Saturday, December 19, 2009

Love Attracts Love . . .


Cease straining after anything and simply allow things to unfold. 
Do not allow worry to bind you and blind you, but learn to cast all your burdens upon Me so that you are free to do My will and walk in My ways. 
I cannot use you when you are tied up with yourself and cannot see the wood for the trees, so relax and let go. 
Be still and dwell on the wonders of life. 
Let your mind be stayed on Me. 
Open your eyes and see Me in everything, and give eternal thanks. 
When you can see Me in everything, your heart is so full you cannot fail to give thanks; 
it simply bubbles up in you and flows out. 
You cannot hide a heart full of love and gratitude, for it is reflected for all to see. 
When you are in a state of joy and thanksgiving, you attract others to you.
Everyone enjoys being with a soul who overflows with love, for love attracts love.



Daily Guidance ~ from Eileen Caddy's book ~ "Opening Doors Within"

Friday, December 18, 2009

Where does Your ~ PEACE & JOY ~ come from?

From Sign Posts ~ Daily Devotions ~ Thursday, December 17, 2009

Seek peace and pursue it. ”1 Peter 3:11b"

God's kingdom is a kingdom of peace. That's sometimes hard to imagine when we see so much conflict in our world. War, poverty, crime, domestic violence, and even the simple arguments that fray the connections between ourselves and others keep us from experiencing God's kingdom of peace. 

When conflict happens in the world, in our workplace, or in our families, we find ourselves finding ways to feel justified in our separation. We sometimes get to the point where we no longer even want to resolve our differences. We seem happier rooted in the "right-ness" of our own position than in modifying our opinions in order to be at peace with others.

Imagine what might happen if the next time we had an argument with our co-worker, we actively sought peace instead of avoiding their presence or trying to undermine them, or speaking to them angrily. We might be surprised to find our soul expanding with joy rather than being crimped by malice. 

It isn't really that hard to seek peace and pursue it. The key is trusting that any mistreatment we receive at the hands of others is taken up into the heart of God. We don't need to hold onto hurt. 

Instead of focusing on how we've been mistreated, we can choose to look for goodness in our co-worker. It is surely there. When we remember that those who oppose us are more like us than different, we easily notice their goodness. When we desire to experience that goodness, we will find ourselves walking into our co-worker's office with a smile of blessing, rather than a face hardened with the creases of anger. 

Peace really comes easily. It comes when we let go and look for goodness.

Gracious God, when conflict rages around me, let me look for goodness and shine a light on it.



~ . ~


"The aphorism, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he," not only embraces the whole of a man, a being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally WHAT HE THINKS, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts."
~ . ~


Having a child together ~ is not only about genetics and DNA but also so much more about personalities. It is because of who Mary and Joseph were that shaped Jesus into who He was to become.   


Children, do what YOU do, not what YOU say. 


Think about it ~ Jesus became who is was by how Mary and Joseph related to him. He understood and knew unconditional love as a gift from 2 very special people. God FULLY trusted Mary and Joseph to raise HIS Son into the Man of God He was to become. 


Do I hear an Amen!? 


Oh that we could be more like Mary and Joseph!


May we all ~ in this season and in all our days to come . . . learn to be more like the parents of Jesus, ~ Joseph and Mary . . . by being Complete in our Father God ~ resting fully in His Grace, Joy, Peace and Love and minute by minute learning how to give these (HIS) gifts away ~ thereby ~ changing this world into the fullness of Glory!

So, Again . . . 



Do I hear an AMEN?

Saturday, December 12, 2009

It's Already Yours . . .


You already have what it takes to be anything you want to be, to have anything you want to have, to live the way you want to live.  The ability to create the life you desire, is already yours. Your job is to find that ability, make use of your potential, and take the actions that will lead to the achievement you desire.


It is foolish to wish that you could get something for nothing.  Foolish, and quite unnecessary. Because you already have everything you could possibly want, if you will just find it and make use of it.


You won't get something for nothing, and you don't need it anyway. Look inside yourself. Find the value that is already there, and make the most of it. Whatever you truly desire, you already have the ability to acquire. It's up to you to make it happen.


Why Self-Acceptance is SO Hard
by Jane Powell

"Accepting yourself as you are takes courage."

