ACQUIRE POWER THROUGH SELF DEVELOPMENT.

Romans 14:11King James Version (KJV)

¹¹ For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

King James Version (KJV)


It is the natural right of every human being to be happy to escape all the miseries of life. Happiness is the normal condition, as natural as the landscapes and the seasons. It is unnatural to suffer and it is only because of our ignorance that we do suffer. Happiness is the product of wisdom. To attain perfect wisdom, to comprehend fully the purpose of life, to realize completely the relationship of human beings to each other, is to put an end to all suffering, to escape every ill and evil that afflicts us. Perfect wisdom is unshadowed joy.

Why do we suffer in life? Because in the scheme of nature we are being forced forward in evolution and we lack the spiritual illumination that alone can light the way and enable us to move safely among the obstacles that lie before us. Usually we do not even see or suspect the presence of trouble until it suddenly leaps upon us like a concealed tiger. One day our family circle is complete and happy. A week later death has come and gone and joy is replaced with agony. Today we have a friend. Tomorrow he will be an enemy and we do not know why. A little while ago we had wealth and all material luxuries. There was a sudden change and now we have only poverty and misery and yet we seek in vain for a reason why this should be. There was a time when we had health and strength; but they have both departed and no trace of a reason appears. Aside from these greater tragedies of life innumerable things of lesser consequence continually bring to us little miseries and minor heartaches. We most earnestly desire to avoid them but we never see them until they strike us, until in the darkness of our ignorance we blunder upon them. The thing we lack is the spiritual illumination that will enable us to look far and wide, finding the hidden causes of human suffering and revealing the method by which they may be avoided; and if we can but reach illumination the evolutionary journey can be made both comfortably and swiftly. It is as though we must pass through a long, dark room filled with furniture promiscuously scattered about. In the darkness our progress would be slow and painful and our bruises many. But if we could press a button that would turn on the electric light we could then make the same journey quickly and with perfect safety and comfort.

The old method of education was to store the mind with as many facts, or supposed facts, as could be accumulated and to give a certain exterior polish to the personality. The theory was that when a man was born he was a completed human being and that all that could be done for him was to load him up with information that would be used with more or less skill, according to the native ability he happened to be born with. The theosophical idea is that the physical man, and all that constitutes his life in the physical world, is but a very partial expression of the self; that in the ego of each there is practically unlimited power and wisdom; that these may be brought through into expression in the physical world as the physical body and its invisible counterparts, which together constitute the complex vehicle of the ego's manifestation, are evolved and adapted to the purpose; and that in exact proportion that conscious effort is given to such self-development will spiritual illumination be achieved and wisdom attained. Thus the light that leads to happiness is kindled from within and the evolutionary journey that all are making may be robbed of its suffering.

Why does death bring misery? Chiefly because it separates us from those we love. The only other reason why death brings grief or fear is  because we do not understand it and comprehend the part it plays in human evolution.  But the moment our ignorance gives way to comprehension such fear vanishes and a serene happiness takes its place.

Why do we have enemies from whose words or acts we suffer? Because in our limited physical consciousness we do not perceive the unity of all life and realize that our wrong thinking and doing must react upon us through other people a situation from which there is no possible escape except through ceasing to think evil and then patiently awaiting the time when the causes we have already generated are fully exhausted. When spiritual illumination comes, and we no longer stumble in the night of ignorance, the last enemy will disappear and we shall make no more forever.

Why do people suffer from poverty and disease? Only because of our blundering ignorance that makes their existence possible for us, and because we do not comprehend their meaning and their lessons, nor know the attitude to assume toward them. Had we but the wisdom to understand why they come to people, why they are necessary factors in their evolution, they would trouble us no longer. When nature's lesson is fully learned these mute teachers will vanish.

And so it is with all forms of suffering we experience. They are at once reactions from our ignorant blunderings and instructors that point out the better way. When we have comprehended the lessons they teach they are no longer necessary and disappear. It is not by the outward  acquirement of facts that men become wise and great. It is by developing the soul from within until it illuminates the brain with that flood of light called genius.

PHYSICAL TONE.

PHYSICAL TONE.

"In the healthy body every cell is polarized in subjection to the Central Will. Perfect health, therefore, is orderly obedience, government and harmony. Every cell is a living entity, whether of vegetable or animal potency, and wherever disease is, there are disunion, error, rebellion and insubordination; and the deeper the seat of the confusion, the more dangerous the malady and the harder to quell it." J. C. Street.

The thought of the above quotation does not mean that the insubordination is necessarily conscious to the diseased individual, but that it surely obtains within the physical arena of his life. Because it is not the outcome of his deliberate choice, the case is not hopeless in the nature of things, but is open to better conditions. The deeper self which has intended no rebellion against the laws of bodily well-being may now distinctly intend harmony, and so lift the body to a higher plane.

And the last sentence in the quotation does not mean that you are to undertake a vast amount of hard work, assuming that you are not in perfect physical condition. You are, rather, just to begin and go on thinking yourself in a real way as in harmony with the Central Will, which is our White Life, and to hold steadfastly in the deeper self the ideas, Affirmation and Realization of Splendid Personal Tone.

Some of the meanings of these powerful words will be unfolded later, In the meantime, as all things are subject to law, let us observe a number of the general conditions to three-fold health, that of body, mind and the inner self, regarding their totality as the atmosphere, so to speak, in which courage most easily and perfectly thrives.

