God with some of these mind altering methods. Constantly repeat some of your favorite Bible verses. Visualize yourself being empowered and making great impacts by utilizing some of the great ideas of the Bible. See yourself accomplishing great things in the power of the spirit.

I will say once again that your spiritual capacity is unlimited. The key to maximizing that unlimited power is getting your mind right, and using its capacity to align with the spiritual. That allows you to do even greater things than Jesus. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

A Good Friday Reminder

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Each Good Friday, I like to reflect on what the day represents. My fellow Christians believe Jesus was crucified on a cross. God gave us His only son to demonstrate His love for us. This son willingly gave up His life as a reminder of His love for us.

As I reflected this morning, here are the thoughts that entered my mind…

Because of what He did, I am forgiven. Every sin of action and omission, every mistake I’ve ever made, and every stupid thing I’ve ever said and done is gone and forgotten.

Because of what He did, His spirit is in me, around me, and always with me.

Because of what He did, I always have a spirit of power in me and with me.

Because of what He did, I am healed.

Because of what He did I prosper, and already am successful.

Because of what He did, I already have the solution to every problem, and the answer to every question.

Because of what He did, all joy is available to me.

Because of what He did, all abundance is available to me.

Because of what He did, I know without a doubt that I am loved in a way that I can never even imagine.

Because of what He did, I can be confident in every situation.

Because of what He did, I am completely free.

Because of what He did, I am extremely thankful for all of these things I’ve just mentioned.

Because of what He did, I am responsible to share this love, forgiveness, abundance, power, joy, and excellence with everyone I come in contact with. It’s the very least I can do in return for what this loving act on the cross has given me, even though He expects absolutely nothing in return.

This is just a short list of all we have been given as a result of the sacrifice on the cross. It’s a not a fair deal. He gets brutally beaten and crucified, and receives all of our punishment when He was completely innocent. In return, we get no punishment for our sins, and all of the benefits of the kingdom of heaven and all of the privileges of being sons of the king. However, He would still do it over and over again for us. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. I challenge you to reflect on this sacrifice today and be thankful for what this day represents and for what you’ve been given. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

I Want To Sleep Like Jesus

An interesting thing happened today. I was reviewing some old articles I had written in the past. I then realized I had some drafts of unpublished articles that I had forgotten about. I came upon this one that I began writing… in 2015!! The article was completely done, but I never published it. Usually when that happens, I believe it’s because God wants to use it for something. I guess it wasn’t supposed to be published until now, and perhaps you are the one who needed to see it! Whether that’s the case or not, I hope you enjoy it…

 

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is one where the disciples of Jesus are on a boat and caught in a violent storm. They are in a panic and are fearing that they will drown. Amidst the panic, they come to their senses and realize that Jesus can save them. But where is He? In the middle of this storm, they find Him in a corner of the boat…asleep! The disciples wake Him up and ask for His miracle-working intervention. Jesus wakes up, rebukes them for their lack of faith, and immediately calms the storm.

If I was one of the disciples, I am sure I would be wondering…”how could He sleep during this intense storm?” I am sure that is exactly what was going through their minds. However, Jesus challenged them. He asked them why they had such little faith and why they were so afraid. I also believe He provided an example of the faith He was trying to promote. There was chaos. A crazy storm that was about to destroy them. Yet He was sleeping soundly through it all. He KNEW that God had control of the entire situation, and all He had to do was say the word and the perilous situation would be overtaken by the wonderful peace that only God can bring.

As I reflect on this story, I realize that this is the faith I want to have. There will be storms around me. However, if my faith is strong enough, I can sleep peacefully, knowing God will rebuke the storm and bring peace. The same is true for you. You may think Jesus is asleep as the storms rage around you. If so, just wake Him up! Ask Him to calm the storm, and He will respond. Even if it doesn’t immediately disappear, He will provide a peace that only He can provide.

Jesus was able to sleep peacefully as the storms raged around the boat He was on. He had 100% faith that the boat would never come close to going down as long as God had control of it. That is faith that He shared with His disciples, and wants to allocate to us. Know that God is in complete control, and you will sleep like a baby 🙂

Remember Your Power

This past weekend, my family and I enjoyed a beautiful Easter celebration. We Christians celebrate Easter as a remembrance of how Jesus rose from the dead after being brutally crucified two days earlier. I imagine the power involved in that process of bringing Jesus from dead to alive. That power is never-ending!

I’ve read several times in the past few days, a particular Bible verse. As I’ve said numerous times, I know God is speaking to me when I read the same info in various places at various times. The verse comes from Romans 8:11 which in essence says that the same spirit and power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Think about that. The same Godly, endless, and invincible power that was used to resurrect Jesus from being dead to universally alive is a part of your very being.

