hope – Souls Full Filled

Amazing Friendship with God

January 19, 2017 by Souls Full Filled, posted in inspiration

What does it mean to have friendship with God? Have you ever experienced friendship with God? If not, would you desire that? The answer probably depends on your perceptions and beliefs about God, just like what draws or repels us about having relationships with others. We are drawn by good experiences, perceptions and beliefs about someone and repelled by negative ones.

There is a song: “Friend of God” by Phillips, Craig & Dean describing a close relationship we can have with God that is “amazing!”. The lyrics describe the unconditional love God has for us and what we can experience in a close relationship with God: Almighty God thinks of us; God hears and answers when we call.

Who is your closest friend? How would you describe your relationship with your closest friend or any relationship you would label a close friendship? For some their closest friend is a parent, sibling or other family member. Most close friendships have developed over a long period of many years and yet close friendships can develop in much less time given the person’s character and behavior, the frequency of contact, and circumstances around that relationship. A relationship with God develops in similar ways. If we can experience God as a parent, taking care of us, loving us unconditionally with forgiveness for our mistakes, being always ready to support and comfort us when needed, the relationship deepens.

Most close friends exhibit love and support for each other although one person can be more physically or emotionally supportive given the greater needs of the other person, like a child that depends on a parent That love develops through continuing experiences with each other where there is trust, acceptance, forbearance, empathy, dependability, commitment and other qualities exhibited in their relationship. Chapter 13 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians describes many qualities of love. Unconditional love given to another no matter the other’s weaknesses and faults, like that given by man’s best friend, the dog, is the most comforting and fulfilling experience.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP): “Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked nor overly sensitive and easily angered; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth when right and truth prevail. Love bears all things regardless of what comes, believes all things looking for the best in each one, hopes all things remaining steadfast during difficult times, endures all things without weakening. Love never fails; it never fades nor ends.” Have you experienced this kind of love? I have found some of these qualities with different people at different levels, but with God I experience all of these qualities consistently in the greatest capacity no matter how well I do or do not do what might be considered ‘good’. Looking back to times when I turned away from God, I believe God still displayed this love to me but I did not perceive it given I did not draw close enough in relationship with God to experience it.

Close friendships develop with people whose character and behavior is attractive or admirable to us. To grow a friendship with anyone we need to come to know a person through communication and many experiences of the other person that contrast to the superficial qualities of other types of relationships. Our personal experiences of another person can reveal the existence or lack of love or other qualities we desire in friendship. It is the same relating to God. We discover God’s character and behavior through a real personal relationship of 2-way communication and experiencing God responding to us and others throughout history.

We can discover God’s character demonstrated in reading through the many books of the Bible, not just small sections, as the patterns of God’s behavior become more apparent. Jesus said he demonstrated the character of God. (John 14:8-9 AMP) Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father (God).” Reading about Jesus in the Bible can help us know God better.

In addition to reading about God, we can experience God’s behavior towards us individually. Over decades I sought, researched, discovered and practiced many spiritual methods that gave me some wisdom, peace and even grew my perceived relationship with God and helped me get through various difficulties, but I was never changed at a continuing deeper level and, more importantly, my trust in God did not improve nor did I really experience my relationship with God beyond head knowledge. Only in experiencing God through the revelation and experience I received by entering into conversation and active response through bible study and personal prayer was I able to experience my relationship with God in a way that was more real and as tangible as any other relationship I had ever had, even without the benefit of senses like sight, sound and touch.

The sensations and experiences in our spirit, soul and in some cases vibrations felt in the body can be even more powerful than other sensual experiences of the body. As I have found God to be responsive, loving, forgiving, dependable, generous, even self-sacrificing in Christ’s behavior, I am drawn to be closer and more trusting. The more I trust and engage with God, the more I experience, the more I am drawn closer. It is really a mystery, as Paul describes in his writings as do other spiritual writers. One can only experience this first hand by entering into this kind of relationship with God, not by listening to someone else’s experience except as a guide to seek this kind of relationship individually and have these experiences first hand for ourselves.