Fear in man is a result of repeated suggestion, to which low health-tone is a natural invitation. Health is the primary tonic against fear. Perfect physical health is mere strength. Perfect mental health is mere brain sanity. Perfect soul-health is the whole of the man at his best. When the body is buoyant, the mind clear and inspired, the soul harmonic with all existence rightly in the universe, then is the impulse of fear easily mastered and the habit of fear finds no encouragement. There are, indeed, courageous invalids who have not come into the secret of right thought so far as health is concerned, and fearing atheltes and scholars who have neglected the secret of courage, and timorous saints who have failed to possess themselves of the confidence of goodness. Nevertheless, the eternal law is evident that the one great enemy of fear is The White Life in Harmonic Mind in Buoyant Body.

A person who affirms and realizes these conditions must, in the nature of things, be possessed of perfect health. In the tone of such health courage is inevitable.

That you may come to this ideal, you are invited to observe the following instructions. Health is a trinity, and we may begin our studies with its natural basis:

The general tone op health.
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The word "tone" means, "sound in relation to volume, quality, duration and pitch," then, "peculiar characteristic sound as of a voice or instrument," then, "characteristic style or tendency, predominating aim or character, tenor, strain, spirit."

Hence, in the sense of health, tone signifies "the state of tension or firmness proper to the tissues of the body; the state in which all the parts and organs have due tension or are well strung; the strength and activity of the organs on which healthy functions depend; that state of the body in which all the normal functions are performed with healthy vigor".

We thus see that health-tone involves the whole personality, physical, mental and moral.

But the truth of the matter hides in a deeper region than that of mere material flesh or organ. Matter is a form of the Universal Ether, so far as science seems to declare, or, at least, matter presupposes the ether in a state of vibration. Your body is a "field" in which etheric vibrations are constantly taking place. All its reality and all its activities involve such vibrations. The brain, regarded as the organ of conscious life, of thought and feeling, and the entire nervous system, involve such vibrations. And as your thought and feeling constitute the foundation of your moral character, the latter also becomes a matter of movements in the ether.

In the case of heat, light, electricity, etc., differing kinds of such vibrations determine the kinds of phenomena. We may say, then, that there is one general kind of ether-movement for matter, and another for thought and feeling, and another for the moral life. Each individual, however, presents variations of these general kinds of vibrations, a particular variation for his body, and for his mental person, and for his right or wrong self-spirit. We individualize the ether, Or, we are individualized as we use the ether.

The tone of a person's health is determined by the state of the etheric movements characteristic to himself.

If the vibrations underlying the body life are full and harmonious according to their individual character for a person, his organs are all sound and active. He possesses physical tone. If there is a similar fullness and harmony within his mental life, he must exhibit health of mind. If a corresponding condition obtains in the moral personality, the highest health of the deeper self prevails.

PREPARING FOR OLD AGE.

PREPARING FOR OLD AGE.

Socrates was once asked by a pupil, this question: "What kind of people shall we be when we reach Elysium?"

And the answer was this: "We shall be the same kind of people that we were here."

If there is a life after this, we are preparing for it now, just as I am today preparing for my life tomorrow.

What kind of a man shall I be tomorrow? Oh, about the same kind of a man that I am now. The kind of a man that I shall be next month depends upon the kind of a man that I have been this month.

If I am miserable today, it is not within the round of probabilities that I shall be supremely happy tomorrow. Heaven is a habit. And if we are going to Heaven we would better be getting used to it.

Life is a preparation for the future; and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none.

We are preparing all the time for old age. The two things that make old age beautiful are resignation and a just consideration for the rights of others.

In the play of Ivan the Terrible, the interest centers around one man, the Czar Ivan. If anybody but Richard Mansfield played the part, there would be nothing in it. We simply get a glimpse into the life of a tyrant who has run the full gamut of goosedom, grumpiness, selfishness and grouch. Incidentally this man had the power to put other men to death, and this he does and has done as his whim and temper might dictate. He has been vindictive, cruel, quarrelsome, tyrannical and terrible. Now that he feels the approach of death, he would make his peace with God. But he has delayed that matter too long. He didn't realize in youth and middle life that he was then preparing for old age.

Man is the result of cause and effect, and the causes are to a degree in our hands. Life is a fluid, and well has it been called the stream of life we are going, flowing somewhere. Strip Ivan of his robes and crown, and he might be an old farmer and live in Ebenezer. Every town and village has its Ivan. To be an Ivan, just turn your temper loose and practise cruelty on any person or thing within your reach, and the result will be a sure preparation for a querulous, quarrelsome, pickety, snipity, fussy and foolish old age, accented with many outbursts of wrath that are terrible in their futility and ineffectiveness.

Babyhood has no monopoly on the tantrum. The characters of King Lear and Ivan the Terrible have much in common. One might almost believe that the writer of Ivan had felt the incompleteness of Lear, and had seen the absurdity of making a melodramatic bid for sympathy in behalf of this old man thrust out by his daughters.

Lear, the troublesome, Lear to whose limber tongue there was constantly leaping words unprintable and names of tar, deserves no soft pity at our hands. All his life he had been training his three daughters for exactly the treatment he was to receive. All his life Lear had been lubricating the chute that was to give him a quick ride out into that black midnight storm.

