A few bullet points to jog
the memory of those who attended service Sunday, September 29th, 2013 - To
read the full text, click here.
“I
can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13, not “I can do all things through my own individual strength and power.”
Paul is talking about a man and I think he misses the
point. He’s talking about a man rather than what the man, Jesus, demonstrated – what I would call, “God in our soul.” (Soul=sub-conscious mind
where divine ideas are present and out-picture into our physical life according
to our thinking/belief)
What Jesus demonstrates is, as I said, God in our
soul. When God extended Itself (created us), It placed in our soul Its likeness
and image – not that we then take It unto ourselves as our individual power. I
would say it’s more like the link to that power. We open the door to that link and connect to the power that’s “on other side” and together, in partnership, not on
our own but in partnership, we have power and can do all things.
The road to success, spiritual and otherwise, hasn’t
been a straight, easy drive.
In
1976, Steve Chandler had an interview with the famous bodybuilder named Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger
had recently retired from his sport, and Chandler
asked him about his future plans. Arnold
replied, "I'm going to be the number one
box office star in all of Hollywood." Chandler wanted to laugh, but he restrained himself. Here was a guy with the body of Goliath, an accent as thick as paste, and almost no acting experience. Box-office stardom seemed an unlikely goal. But Schwarzenegger had thought it through very carefully. He said, "It's the same process used in bodybuilding. What you do is create a vision of who you want to be, and then live into that picture, as if it were already true.”
box office star in all of Hollywood." Chandler wanted to laugh, but he restrained himself. Here was a guy with the body of Goliath, an accent as thick as paste, and almost no acting experience. Box-office stardom seemed an unlikely goal. But Schwarzenegger had thought it through very carefully. He said, "It's the same process used in bodybuilding. What you do is create a vision of who you want to be, and then live into that picture, as if it were already true.”
This
is precisely what Jesus was saying in Mark 11:24 when he said, when you pray –
pray believing that you have ALREADY received!
There
is a lot of truth in a tree. A tree is lush at the top. It has leaves. A
healthy tree goes far out and gives you shade. But any gardener will tell you
that if you water or fertilize the tree, you have to circle, on the ground, the
outermost branch line. This is where the ends of the roots are. You cannot see
the roots, but they are there.
Here’s
the point: a tree is identical on top to what the root system is underneath.
It
is the same with us. There is a root system and a foundation in your life.
What
you are rooted in in your mind is what appears in your life.
What are you rooted in and what’s the depth and breadth of those roots?
It can
be a very real, powerful foundation, if
you have a solid root system that is grounded in an awareness of the presence
of God.
We need deep roots in God. We
need to unlock that link I spoke about earlier… to the awareness of the Power
and Presence of God.
How
do we do this?
1.
We have to
consent to the magnificent power of God coming though us.
2.
We must also travel in a circle of positive friends who believe in us and
believe in what we can, and God can, achieve together… not in what we cannot
do.
3.
Pray believing
that you have already received.
4.
And in the words
of Molly Friedenfeld, “Focus on faith and grow your roots strong so no one can
make you believe in something that is not good for your soul.”
