How to Live in the Kingdom of God Now

Is it possible to enjoy the benefits of God’s kingdom right this second? Don’t we have to wait til we get to heaven to truly experience God’s kingdom?

I can only imagine what heaven will be like. I believe it will be far greater than anything I could possibly imagine. However, who says I have to wait until I die to experience God’s kingdom?

The truth is, the kingdom of God can be experienced by me and anyone else right here, right now. How do I know? For the Bible tells me so. Luke 17:21 says that the kingdom of God (some translations even call it the kingdom of heaven) is within you. Other translations say that the kingdom of God is in our midst. Either way, this tells me one thing…. The kingdom of heaven is part of me and I am part of it. It is all around me and it is all around you. Whenever you are consciously aware of it, you can experience the kingdom of heaven NOW!

Another popular Bible verse advises to seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be given to you. (Matt 6:33). Knowing that the kingdom of God is within you and in your midst, you are in essence seeking what you already have. A great thing is that all you can ever want to be or have is a part of this great kingdom of God. So when you seek the kingdom first, it’s no wonder that all else is added to you!

So how do you experience the kingdom of God on a regular basis? Simply be consciously aware of it. Remind yourself constantly that you and the kingdom are one. Remember, it is within you and all around you. Mentally “seek first the kingdom” as often as possible during the day. As you do so, your faith, love and joy automatically increase! This is because they and all other positive emotions are fruits of the wonderful kingdom of heaven that, as you are constantly aware of them, automatically manifest as you seek the kingdom first. Of course then, you begin to experience miracles on a regular basis.

Remember, the kingdom of God is something that can be experienced any time. Seek it first, and all will be added unto you. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

A 3 Letter Word to Use For Miracles

I would like you to start by thinking of a miracle you would like to see in your life. Visualize it for a minute or two. Bathe in the emotion of seeing it realized, and feel as you would when (not if) it takes place.

If only it was that easy for your miracle to occur. Well, I have good news. It is this easy, if not easier. Visualization and faith are key ingredients for your dream miracle to become reality. However, I have been reminded many times lately of another way to make it happen. When I see and hear the same idea many times in different places in a short period of time, that’s when I know God is speaking to me.

This idea I have been reminded of is the power of asking. This simple 3 letter word, ASK, is a small yet powerful key in receiving what you desire. It’s all over the Bible… Ask and it will be given to you (Matt 7:7); Whatever you ask for in prayer, believing that you already have it, will be yours (Mark 11:24); You may ask me for anything in My name and I will do it (John 14:14). If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you (John 15:7).

The above verses are powerful enough, and meditating on even one or two of them consistently could be life-changing. There are plenty more where these came from. I recommend finding one that most strikes your emotional cord and making it a part of your being.

One idea that’s helped me a great deal in my personal growth is finding detailed, exact definitions for simple words. We’ve used the word ask all of our lives. We know what it means. However, I dug a bit deeper. Here are some definitions (taken from dictionary.com) of the word ASK, and then I will explain how we can apply it in our prayer life.

• to try to get by using words; to request
• to solicit from
• to demand; expect
• to call for; need; require

When you ask God for a miracle, in essence you are doing all of these. As I learn more about God, I can see how these apply. For example, when God created the world, He spoke it into existence. When Jesus calmed the storm, he spoke to the waves and demanded that they stop. When He healed people, He spoke the word and it was done.

This power of asking also lies in your hands. Know exactly what you want. Then use your words to ask God to make it happen. Know that you can expect to receive what you ask for. There are only two conditions to receiving your desire when you ask. One is that it is within God’s will. Now please don’t make the mistake many people do (and I did for a long time) with this concept. They use this concept of God’s will as a “maybe-ness” to receiving their desire, like maybe God wants to grant this or maybe He doesn’t. It’s not like that at all. It simply means that as long as your desire is part of God’s nature it is good. That means that asking for greater health, improving your relationships, and getting out of debt are all within His will. Asking to hook up with the beauty at the desk next to you (even though you’re both married) or for something that will hurt someone else are examples of something outside of God’s will that He will not answer. So unless it’s something you know is wrong, don’t be afraid to ask!

The second condition is that you give the glory to God. You can do nothing without Him. When your main focus is that God will be glorified when your miracle takes place, it will supercharge the manifestation of your desire. It’s only a matter of time until you reap the benefits.

If you have held back from asking God for miracles due to fear, lack of worthiness, or whatever reason, now is the time to realize that He wants you to ask. And when you do, He is ready and willing to bless you in ways you can’t even imagine. Use your words, call for His assistance, and expect the blessing. The see the great things God can do 🙂

Whose Desire Is It Anyway?