It’s very easy to take this power for granted, to not believe we have it, or to feel like we are unworthy of it. I still fight this battle regularly. However, it is the truth. This power is readily available to us. Let us remember that. Later in Romans 8 it says, If God is for us (which He surely is), who can be against us? (absolutely nobody and nothing!) Not only do you have this power, but nothing can stand against it! And it is ALWAYS with you. Another powerful verse in this same chapter says that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Here’s how Romans 8 ends… “ Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Remember this power today. Know that you can use it to accomplish anything. And you don’t have to sweat the small stuff. Know that you have the power within you to overcome any obstacles, big or small. As you go through your day, remember your power. Be thankful for it, live in it, embrace it. It is yours and no one can ever take it from you. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

A Different Take On The Lord’s Prayer

If you’ve ever been in any type of Christian church, I’m sure you have heard and probably recited the Lord’s Prayer. In some churches, it is known as the “Our Father” prayer.

In case you are not familiar, Jesus was instructing His disciples of how NOT to pray. Then He showed them the ideal way to pray, which is provided for us with this prayer in the New Testament.

I recently read this prayer in several different versions, and I was able to break it down and make it simpler than it already is. Here’s what I came up with, not taking away from its original meaning. See if this resonates a bit easier for you:

Our Father in Heaven; May your name be kept holy. May your heavenly kingdom come (the one that you say is in our midst) and let it be our central focus; May YOUR will be done on earth as it is in Heaven; Please give us all we need for today; Forgive us for the wrong things we have done, and help us forgive those who have wronged us, helping us let go of any resentment; And do not cause us to be tempted, but save us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, power, and glory forever. Amen.

I believe this is already a very easy prayer to pray, but as I broke it down thanks to the many Bible translations, it made it even easier and more relevant to my life.

I share this with you in hopes that it makes it easier for you to use this prayer for effective communication with God. As always, I invite you to share how it helps you, or other ways for us to pray more effectively. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Inspiration For Those Stuck in the Snow

It’s been a brutal winter for those of us in the eastern two thirds of the United States. In my area, Buffalo NY, we’ve already received over 100 inches (250 cm) 0f snow, and they say more is on the way.

If you too are tired of the snow and cold, or facing a different type of relentless negativity in your life, I will share a message I heard this morning on a Christian radio station. It said, “this Footprints thing works great in the snow too”. In case you’re not familiar, it refers to the famous story of a person looking back on their life from Heaven. They see footprints in the sand…their own and those of Jesus. However, the person becomes bothered by the fact that during the most difficult times in their life, there is only one set of footprints. The person asks Jesus why this is, since they were always told Jesus would be with them during the toughest times. It is them that Jesus reassures that the footprints were not the individual’s, but His because it was during those most trying times that “I carried you”.

Indeed, the same is true for the snow. If you are tired of the snow and cold, or you are just facing difficult circumstances overall, leave only one set of footprints in the snow…those of Jesus as He carries you. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

How To Replace Worry With Power

It’s easy to worry, isn’t it? For many human beings, it is unfortunately a natural state of mind. For me, I do it a lot less these days, but I’d be lying if I said worrisome thoughts don’t still cross my mind sometimes. Still, I wish someone would have taught me some valuable lessons about worry a long time ago.

The truth is, someone did teach me about the energy drainer that worry is. In fact, He told me many times. His name is Jesus, and His wonderful words are scattered throughout the New Testament of the Bible. I’ve read His words about avoiding worry and anxiety many times. They’ve certainly helped, and I’ve shared them here and with others. However, I still gloss over them and forget them at times when difficult situations arrive.

I recently read one of my favorite Bible verses in a different light, and it really woke me up to the meaning and true power of these words. The verse is from Philippians 4:6-7. I’ve read and shared them often. You’ve probably heard it…be anxious for nothing, but present your requests to God and you will feel His peace. However, I read The Message translation of this verse, and it awakened me to a similar but new meaning that I will certainly take with me into the new year. It goes like this… “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together  for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life”.

These are powerful words indeed. The part that stands out for me is the part about turning worry into prayer. Prayer is power! When you go from worrying to praying, you are adding God’s power to the situation. You may not have a solution or the ability to do what it takes, but He does. When you go from worry to prayer, you are humbling yourself to God and allowing His power to take over the situation. No wonder the result is God’s great peace. Isn’t it a great relief when you free yourself from  worrying about a difficult or uncomfortable situation, and knowing that God has full control of it?

You can free yourself from worry right now. As soon as a worrisome thought or situation enters your mind, immediately pray about it. I can tell you from experience that you will receive an immediate peace. In addition, you will feel empowered, not being held down by worry’s burden, and knowing that God’s power will help resolve the situation as it should be. Enjoy the blessings : )

Keeping Things Extra Simple To Manifest Your Desires

I begin today with an interesting question…why is that everyone wants to do things the easy way, yet when they are presented with the easiest way of doing things, they try to complicate it?

Hopefully you are not confused and I haven’t already lost you. Still, for many people we can’t get past the truth of this statement. To accomplish our goals and realize our dreams, we want the quickest, easiest route that requires the least amount of work. I think that way too, and I honestly don’t see anything wrong with that. The problem is, people (including myself) are often blind to that easy road and instead make things difficult because they think it has to be that way to reach the goal.

As I was doing my inspirational reading today, I found a passage from Dr. Robert Anthony about producing results. He provides a formula that’s as simple as it gets. Yet he too warns to keep it simple and avoid over-complicating it. Ready? It’s as simple as this….know what you want and believe you can have it. That’s it!