Who are you? Do you know? Take time to think about your values and goals. What do you believe in? What is important to you?

Decide that you will never compromise your integrity by trying to be or say or feel something that is not true for you. Have the courage to accept yourself as you really are, not as an ideal or as someone else thinks you should be.

Most of all, know that at the end of the day, you are wonderful woman capable of wonderful things.


Get this week off to a great start. Reach into yourself, grab something of real and meaningful value, and give it to the world.
There is something truly beautiful within you that is longing to be expressed. Let it out where it can see the light of day and, more importantly, where others can benefit from it too.

Set aside your worries, anxieties and frustrations and touch the part of you that knows how beautiful life can be. Allow your natural creativity to be ignited as you work to give life a gift that is uniquely you.

To be truly fulfilled, you must make space for that fulfillment. Give of yourself and open up a place within you where that fulfillment can find a home.

Look around you right now and you'll see countless opportunities to make a difference in your own special way. Every time you do, you'll experience how absolutely right it feels.

That is what true success feels like. And it can be yours this very moment.
Ralph Marston

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Adventactually . . . Waiting for an important arrival



Today's SignPosts Daily Devotions

Monday, December 7

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
—Luke 1:79

It seems we’re always waiting for something or someone. We’re waiting to make a bigger salary, we’re waiting for a new or better job, we’re waiting to heal from a sickness, we’re waiting in line, we're waiting see our loved ones. During the time that we are hoping to get what we don’t yet have, we are in a place of darkness.

We’re like the father Jesus talked about who was waiting for an important arrival—the arrival of his wayward son. Even though his regular activities went on as he waited, there was darkness in him as well. He felt the darkness of not knowing if or when the son would actually come home. When he finally saw his son coming toward home, he ran to meet him with joy in his heart. For him, the dawn from on high had broken upon him. Light had replaced the darkness in his heart.

We, too, await an important arrival—the arrival of God into our lives. The word Adventactually means important arrival. Whenever we are waiting for the coming of God it can feel like we are in darkness. We do our daily activities but, like the father in Jesus’ story, we wonder if or when God will come and lift our darkness.

The promise of Advent is that God is always coming to us. We can look across the field and see God’s presence in the people and world around us. We can become silent and still, and look inside our own heart and feel the presence of God. Unlike all the other "waiting"in our lives, we can know that God is always present if we just take the time to see and notice.

Gracious God, remind me that you are always arriving in my life and scattering the darkness away.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

You are a Healer ~

A healer does not heal with their hands, their mind nor with a specific technique. A healer heals with their heart. There are many healing modalities that a person can use to improve their lives and their health. None is more powerful than love.

If you were to learn many of these techniques you would find that love is a pattern that weaves itself through all healing. It is a constant. This is because healing comes from understanding and living all that you are. And at your core, you are made of love. There is a difference between understanding that you are love and living it. This is known as the 13 inch journey, the journey for the realization to travel from you mind, where you understand it intellectually, to your heart where you feel and live it. When this happens you will know. There is no mistaking the experience. 

Many people find that they experience this feeling (actually a way of being) for a while and then it disappears, leaving them feeling sad or disappointed. Indeed, there is a big difference in how a person experiences life from the love awareness as opposed to when the feeling subsides. This subsiding is a gift. It teaches that you have a choice between living in love and living in fear.

Living in love is where healing takes place. The key is not how long you can stay in love but that you realize when you have fallen out of it. Then the decision to go back to love or not is yours. And here is where the personal issues start coming up. Sometimes it seems easier or more justified to be angry, hurt, depressed or whatever. Some people will bury this realization in food, compulsive spending, over working, alcohol, unhealthy relationships or in some other way. I believe that denying who you are, denying what many people call the "I Am" is at the root of all illness be it physical, mental or spiritual. And love is the healer.

You already possess within you all that is needed for perfect health. It is simply a matter of peeling back the layers and having the courage to look inside. You will find inside a light so bright and beautiful that you may be frightened at first by its power and love. You may feel undeserving or uncertain about the responsibility of being this light. It may help you to realize that this is who you already are. Inside, every person has the same light and uncovering it is what healing is all about. All is love.

written by Linda White Dove

Friday, November 27, 2009

Seek the Gates of Zion . . .

