12. Tools and Methods Part-1
When we are growing in Earth's and God's programs we have various levels, including a starting point. This starting point in both cases is a birth (a coming into a new world). In the case of the physical earth, we are physically born. In the case of the world of heaven we are spiritually born by choosing to enter into the spiritual world, God has provided for us.
On earth we leave the security of reliance within our physical mother and join a family. As part of our way to heaven we leave earth's ways by renouncing our reliance on our mother earth and ourselves and accepting a new reliance and family (the religion and church we selected). This earthly manifestation (the church) of God's family is only provided us, to assist us in making that transition into our future; just as our initial earthly family becomes a model for us to establish our own earthly family.
As part of our early life we were babies (totally dependent on others for everything). We then started our growth path (toddler, pre-adolescent, adolescent, etc.). As part of our spiritual life we also grow in relation to control over our ego, emotions, and other aspects of our life.
There are additional steps in our earthly growth (first words or steps, school, etc.). In our spiritual growth there are various steps, (entry (birth), baptism, marriage within the church, etc.).
How would you train a child to have a personal relationship with God?
Each family on earth as well as each school has it own methods and rules. Each religion and church has its own set of rules or methods. The methods and rules provide guidance toward the ultimate goals of growth.
As a earthly student you use various methods and media to help you grow, therefore as heavenly students we must use various methods and media to help us grow. Jesus reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying beliefs, attitudes and motivations. We see in the following quote that we must start with our heart.
(Luke 6:15)
"a good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. The mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
Share what you consider to be your deepest spiritual need, and how you plan on meeting this need?
(Proverbs 1:2-6)
"Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand saying with deep meaning. They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair. They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young men how to be resourceful. These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of wise men and give guidance to the educated, so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and the problems that wise men raise."
Proverbs provide wisdom and guidance for living an obedient life. Simple word and common sense give us guidelines for daily life. The Proverbs contain many instructions to help steer readers away from sin. Listen to this advice and grow in wisdom.
God specialize in changing people. God looks for steady growth not instant perfection. God is patient, and persistent. If we are available, God can change us.
(John 3:3-8)
Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth" no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.
"How can a grown man be born again? Nicodemus asked. "He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!
"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that he is born spiritually of the Spirit. Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again. The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that will everyone who is born of the Spirit."
How well does your present level of spiritual growth seem?
(John 3:3-8)
Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth" no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.
"How can a grown man be born again? Nicodemus asked. "He certainly cannot enter his mother's womb and be born a second time!
"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that he is born spiritually of the Spirit. Do not be surprised because I tell you that you must all be born again. The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that will everyone who is born of the Spirit."
How well does your present level of spiritual growth seem?
When we are growing in Earth's and God's programs we have various levels, including a starting point. This starting point in both cases is a birth (a coming into a new world). In the case of the physical earth, we are physically born. In the case of the world of heaven we are spiritually born by choosing to enter into the spiritual world, God has provided for us.
On earth we leave the security of reliance within our physical mother and join a family. As part of our way to heaven we leave earth's ways by renouncing our reliance on our mother earth and ourselves and accepting a new reliance and family (the religion and church we selected). This earthly manifestation (the church) of God's family is only provided us, to assist us in making that transition into our future; just as our initial earthly family becomes a model for us to establish our own earthly family.
As part of our early life we were babies (totally dependent on others for everything). We then started our growth path (toddler, pre-adolescent, adolescent, etc.). As part of our spiritual life we also grow in relation to control over our ego, emotions, and other aspects of our life.
There are additional steps in our earthly growth (first words or steps, school, etc.). In our spiritual growth there are various steps, (entry (birth), baptism, marriage within the church, etc.).
How would you train a child to have a personal relationship with God?
Each family on earth as well as each school has it own methods and rules. Each religion and church has its own set of rules or methods. The methods and rules provide guidance toward the ultimate goals of growth.
As a earthly student you use various methods and media to help you grow, therefore as heavenly students we must use various methods and media to help us grow. Jesus reminds us that our speech and actions reveal the true underlying beliefs, attitudes and motivations. We see in the following quote that we must start with our heart.
