Perception

One of the verses in the first chapter of Your Best Life Now is Isaiah 43:19. I've always liked that verse. God says, "Behold, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it?" I think perception is the key to living a good life. I find "Enlarging Your Vision" to be an empowering chapter. I read a while back in Jampolsky's Love is Letting Go of Fear that we have a choice in determining what we perceive and even what feelings we are going to experience. I was so awestruck by that! For the first time, I realized I had a choice about whether I could be happy and peaceful. I had always thought I didn't have a choice. He went on to say, "Perception is a mirror, not a fact. As I think, so I see, because angry thoughts project an angry world and peaceful thoughts extend peace to the world. I will remember that what I perceive and experience are the result of projecting thoughts in my mind outward. The lens of my own past experiences filters all that I see, and this appears outside me. What I perceive out in the world is actually my thoughts made into images, projected outward as if looking into a mirror. As I recognize the reality in this, I can then look back inside myself and see where I am holding on to unforgiving, attacking thoughts about myself and others. As I choose to change my thoughts, my perception of the world also changes." Wow! That's powerful stuff, isn't it?
Love and Light,
Patty

Enlarging your Vision!

Joel Osteen's website

If anybody would like to go out to Joel Osteen's website the link is above. He takes a lot of heat for his positive message but makes a lot of sense! The old way of thinking that we must feel bad about ourselves and endure much suffering so we can truly know Christ is one that is hard to understand and accept for many people which may be why so many people are flocking (and sending him money!) to hear his positive, renewed spirit that he backs up with scripture at every step.

Psalms 139:14

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Matthew 9:17

I really like the verse Matthew 9:17 and what Joel Osteen reflects on its meaning. If you pour new wine (your passion, faith and enthusiasms) into old wineskins (your "old" expectations) they will burst and fail. For this to work (and for your life to unfold the successes that God wanted for us) we have to get some new wineskins (new expectations without limitations). It is kind of like the old adage, "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you always have got!" Think Big, have faith and do your best and blessings will be forthcoming. In doing some online research on this verse another verse came through on a cross reference and I thought I would share it - Psalms 40:5 - Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.