Knowing this truth and keeping it that simple is one of the greatest keys to manifesting your desires. It’s that easy. Be clear on EXACTLY what you want, and know that you are worthy of it. Remember also that with faith ALL things are possible.

You may be asking…aren’t we supposed to do something? Don’t I have to take some type of action? Isn’t faith without works dead? I answer each question with a definite yes. However, when your mind is completely focused on the achievement of the goal, you are automatically led to the correct action to take. And it won’t seem like you are going out of your way to act. It will be automatic. When your faith is strong enough, the works will follow naturally. It’s an amazing supernatural process, but it works every time.

In this blog I have provided 3, 4, 5, and multi-step formulas to help reach your goals. I still recommend you follow those formulas because it provides great helpful detail that will help you manifest your goals. However, when you find that you are over-complicating things or beginning to doubt, just keep it simple. Use this simple two step formula to focus on your desire and believe you can have it.

It is amazing how powerful this easy formula is. Once again, I challenge you to keep it that way. Don’t over-complicate it by trying to make things happen yourself. Just focus on the positive end result, know it’s already yours, and take any action you are inspired to take, no matter how small it is.

I end with a Bible story of a blind man. He knew he wanted his eyesight. He knew he was worthy of having it even though people around him doubted and put him down. When Jesus was in town, he took the action of calling out to Him (even though everyone around him tried to shut him up), pursuing Him, and asking for his sight. He had faith, and his sight was restored immediately.

Remember…determine what you want and know that you can have it. It will be yours. It’s that simple. Enjoy the blessings : )

In case you’re interested, here are some of my other “steps” articles…

3 Steps To Receiving What You Want

3 Power Steps To The Next Level

4 Steps To Incorporate Positive Thinking

5 Step Visualization Process

What Kind Of Advice Is That?

So you have questions and need advice on how to make great things happen in your life? How effective would it be if the advice I provided was to let someone else do it for you? I acknowledge that it wouldn’t be the best advice.

I am about to be a hypocrite. I just admitted that the above advice would be a very poor recommendation, but I am now providing it to you. Are you looking for greatness and miracles in your life? Continue reading to see why the hypocritical advice provided might be your best option.

As I read about the miracles in the New Testament, I realize a pattern. In almost every case, the pattern is the same. The person simply asks, demonstrates faith, and follows some simple instructions. Then they simply let Jesus do His thing, and the miracle takes place.

If you are looking to accomplish particular goals or if you desperately need a miracle, I suggest you follow this same formula. Pray and state specifically what you want. Have faith and know that with God nothing is impossible. Do whatever you are inspired to do. Then have the faith to leave the rest in God’s hands, and let Him do the rest for you. He is the one that has the unlimited power to make the miracle happen.

As I read these miracle Bible stories again and again, I cannot find a single one where this formula did not result in a miracle. Every time someone asked, had faith, completed their small task, and left it to God to do the rest, they received the miracle they were seeking.

Please know that these same miracles take place today. If you want to see them in your life, you can simply follow the steps outlined above. In God’s time, your miracle will happen. If it’s not exactly what you wanted, it will only be something better!

I would love to hear about the miracles in your life. Please share when they occur. Also, if any of you would like additional prayer, I would be happy to do so for you. In the meantime, enjoy the blessings : )

The Look On His Face

I am very much enjoying the special series “The Bible” that is airing on The History Channel. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a 5 part series of the history of the old and new testaments. It is very interesting to watch as stories of the Bible come to life on the screen.

The other day I was watching the part where Jesus first begins His ministry. Peter has been out fishing all night and has caught nothing. Jesus then invites Himself onto the boat and tells Peter to go back out and cast the nets again. Peter argues that they had been out all night without results. However, He still takes the advice and goes back out fishing with Jesus on the boat. As He does this, he is still shaking his head and looks at Jesus like he’s crazy.

It is the next part of the video that completely caught my attention. Jesus knows that Peter is looking at Him like He’s crazy. However, Jesus has a look of anticipation on His face. It’s a look like, “just do what I say, because I know exactly what’s going to happen. You’ll see”. It’s the very next part that really hit me. Jesus is now looking at Peter to see his reaction as the miracle occurs. If you don’t know the story, Peter ends up catching so many fish that he can barely pull the nets in. Jesus is just sitting there watching with joy as Peter experiences the miracle.

As I mentioned, I was very touched by this scene and it really made me think. You should have seen the look on Jesus’s face as He watched His disciple reap the benefits of this miracle. I then thought about it and even said it out loud to the people I was watching with. My exact words were..”that’s the exact look that Jesus has on His face when He sees us reap the benefits of one of His miracles. That’s so cool!”

It is cool, isn’t it? It’s not His burdensome job to provide miracles for us. It’s His joy and absolute pleasure to do so. Invite Him onto your boat and ask for the miracles you are looking for in your own life. Then imagine the look on His face as He watches you enjoy the benefits of it. If that’s not something to live for, I don’t know what is. Enjoy the blessings : )