Close friendships require some continuing, if not frequent, contact to maintain the intimacy and connection. None of my close relationships stayed as close given increased geographical distance or intervening circumstances preventing contact over long periods. Similarly with God, I find daily quality time with God and God’s Word, the Bible, maintains and strengthens the relationship, grows intimacy and builds knowledge I have about God, myself, the world and others. In the last few years, I lost most of my close friendships through geographical relocations, deaths, Alzheimer’s disease in a close friend, family circumstances demanding most of my time, and chronic illness keeping me homebound, isolated and immobile. As my friendships and family disappeared, I turned to God spending more time in Bible Study and close communication with God, and, as a result, I experienced a growing intimacy with God,. Now I can truly consider God as my closest friend and trusted parent.

Often our closest friendships develop through shared crisis and hardships suffered together. The crisis and hardships I have endured have drawn me closer to God and I discover God seems closer to me at those times. I have come to believe God is always close, but it is myself who moves closer to experience the intimacy and blessings of a close intimate relationship with God, providing all I need at all times, planned by God before I need it. The closer I am to God, the sooner I find what I need in amazing ways by being available to receive the guidance to lead me along that best plan.

And what about God’s attitude toward us? What would precipitate God calling us a close friend? The New Testament letter of James mentions that Abraham “was called the friend of God” and attributes it to his faith in God (James 2:23) and not being a “friend of the world.” (James 4:4). To have faith in God means to trust God. God is worthy of our trust but we need to experience why that is true for our trust to grow just like we grow to trust anyone or anything else. And being a friend of the world is trusting the world, or anything in it, more than we trust God, or, choosing what the world offers over choosing God. Many trust God but still fear losing a partner, money, health, career or anything else we think we cannot live or be ‘happy’ without. For me I discovered that I was trusting in other people, myself or things more than I trusted God to have a good plan for my life. Through many experiences over time given many difficulties I have learned that God can and will provide all we need without us having to cling to anything or any person, or our own inclinations more tightly than we cling to God. As God told Jeremiah, another so called friend of God, in a most beautiful section of the Bible, (Jeremiah 29:11-13 AMP) “I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear your voice and I will listen to you. Then with a deep longing you will seek Me and require Me as a vital necessity and you will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.'” This sounds like the best friendship of all time that we can ever have and it is available for all if we want it.

I challenge you to take steps towards seeking a closer relationship with God. Ask God to be your friend. Listen for guidance to lead you to take certain steps. Pay attention to inner desires that arise to do things. Respond with action and see what happens. Take some time each day to connect with God as you feel drawn. Even 20-30 minutes a day in prayer, bible study and reading the Bible can make a difference. That is where I started. There is so much available today to help you do the same thing. If you ask Jesus into your life, you will have the Holy Spirit to guide and teach you. (John 14:26 AMP) “The Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf, He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. ”

If you are already on that journey, I encourage you to continue despite setbacks since often when we are on that journey the enemy of our souls tries to distract and discourage us, but God is always faithful to draw us back. After many stops and starts, distractions and disappointments, I had a growing experience and desire for an intimate relationship with God that I have discovered is more real and wonderful than I could ever imagine. As Jesus said more than once: (John 10:27-29 AMP) “The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever by any means perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ”

Thank you for liking, sharing, for any comments and for following my blog. If you follow, you will get emails whenever I post. If you have any subjects or questions you would like me to consider in my blog, or, suggestions for resources I will be developing, add a comment for others to like, or send your comments through my contact page with more explanation. Prayers can also be requested confidentially through my contact page. You can also follow or connect with me on Twitter, Instagram or my Facebook page with links at the top of each page of this website. I keep all correspondence confidential that I receive through this website’s contact page, by email on Facebook and direct messaging on Twitter and Instagram.

Shots fired! What’s your next move?

January 10, 2017 by Souls Full Filled, posted in inspiration

Much too frequently these days we hear news reports about lone shooters firing guns in a public environment, usually a place where people have usually felt safe like a movie theatre, school, shopping center, restaurant, or even an airport where security abounds. This past weekend was another occurrence of a tragic shooting of innocent victims at an airport. In listening to the news reports about this event I reflected on some deeper insights.