(Luke 6:15)
"a good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. The mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
Share what you consider to be your deepest spiritual need, and how you plan on meeting this need?
(Proverbs 1:2-6)
"Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand saying with deep meaning. They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair. They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young men how to be resourceful. These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of wise men and give guidance to the educated, so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and the problems that wise men raise."
Proverbs provide wisdom and guidance for living an obedient life. Simple word and common sense give us guidelines for daily life. The Proverbs contain many instructions to help steer readers away from sin. Listen to this advice and grow in wisdom.
I've thought about what the Scriptures are teaching on wisdom and I've come up with this: Wisdom is the God-given ability to see life with rare objectivity and to handle life withrare stability.
When we operate in the sphere of the wisdom of God, when it is at work in our mind and in our life, we look at life through lenses of perception, and we respond to it in calm confidence. There's a remarkable absence of fear. We are not seized with panic. We can either lose our jobs or we can be promoted in our work, and neither will derail us. Why? Because we see it with God-given objectivity. And we handle it in His wisdom.
We can dip into an unexpected valley or we can soar to the pinnacle of prosperity, and we can cope with both extremes. His wisdom provides us the necessary objectivity and stability. That's the way life is when it is lived in the palm of His hand. This is not some dreamland fantasy. It is reality. It is the ability to live above the drag of human opinion and horizontal perspective. It is what happens within us when wisdom goes to work.
(From Living on the Ragged Edge by Charles Swindoll)
When we operate in the sphere of the wisdom of God, when it is at work in our mind and in our life, we look at life through lenses of perception, and we respond to it in calm confidence. There's a remarkable absence of fear. We are not seized with panic. We can either lose our jobs or we can be promoted in our work, and neither will derail us. Why? Because we see it with God-given objectivity. And we handle it in His wisdom.
We can dip into an unexpected valley or we can soar to the pinnacle of prosperity, and we can cope with both extremes. His wisdom provides us the necessary objectivity and stability. That's the way life is when it is lived in the palm of His hand. This is not some dreamland fantasy. It is reality. It is the ability to live above the drag of human opinion and horizontal perspective. It is what happens within us when wisdom goes to work.
(From Living on the Ragged Edge by Charles Swindoll)
Today you may be bombarded by people giving advice - talk show hosts, psychics, psychologists. Take more time to listen to God than to television. At the end of the day, assess which words of wisdom you applied (or should have).
Where do you need wisdom now?
Now let us move on from our heart to communication. Jesus models for us the necessity and the benefits of prayer. Frequently in the Gospels, Jesus is pictured as lifting up thanks to God, drawing strength from God, and pulling away for a time in prayer. Clearly, prayer was essential for Christ. Prayer is a valuable tool for us to use in Christian living, but it needs to be used with a trusting heart. It needs to be accompanied with commitment and by active listening.
"If you're too proud (or too afraid) to admit you are hurting... Don't be surprised if nobody seems to care" (Robert Schuler).
In this lesson we will learn more about prayer by discussing it. You will explore your own feelings about prayer. You will explore what intimacy with God can mean as we pray to him. What is prayer?
A. Communication.Where do you need wisdom now?
Now let us move on from our heart to communication. Jesus models for us the necessity and the benefits of prayer. Frequently in the Gospels, Jesus is pictured as lifting up thanks to God, drawing strength from God, and pulling away for a time in prayer. Clearly, prayer was essential for Christ. Prayer is a valuable tool for us to use in Christian living, but it needs to be used with a trusting heart. It needs to be accompanied with commitment and by active listening.
"If you're too proud (or too afraid) to admit you are hurting... Don't be surprised if nobody seems to care" (Robert Schuler).
In this lesson we will learn more about prayer by discussing it. You will explore your own feelings about prayer. You will explore what intimacy with God can mean as we pray to him. What is prayer?
MOMENTS There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you want to pick them from your dreams and hug them. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Happiness lives for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear. The brightest future will always be based on a forgiven past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying......