"Oh, how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child," he cries.

There is something quite as bad as a thankless child, and that is a thankless parent an irate, irascible parent who possesses an underground vocabulary and a disposition to use it.

The false note in Lear lies in giving to him a daughter like Cordelia. Tolstoy and Mansfield ring true, and Ivan the Terrible is what he is without apology, excuse or explanation. Take it or leave it if you do not like plays of this kind, go to see Vaudeville.

Mansfield's Ivan is terrible. The Czar is not old in years not over seventy but you can see that Death is sniffing close upon his track. Ivan has lost the power of repose. He cannot listen, weigh and decide he has no thought or consideration for any man or thing this is his habit of life. His bony hands are never still the fingers open and shut, and pick at things eternally. He fumbles the cross on his breast, adjusts his jewels, scratches his cosmos, plays the devil's tattoo, gets up nervously and looks behind the throne, holds his breath to listen. When people address him, he damns them savagely if they kneel, and if they stand upright he accuses them of lack of respect. He asks that he be relieved from the cares of state, and then trembles for fear his people will take him at his word. When asked to remain ruler of Russia he proceeds to curse his councilors and accuses them of loading him with burdens that they themselves would not endeavor to bear.

He is a victim of amor senilis, and right here if Mansfield took one step more his realism would be appalling, but he stops in time and suggests what he dares not express. This tottering, doddering, slobbering, sniffling old man is in love he is about to wed a young, beautiful girl. He selects jewels for her he makes remarks about what would become her beauty, jeers and laughs in cracked falsetto. In the animality of youth there is something pleasing it is natural but the vices of an old man, when they have become only mental, are most revolting.

The people about Ivan are in mortal terror of him, for he is still the absolute monarch he has the power to promote or disgrace, to take their lives or let them go free. They laugh when he laughs, cry when he does, and watch his fleeting moods with thumping hearts.

He is intensely religious and affects the robe and cowl of a priest. Around his neck hangs the crucifix. His fear is that he will die with no opportunity of confession and absolution. He prays to High Heaven every moment, kisses the cross, and his toothless old mouth interjects prayers to God and curses on man in the same breath.

If any one is talking to him he looks the other way, slips down until his shoulders occupy the throne, scratches his leg, and keeps up a running comment of insult "Aye," "Oh," "Of course," "Certainly," "Ugh," "Listen to him now!" There is a comedy side to all this which relieves the tragedy and keeps the play from becoming disgusting.

Glimpses of Ivan's past are given in his jerky confessions he is the most miserable and unhappy of men, and you behold that he is reaping as he has sown.

All his life he has been preparing for this. Each day has been a preparation for the next. Ivan dies in a fit of wrath, hurling curses on his family and court dies in a fit of wrath into which he has been purposely taunted by a man who knows that the outburst is certain to kill the weakened monarch.

Where does Ivan the Terrible go when Death closes his eyes?

I know not. But this I believe: No confessional can absolve him no priest benefit him no God forgive him. He has damned himself, and he began the work in youth. He was getting ready all his life for this old age, and this old age was getting ready for the fifth act.

The playwright does not say so, Mansfield does not say so, but this is the lesson: Hate is a poison wrath is a toxin sensuality leads to death clutching selfishness is a lighting of the fires of hell. It is all a preparation cause and effect.

If you are ever absolved, you must absolve yourself, for no one else can. And the sooner you begin, the better.

We often hear of the beauties of old age, but the only old age that is beautiful is the one the man has long been preparing for by living a beautiful life. Every one of us are right now preparing for old age.

There may be a substitute somewhere in the world for Good Nature, but I do not know where it can be found.

The secret of salvation is this: Keep Sweet.

Planning your Financial Retirement

                                                                            

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While there was once a standard age for retirement in this country and people could count on their company pension plans or retirement funds to get them through their twilight years we are finding that people are often living longer than their funds intended and that their quality of life in these years is much better than in decades past. In fact, we are seeing a growing number of retirees that are dedicated to health and good, clean, fun living. This is something almost unprecedented throughout history and yet our retirees are younger in many ways than ever before.

This is where the problem kicks in for most. If you haven't heard, social security, which was meant to secure our golden years is in serious financial trouble. Part of the reason for this is because people are living longer than was intended when this program was invented. For this reason, we are seeing more and more young people taking their financial retirement planning into their own hands-particularly as we are witnessing more and more retirees coming out of retirement in order to put food on their tables because their retirement funds aren't enough to make ends meet.

It's really sad to see those that must return to work in those years where they should be watching their grandchildren playing rather than going into work day after day. If you don't want this to be you then action needs to be taken. You cannot depend on social security for your retirement and chances are that social services will be a long forgotten thing of the past by the time we reach retirement age. There are several things you can do that will help you when it comes to setting aside and investing money for your retirement.

The earlier in life you begin socking away money for your retirement the better. This of course does not mean that there is no hope if you wait until later in life only that you will need to make more substantial investments and save more aggressively if you choose to wait until a later date.

One thing you should carefully consider when planning for your retirement and setting aside funds for that end is how much money you feel you will need in order to have the quality of life you hope to have upon retirement. Many people are working longer than in the past in order prolong their investment period. It helps if you set specific goals so that you have a number to work towards. You should discuss your plans and goals with a financial advisor from the very beginning in order to get the most accurate advice that is customized for your individual needs.