To you, God's precious child,


Grace and Peace to you from God our Father through Christ Jesus our Lord,


He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,


1) To those who missed the mark ~


Revelation 1:3 (The Message)


How blessed the reader! How blessed the hearers and keepers of these oracle words, all the words written in this book!  Time is just about up.

Revelation 2:7 (The Message)

"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'm about to call each conqueror to dinner. I'm spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God's orchard."

2) To those who are proud and hostile ~


Revelation 14:13 (The Message)


Blessed are those who die in the Master from now on; how blessed to die that way!"


Revelation 2:10-11 (The Message )

"Don't quit, even if it costs you your life. Stay there believing. I have a Life-Crown sized and ready for you."


"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death."


3) To those who compromise faith and integrity ~ 

Revelation 16:15 (The Message)

"Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You're blessed if, awake and dressed, you're ready for me. Too bad if you're found running through the streets, naked and ashamed."

Revelation 2:17 (The Message)

"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'll give the sacred manna to every conqueror; I'll also give a clear, smooth stone inscribed with your new name, your secret new name."


4) To those who undermine authority ~

Revelation 19:9 (The Message)

"The Angel said to me, "Write this: 'Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.'" He added, "These are the true words of God!"


Revelation 2:26-28 (The Message)


"Here's the reward I have for every conqueror, everyone who keeps at it, refusing to give up: You'll rule the nations, your Shepherd-King rule as firm as an iron staff, their resistance fragile as clay pots. This was the gift my Father gave me; I pass it along to you—and with it, the Morning Star!"


5) To those who abuse wealth and Fame ~

Revelation 20:6

"Blessed and Holy are those who have part in the first Ressurection."

Revelation 3:5 (The Message)

"Conquerors will march in the victory parade, their names indelible in the Book of Life. I'll lead them up and present them by name to my Father and his Angels.


6) To those who abuse loyalty and devotion ~



Revelation 22:7 (The Message)

"Blessed be the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Revelation 3:10-12 (The Message)

"Because you kept my Word in passionate patience, I'll keep you safe in the time of testing that will be here soon, and all over the earth, every man, woman, and child put to the test."


"I'm on my way; I'll be there soon. Keep a tight grip on what you have so no one distracts you and steals your crown."


"I'll make each conqueror a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, a permanent position of honor. Then I'll write names on you, the pillars: the Name of my God, the Name of God's City—the new Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven—and my new Name."



7) To those who abuse weakness in others ~

Revelation 22:14 (The Message)

"How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they'll walk through the gates to the City. But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters—all who love and live lies."

Revelation 3:19-21 (The Message)

"The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!"


"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!"


He who has ears let him hear what the spirit says to the churches . . .

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Step 10 . . .

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.
--Confucius

Step Ten tells us that when we are wrong, we must "promptly" admit it. We aren't used to admitting our mistakes. We defend ourselves or blame others. This is called denial.

Denial is bad for two reasons. First, it keeps us from learning from our mistakes, so we keep making them. Second, we don't listen to others, so we close off ourselves and become lonely.

What a relief it is to admit our wrongs! We don't have to keep trying to do things the hard way. We can learn new ways to think and act that will work better for us. We can let other people be our teachers.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me out of denial, so I can see the changes I need to make.

Action for the Day

Today, if I disagree with someone, I'll promptly admit it when I'm wrong. If I'm right, I'll be gentle. I don't have to prove anything.

You are reading from the book:

Keep It Simple by Anonymous

Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Twelve Steps to Insanity ... Compliments of Sacramento ACA






1.     We admitted we were powerless over nothing ~ that we could
         manage our lives perfectly, as well as those of anyone else who
         would let us.


2.     Came to believe that there was no power greater than ourselves
         and the rest of the world was insane.


3.     Made a decision to have our loved ones turn their wills and their
         lives over to our care even though they couldn't understand us 
         at all.


4.     Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of everyone we 
         knew.


5.     Admitted to the whole world at large the exact nature of 
        everyone else's wrongs.


6.     Were entirely ready to make others straighten up and do right.


7.     Demanded others either shape up or ship out.


8.     Made a list of all persons who harmed us and became willing to go
         to any lengths to get even with them all.


