WORSHIP I get on a spiritual plateau every once in a while, where I seem to have learned all I can learn and risen as high as I can go. My capacity is filled for the time being, and I dont make any progress; I beat the air. Then God does something for me and I reach a new level. I think I have reached a new level recently and Id like to share it with you. I have been thinking recently about how important my thoughts are. I dont have to do wrong to get under blistering conviction and repent. I can lose the fellowship of God and a sense of His presence and a sense of spirituality by just thinking wrong. God has been saying to me, I dwell in your thoughts. Make your thoughts a sanctuary in which I can dwell. See to it. You cant do anything with your heart—that is too deep—but you can control your thoughts. So Ive been trying to make my thoughts right. When I think of people who dislike me or whom I dislike, I have tried to think cheerfully and charitably about them, in order that God could dwell in my thoughts. God wont dwell in spiteful thoughts, polluted thoughts, lustful thoughts, covetous thoughts or prideful thoughts. He will only dwell in meek, pure, charitable, clean and loving thoughts. He will dwell in positive thoughts—even aggressive, fighting thoughts, if need be—but they must be pure thoughts, thoughts that are like Gods. God will dwell in them as a sanctuary. Your theology is your foundation. The superstructure is your spiritual experience built on that foundation. But the high bell towers where the carillons are—those are your thoughts. And if you keep those thoughts pure the chimes can be heard ringing out Holy, Holy, Holy on the morning air. Make your thoughts a sanctuary God can inhabit, and dont let any of the rest of your life dishonor God. See to it that not a foot of ground is unholy. See to it that every hour and every place is given over to God, and you will worship Him and He will accept it. And the most beautiful thing is that He will be accepting your worship when you dont know its rising to Him. Hell be smelling the incense of your high intention even when you are snowed under by the cares of this life—even when the telephone jangling and appointments to be made and people to see keep you from thinking about Him. If God knows your intention is to worship Him with every part of your being, God will be smelling the incense of your holy intention even if the world for a time claims your legitimate interest. We can attain to this by cooperating with God. On Gods side is love, grace, atonement, promises, the Holy Ghost; on our side is determination, seeking, yielding, believing. And our hearts then become sanctuaries where a continuous, unbroken fellowship of communion and worship is rising to God all the time. Even when you are embroiled in earthly activities, at the same time your whole life can be a fragrant altar of worship that pleases God.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 12:00:23 +0000