Just as there are very few things in life that are one size fits all, the same holds true when it comes to planning for your financial retirement. We all have goals for our golden years. Some of these goals include jet setting around the world while others of us seek little more than a modest existence, a garden to call our own, and a steady supply of good books to on our nightstands. There are all kinds of retirement plans and they will each require their own unique and individual means of funding.

One important thing you need to keep in mind is that while saving is great, investing is often the wiser option for increasing your funds and netting larger earnings upon which to retire. There is risk involved in investing and you need to be aware of those risks before choosing to do so, however, there are many times where the rewards far outweigh the risks that are associated with investing.

You should always discuss your retirement plans and goals with a qualified financial planner. He or she can offer advice and guidance that could make a huge impact on the scope of your retirement and your lifestyle upon retiring. Choose your planner with as much care as you choose the plan for your financial retirement and you should be in good hands.
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SALUTATIONS-WHY IMPORTANT.

Just Say Hello

The salutation, says a French writer, is the touchstone of good breeding. According to circumstances, it should be respectful, cordial, civil, affectionate or familiar: an inclination of the head, a gesture with the hand, the touching or doffing of the hat.

If you remove your hat you need not at the same time bend the dorsal vertebr' of your body, unless you wish to be very reverential, as in saluting a bishop.

If an individual of the lowest rank, or without any rank at all, takes off his hat to you, you should do the same in return. A bow, says La Fontaine, is a note drawn at sight. If you acknowledge it, you must pay the full amount. The two best-bred men in England, Charles the Second and George the Fourth, never failed to take off their hats to the meanest of their subjects.

If you have anything to say to any one in the street however  intimate you may be, do not stop the person, but turn round and walk in company; you can take leave at the end of the street.

If there is any one of your acquaintance, with whom you have a difference, do not avoid looking at him, unless from the nature of things the quarrel is necessarily for life. It is almost always better to bow with cold civility, though without speaking.

Good sense and convenience are the foundations of good breeding; and it is assuredly vastly more reasonable and more agreeable to enjoy a passing gratification, when no sequent evil is to be apprehended, than to be rendered uncomfortable by an ill-founded pride. It is therefore better to carry on an easy and civil conversation. A snuff-box, or some polite accommodation rendered, may serve for an opening. Talk only about generalities, the play, the roads, the weather. Avoid speaking of persons or politics, for, if the individual is of the opposite party to yourself, you will be engaged in a controversy: if he holds the same opinions, you will be overwhelmed with a flood of vulgar intelligence, which may soil your mind. Be reservedly civil while the colloquy lasts, and let the acquaintance cease with the occasion.

The worm

BEWARE THE WORM IN THE APPLE

In this day and time wee see and experience many harsh realities of life and we will deal with people who may truly not be very supportive of us. So it becomes vital that you show that you are a mature, responsible person by performing acts of responsibility with integrity and purpose. Making excuses or passing the buck on to others does not give the impression that you are accountable and can be trusted. Being supportive does. It show's you care enough to get involved and to take some positive action that will make a difference.

Just because you may feel that others are not polite or courteous does not mean you should not be respectful to others; rather than becoming rude and antagonistic you should strive for mutual respect for one another. You may not need to give in to accomplice this. One should strive to separate personalities from the problem and focus on what is in the best interest for each and not the “status” of the individuals involved. Try to attack the problem not the other person, this can be very difficult because of our natural instinct is to defend when we feel threatened, but using an objective standard can be much more fulfilling.

For others to be worthy of your trust you must feel their motives are pure, not selfish, devious or partisan. When put to the test will they respond reasonable? Viewing other as trustworthy means you are willing to take risk and be vulnerable. This is a vital dimension of productive social interaction. The three characteristics of the other person should. Ability, benevolence and integrity. These are are a major portion of trustworthiness.

Ability is a group of skill and experiences that show competencies to perform a task. Benevolence is wanting good things for the partnership and all that is involved and integrity is the observation that the other person adheres to a set of principles that are acceptable and honored to best seek justice.

When you are just you believe in treating others fairly and you strive to be impartial and to restrain personal biases. To show due appreciation and advocate appropriate consequences. Justice is based on appropriate measure and responses with actions. These are subjective ideas and you will always hear persons saying “life isn't fair”. But when people see you performing justice and act accordingly you will build a base of positive influence and others will trust you.

What do you think?

ECONOMY

So now I find myself seeking this “knowledge” that I am hoping to find that will give me some understanding that I hope will elevate to the level I am aspiring to not only for myself but for my loved one and those who depend on me. So I start reading and studying, researching book like “Think and grow rich Napoleon hill”. This was a excellent book, it not only dealt with making money but the very nature of the philosophy of making money and relationship a very good book to read. Next I dove into these books, Start late and finish rich, the magic of thinking Big, Rich dad poor Dad, The automatic millionaire, positioning, the Tipping point and some others and I must some of the tactic that they teach are very useful, like the idea of paying yourself first, Taking a percentage say ten percent of what you make (it can be what you are comfortable with) and setting that aside for personal or investment needs or like using the saving plans offered by your employer to put away a set amount without noticing it and having your employer match what you put into a retirement account.