9.     Got direct revenge on such people whenever possible except
         when to do so would cost us our lives or at the very least a
          jail sentence.


10.  Continued to take the inventory of others and when they were
         wrong promptly and repeatedly told them about it.


11.   Sought through bitching and nagging to improve our relations
         with others as we could not understand them at all, asking
         only that they knuckle under and do things our way.


12.   Having had a complete physical, emotional and spiritual
         breakdown as a result of these steps we tried to blame it
         on others and to get sympathy in all our affairs.


***  Did you happen to see yourself ~ 
         in any of these . . . steps to insanity?  


        If so, keep reading ~ you have come to the right place  . . .

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

I Am That ... I Am . . . Delivers Israel . . . You and Me

To You ~ God's Precious, Valuable, Important and Worthwhile Child,


Grace and Peace to you from God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.


It is time to awaken our hearts as we remember who we are and from whence we came.


"First Love" ~ Anonymous


First Love, You are my First Love
You are my God, My King
First Love, You are mt First Love
My heart to you I bring
You found me wrapped in fear and shame
You placed on me your Holy Name
Enfolded me within your arms of love
My God, First Love


I Am That ... I Am . . . is the secret ~ to Delivering Israel ~ 
You and Me.


Psalm 87:2 New International Version


"The Lord loves the gates of Zion" ~ (I Am That ... I Am ~ in ~ 
You and Me)"


Joel 3:21 New International Version


" The Lord dwells in Zion ~ (I Am That, I Am ... in ~ 
You and Me) "


Isaiah 33:5-6New International Version


"The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high, he will fill Zion ~ 
(I Am That ... I Am ~ in ~ You and Me) 
with justice and righteousness.  He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." 


Isaiah 33:20,21 ~ The Message



"Just take a look at Zion, will you? ~ 
(I Am That ... I Am ~ in ~ You and Me)
   Centering our worship in festival feasts!
Feast your eyes on Jerusalem,
   a quiet and permanent place to live.
No more pulling up stakes and moving on,
   no more patched-together lean-tos.
Instead, God! God majestic, God himself the place
   in a country of broad rivers and streams,
But rivers blocked to invading ships,
   off-limits to predatory pirates.
For God makes all the decisions here. God is our king.
   God runs this place and he'll keep us safe."


Isaiah 33:24 ~ The Message





"No one in Zion ~ (I Am That ... I Am ~ in ~ You and Me) 
will say, "I'm sick."   Best of all, they'll all live guilt-free."


To every GenerationAnonymous


From the dawning of the world and its wonders
Before the mountains reached the sky
From everlasting to everlasting
You were there through all the time


All my fathers heard your call through the ages
They made the choice to follow you
You were faithful, to the faithful
They found your promise to be true


Chorus
You have been a shelter Lord
To every generation
A sanctuary from the storm
To every generation


I was born into your arms, O my Father
There's still a refuge there for me
From my first breathe, drawn from your breath
You've been my security


My years go by, before your eyes
My days rush into night
Time would steal, every dream I feel
Give my hope a place to hide
All the days of my life


Let my children know your mercy in the morning
And find your greatness as they grow
May your glory, Be their glory
May your heart become their home


It is time to seek the Gates of Zion!(I Am That ... I Am ~ in ~ 
You and Me)


A place of safety ~ 2 Samuel 5:7
A place of choice ~ Psalm 2:6
A place of righteousness ~ Psalm 9:11
A place of redemption ~ Psalm 74:2
A place of unconditional love ~ Psalm 87:2
A place of favor / glory ~ Psalm 102:13
A place of mourning ~ Psalm 137:3
A place of reflection ~ Isaiah 1:8
A place of learning ~ Isaiah 2:3
A place of strength ~ Isaiah 28:16
A place of gladness / joy ~ Isaiah 51:11
A place of intercession ~ Isaiah 52:8
A place of covenant ~ Jeremiah 50:5
A place of forgiveness ~ Joel 3:21
A place of selflessness ~ Amos 6:1
A place of teaching ~ Micah 4:2
A place of salvation ~ Zechariah 9:9
A place of humility ~ Romans 9:33
A place of deliverance ~ Romans 11:26
A place of communication with the living God ~ Hebrews 12:22
A place of Ressurection ~ Revelation 14:1



