Meditating on God's Presence

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10 KJV).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize the importance of going off to a quiet place and meditating on God's presence. Meditating on God's presence centers me, making me more aware of the reality around me, making me more aware of myself.

Meditating on God's presence gives me peace. It gives me the feeling that everything is okay, that everything is working out, that God is in charge.

Meditating on God's presence gives me a glimpse of reality below the superficial surface. I see that things are really not as they seem.

Matter is made up of molecules, molecules of atoms, atoms of subatomic particles, subatomic particles of pure energy, and pure energy of consciousness. This consciousness is universal. It's God's consciousness.

Mental Programming and a man named Dennis

"And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour" (Matthew 17:18 KJV).

After reading this Bible verse and thinking deeply about it, I came to the conclusion that not only can this verse be interpreted literally, but it can also be interpreted figuratively.

For example, the word "devil" can really mean "negative mental programming." To be negatively programmed is to habitually think negative thoughts to the point of handicapping yourself.

A negatively programmed person is a behaviorally dysfunctional person. Being behaviorally dysfunctional can lead to a very crappy existence.

If you look at the above Bible verse and interpret it figuratively, it appears that Jesus was getting rid of the negative mental programming that was handicapping the child, thus curing him.

Do you want a modern-day example of how negative mental programming leads to dysfunctional behavior, leading to a crappy existence?

Okay here goes.

There once was a child named Dennis who got involved with some negative mental programming. This particular negative mental programming took the form of reading S&M (sadism and masochism) magazines. S&M magazines contain pornography involving sadism and masochism.

For those of you who do not know what S&M pornography is, I will explain it to you. S&M pornography involves bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism. Basically, the dominant sex partner binds, inflicts pain on, and humiliates the submissive sex partner.

A steady mental programming of S&M magazines led Dennis to steal and wear panties, peep in house windows, and bind dogs and cats with baling wire and hang them in a barn.

Throughout grade school, Dennis' sexual fantasies of dominating, binding, inflicting pain on, and humiliating women grew, since he kept fueling his fantasies with S&M magazines.

Dennis' sexual fantasies of dominating, binding, inflicting pain on, and humiliating women followed him into adulthood. But these fantasies grew, causing him to act on them.

Dennis began dominating, binding, inflicting pain on, and humiliating women. His fantasies became reality. He was actually doing the deed.

Nevertheless, Dennis had to murder his victim when he was done doing the deed. This was to ensure that his victim would not contact the police.

You see, Dennis was targeting innocent and unsuspecting women. He would catch them by surprise in secluded places and force his sexual perversions on them. Dennis would try to catch these women in places where there were no witnesses. If there were witnesses, he would have to murder them, so they would be unable to contact the police.

The police eventually found out Dennis' secret life and arrested him. Afterward, he was charged with ten counts of first degree murder, and received ten consecutive life sentences of imprisonment.

You probably have heard of Dennis -- Dennis Rader! Dennis Rader was the BTK serial killer. "BTK" stands for "bind, torture, and kill."

Dennis Rader claimed that a mysterious force made him bind, torture, and kill his victims. But we both know that the "mysterious force" was really negative mental programming, and that negative mental programming isn't mysterious. Powerful? Yes. But mysterious? No.

Dennis Rader could have had a different life, if he received positive mental programming instead of negative mental programming. This in no way excuses him for what he did. He still should receive maximum punishment for his crimes.

How about you? Are you receiving positive mental programming? Or are you instead receiving negative mental programming?

Life Goals and Distractions

"Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead" (Proverbs 4:25 HCSB).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize the importance of keeping my mind fixed on my goals in life, no matter what circumstance I am in.

There are many distractions that will vie for my attention. But I will keep the influence of these distractions to a minimum.

There always will be distractions getting in the way of my life goals. I have come to accept this, because I know that this is guaranteed.

Currently, my only life purpose is to keep my mind fixed on my goals and allow the distractions surrounding me to fade into the background where they belong.

Empowered to Handle Adversity by Trusting In God's Power

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1 KJV).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize the futility of walking around in a troubled state of mind. I realize the advantage of thinking positive by trusting in God's power.

Trusting in God's power does not necessarily mean to sit around passively in the face of adversity. Instead, it means to feel empowered to handle adversity, and to act proactively if need be.

Some types of adversity require us to wait patiently and let events unfold in their due time. Other types of adversity require us to act immediately to solve them. The appropriate response all depends on the type of adversity we are dealing with.

The key to handling adversity is to feel empowered. And feeling empowered depends on our belief that we can handle the adversity. And our belief that we can handle the adversity can stem from trusting in God's power that flows through us.

Invulnerable Belief and Imagination

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (Isaiah 43:2 KJV).

Upon affirming this Bible verse, I realize that God is always with me, protecting me from all harm. That I can pass through all life's trials unscathed. That I am invulnerable. I am like Achilles without the Achilles' heel.

I am invulnerable, because I believe and imagine myself to be invulnerable. Belief and imagination always precede reality. Belief and imagination create reality.

German theoretical physicist Albert Einstein once said, "Imagination is everything." American self-help advocate, author, and lecturer Wayne Dyer once said, "You'll see it when you believe it." I agree with both of them. Imagination and belief are very important skills to have in life.

Worrying attracts Bad Things

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear" (Matthew 6:25 NIV).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize the futility of worrying. I realize that worrying is actually a form of negative thinking, of negative imagination.