It did seem interesting to me that the concept of compounding explained in “The slight edge” ran straight through many of the concepts I studied in these books, but I still didn't really understand how economics, the power of economics actually worked. How did it control our daily live and the thing we used without a second thought. Who was in charge and how did they come to the decisions that controlled many aspect's of modern life.

So I decided to take a more simple approach and look for a book that would give the very basic ideal of modern economics and I came across “Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell”. This is a common sense guide to the economy, at least that what it said. As I started to read and study these 684 pages of wisdom I began to get a clearer picture of how thing actually work and how the “market” set's prices if it is not being manipulated by politicians. I began to understand that economics is more than just a way to see patterns or unravel puzzling anomalies, it is a fundamental concern with the material standard of living of society as a whole and how it is affected by particular decisions made by individuals and institutions. Economics is the study of the use of scarce resources which have alternative uses.

Armed with the new weapon of knowledge and understanding I pointed my attention to current events and understanding intentions and motivations of the powers that be, and it seemed like a light came on, I could almost see through a fog and the more I evaluated things the brighter the light got until it got so bright it blew out. I understood why certain policy's were discarded before they were even given a chance to work, why particular product were priced the way they were and why some were not allowed to make it to market and to be honest it made me depressed. So I got the answer I wanted but I didn't feel better even though I picked up a few tool's that would help me and my family along our financial journey (I hope), I still felt like something was wrong, like something was missing a piece to a puzzle that was missing after all more intellectual people than me have been studying this subject for century trying to get a handle on it, who was I to think I could do any better?

My name is Jerry, and when I find myself stuck I turn to the one source that has carried me through life this far the worlds best seller the Bible.

It seemed fitting to look in the book of ECCLESIATES for the answers I was looking for since I was viewing this this newly acquired knowledge sceptically and a grain of salt. First a little history about the book of ECCLESIATES: These are the collected words of a “teacher” or “preacher”, he is described as having been King over Israel in Jerusalem, And was the son of David. All of this means he was in the royal line of Judah, he is not further identified. In the book the word “vanity” or “meaningless” is a repeated phrase that warns us that life's rewards are uncertain and ultimately unsatisfying. The teacher shifts his speech between poetry and straight forward language. The book makes observation and poses questions, returning to themes like 'the wind round and round it goes and ever returning to it's course, or “vanity of vanity, all is vanity and chasing the wind”.

Then I came across this passage here which put much of what I had absorbed into perspective, at least for me it did, this is what I read.

ECCLESIATES 9:11-12, I have seen something else under the sun: - The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all (12) Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

To me this put everything in perspective that know matter what we do or accomplish if it is not aimed for a greater purpose or to the honor of the God it is all useless. As the writer put it,” God is sovereign over all things and it is our duty to follow his ways for living, since God will bring every deed into judgment.

The Good News.

Secrets:


mankind is for ever seeking it's origin, what was he created for, why is he here now on this planet, to what end is his existence? I will first delve into these question with what ever I have at my disposal, to me sometime the most simple answers are right in front of you  in plane sight. first let us explore what the Bible Say's about heaven. Genesis chapter 1:1-10 gives an account of God creating the heavens and earth. The Hebrew word for “heavens” is shamayim, it is in a plural form, meaning “heights,” “elevations.” It is found in the first verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1; 2:1). The Bible teaches in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, he did not make another heaven after this time. The phrase “heavens and earth” are used to indicate the whole universe (Genesis 1:1; Jeremiah 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish tradition from the Bible there were three heavens. All are attributed to God as the creator. Psalm 102:25 “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.”There are several other words used in the Hebrew, the word marom is also used (Psalms 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to shamayim. Hebrew galgal, literally a “wheel,” is rendered “heaven” in Psalms 77:18 (RSV, “whirlwind”). Hebrew shahak, is translated “sky” (Deuteronomy 33:26; Job 37:18; Psalms 18:11), plural “clouds” (Job 35:5; 36:28; Psalms 68:34, “heavens”), referring to the firmament. The Bible speaks of three heavens not 7 and these are not dimensions). The first being our immediate atmosphere, the second is outer space as far as it stretches, and the third is the place where God himself dwells. What Jesus called the “Father's house.”First heaven - The firmament, Earths Atmosphere -which is the immediate sky, where the “fowls of the heaven” (Genesis 2:19; 7:3,23; Psalms 8:8, etc.), “the eagles of heaven” (Lamentations 4:19), it is our atmosphere that surrounds the earth. Gen 1:14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of
the heavens to divide the day from the night.” The first heaven consists of the clouds and the atmosphere, the heavens above us, until we come to the stars. Psalms 78: 23-23 “Yet He had commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven.”The expression doors of heaven or windows of heaven involved the firmament, our atmosphere. Descriptions used of this heaven is from where God would provide food or rain. Genesis 7:11-12: “the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.” Genesis 8:2: “The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained” Malachi 3:10 Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” In reference to an abundant harvest of crops.“(Deuteronomy 11:17 “Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce....” Deuteronomy 28:12: “The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.”Second Heaven - Outer Space, the starry heavens (Deuteronomy 17:3; Jeremiah 8:2; Matthew 24:29).The second heaven is the starry heavens, where our atmosphere ends. It is the heavens in which the sun, moon, and stars are fixed in orbit. The stars are seemingly endless and the distance between all of them is staggering no wonder the Bible states Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” In ancient times people were in awe of the starry expanse, today we know how immense this really is. The firmament, or expanse, raqiya` “In which the sun, moon, stars, and constellations are fixed.” Genesis 1:17: And God placed them in the Firmament of heaven. Isaiah 40:22: He stretcheth out the heavens as a CURTAIN, and spreadeth them out as a tent to
dwell in.”(Psalm 19:4,6) - “In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun... It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other;...” (Jeremiah 8:2) - They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens which they have loved and served....”Third Heaven - This is where God and the holy angels (and creatures) and spirits of just men dwell. It is called “The heaven of heavens,” (Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalms 115:16; 148:4). (1Kings 8:27) - “The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you.” (Psalm 2:4) The One enthroned in heaven laughs; The LORD scoffs at them.”The third heaven is beyond the space and stars. Where no man has seen by telescope. This heaven is the dwelling-place of God, to which Paul was taken, and whose wonders he was permitted to behold-this region where God dwells. It is specifically named “the third heaven” by Paul in 2 Cor.12:2. Paul mentions being caught up to paradise in 2 Corinthians 12:4 the word “paradise” describes a different facet of “the third heaven.”“2 Corinthians 12:4 The word “paradise” paradeisos (NT:3808) occurs but three times in the New Testament; Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7. It occurs often in the Septuagint, as the translation of the word garden; Genesis 2:8-10,15-16; 3:1-3,8,16,23-24; 13:10; Numbers 24:6; Isaiah 51:3; Ezekiel 28:13; 31:8-9; Joel 2:3. And also Isaiah 1:30; Jeremiah 29:5; and of the word pardeec (OT:6508) in Nehemiah 2:8; Ecclesiastes 2:5; Song of Solomon 2:13” (from Barnes' Notes).Heb 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, (Jesus ascended to the place he was before he became man) Heb. 7:26 “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” meaning he is more important than the dwelling place of God and angels. Heb 8:1 As our high Priest, he “is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.”The word “heavens” is also used for visions or a spiritual event. Stephen said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at
the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:56) Mark 1:10 When Jesus was baptized “He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.”The term heaven is used in a metaphor Isaiah 14:13,14; “doors of heaven” (Psalms 78:23); heaven “shut” (1 Kings 8:35); “opened” (Ezekiel 1:1). (The “kingdom of heaven” (Mt.25:1; Jms 2:5). The “eternal kingdom” (2 Pt.1:11).The “eternal inheritance” (1 Pt.1:4; Hebrews 9:15). The “better country” (Hebrews 11:14, 16).Heaven is the abode of the righteous who are in possession of “everlasting life,” “an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17), where they are delivered from all sufferings for ever, a deliverance from all evils (2 Corinthians 5:1,2). Christ calls it his “Father's house” (John 14:2), also “paradise” (Luke 23:43).2 Cor. 12:4; Revelation 2:7). It is the location of “The heavenly Jerusalem” before it comes to earth (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12).Heaven is the inheritance of all believers where there is “fulness of joy,” everlasting blessedness. The “place, of our inheritance where Jesus went ahead to “prepare” for us (John 14:2) that we may be with him, where he is.

Changes Thru Faith (application)

                                                    

Make The Change By using Faith

Faith. This one particular principle is the most important principle of them all for the simple reason that if you cannot believe that you will accomplish a expected result without seeing any immediate gratification or reward for the efforts you are putting forth you will never complete any task you will simply get frustrated and give up. Let us examine what faith is.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The whole chapter goes on to give example and explain what faith is so I will give you an example. Imagine you are in a car or a plane traveling from point A to point B, you no where you want to go you no what type of vehicle that will transport you there but you are not sure how it works completely or what route to take but you no that car, train or plane will get you there. Faith will help you visualize and believe in the attainment of your desire. You will need to develop a capacity for faith because it will give you the power to transform the ordinary energy's of thought into the tangible and give you the ability to take action on your hope and beliefs. This applied faith will give you hope of achievement.

What is “applied faith”? It is defined as the mental attitude where you clear your mind of all fears and doubts and direct it to the attainment of whatever you desire in life, to take possession of your own mind. In developing this applied faith it is necessary to be believe that you have it and be grateful for it, next keep an open mind and be ready for “hunches” and inspiration when it presents itself. You must know and understand yourself to believe in yourself then you can forgive yourself for past mistakes to heal and move forward in life and living. Always be willing to try new things for this is how you will determine what is right for you and to take action in the face of fear to make your dreams and goals become reality. Remember that persistence is the necessary effort to induce faith.

I have to take a step backward so you will understand that you must have “hope” to activate the faith. You see hope is like the ignition source like a match or a spark plug and faith force of your desire which you make your desire's known so it all start with desire. But desire without hope means weak faith which equal's poor result, so here are some tipping points on hope:

Change your attitude by changing your physical action.

Example: change sleep patterns, read books, exercise, get a hobby, change your diet.

Physical motions can change emotions, this is most likely because the brain releases certain chemicals called ENDORPHINS; we know them as the natural pain killers but there are several type and they have an added benefit such as; While many people are vaguely aware that the blissful feelings one experiences after sex may be endorphin related, few are aware that endorphins are naturally produced by a wide range of activities like meditation, deep breathing, ribald laughter, eating spicy food, or receiving acupuncture treatments or chiropractic adjustments. Fewer still know that endorphins are actually good for health.