The shooting started suddenly without warning or indication of reasoning or plan of attack. How often do we encounter a potentially harmful situation or encounter suddenly interrupting events in our lives pushing our plans aside or askew for our day? There are natural disasters, weather events, traffic accidents, road rage, shopping frenzies, rude strangers crossing our paths or service providers or organizations failing to meet their commitments necessary for our plans and continuing life activities. How do we react? What emotions do we feel? It is said what we are full of is what comes up in a crisis. What is our response? How can we minimize the impact or injury or maximize our options and results? Do we take time to reflect on these questions and discern the answers? Sometimes there is no time available to reflect because we need to take immediate action to defend or preserve what is invaluable, as in the airport shooting this past weekend.

It turned out no one interviewed of all the airport staff, security personnel, shooter’s family or friends, witnesses or victims expected or understood what was happening, why it was happening or what was going to happen next. Only someone outside of the event timing (afterwards) would be able to gather information by reviewing evidence, video and investigation, except for the all knowing presence of God.

There are a multitude of stories of people who survived the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11 who felt spiritually ‘directed’ to safety, even going in directions opposite the crowds or even against instructions from emergency personnel. Being ‘tuned in’ spiritually to God would definitely be an advantage. Like being tuned in to our favorite station or source of information, we need to be tuned in all the time to receive emergency alerts and notifications with instructions. We also need to have a habit of listening, being aware and responding. We can find and keep the information ‘channel’ of God open through a growing relationship with God in one’s life, just like having close connections to any other person, only with God, we do not need a WiFi, phone or video connection to receive communication or directions.

The Israelites in their journey through the desert to the promised land in Canaan followed God who was physically present to lead them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. We do not have a cloud or pillar of fire visible but today we have God’s presence available to us within us by the Holy Spirit that comes to us in Christ, as he promised while here in physical form. We nurture this relationship through daily constant open channels of communication. My life has totally changed by daily receiving insight and direction in a growing intimate relationship with God developed through daily practicing various methods and activities that open and strengthen the ‘signal’ of these divine channels of communication. Sharing these with others has been a passion I wish to continue through this blog.

The potential victims in the airport shooting responded in many different ways: hiding, running in different directions, ducking and dropping to the floor, some responding by protecting others. In video footage you can observe some people actually placing themselves in the line of fire by just moving without required wisdom. There was really no way to know what was the best action to take. Only God knew.

Certainly various emotions besides terror were running high in and following the dangerous experience, including shock, relief, grief and various levels of anger and rage. Several people abandoned all their belongings including valuable communication devices, personal identification and monies they would later need to move on from the experience. What would you hold onto? Obviously self preservation and certainly protection of loved ones, especially children, took priority over possessions or ID. Past experiences show that people who survive catastrophic events are more likely to do so and to help others survive when being more calm without focusing on fear and terror.

What makes us calm in life threatening circumstances, whether with an armed shooter or with a deadly disease or financial catastrophe? Growing up with frequent life threatening traumas, I developed fear and anxiety as an ongoing underlying emotion. But over the years of developing a closer relationship with God, my anxiety has changed to peaceful trust through many amazing experiences proving God’s presence and provision. With each year, I have found I have more underlying joy and peace, the more I experience God working in my life and I learn to trust in God’s love, goodness, provision and guidance.

Jesus’ frequent expression was “peace be with you”. The great prophet Isaiah wrote: Isaiah 26:3 “You (God) will keep in perfect and constant peace the (any) One whose mind is steadfast, that is, committed and focused on You, because that One trusts and takes refuge in You with hope and confident expectation.” That hope and confidence will not disappoint! Romans 5:5: “Such hope in God’s promises never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (in Christ).”

Reflecting on this event, I received one other insight after asking myself (and God), “why would anyone abandon their money, phones & ID?” Those that did found themselves stranded, unable to contact help, get transportation, or even prove their identity to leave the airport or secured safety areas provided by civil authorities, which areas became hunger inducing prisons. I immediately thought of what our identity is based on: our beliefs about ourself and the world. By running in terror and anxiety without knowing who I truly am, not just a physical body, but a spiritual being existing in God, I lose my identity and the resources for finding the assistance and direction I need to move to safety and for the best future activities that will produce a fulfilling life.

