Today is Sunday, and I am so glad that I woke up early today because I am getting an early start on my day off from teaching English and being tutored in Spanish.

No one is completely extroverted, and no one is completely introverted, but since I am more introverted I find myself peopled-out by the end of a week of trying to infuse my students with the English language. An extroverted person might find that really energizing and want more, more, more — not me! Nonetheless, I don´t want to spend the whole day cooped up in my room, so I wonder if I can venture out into this city of half a million people and appear invisible? (Invisible appearance, my new oxymoron).

In any case, it is so wonderful to wake up early enough to watch the sky be gradually enlightened by the rising sun. From 3:00 AM until 4:00 AM is the best hour of the day because the night owls have finally gone to bed, but the early birds are not quite up, so it feels like you have the whole world to yourself … and then you get to watch the sun rise. They say that the 3:00 hour is the most spiritual hour of the day because the world is still and quiet like God.

How can it be that God´s one and only voice is silence, and how can it be that God dwells in stillness? It seems so contrary to the busy and noisy lives that so many of us live. Yet God´s silent voice speaks volumes, and God´s stillness moves all things … therefore it seems to me that we would all do well to speak less in order to say more, and we would all do well to remain still in order to do more — just like God.

We are one with the One who is the silent voice and effortless power at the core of our being. In the same way that a slice of orange tastes just like the orange from which it was sliced, and in fact is part of that very orange from which it was sliced, we are all like the One from which we came. We are all made in the image of God, therefore it stands to reason that we are also made with the ability to say a lot without saying anything, and to do a lot effortlessly. Jesus said that even the least among us can do all that he did and even greater things. Do we really believe that? No we don´t because we have been trained to believe that those words applied only to the so-called “age of miracles” when God was present in human form, and that those words applied only to a short period in history. Prophecies will end, and miracles will cease, but no one can prove that this has come to pass … so many of us live our lives believing that we don´t have access to the same effortless power and silent voice that … can do even greater things.

I refuse to believe that the full power of God is no longer available in and through us … or to put that in the positive, I believe that the full power of God is within each of us.

There´s no doubt that some people will read what I just wrote and say that I am full of shit, or at least misinformed. They will say that I have to believe this or that first, that I have to do this or that first, that after many years of loving … and believing … and doing … and praying … and fasting … and serving … and penance … and alms … and self-flagellation … and whatever, I MIGHT get access to the full power of God, but only for a brief moment, and only if God just happens to make a momentary exception in my case. Nonsense! What a negative, limited, discouraging way to think and live! Or, to put that in the vernacular … what a shitty way to think and live!

In any given moment, without having to satisfy a laundry list of requirements, each of us can tap into the full power of God. It can happen in an instant. Even the least among us has access to God´s power, even me. And really, the only requirement is that we BELIEVE. Everything that is not inconsistent with God´s nature, that is, everything that is true and beautiful and love and more, is available to us if we only believe and act on that belief.

Someone who believes that they are healthy will act on that belief and be healthy. But if by chance they forget who they are and what they believe with the result that they feel unhealthy for a season, all they need to do is remember that they are healthy and act on that belief in order to manifest the habits and help that will enable them to return to being healthy.

Someone who believes that they are abundant will act on that belief and give freely to others because they know that there is no end to the abundance that flows through them, and that same abundance will never cease to flow into their life because they believe that they are abundant. Give and it shall be given to you, overflowing into your life, for by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

Someone who believes that they are creative will act on that belief and do creative things, and though there may be people around them who inadvertantly or even deliberately try to hinder their creativity, the creative person holds fast to their belief that they are creative. Thus, they live their life constantly inspired, seeing what others don´t see, creating something out of nothing, and they will always inspire others to be creative as well.

Someone who believes that they are truthful will act on that belief and live an honest and truthful life. They will return money and things that don´t belong to them, and they will not enrich themself at the expense of others. The truth that is within them is evident to all because they know that they are truthful and act on that belief.

Someone who encourages others is an Encourager … they act on the belief that encouragement is what everyone needs, and so they go about encouraging others. They don´t criticize or ridicule or belittle other people because all of us are made in the image of God. It seems unnecessary, even foolish, to criticize or ridicule or belittle the handiwork of God, doesn´t it? So it goes without saying that an Encourager does not discourage, but instead serves as a vessel of hope and support and help and encouragement to others.

