I woke up one morning with this thought in my head "enter into the joy of thy lord".  I did not know if it was a verse or why the thought was there so I got out of bed and looked it. What I found is this verse: Matthew 25:21 "His lord said unto him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your lord." 

I then recalled all that came to my mind about this statement and quickly tried to capture as much of the information as I could before it got away.  I was not dreaming and my mind seemed to be clear of all but these thoughts. This has been happening to me several times now and I really don't know why, what to do about it, or what to do with it. I do know it is powerful and feels like a revealing of something or a sharing of something. So, I have committed to writing this stuff down and seeing what the outcome is.  

Here is what came to my mind just before completely waking up: When a person "enters into the joy of the lord", it is a result of being in obedience. He or she has been and is in a state of obedience to Gods word and will. This is not an experience that results from having one good day but it surfaces as a result of a string of many days, months or years. It is also something that you can only experience by entering into the choice of obedience and remaining there for a period of time which I cannot define. This is an increase that only God can give as a reward to a "good servant". 

You enter into it with full intent on "being obedient" and faithful for the entire relationship. And by doing so, you enter into the fruits of "being" in the experience of obedience and the rewards there of.  The rewards cannot be anticipated because it is not in us to conceive.  In this relationship you get to "feel" what its like to experience "joy" as defined by God himself. Can you imagine what that would feel like? Nope, you cannot and I could not either. Nor did I know this was there. I stumbled into this experience and can now say that the feeling of this 'joy" does not result from an earthly way to manifest it. I am suggesting that God gives his spirit, conciseness, clarity, presence or whatever he gives to the "good servant" and the end result is an emotional experiences that can not be duplicated by doing something to create it. Sex is an awesome experience for example, which can be repeated. What I am talking about is something that shows up as you are in the experience of "obedience' and doing his will. He shows you something that is difficult to understand or share with another in words. It is nothing short of a "wow" experience>

You must "jump up in the air and believe that you can stay there" so to speak! Give it your all. One must decide that obedience is a priority because, according to God's word,   “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) What commandments? "Keep my commandments" far exceeds the 10 commandments if that is your first thought. 

For example: Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."  These commandments were not actually stated as part of the 10 commandment but, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" could be viewed as a pointer to the same thing as loving him with all of you.  

And then look at John 15:10-12 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you".

Consider that this statement, " My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full" suggest that Jesus lived inside a joy of life, feeling, peace, and more different than that which is normally experienced outside of the presence of Gods spirit and "relationship" with him.  He summed it up by saying "My joy be made or replaces your existing joy and, his joy is the joy that fills the vessel full".

To really list all commandments would deprive you of your own efforts to enter into the experience of seeking. And, it is not my focus. However, this one is a silver bullet for you and "if" you choose to keep it, the fruit actually yielded will not be predictable. This also means that the fruit or experience given comes and it is impossible to place a value on it. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15  

Obedience to what? Obedience to God's word and his will.  There is a typical response to this kind of statement. What is his word? The Bible. What is his will? That is not a simple answer but the top priorities  are 1) believing that he exist and loving him with all your heart 2) having and growing in faith 3) renewing the heart and mind 4) entering into a true understanding of love for self and others 5) seeking his kingdom first and all of his rigorousness and 6) baptism by the spirit are the top places to start.  All of these equal a "relationship" with him and is not the same as religious activities i.e. church attendance, choir participation, etc. 

These are worthwhile commitments but the doing of them does not equal the "being" of them. "Being" comes before "doing".  Actions come after the human being has began to "operate from the heart". The result of which is "what you do" and it represents "who you are being" in life. Being faithful or fearful is a condition of the heart. Sex is a "doing" act that can be done with or without the presence of relationship or the presence of love. If the human being is "being in the experience of love" then the doing experience yields far more than just a sexual experience. It creates that which cannot be explained with words.

It is through obedience that we enter into a greater understanding of who God is. Without pursuing him in communication, seeking him to "know" who and what he is, we are left within the confines of our limited knowledge and understanding. It is there that we will stay; stagnant and without growth. Like watching a child with a mental disability grow through the years only to be stuck in mental limitation and understanding. But when we seek spiritual things and overcome all of our teachings, learning's and beliefs, we open ourselves up to something greater that we can imagine. The truth replaces our beliefs and we act from truth instead of lies or ideas that have been given to us by well meaning others. 

It is not in us to "see or imagine" the things of God. It is through his revealing them to us that we can grasp the things that come from his realm of understanding. Even when truth such as this is shared, unless you have had a glimpse of this phenomenon, you won't get it and it will seem strange and weird.