Thank you for liking, sharing, for any comments and for following my blog. If you follow, you will get emails whenever I post. If you have any subjects or questions you would like me to consider in my blog, or, suggestions for resources I will be developing, add a comment for others to like, or send your comments through my contact page with more explanation. Prayers can also be requested confidentially through my contact page. You can also follow or connect with me on Twitter, Instagram or my Facebook page with links at the top of each page of this website. I keep all correspondence confidential that I receive through this website’s contact page, by email on Facebook and direct messaging on Twitter and Instagram.

New Year, New Beginnings, New Direction

January 3, 2017 by Souls Full Filled, posted in inspiration

Let me start by wishing you the best year yet in 2017! Next, I am making a new commitment to post to my blog at least once a week. Since I have not posted since mid October, I apologize to any readers who had expectations of more from me. Last year was full of unexpected and mostly intense storms and challenges as often happens when we change direction or take new steps towards fulfilling our purpose. This is a new year with new beginnings. My hope is that what I share here will help others to improve their lives as it has tremendously helped mine.

How do you start your new year? Is it just another day? or, do you have some rituals around this time, like making resolutions and letting go of some things from the past year(s)? I have done a little of both this year with the help of direction I have received the last week through my relationship with God. God seems to be speaking more clearly than ever before. In reality I think God always speaks clearly, but our ability to hear seems clearer and more frequent as we grow in how we listen and, more importantly, how often we listen and how seriously we take what we hear. It also depends on if we follow, however imperfectly, the guidance we receive,, as we move following the direction we receive in our spirit.

We can always start over again or continue from where we are, which is why the new year mark in time gives us a sense of a new beginning which we can start any day or month of the year. Experiencing the ‘success’ and gifts from following this always available guidance, we become even more encouraged and desirous to do so. We also hear increasingly more clearly and timely the guidance we can have every moment of our lives to help us experience and participate in an extraordinary life, no matter the circumstances.

Do you set goals or resolutions for the coming months and year?
Having sought direction for my life for many years out of crisis and necessity, it has become an ongoing process of listening and responding more frequently as I discover the increasing success and incredible improvement in my life possible when I do. But sometimes, like the start of a new year, I want to take some extra time to look at my goals in life.

Following is a process I have learned to develop new goals in life. In business I learned to use what is called Management by Objective (MBO) considering more tangent, financial and intellectual aspects and using mostly the mind to develop specific measurable outcomes. The method below, however, which can also be used in business, relies more heavily on spiritual discernment using all parts of our selves and considering all areas of one’s life. Spiritual discernment is often very specific when practiced more frequently but in this (annual detailed) context is more general in nature which produces easily visualized targets not defined so specifically. Developing more specific goals can often limit the flexibility needed to live a full and prosperous life day by day.

As an example, Having developed very specific goals over the years, I seldom accomplished them the way I envisioned, or at all. But as I relied more on God, being more flexible and seeking the specific guidance day by day or even moment by moment, I discovered I was accomplishing more of my desired goals and even better ones I had not imagined in ways I could not have planned on my own. I have come to believe only God has all the knowledge needed to make a perfect plan encompassing all aspects of our lives over every moment given the unexpected (to us) events, choices and people we encounter every day. I can attest by my experiences that the guidance and support I need in any situation are more easily discerned and available as I grow in following God every day. It brings strength, comfort, peace and hope whatever storm or crisis is happening, like the ones I just went through,

If you are not living life daily this way, you can start this new year bringing God into your goal setting process and see what happens. Below is a more detailed process for taking more time to develop goals for all aspects of one’s life using discernment in your spirit in the process. You can also do this with each area of your life going through the process in each area. Do whatever seems or feels more appealing to your self, a very important part of achieving success with anything you do. Trying different methods at different times given various situations can be very productive with a coach to guide you. You can always rely on God to be your coach as your relationship with God grows more and more intimate, doing things I like to teach based on my experiences trying various methods and disciplines.