How you think determines how you act so you will need to build in yourself an optimistic progressive glow, a feeling that “yeah, this is great and I am all for it” and you will become 100% enthusiastic. Also note how you act in turn will determine how others react to you, you are what you think you are. Smile big; speak up especially in meetings, walk faster and more confident, practice making eye contact when talking to others. Believe you can do it, when you believe your mind finds ways to get it done; your mind will create a way if you let it.

CHANGE (principals)

Everyone seems to be looking for the “quick fix”, but we must operate from our belief systems and from deep values that assure us that in the long run the principals we use are absolutely the best policy.

Here are some principals to work on to help you figure out where you want to go and what you want to achieve and how to develop a method to get there;

1.Clearly Define you goals;

2.Develop an unshakable desire to achieve those goals;

3.Take action in the face of fear to make your goals become reality;

4.Know yourself, believe in yourself, forgive yourself for past mistakes heal and move forward;

5.When negative things and thoughts happen use logic and patient to counteract it;

 

6.Save as much as possible even in small portions and amounts;

7.Use common sense, keep it short and simple, talk less and do more;

8.Try new things;

9.Develop a pleasing personality;

10.Master all the details;

11.be persistent no matter how slowly you may have to move at first;

12;Do not be scared to fail, but remember failure is not a option;

make the change self assessment

                                                  

SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL

You will need some materials to work with so gather a few good writing pens, a notebook a ruler and some correction fluid for mistakes, everybody makes them or maybe use your computer. The most important thing is for you to be objective and honest about the question you ask and the way you answer them, if you don't be completely honest you will only be lying to yourself and you may not get the desired results you seek.

What do you you want ?; you may think this is a given but so meany people run into problem because they do not have a clear decisive idea of what they really want to acquire or accomplish so your first and foremost purpose is to decide what do you want. It is always good to have some flexibility in the way you do things but there must be concrete goal and or end game you want to attain, other wise you will end up like a fish out of water.

What are you looking for?; ask yourself what “am I looking for in... “, this can be very complicated, start by asking what am I looking to do with my life, who am I trying to please, am I trying to gain acceptance, respect, adulation from family, friends or coworker or am I doing this for myself? Am I looking for independence, or am I just following a trend?

Next, determine which type of personality do you posses. A type “a” person may exhibit such as competitive, outgoing, ambitious, impatient, or aggressive; while a type”B” personality will be more relaxed. This doesn't mean that one is better than the other but if you are aware you maybe able to adjust you thinking to overcome obstacles that will arise, and they will arise for that is the nature of all things.

This is very important, you will need to determine how much time you are willing to implement to your endeavor. Since time is the one asset that nobody has in abundance do not take this lightly. You need to establish tangible time frames for things to get done, and as you see yourself meeting these deadline your confidence will grow.

The next step is to get out your pen and paper and make to columns, at the top of the one on the left you may call it “my strengths” at the top of the one on the right label it “my weakness's”, this tool is to be known as the pros & cons of your character. The object of this exercise is for you to visibly recognize and acknowledge your strengths and weakness's so you can accentuate the positive and correct the negative by using corrective measures.

Being objective and taking this type of inventory of your character and ability's will also help you to figure out what you are willing to give up to achieve you goal because there are no free ride and free lunch's, you will have to give up something and make sacrifices if you are to move forward, this is inevitable. But armed with this knowledge you will have a good starting point of what you will need to give up. Another consideration is what do you stand to gain from success? There is nothing worse than to acquire success and then have that prosperity turn into a curse and devour you, to have it consume your very essence and then you find all you live for is the “thing” not the joy and freedom that it's acquisition should bring you so decide what do you want from success.

What if I fail? Should I have a backup plan? Ok so you may fail, but just like anything else in life you get up dust yourself off and get right back in there, it is natural to fail this is why your doing all this planning and homework now to minimize your failure but you will fail but the key is to learn from you failures and make adjustments. Almost all successful people fail time and time again but they

keep trying until they get it right. Yes, you should always have a plan “B”, I love this old saying , “Victory loves preparation”. So make plan's and prepare for anything you can imagine, can't hurt.

The purpose of this is to figure out what else you can learn and how can I grow from this knowledge. Always relish the opportunities to expand your thinking, strive to make a difference so you may have an effect on someone else as well as change your own circumstances so that life will have intrinsic meaning beyond the time you spend here

My last point I would like to make is how determined are you to do what it takes for you to achieve your objective? make a decision and stick by this decision no matter what happens, nobody like a wishy washy person so take a deep breath, take aim and fire. Good luck.

Make Tthe Change "Know yourself"

     

                                                                                         

Who are you? No the question is not about where you were born or who your parents or grandparents are, or where you were brought up or what school you went to the question is much deeper than that. I heard this saying once and it goes like this “ It's not who I am underneath It's what I do that defines me”. Put simple it is not where i was born or what family I belong to it is what I do that give my life purpose me.

