This Blog is Linda Burton's story describing God's comfort to her as her mother graduated into glory.
Are you familiar with the concept of sacrifice? It is an element of every faith and even understood by secular society. It is giving enough that you feel it, and you understand it in a broader context than just money. Do you expect to get something in return for your sacrifice? This reflects a distorted understanding of the concept. If you buy something that takes all or most of your money, then you feel the monetary cost, but it is still considered an exchange or a transaction in which you get something in return. A sacrifice implies that you get nothing in return, though it may still be a good idea for a worthy cause. How sacrificial are you willing to be in these conditions?
My word teaches that you will be judged by the same standard that you judge others. Would this be harsh or lenient for you? If you judge others by high standards in an area in which you are guilty, then you are a hypocrite. What about areas in which it is easy for you to follow high standards of conduct? A clear conscience is of great value in declaring the truth, but if you use it to be judgmental then you are a judgmental person whether you are guilty in that area or not. It is far better to follow the commandment to judge not at all, for this puts you in a position to be agent of my redemptive purpose.
I spoke constantly about the Kingdom of God and told my followers to pray that my Kingdom would come and my will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. What does this mean to you? Are you building my Kingdom on earth? Do you have a deep desire to leave this world a better place than you found it? Are you using the natural means available to you to do this, demonstrating kindness and virtue? But this is a mystery, for I said that my Kingdom is not of this world, and this is still true even if you desire to see it come on earth and work for it. What does it mean for my Kingdom to come on earth?
What do you pray for? Do you keep a list of requests? Do you think it would be a waste of time to pray for something you already have, or for something I am going to do anyway? This concept may go against your usual logic, but you can still pray for these things. You could pray for my presence in every situation, but you already hold it as a basic element of faith that I am with you always. You could ask what my intention is in every situation, what my redemptive purpose is right now, and what your part is in bringing it forth. Go ahead and ask me. I’m really eager to tell you.
Do you see your faith as a journey? My word describes believers as sojourners. Does this imply a homeless wanderer who is alone? My Kingdom is not of this world so the continuing city you seek has foundations in heaven rather than on earth. Yet at the same time you are not alone. For I have promised to be with you always. Yet even with my presence you are not isolated from the rest of humanity. If you love me, then love people also. If you cherish my presence in solitude, then learn to see my presence in all who I have created in my image. If you have eyes to see and ears to hear then you will see me and hear me through them.
One of the four keys to hearing God’s voice is to recognize His voice as spontaneous, flowing thoughts. We have supported this key with John 7:37-39 which says that the Spirit within us is a FLOW, and with the word for prophet, which is naba, and which literally means to “bubble up.”
How much do you depend on the circumstances of your life to sustain your faith? In my word I tell you not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. You may ask what situations this applies to. For it implies that you do not need to isolate yourself from the world but certainly it would apply in marriage. Yet my word also addresses the matter of a believer married to an unbeliever. The unbeliever is free to depart in this situation but the believer is not. This commandment implies that I am able to sustain a believer even in this extreme situation. If you understand the true essence of your faith you know that it can stand regardless of the circumstances of your life.
Do you want to learn and grow? Do you seek out the company of those who are in agreement with you? Do you find these to be contradictory goals? You can learn from those with whom you have points of disagreement. If you are in complete agreement with someone, what can you learn from them? You may avoid people you disagree with because the encounter can be challenging and uncomfortable, but being forced to reexamine your own positions is a key part of growth. Learn to see that those who bring this challenge to you are doing you a favor, and learn the difference between being in disagreement and being disagreeable.
Have you ever heard of blessings in disguise? Everyone prefers pleasant blessings that involve healing and provision that includes money. Yet you have already had experiences that were difficult but you realized that were for your ultimate benefit. Are you prepared to view these experiences as blessings? My word describes those who through faith obtained promises, deliverance from enemies, and even the dead raised to life. It goes on without interruption to describe those who endured hardships and afflictions without accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Are you prepared to see all these things as blessings?