We all have desires and goals that we want to see realized. We do what we know how to do to make it happen, and we pray hoping that our prayer will be answered, wondering if we will see our dream come true.

I am realizing more each day that the last part is a mistake. No, not praying. That’s the best way to realize your wish. It’s the other part, hoping and wondering that it will be answered.

I realize we need to follow God’s will and not our own. I also realize that God will sometimes say no to our prayers because He has something better for us. I’ve seen this in my own life many times which is why, as frustrating as it can be to wait sometimes, I welcome God’s alternatives in my life.

They key I’ve learned in my study over the past few years is this…when I have a desire in my life that is within God’s biblical guidelines, HE IS THE ONE THAT PUT IT THERE!! I am realizing more and more that God is prompting me with these desires because He wants to use them for His glory in my life. It is the spiritual part of me trying to express itself through this individual.

For example, my dream is to have the freedom of working my own schedule, and making hundreds of thousands of dollars by impacting thousands of people a day. There is no part of this that is outside of God’s guidelines. He doesn’t want me working crazy hours being away from friends and family like I sometimes am now. He wants me to enjoy abundance and freedom with my finances, and craves the opportunity to use this human creation to bring Him glory. I know it is Him that has influenced me with this desire.

So what do I do now? Get out of the way and allow it to happen. Since the desire is from God, I know He wants it to be realized as much as I do. So I do my part by remaining in prayer and paying attention for opportunities I can act on. The rest is up to Him to make it happen. It’s as simple as that.

Are you in the same situation today? Do you have this burning desire for changes and great things in your life? I recommend you focus on them and realize that they are coming from God. Also realize that He wants them to take place as much as you do, and if you let Him, He will make it happen. It’s up to you to pray and seek opportunities to act. Then just let Him do His will through you and let the miracles take place.

You can stop your dreams and desires from being realized. You can do this by thinking negatively, doubting, or trying to do everything on your own. However, you cannot stop God from realizing His desires. And when you make your desires His (which they are already anyway), and let Him do His glorious work, it’s only a matter of time before those intentions come true.

So what’s your wish? Pray and make it known to God, thank Him for giving it to you, and let Him make it happen. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Why Do We Even Have To Ask In Prayer?

I absolutely love when I receive answers to questions I’ve had for a long time. I received another such answer recently. I know many others have the same question, so I will share this revelation with you.

Many people wonder why we have to pray. After all, God knows what we need before we even ask. He already knows we want or need what we’re asking for, and He already knows He will provide that desire or something better if not exactly what we ask for. He even knows we’re going to ask even before we do.

So the question again…if God already knows all of the information beforehand, why pray? I’ve received other answers to this question before. For example, I’ve been told prayer is simply a way to keep in communication with God. All relationships grow through communication, so this makes perfect sense. I’ve also heard that God will deliberately wait for us to pray sometimes, simply to test our faith. Once again, I completely agree.

The information I learned the other day was the best revelation yet regarding reasons for prayer. I read this in the Life Application Bible. The verse is Jeremiah 3:3 which says….Call on me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know. The study note says that God can certainly take care of needs without hearing from us, but here’s the key….when we ask, we are acknowledging that He alone is God, and that we cannot accomplish in our own strength all that it is in His domain to do. In other words, we cannot accomplish anything in our strength, without Him.

In a way, I’ve known this for a long time. I know that with Him I can do all things, and without Him I can do nothing. However, I have never really considered this in the realm of prayer. However, it can’t be more true.

So why do we pray, even though God knows our needs and requests and the outcome before we even ask? Even though He doesn’t even need our prayers? Simply because we acknowledge that we can’t do it without Him. When we realize this and surrender our desires and needs to Him, we move ourselves out of the way, and allow His blessings and miracles to pour in. It’s up to us to be aware and wait for direction, then obediently act on that direction. However, we are leaving the rest up to Him. And when you leave it to Him, there are no limits to the greatness you can receive in life.

Knowing this, why not take some time and pray to God, communicating your needs and desires. Be sure to thank Him for what you already have, and for what’s to come. Then acknowledge that all is in His hands and in His control, and ask for what you are seeking. In one way or another you will find it. Enjoy the blessings : )

How To Pray Effectively In Two Seconds Or Less

We are all familiar with the power of prayer. Miracles have happened, simply because people prayed and believed.

My question is, if it’s so easy to do and we are all aware of the wonderful power prayer brings, why do so many people avoid doing it? There are two main reasons I can think of. One is that they simply don’t know how or don’t know what to say. This can be intimidating for those who don’t know they can talk freely to a God that is always listening. The second reason is that they don’t make the time. Life gets busy, and prayer gets put on the back burner until it eventually gets squeezed out of the daily schedule.