Discerning Guidance Within

Take a few moments to connect with God asking for wisdom about your future.
Ask some specific questions of God and your self. Ask for wisdom about a specific problem or area you want or need to look at. Or, ask what is my purpose and how can I better fulfill it? What is lacking in my life? What do I want more of? What changes would help my life improve? Alternatively you can ask how to make specific changes in a specific area you find difficult, disturbing or creating discontent.
Spend some quality time listening to God in your spirit and to your inner self: your soul, which consists of your mind, heart and will; seeking the inner desires, thoughts and feelings for your future. You can do this with meditation, listening as thoughts and feelings arise, asking yourself what you desire for the future and spend time meditating in silence, or, do meditative journaling (not editing or trying to control what you write) jotting down in phrases or key ideas what you hear and feel within, arising in your mind and heart.
Journaling after meditation is always helpful to retain what often disappears as we immerse ourselves into activity of daily life. Write down more clearly and add detail to what you ‘received’ during the meditative listening stage.
Repeat 1-4 several times, perhaps over several days, or until your thoughts start to narrow down to a few major ideas, or pick just one that seems to have more weight in your soul.
Again meditatively asking for God’s guidance, write down whatever goals or boundaries you have discerned through the previous steps. You might break these out or organize these goals and boundaries into various areas or aspects of your life, such as relating to body, mind, emotions, health, finances, career, family, hobbies, classes of activities, relationships, etc., whatever seems to fit what you have been journalling. To make this easier as a beginner you could just do this for one life area or goal that seems to ‘want’ your attention. Having a coach to give some input or feedback is helpful, but no coach knows exactly what is best for any of us except God who is really our best Head Coach.
Goals should be clear, often measurable and always achievable (in your mind and heart) or you will get discouraged or lose interest in maintaining these as your overall objectives. Goals are set for achieving certain results in a specific area of your life or in specific activities that you sense through this process are needing your attention for fulfilling your purpose or improving enjoyment of life.
Boundaries are any kind of limitations, quantity or restrictions to help you achieve your goals in any area of your life, such as behaviors, habits, relationships, activities, emotional patterns or specific uses of your time or resources. They can also be guideposts or reference points like a plumb line is to building a wall. These usually surface regarding improving or changing the quality of your life in a certain area that seems troubling or not supporting well your life’s purpose or enjoyment.
Distill what you have journaled into less than 5 goals with related boundaries. As an alternative you can identify 5 areas of your life and develop a goal and related boundaries for each. You can always add more as the year progresses and you find some goals and boundaries have been achieved and you are ready for more progress towards your best lived life, but do not readdress this in this much detail too often or you will probably get discouraged and build discontent about your life or become too disoriented by changing direction too frequently, not allowing time to absorb or sink into the wisdom of your discernment. As an alternative, list one goal with related boundaries if it seems best for you.
Ask God to help you daily as you move towards your goals listening for refinement as you practice daily living with your goals in mind. I have found if I focus hard and work on my goals in my own strength with my own plans alone they become elusive and more difficult to achieve compared to when I let my Head Coach, God, lead me, providing all the resources necessary in perfect timing along the way for greater enjoyment of my life.
Try to enjoy your improved life as it is developing without constantly trying to improve your self or your life continually. Not enjoying your progress builds a sense of dissatisfaction and discontent. Having a ‘new year’ beginning is really just the start of a new month and a new day but it is a helpful starting place if you have not done anything like this recently.
You can do this at any time of the year, not just January. You may be currently in the middle of a storm or crisis and it might be best to wait until things settle down. This process can also be used to address a storm or crisis by limiting the areas of your discernment to the specific area involved. As you develop a closer relationship with your Head Coach, God, you will find the guidance you need in crisis and storms provided more easily with more joy and peace along the way. I repeat: I can attest by my experiences that the guidance and support I need in any crisis are more easily discerned and available as I grow in following God every day. It brings strength, comfort, peace and hope whatever crisis is happening, like the ones I just went through.

My prayer for YOU!

September 11, 2016 by Souls Full Filled, posted in Faith, Prayer, spirituality

Ephesians 1:17-19 “God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory: I call out to You on behalf of Your people. Give them minds ready to receive wisdom and revelation so they will truly know You. Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe, and may it be done according to Your might and power. ”

AMEN

Replace the words ‘their’ & ‘them’ with ‘mine’ & ‘me’ and make this prayer your own. I challenge you to try praying this every day for a month or more and watch what happens! Believe and receive! Trust in God’s goodness, power and love for you or just be open to find more!

Matthew 7:7-8 “Now Jesus returns to prayer, an important and sometimes difficult topic. Here He gives the very essence of prayer. ‘Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And he who knocks, will have the door opened. ‘ ”