Consider this, through 'obiedeinece" God reveals himself to you. God is love and therefore he reveals more of himself to you and without this revealing, of himself, you cannot anticipate, experience or understand the joy that is spoken of by Jesus. You cannot say within your self that "I am going to have this experience" because he gives it and its not available until then.  When it happens, it is emotional and relational, feels like greater clarity (truth), and beyond what can be imagined. It is not the kind of feelings that you ordinarily experience when you look at a baby that is beautiful, enjoy your own child, receive a best friend that you have not seen in a long time, succeed at something, or share love with family or mate.  No earthly feelings can compare to being in the experience called "the joy of the lord".

Lastly, this is a feeble attempt to communicate what feels to me as a truth with words that can only be a pointer to the truth.  These words cannot accurately convey "absolute truth which is that which is" unchangeable and everlasting. Jesus said, " I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:5. Experience is the best teacher so please choose to enter into it and see for yourself. Without this choice, all that can be done is to stand on the outside of it with opinion of support or opposition; which essentially makes little difference in anyone's life. 

What would you think if you woke up to these thoughts one morning?  I would imagine one word word would come to mind..."WOW"!  Where did that come from... I would love to know your thoughts...



Delta H Brogden III
Professional Life Coach
Certified Personal Trainer
404 803-3957
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 Sometimes we know what we want to say but we are unsure how to say it.  As a rule, if what we say is tempered with compassion, diplomacy, and appreciation for another, it’s hard to send the wrong message.  This is a personal experience that I will share with you. It is a story that was shared with me at a time of difficulty in my job. At its conclusion, I understood what really mattered most. 

My boss was a young, smart, fair, supportive and very likable guy.  We had worked together for a year or so and I knew he appreciated my work ethic and the quality of my work. For reasons unknown to me at that time, he decided to let me know that he understood some of the obstacles that I faced daily in addition to my job duties.  During a meeting he said, “I want to share something with you.  I want you to know that I understand what you have been experiencing on the floor. I have thought about how to approach this and figured it could best be communicated in a story that someone shared with me a while ago.”  He was tactful, deliberate, and as he fell back into his reclining chair, he began to tell me a story that I have shared with many others, to this day. 

“One day neighbors were talking in a garage. They had been friends for a few years and were very comfortable with each other.  Chin was of Asian ancestry. Johnny B. was African American and Carlos was of Latino decent.  All of them were around the same age. They were discussing the interracial dating choices that their children were making.  

My eyes widened I’m sure because he smiled before continuing. “Johnny B. said, “I wish my daughter would date within her race only.  It’s not that I’m prejudiced or anything, I just know that people can be rude, cruel, and foolish.  I really don’t want her to go through that.” He continued, “Life and relationships are tough enough without adding things to it.”  Chin answered and said, “In our culture, we learn early to honor our family. Since we have been in America for several years now, my son wants to live life the way he wants to.  I tell him that there is more at stake here!  We will all be impacted by a decision such as this and it makes me appear that I am not teaching my children to honor our heritage.” Carlos chimed in, “It has been an ongoing battle for me with my twins.  Frankly, I’m sick of having people bring this up with a smirk on their face. They just don’t understand why I say no!”

Just as he was finishing, Jim walked in.  He appeared troubled and distracted but no one really noticed him; they were engrossed in conversation. Finally, Carlos directed a question to Jim.  “Jim… don’t you agree that we need to be concerned for our children and their dating choices?”  Jim, a Caucasian man who was the oldest of the bunch stuttered, “Huh?”  He frowned a little as if to suggest that he was not quite sure he heard what he thought he had heard.  Johnny B jumped in and said, “We are all agreeing that we should put a stop to the dating practices of our kids. It’s risky, dangerous, and it’s not how we were raised. There are enough people on this damn planet to pick from! We think it is just not worth it. What do you think?”

Jim paused and just looked at them for a long time before he spoke.  One of the men noticed Jim appeared to be agitated and upset and said, “Jim is everything alright?” Jim could hardly speak as tears came to his eyes and he said, “My daughter has three broken ribs, a cut on the side of her face and scratches down her arms and legs.  This is my only child and I love her more than anything!  It is all that I can do to keep from killing this punk!  He is the same color as she is!  Why does that matter? What matters most to me is that she is happy!  To have a man that loves her as much as I do is what’s important! Now you tell me, what color guarantees’ that in a MAN!  I suggest you stop thinking about you and think about your children and their happiness. Who cares about culture, customs, religion, and race!  It is what is on the inside that makes all the difference.  Why do you think we are friends? Come on guys…what is really important here!”

You can imagine the look on my face when he finished the story.  He smiled and said, “That is a pretty good story huh?”  I smiled and said, “Sure is… It sure is.”  He finished by saying, “I appreciate your work and your commitment to doing a great job. I’m aware of some of the “agendas” out there.  Just keep up the good work, that’s what we are here for.  Now go get some sleep!”