I will say that I understand both of the above reasons, although I strongly believe that it is extremely important to put aside some time for prayer. The solution I present takes care of both problems. It is pre-scripted and it takes seconds. Ready?….here’s the simple, yet powerful prayer you can say in a second or two….Thank you!

Too many people think they have to bring a long list of requests to the prayer table or prepare  a sophisticated presentation in order for prayer to be effective. However, nothing can be further from the truth. When you are short on things to say and pressed for time, just say thank you. If you want to extend your prayer longer than a few seconds, think of several things that you are thankful for and make that your prayer. A simple “thank you for…” will do wonders.

When you are thankful and express your gratitude to God, you are setting yourself up for greater blessings. You are being faithful in the little things, and will be given even greater things to be thankful for. Also, a feeling of gratitude affects your life in so many other ways, such as feeling more peaceful, positive, confident, and loving just to name a few.

The next time you are not sure how or when to pray, take a few minutes and simply say thank you for the blessings in your life. It is time well spent. Besides the blessings you will see added to your life, you will look forward to more of this gratitude time because it will eventually become natural, and a regularly scheduled part of your day.

I will follow  this advice with you, my cherished reader. I need to leave quickly, so I will say…thank you for reading : )

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

No Such Thing As Miracles?

“There is no such thing as supernatural or miracle, just something that is still beyond logic of the observer.” – Toby Beta

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that I often talk about miracles and how you can see more of them in your life. So why would I all of a sudden share something like this?

For God and those with the the highest amounts of faith, a “miracle” is just another ordinary event. It’s just business as usual. The key is in the last line of the quote…It only seems like supernatural to those who deem these incredible events as beyond logic.

Here is the challenge I present today…bring your faith to such a level that extraordinary events are just business as usual. Make it so that they present no surprises. Still be thankful for them and awestruck by them. However, the less you are surprised by these extraordinary events, the more you will look for them and see them in your own life.

I would be lying if I said I was at a point where all miracles were expected. However, I have a come to a point in my life where I expect them a lot more, and these miracle events are not so illogical any more. It’s an indicator that my faith has grown a great deal.

I recommend you use this same indicator in your own life. Should you believe in miracles? Of course you should. However, the challenge is to grow your faith to a level that these “miracles” soon become regular occurrences. Although we never take them for granted, they become business as usual, as I mentioned earlier.

How do I develop this faith, you ask? The best way I’ve found is to visualize. See them happen regularly in your mind. Then when they happen for real, you are not surprised. This practice also develops the positive thoughts and emotions it takes to succeed in all endeavors of life.

Please know there is such a thing as miracles. Please believe it. But also know that all things are possible with God, and in His eyes nothing is a miracle. It’s just business as usual. If you walk around with that kind of faith, you will have the whole world in your hands just as He does. Enjoy the blessings : )

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 : )

Expect A Miracle

I mentioned in my previous post that my mother in law lost her husband last week. As a way to support her, my family and I decided to join her at her church this past Sunday instead of going to our own. We very much enjoyed the service.

There was one part of this church that stood out most to me. As you walk into the church you see a big sign above the altar. In big letters it says, “Expect a Miracle”. At that instant, this church had my attention for good.

In my opinion, it’s an absolutely perfect message for a church to have. After all, we serve a God who is full of them, so what better place to “advertise” miracles than the church.

I am a firm believer that we receive in life exactly what we expect. If we expect failure, we’ll certainly get it. If we expect greatness and success, we will receive it. I’ve read this in several books, but it says if you were to go and gather water from the ocean, there are several ways you can do it. You can go with a tea spoon, and you will get what you expect. Instead you can go with a cup, or a bottle, or a barrell. Who will get the most water? The answer is obvious. In each case, you will receive the amount of water you expect, based on what you brought to collect it in. the key is for your level of expectation to be high!

I was inspired by that church sign, and now I pass the inspiration to you. Go through life expecting to be blessed, and expecting to succeed. If you expect success you will receive it. Then it has a snowball effect, and your life will be marked with blessings and miracles, all because you had the faith to expect them. After a while, it becomes natural to expect the absolute best.

God always works in great ways. You may not receive things as you expect, and some you may not get at all. However, keep in mind that God has only your best in mind. If you don’t receive one miracle, you will receive something better instead. The key is to believe and expect, and you will receive and be blessed. So what miracle are you expecting? Feel free to share. I will be happy to pray for its manifestation, and enjoy the success with you : )