Psalm 24:7-10 ~ New International Version



 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       be lifted up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.
 Who is this King of glory?
       The LORD strong and mighty,
       the LORD mighty in battle.
 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       lift them up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.
 Who is he, this King of glory?
       The LORD Almighty—
       he is the King of glory.
       Selah


Prose By Madeleine L'Engle


"Come, Lord Jesus, at the end,
Time's end, my end, forever start.
Come in your flaming, burning power.
Time, like the temple veil, now rend;
Come shatter every human hour.
Come Lord Jesus, at the end.
Break, then mend the waiting heart"

Exodus 3:14,15 ~ 



"I am the eternal God.  I am the one who brings into being ~ I Am That ... I Am," has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on."

I Am That ... I Am . . . is the secret ~ to Delivering Israel ~ 

You and Me.

What is GOD to you?

G iving
O neness
D estiny

Jeremiah 50:4-5 ~ (The Message)











 "In those days, at that time"—God's Decree—
   "the people of Israel will come,
And the people of Judah with them.
   Walking and weeping, they'll seek me, their God.
They'll ask directions to Zion

   and set their faces toward Zion (I Am That ... I Am ~ 
in ~ You and Me.)
They'll come and hold tight to God,
   bound in a covenant eternal they'll never forget."



As we awaken may God's glory resurrect itself in each one our our hearts as we remember who we are and from whence we came.


Because his unconditional love and mercy compel me,


Amazingrace 

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Is a Radical Spontaneous Re~Mission Needed ?

To You God's Precious, Valuable, Important and Worthwhile Child,


Grace and Peace to you from God our father through Christ Jesus,


Contemplate with me for a few minutes about the response of the disciples when Jesus ascended into heaven and what happened to them because of it.


Acts 1:11 (The Message)





 "You Galileans!( Men and Women) ~ why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come (back to you and me) as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left."


In like manner . . . Christ became what we are in order to make us what he is.  Jesus Christ went in order to return, and in the meantime, an invaluable spiritual principal is being imparted to us . . . Our life in Him will know an alteration in our relationship with Him.  God is calling us to be open to change in our lives . . . to the times when He will leave us in the same manner and return in a new and deeper way.  These withdrawals are to draw us into the next stage of growth.


It isn't that He literally leaves us, for He promised to be with us always, but He brings closure to a phase of our pilgrimage in order to open new depth in our relationship with Him.  It seems if we have lost Him, But . . . He is down the road calling us to a new dimension of adventure of knowing Him more profoundly.


The transition sometimes breaks our hearts.  But hearts aren't made of frail glass; they are more like clay on the potter's wheel.  And our potter has an magnificent design for us to follow : His own nature!  Helping us to understand more clearly His statement made at the end of His life on a mount called Olivet . . . letting us know in no uncertain terms that none of us get to be stage manager ~ except God, Himself . . .


Luke 22:42 (New International Version)





"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."


The time and manner of this transformational growth will be of God's choosing, not our own.  It will take place in the Upper Room where we wait patiently on God to reveal His Spirit.



Acts 1:12-14 (The Message)

"So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem. It was a little over half a mile. They went to the upper room they had been using as a meeting place: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas, son of James. They agreed they were in this for ~ good, completely together ~ in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus' mother, Mary, and his brothers."

It is in this upper room where we begin to consciously choose to accept our humanness . . . in all things.  We begin to wait on God and pray anticipating His return together.  And this sets the stage for 2 things to occur that must be central in ~ our own preparation for Pentecost and  the Ressurection of Christ's Spirit in us.  The 2 are part of one experience.  We pray together and we have a profound time of reconciling relationships.






John 20:22-23 (New International Version)

"And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. "If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."


Contemplate with me again on all the people who were waiting together in prayer in the upper room . . . there had been competition among the disciples and there must have been residue of criticism of each other.  Peter had denied the Lord, Thomas had doubted and James and John had wrangled over who was the greatest and what position they would have in Jesus Kingdom.  Also, there had been bad feelings between Jesus' family and the disciples.  His mother and brothers had tried to dissuade Jesus, and had come to take him home to Nazareth on at least one occasion.  From the cross, Jesus assigned John the responsibility of his mother, and we are sure John was sorting what that would mean in the light of the challenges Jesus had given them on Olivet before departing.