Someone who wants to bring peace into the world will act on that belief and do peaceful things. They will manifest peace where there is strife, and thus dissolve strife through their peace in the same way that light dissolves darkness. People who live in peace with others are Peacemakers, and if it weren´t for these Peacemakers our world would be full of strife. Mother Teresa was once asked to join a march against war, but she refused to join because she was a Peacemaker … so then she told the anti-war movement that if they were to hold a march for peace, she would be there. Thank God for Peacemakers because they reflect the peaceful nature of God, and they bring peace into our world.

Someone who believes that they are loving will act on that belief and love themself and others. They will be a centered person who has a healthy sense of self-respect and self-love because they know that they are made in the image of God … and God don´t make junk. Someone who believes in the love of God within them will act on that belief and spread genuine, unconditional, love throughout the world. God is love, and those who live to love are living in God.

The full power of God is within each of us, so let´s all believe and act on those beliefs in order to manifest “even greater things” for all to enjoy.

Keith

Do you believe that God wants to bless you and give you the desires of your heart? Have you spoken frankly and openly with God about where you want to go in life, about what you want to do, about how you may serve humankind?

Do you know what God is looking for in your life? Do you know how God expects you to live? Do you agree that you should live in harmony with God’s will?

Are you willing to believe that following God does not mean that you have to abandon your goals? Do you believe that God partners with you to give you fulfillment?

To answer some of these questions, look at some of God’s promises included in Scripture. In Jeremiah 29:11-13 it says:

“11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

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Excerpted from Compton’s Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

This certainly does not sound like God the Scrooge, does it? Do these verses from Jeremiah make you think that God wants you to live as a pauper, scraping by from paycheck to paycheck?

Do you think that God wants you to lack self-confidence, to have a poor self-image, to be negative and pessimistic and cynical? Is that what God wants?

As it is said in the vernacular, “Hell No!”

God is honored when we walk confidently and successfully through life.

Hear what God has to say through the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:15-29

15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19″After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21″His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22″The man with the two talents also came. `Master,’ he said, `you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’
23″His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24″Then the man who had received the one talent came. `Master,’ he said, `I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26″His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28″ `Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

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Excerpted from Compton’s Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

I guess God is serious about the fact that we should make the most of what God has given us. God wants a return on his investment in us. God is pleased when he sees us developing our skills, reaching out to others in love, striving for and achieving personal goals.

When God sees us taking care of what we have, no matter how small it may seem, God is quick to give us greater responsibilities and greater prosperity.

Please understand me. God loves the poor, God loves the downtrodden, God loves the persecuted, and God loves the humble.

How much stuff we have is not a reflection of how much God loves us. The size of our house in no way indicates how dear we are to God. There are many that are filthy rich that are far from the heart of God, and there are many that are dirt poor who are close to the heart of God.

God stands ready to bless us richly. In fact, God made us a promise that if we give generously of our time, talents, and money, God will give us far more back than we will ever give away. This promise from God is in his word at Luke 6:38:

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

We serve a big God who wants to do great things through us.

Let’s trust in God’s promises of blessing and prosperity, and let’s be cheerful, generous givers. We must rely on God to fill your storehouses so that we can continue to empty our storehouses for the benefit of those we touch!

We love because God first loved us, and we give generously because God has given generously to us.

If we want to succeed in life, if we want to reach our goals, if we want God to bless and enrich our lives, we would do well to be vessels through which God can bless and enrich others.

As a child I really wanted to _________.

The greatest joy in my life is _________.

I wish that I could _________.

I fear that if I start dreaming I will _________.

As I child I dreamed of being _________.

I like to play _________.

If I could afford it I would _________.

Others tell me how much they appreciate my _________.

Growing up we never had enough _________.

I don’t do it much but I have always enjoyed _________.

In order to have more money, I need to _________.

I believe I am getting better at _________.

When I am having a good day I feel that I can _________.

As a child I was always told that I was good at _________.

I really feel confident when I am _________.

As a child I always felt happiest when _________.

In five years time I want to be able to _________.

God has empowered me with the gifts of _________.

One of the things I like most about myself is _________.