 

My life, the choices I make that will determine what kind of person I become. Agreed our environment

plays a big part of our destiny but after a certain time in life you are handed the rein’s of your life and

you make the choice that will guide you on your path. A path that will leads you up the road to success

or down the road to destruction. In order to obtain any personal growth a person should practice being totally honest with there self because only in this way will you achieve true results that will bring a relevant change. Many people lie to themselves then they wonder why nothing changes, why they cant lose weight or why they cant finish a task, the problem is that their foundation is unstable and they are doomed to fail before they even start. So honesty is the best policy and a self assessment the best place to start. My point is, we all have philosophy's that we use in our day to day choice's, which we use to determine action's which cause's result. So in using the self-assessment tool the goal is to improve redefine or adjust your philosophy that will bring the desired result. Also a good thing to remember is that many time's you cant change the circumstance of a given situation or problem, but you can control yourself and the way you react or act to a problem and this starts with your mental state, you philosophy's your morals and ethics. These tool are not set in stone but just a few that can be used to point a person to the path of self accomplishment. Also you must realize that knowing which path to take is much different than actually walking it. Knowledge only has power when the instruction is put to some useful purpose to perform a needed task.

 

Therefor you must recognize that what matters is not what you should have done but what you do now that makes the difference and the best was to make effective change is to identify the problems or short comings, this will take some tools. When my uncle was teaching me how to do some minor repairs to my car when I was younger he would always tell me the right tool for the right job, so I think the right tool for us to begin our character tune-up should be the “Self Assessment tool “ . There are all kinds of self assessment tool out there but the one I am going to give you is for the sole purpose of the the individual to decided where they are in life, where they want to be in life and help you figure ways to get there. It is up to you and no one else. Remember this you can't always change the situation's you will face or peoples attitudes or even human nature but you can control the way you react to it thereby having a hand on the wheel of your destiny.

EPIPHANY

“He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.” Lao Tzu

MY EPIPHANY

According to the Buddhist, there is a thing called "The beginners mind", in this concept you should assume nothing and with humility and inquiry look for the most meaning and importance in the smallest thing. When I was around eight years old and I had made myself a slingshot and i wanted to test it out, but i didn't want to break anything and have my mother kill me so I got up early in the morning and went to the park a couple of blocks from my house. Everybody was still asleep that's how early it was plus it was the weekend and the sun was just coming up, the dew was still on the ground, now that I think about it, it was a perfect Indian summer morning, anyway I am ready to test my new home made device so I find a pretty good size bottle and set it on top of a tunnel thing that kids play in, this is a park in a major inner city so there is some litter around, definitely not Mayburry RFD. So I set it up and moved away about ten to twelve feet,Then I find a smooth oval shaped rock just shy of the size of a penny, then for some reason I said to myself , "The smallest stone can shatter the biggest bottle", I take aim and fire and hit it dead center. I swear at the time at it seemed to be happening in slow motion, the bottle exploded into million pieces, I couldn't believe it. That was a moment of enlightenment that I will never forget. A detail of how the smallest of things can change the greater of things with the right circumstances.

Have you ever see a newborn baby jump out of the mothers arms and start doing lap around the neighborhood? I don't think you have if so get pictures and call Ripley, anyway just as a baby must become secure and confident like crawling then standing and falling then one step and fall get up another step and fall, they hold on to furniture and take steps then finally they find their balance and faith and start to walk and run. This same concept run true in most of my research. Very, very few can jump in with both feet into any situation with help and training and succeed. That why I want to share with you some of the principals I have studied and still work with because they have at some point or another help me, but every one is different you know, but we are similar to a degree right? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Make The Change...

CAN WE TALK?

Recently I had done some research on personal development, I felt that I wasn't getting any younger so it was time to make myself “a better person”, I did some serious research which I will be sharing with you again, but I think I put it out there not in the proper order, I thought no one was really reading my blog but after I reclaimed my work and took it off the air I guess I was wrong, it would have been nice if someone would have dropped me a note or something I would have done that a different way.

Irregardless what I am going to do is go over my material and sources and republish it, I doubt if my talent has progressed to the point of a E-book which I could market so if you want to help make a donation or make a comment or something either way that would be helpful for me to keep working on this. I started this because I had some issues and I knew the only person who could solve them was me. The Bible say's take the beam out of your own eye before you condemn someone else and that was my mane objective.

In my writings you will notice I reference to the Bible, I think this is the greatest book ever written in the history of mankind, but that is just my opinion, but you have to admit there is some serious knowledge there for us to use, anyway that will not be my only source of reference, and I will do my very best to give each author all the “props” that is do them, like I said I am just trying to be the best I can and hope that I can bring you along for the ride. I will do my best to keep it as simple as I can after all I don't have a PHD, or a masters in Psychology but what I do have is some formal training from the school of hard knocks and I just want to be the best I can be for myself, for my family and for my country, which by the way needs some serious help and you know where it starts ? You and me.

I don't do gimmick so don't look for any from me what I do is put the theory to test and tell you what I have learned or not you can take it from their because if there is one thing I have learned in life is that there is no one size fit's all approach , something may work for one person while doing nothing to help another while somebody else get on nominal results, this is why before you try anything you have to understand the person on the other side of that mirror or you may find yourself being just like this dog I saw once running around in a circle chasing his tail until he feel over and went to sleep.

Well I guess that is enough for now, I be back soon with the first installment of MAKE THE CHANGE”. SEE YA. Jerry...