Sometimes a story, parable, or a poem is the best way to convey an idea, thought or understanding. How we do it is not really what matters most.   What matters most is that we do it when it needs to be done.  You can make all the difference in the world at just the right time if you choose too.   

 Delta
Change is Now!  Why wait until later? 

 
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One day, a stranger saw a man who appeared to be lost or looking for something.  He approaches the man and notices that the man’s hands are oddly placed on each side of his forehead. “Why is he doing this? He looks like a horse with blinders on!” thought the stranger.  He was not sure why but, he felt compassion for the manand was moved to help him.  He didn’t know the man but something about the man reminded the stranger of himself. The stranger thought, “Maybe this is that time you sow good seeds or you do a good deed…or whatever!  Sir, can I help you? The stranger asked.  You seem to be in need of something and I might be able to help.” The man answered and said, “I would appreciate it.  I have walked this path many times.  I seem to have drawn a blank as to which way to go next”.  The stranger said, “Oh, okay…if you would allow me to make a slight adjustment…”  The stranger reached towards the man’s face and gently spread the man’s hands apart. Then the stranger said, “There, how’s that?” Suddenly, the man’s view was quite different!

 The man paused and said, “Oh thank you! That is so much better. I did not seem to have a clear view but now I do.  I just may be able to make my way home now.”  As the man looked around and noticed the possibility of danger nearby he said, “I see you have helped me at just the right time. I appreciate your kindness and compassion.  Thanks for taking the time to help. I was praying for someone to help me just a little, and out of no where you came.” The stranger said, “You are very welcome; it was my pleasure”, and went on his way. 

 The stranger came upon a second man who appeared to be having similar difficulty. He approaches the second man and notices something different. The man was irritated, anxious, and frustrated. Still, the stranger did not hesitate to offer his assistance. He asked the man if he could help.  The man said, “No thanks, I’m okay; I just need to figure things out a bit.”  The stranger could easily see how to help the man but since he did not want his help, he would not. He said, “Okay Sir, have a good day.” The man said, “Yeah thanks!” in a gruff kind of way and continued immersed in his experience.   As the stranger walked away, he noticed that the man seemed to be somewhat annoyed that he had interrupted him to offer help.

 The stranger walked away somewhat puzzled and mumbled, “Everyone has freedom of choice and free will. Some people graciously receive help and others do not. I wonder why?  We all tend to see things from our “point of view” only as if there is no other.  Why do we think of our way as the “only” way and we have to go it alone?”  The stranger looked back at the second man, saw him still standing there immersed in his “figuring things out a bit”.  The stranger thought, “When we reject help and hold on to a particular view, we can often get stuck.  Maybe others can be an answer to prayer if we allow them to help.”  The stranger wondered if he, at times, had refused help and experienced prolonged frustrations unnecessarily. “Maybe I will need help too someday.” he thought.” He continued with his day…

The stranger noticed, and did not like the feelings of rejection that he had just experience.  “If I am going to offer help to others, I need to have a tough skin and not be attached to the outcome.”  He concluded; “It is more important to risk rejection, sow good seeds, and choose to experience feelings of joy, happiness, and generosity when the opportunity presents itself.  I think it feels better to live life in this manner, than to do nothing to help.” 

 With the feelings of rejection finally subsiding, feelings of thankfulness emerged. “It’s interesting to be viewed as an answer to prayer, he thought”. He was not much of a believer in God.  He thought the use of the term “God” was too personalized…it just didn’t seem like it represented the real deal.  He also resented the way religion was sometimes used in the world.  “Was I really used to answer someone’s prayer?”  He didn’t consider himself religious but he did see himself as “spiritual”.  He thought, “I helped one man and felt alive and happy. The second man I could not help and I felt rejected.  He did not anticipate an answer, but to his surprise, thoughts suddenly popped into his head.  “Yes, you could say that. It was more me helping him through you. You see, anytime you demonstrate my character, you are able to do so because I am in you. When you do anything that is in alignment with my character of your own free will, we both experience all the feelings that you felt. That is partly why I created all of you. The more you allow me into your experience of life, the more you will feel all those feelings that you just enjoyed. When you keep me out, you become as the second man. I will not go against your will or freedom of choice. So, I feel rejection just as you do.”The stranger was surprised and thought, “Where in the world did that come from?”  Then another thought came to the stranger, “We have not talked much in the past.  It would be nice getting to know each other.  If you look back at your life and you had to pick between the two men, which man would you say that you have been thus far?”

Delta
Change is Now! Why wait until later?
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