If I walk around worrying all the time, I am actually imagining bad things happening to me all the time. And by imagining bad things, I am actually attracting bad things. This is the negative law of attraction.

So what is the opposite of worrying? Believing.

If I walk around believing all the time, I am actually imagining good things happening to me all the time. And by imagining good things, I am actually attracting good things. This is the positive law of attraction.

Declare your Words with Power; use your Mind (Emotion and Imagination)

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).

Upon affirming this Bible verse, I realize that words have power - the power to change reality. That the real power behind words is the mind. The mind is the fulcrum of change.

Whatever you want to declare into reality, declare it boldly and often. Declare whatever you want or need, and you will have it.

Whatever you declare, make sure it is laden with emotion and imagination. Emotion and imagination are part of the faith process and will give your words power.

Perhaps you have read the New Testament and wonder how you can have faith that moves mountains. Faith as described in the New Testament is really envisioning the thing that you want to happen so vividly and consistently that it actually happens. Doing this will undoubtedly produce emotion within you.

Indeed, words have power. But it is the mind that gives the words power via emotion and imagination.

God, Consciousness, and the Universe

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize that in the very beginning only consciousness existed. And that consciousness was God. And through that consciousness all things were created.

This Bible verse has very deep implications. That everything in the universe came from consciousness or mind. That the universe is really a mental construct.

If the universe is a mental construct, then we can change the universe by changing our consciousness. We have the power to do so, since each one of us has consciousness or mind.

Since consciousness or mind is God, then each one of us is God. We have the power to create by using our consciousness. We do so by envisioning what we want.

If we want money, we envision money. If we want health, we envision health. If we want wisdom, we envision ourselves making good decisions.

Each one of us is the creator of his own fate via envisioning. Each one of us is part of the great God consciousness.

I Am God

"And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you" (Exodus 3:14).

Upon affirming this Bible verse, I realize that God is within me. Saying "I am that I am" makes me aware of God's presence within me. Saying "I am that I am" makes me deeply self-aware, causing me to focus on the real me. The real me is God, and God is the real me.

Knowing that I am one with God frees up my ability to accomplish anything. There are no more doubts or hindrances. I know that I can accomplish anything that I focus on. I have complete confidence.

The power of the great I Am is within me, is within my imagination. The great English poet, painter, and printmaker William Blake stated, "Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a faint shadow."

Ask by Prayer and Imagination

"And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (John 16:23).

Upon affirming this Bible verse, I realize that the secret to living life successfully is to ask. I realize that if you want something in life, ask for it and it is yours.

Nevertheless, you must ask in the right way to obtain what you ask for. You must ask with some degree of intensity rather than in a half-assed manner. When you ask for something via prayer, imagine that you already have it as you go about your day.

For example, if you want a brand new, red, smooth-riding Corvette automobile, every time you get into your current, old, beat-up lemon of an automobile, imagine that you are driving the brand-new, red, smooth-riding Corvette. Eventually, your imagination will become reality. Imagination equals creation.

Prayer must always be coupled with imagination for it to work. A prayer without imagination is a prayer without power and faith. If you say a prayer without imagination, you are praying in a half-assed manner. You will get no results or weak ones at best.

You have heard the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words." It is actually worth much more.

Power and Strength

"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength" (Isaiah 40:29).

Upon affirming this Bible verse, I feel a surge of power and strength within me. God is the source of all power and strength, and I am tapping into the source by believing that I am receiving power and strength.

Power is the ability to make things happen. And strength is the inner-toughness to handle circumstances. We need both to be successful in this life. Sometimes we must be a hammer, and sometimes we must be an anvil.

Belief is the key to power and strength. If you want power and strength, all you have to do is believe that power and strength are yours. You can do this by often affirming the Bible verse above or often praying, "Thank you God for giving me power and strength."

Blessings and Protection

"For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield" (Psalm 5:12).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize that God is showering me with blessings and surrounding me with protection.

God's blessings in life are very important and make a very big difference in the quality of life that you live. Being sick, poor, or ignorant can make your life a living hell. And being healthy, wealthy, and wise can make your life heaven on earth.

Life can be dangerous at times and people can sometimes behave worse than animals. This is why God's protection is necessary. During times when you must enter "the lion's den," it is very important to thank God for His protection and believe that he is protecting you.

Blessings and protection equal a happy life.

Faith, Source, and The Law

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

After affirming this Bible verse, I realize that God can and will supply all my needs if I tap into His power. God is the source of all things. He is the source of all health, wealth, and wisdom. By tapping into this source, a sick person can become healthy; a poor person can become rich; a foolish person can become wise.

How does one tap into this limitless source? The answer is by faith. Faith is the only path to this source. Faith is to believe a desired thing to be already materialized, even though it currently has not. This stepping out in faith extracts energy from The Source to create the desired thing.

Influential metaphysics teacher Neville Goddard calls this phenomenon The Law. Neville Goddard defined The Law as the technique of creating one's physical reality through imagining. This is exactly what using faith to tap into The Source is.

By using faith, you are vividly imagining what you would like to come into being. By repeatedly imagining this, you are bringing it closer and closer into reality.

An example of using The Law or tapping into The Source through faith can be praying, "Thank you God for making me healthy, wealthy, and wise." And vividly imagining yourself as already being healthy, wealthy, and wise as you go about your day.