Then, adding to that mix were people whom Jesus had healed from sins that no good Jew could tolerate.  Had the disciples ever worked through their real feelings about a person like Mary Magdalene?  With Jesus absence, they were comforted by the fact that their relationship always had been cushioned with His gracious acceptance.  Did they feel as He did?  And what about the Pharisee Nicodemus?  Was he really one of them?  He was a member of the Sannhedrin and yet had not been able to stop the excruciating thing the Jewish leaders had done to the Lord.  The Pharisee had shown his loyalty by asking for the body of Jesus and assisted with His burial.  But could he be trusted?  And what about the rich Joseph of Arimathea?  He provided the tomb in the garden outside the city wall.  And with all what Jesus said about the rich and the responsibility to the poor, was his presence a genuine concern?  If he had provided the tomb, probably as a secret admirer and follower of the Lord, was he really to be accepted among the inner band of loyal followers?


A strange mixture of humanity was gathered there in the Upper Room.  Each had his own agenda for being there ~ the knowledge of what Jesus had meant to each one of them.  But ~ what were they to each other except people who had a common loyalty to Jesus?  And, now, He was gone.  They now had to sit and wait . . . open their hearts to one another  . . . share their loneliness . . .  their grief over Jesus absence, and . . . their wonderment about the future.  Here were rich and poor, people of high social status, and reclaimed people ~ whose lives would never have touched each other ~ apart from Jesus.


The family and disciples had little which to build a relationship.  Had there been hostility among Jesus' brothers resulting from the feeling that Jesus had spent his time with a motley band of fisherman, a tax collector, and a zealot ~ with no time for his own family?  And had the disciples resented the filial protectiveness of Jesus' family?


Surely ~ Put yourself into this drama of human relationship . . . How much are we just like them?


A common grief can open strangers / aliens to one another.  It can begin to build relationships.  And it can put conflicts between friends into perspective.  Mutual need can break through the fabric of hurting memories of what we have said or done to one another.


And yet it is a shared hope ~ that galvanizes people.  The frail thread of anticipation in each of the people in the Upper Room was woven into a strong bond of oneness.


I believe differences were confessed, hurts were shared and reconciliation was started.  What was about to happen to them (and to us) would be the only lasting basis of true relationship, and the immensity of Jesus promise before He forced them (and us) to get ready ~ by being open with one another.


Acts 2:1 (The Message)


"When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place (of one accord)."


Prayer brings unity.  We can't begin to seek the loving heart of the Lord for long without recognizing the needs of our relationships with our brother's and sister's with whom we pray.  Surely Jesus followers huddled together in prayer, remembering what he had assured them . . .


Matthew 18:18-20


"What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."


We wonder what they prayed about?  I think it was the disciples' report on what Jesus promised in those last hours before his ascension; they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit and the power He was to give them and us!  A sublime reason for a prayer meeting in any age.


And this brings us back to the need for the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit making prolonged prayer and getting right with ourselves, others and God more than elements of good preparation; they are a necessity!


2 Chronicles 7:14 (The Message)


"If my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health."


It is now our personal responsibility before the Lord to prepare our hearts for Pentecost.  To pray for the Holy Spirit and to be sure there is nothing in our relationships blocking full acceptance of the blessing that follows.


We need to ask the Lord to reveal if there is anything unconfessed in us or between others and, or God.  And if there is, we may need a radical spontaneous re-mission by the Holy Spirit to change our attitudes ~ to uncover unhealed memories and or unguided plans for our future which never had the Lord's blessing or direction.


The Lord wants to bless each and every one of us with His Holy Spirit.  Prayer and reconciled relationships with ourself, others and God is the best place to begin and then begin again and again all through our Christian Adventure.


True love starts with ~ accepting a person (including ourselves) for ~ who they are and who they are not.


Can you say, I forgive you & I love you?


Because His Unconditional Mercy and Love Compel Me,


Amazingrace