Truth vs Appearances

Here is a question I received recently and my response:

Musawenkosi Tshoaele
May 17 at 9:14am

Hi David,

I would very much like to hear how you view the Truth vs Appearance.

When you will find the time to possibly post such a blog I have no idea:).

Have an awesome event at Melbourne on saturday...today I think, time zones have me confused.

And I'll keep in touch!!

Oh ya, thank u 4 replying to my earlier mails, you good people!
____________________________________________________

Hi Musawenkosi

Wallace D Wattle mentions in his book “The Science Of Getting Rich” that to “think what you want to think is to think truth regardless of the appearances.”

People will often argue that their present reality is the truth; it’s not. Our present reality is a confluence of our past thoughts; a direct reflection of the mind that thinks those thoughts. Most people are only aware of their physical body and the physical world, and total ignorant of the spiritual realm and how it operates.

The Truth is you are made in the likeness and image of God; that abundance, prosperity, health and happiness are the normal and natural states of being. The appearance may be that a person is sick. If our physical body is sick we have been holding the corresponding thoughts, it we then hold ONLY thoughts of health and well-being the body must produce the corresponding from.

Poverty, lack, sickness and unhappiness are all appearances that the person first created in their mind. The truth is that every person can have abundance, prosperity, health and happiness. First they must create it in their mind.

Jesus said it this way, “When you pray, pray believing that you already have it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24) The truth is to believe what we desire is ours and acting accordingly. Most people spend all their lives focusing on and speaking about what they don’t want and so they keep getting it.

“Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Thought

"That negative thought produces illness, unhappiness, failure, doubt, despair; and conversely, positive thought produces health, happiness, prosperity, peace." by Michael Macguire.

You cannot think negative thoughts about another human being, you cannot seek to harm or hurt someone regardless of your reason for the action without ultimately bringing upon yourself the product of negative thought.

The story of Stephen in the Bible in Acts 6:8 to Acts 7:60 is a illustration of what negative thought creates. Stephen by all accounts was a pretty good bloke (full of grace and power, worked great miracles among the people it says). A couple of people got jealous of his following so "they secretly instigated and instructed people to say, We have heard this man speak, using slanderous and abusive and blasphemous language against Moses and God." In other words they lied to their friends, got their friends to lie to others, even creating false witnesses against Stephen.

That happened 2000 years ago, but nobody would do that today would they?!?!? Surely we have learned something in 2000 years.

What Stephen said and did and the praises he received from those he helped must have really rubbed these couple of people up the wrong way ... my guess is that they were probably a couple of old friends who wanted the same recognition as Stephen received but never did anything to achieve it!! They were actually from Stephen's old church, so they would have known him pretty well - maybe some even worked with him before he became famous.

Well, the story goes on to tell us Stephen (the guy who was creating all the miracles and liked be many) was arrested and put to trial - all because of the anger and jealously of a couple of people who never helped anyone but sought to pull successful people like Stephen down. He was arrested by those he was trying to help, who were stirred up by the lying, deceitful, jealous friends from his old church!

Eventually the hatred grew so great against Stephen these people bit him and stoned him to death. Stephen knew that these people did not understand the basics of how the mind works. He knew what was in stall for them because as he died he pleaded on their behalf "Lord, fix not this sin to upon them." Stephen understood that the negative thoughts and actions only create destruction in the lives of those who think it and do it.

We don't have record of what happened to those who instigated the evil hatred and anger to begin with nor of those who stoned Stephen to death because of the lies and deception create by those filled with jealousy. History rarely records these people ... they are quickly forgotten as they suffer their own disease, depression, failure, despair and often pitiful death; never remembered for the people they tried to bring down.

We do read of one man who stood and watched, even approved to Stephen's stoning and death - enjoying the stupidity of these ignorant people. A short time later this man who watched on was harassed, molested and blinded ... he became a very troubled man. He eventually was hung on a cross to die.

You may think this is just a story that is 2000 years old ... the truth is that this same story is happening today. There are people like those jealous angry few that lie and deceive because they are too lazy to become better themselves, they see other people's successes and fame and seek to knock them down, even destroy them so they themselves don't look so bad. Too often it is created by someone who you know, even someone you thought was a friend. They don't do the stoning, they just create the negative stories, the slander, the lies, and incite anger toward you for striving to be the best you can be.

Remember to those who want to wallow in such filth, those who wish to poke fingers at others for striving, those who seek to pull others down though lies and deception, those who even stand and watch with approval and glee - illness, unhappiness, failure, doubt, despair, an unfulfilled life ... and death is the very best they will ever achieve because this is a universal law. Never remembered for the greatness they could have done. What a waste of life and time.

To you who stand tall and bold, who focus only on giving your best, seeking only to lift up those around you, speaking word of truth and encouragement, loving even those who hate you and seek to destroy you - your rewards are health, happiness, prosperity, peace, fulfilment, love ... and life ... far over and above all that you dare ask or think, infinitely beyond your highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams (Eph 3:20) because this is also universal law ... God's law.

The Secret & Christians

This may be somewhat contraversial ... however I think it needs to be discussed.

The Secret DVD & Book has done amazing things to lift the awareness of the world in regards to the one of the laws of the universe - the Law of Attraction. I am proud to be part of such awakening and heightened awareness.

The Secret has been put down by many Christians as "New Age" thinking; by others it has been heralded as a major breakthrough that God really does desire abundance for His children. Who is right and who is wrong? Is The Secret really the work of Satan?

When The Secret first came out a devout 'born again' Christian and friend of mine called me up quite concerned. He wanted to know my view on The Secret and where it fits into God's word. I will share with you what I told him ... now understand that I'm by no means an expert on the Bible and interpretation ... I have been reading and studying it on and off for as long as I could read (I'm 44 now!) I still get excited by its message - one thing I am certain of is that EVERYTHING we need to know about how to live and how to think is in the Bible. I can not comment on other spiritual writings or beliefs because I have not studied them.

To understand my viewpoint on The Secret and Christians I will take you back to how The Secret was created.

Some 57 people in Australia and United States were filmed by the producer Rhonda Byrne and her production crew. None of what any Teacher said on The Secret was scripted. We were all asked a few questions separately. Most Teachers were in separate locations around the world. No-one knew what others had said, and many of The Teachers did not know the other Teachers before The Secret came out. None of us were told really what the DVD was going to be about expect that it was the Law of Attraction. No-one knew who was going to end up being on the final cut until after it was completed. There ended up being 24 Teachers from the initial 57 (my figures are approximate), and I am extremely grateful for my small involvement.

Back to the topic ... I believe that the greatest danger when some people watch The Secret is that they think that they are God, in other words they are the creator. The Secret does not go far enough with telling the viewer what or who is the power behind the creation process. Some people will say "I call the creative power the universe", or "I call the creative power universal consciousness" or "I call the power energy", well Christians call this creative, all knowing, always present, all powerful creative power God, Father, Elohim, Jehovah, Lord, Devine Being etc.

Now the Bible tells us in Genesis 1:26 that we are created in the image and likeness of God (our creator), meaning we are 'God like' but it NEVER says we are God. We have the power to co-create with God but not create alone.

Some people watch The Secret and then think all they have to do is visualise what they want and hum and money etc will fall out of the sky into their lap. The bad news is "It Doesn't!" The good news is by understanding, knowledge and ACTION it will. The Bible tells us that Faith without action is dead! (James 2:17)

There is so much more to write about this topic ... but I will leave these thoughts with you for now.

To know more about how to apply The Secret and learn more of how I see it, Click here or go to http://www.thesecret.com.au/howtoapply.html