Divine TruthDivine Truth

Developing The Will To Developing The Will To Receive God’s LoveReceive God’s Love

The Two Greatest Gifts The Two Greatest Gifts

I will discuss two of the most I will discuss two of the most powerful gifts I have ever received powerful gifts I have ever received

The Two Greatest GiftsThe Two Greatest Gifts

The First Gift The First Gift This gift is already given to everyone who This gift is already given to everyone who

has ever existedhas ever existed It is a gift because it has no strings or It is a gift because it has no strings or

demands attacheddemands attached God has given it in order for us to be the God has given it in order for us to be the

free-acting, free-thinking, free-feeling free-acting, free-thinking, free-feeling individualsindividuals

God has given it so that we are not robotic God has given it so that we are not robotic externally controlled beingsexternally controlled beings

It is the gift of our will It is the gift of our will

The Two Greatest GiftsThe Two Greatest Gifts

Ways We Use Ways We Use The Gift of Will The Gift of Will

Ways We Could Choose Ways We Could Choose To Use Our WillTo Use Our Will

BegrudginglyBegrudgingly EnthusiasticallyEnthusiastically

FearfullyFearfully CourageouslyCourageously

Sinfully Sinfully (out of harmony with God’s (out of harmony with God’s Love)Love)

Perfectly Perfectly (in harmony with God’s Love)(in harmony with God’s Love)

Dependently & hesitantlyDependently & hesitantly Independently & decisivelyIndependently & decisively

Disclaim responsibility for our Disclaim responsibility for our will & make others accountable will & make others accountable for what we dofor what we do

Taking full responsibility & Taking full responsibility & accountability for our choice to accountability for our choice to do everything we dodo everything we do

Rejection & refusal of the giftRejection & refusal of the gift(we do not want it)(we do not want it)

Acceptance, love & desire for Acceptance, love & desire for the gift (we want it with all our the gift (we want it with all our heart)heart)

The Two Greatest GiftsThe Two Greatest Gifts

The Second GiftThe Second Gift This gift is the most incredible gift This gift is the most incredible gift

imaginableimaginable It has the power to change us eternally in It has the power to change us eternally in

ways we can’t even imagineways we can’t even imagine The second gift is already on offer but is The second gift is already on offer but is

never forced upon us never forced upon us It cannot be forced upon us because of the It cannot be forced upon us because of the

Laws governing the first giftLaws governing the first gift It can only be received when we desire and It can only be received when we desire and

sincerely embrace the first gift of free willsincerely embrace the first gift of free will It is the gift of God’s LoveIt is the gift of God’s Love

The Two Greatest GiftsThe Two Greatest Gifts

We must engage the First Gift in order We must engage the First Gift in order to receive the Second Giftto receive the Second Gift This is a beautiful system for our This is a beautiful system for our

development that God has createddevelopment that God has created When we come to understand and embrace When we come to understand and embrace

the first gift as a gift and with our heart’s the first gift as a gift and with our heart’s engaged only then do we create the engaged only then do we create the possibility of receiving the second giftpossibility of receiving the second gift

While most of us try to deny responsibility While most of us try to deny responsibility for the gift of our will, or to place it in the for the gift of our will, or to place it in the hands of someone else, we can never hands of someone else, we can never receive the gift of God’s Love receive the gift of God’s Love

The Two Greatest GiftsThe Two Greatest Gifts

Without feeling that our will is a Without feeling that our will is a gift we will never embrace or gift we will never embrace or receive the Second Giftreceive the Second Gift This week we have already discussed This week we have already discussed

many of the things involved in many of the things involved in embracing our will to loveembracing our will to love

Many of these same things apply in Many of these same things apply in our strengthening our will to receive our strengthening our will to receive God’s Love God’s Love

Strengthening My Will Strengthening My Will To Receive God’s Love To Receive God’s Love Face the arrogant belief that I already know Face the arrogant belief that I already know

what God’s Love feels like & that I know God’s what God’s Love feels like & that I know God’s Nature Nature We have many, many misconceptions about God’s We have many, many misconceptions about God’s

True NatureTrue Nature We have many false expectations about how God We have many false expectations about how God

should respond to us (addictively) should respond to us (addictively) We believe that we know what receiving love feels We believe that we know what receiving love feels

like - often we are wronglike - often we are wrong We must give up our preconceived ideas of what We must give up our preconceived ideas of what

God’s Love will feel like God’s Love will feel like We must give up our preconceived belief that we We must give up our preconceived belief that we

have already received God’s Lovehave already received God’s Love We must be willing to give up our investments in We must be willing to give up our investments in

preconceived ideas if faced with new truthpreconceived ideas if faced with new truth We must engage an experiment with GodWe must engage an experiment with God

Strengthening My Will Strengthening My Will To Receive God’s LoveTo Receive God’s Love Deconstruct the façade selfDeconstruct the façade self

The façade is not real and cannot have a The façade is not real and cannot have a relationship with Godrelationship with God

Any attempt to have a relationship with God Any attempt to have a relationship with God while holding onto the façade will failwhile holding onto the façade will fail

Without deconstructing the façade we Without deconstructing the façade we cannot connect to our real selfcannot connect to our real self

It is only our real self that can have It is only our real self that can have relationship with Godrelationship with God

We spoke during the week about HOW We spoke during the week about HOW to deconstruct the façade self! to deconstruct the façade self!

Strengthening My Will Strengthening My Will To Receive God’s LoveTo Receive God’s Love Challenge & release my addictionsChallenge & release my addictions

Addictions are our desire to have a quick-fix Addictions are our desire to have a quick-fix substitution for unloved & unhappy feelingssubstitution for unloved & unhappy feelings

Many of us spend more time attempting to have our Many of us spend more time attempting to have our addictions met than doing anything elseaddictions met than doing anything else

We look for ‘love’ in all the wrong places, especially We look for ‘love’ in all the wrong places, especially not from God who is The Reliable Sourcenot from God who is The Reliable Source

I will never seek God’s Love while I am seeking I will never seek God’s Love while I am seeking addictive substitutes for loveaddictive substitutes for love

I will never even have time to receive God’s Love I will never even have time to receive God’s Love while I spend most of my time engaged in activities while I spend most of my time engaged in activities that take me away from God’s Truth & my true self that take me away from God’s Truth & my true self (my addictions)(my addictions)

We spoke during the week about HOW to We spoke during the week about HOW to challenge & release addictions! challenge & release addictions!

Strengthening My Will Strengthening My Will To Receive God’s LoveTo Receive God’s Love Experience my hurt self (often childlike feelings)Experience my hurt self (often childlike feelings)

These hurt feelings are often:These hurt feelings are often: Hopeless and disillusioned with God, love & truthHopeless and disillusioned with God, love & truth Hopeless about my capacity to change & growHopeless about my capacity to change & grow All of these emotions prevent me sincerely seeking God’s LoveAll of these emotions prevent me sincerely seeking God’s Love Releasing these emotions enables my faith in God & in my Releasing these emotions enables my faith in God & in my

ability to change to growability to change to grow Many of us still avoid releasing feelings suppressed in our Many of us still avoid releasing feelings suppressed in our

childhoods such as:childhoods such as: My lack of faith in my capacity to changeMy lack of faith in my capacity to change My lack of faith in loveMy lack of faith in love My lack of faith in GodMy lack of faith in God My lack of belief in loveMy lack of belief in love My lack of faith in God’s Laws My lack of faith in God’s Laws My lack of faith in God’s Truth (e.g. if I tell the truth the best My lack of faith in God’s Truth (e.g. if I tell the truth the best

thing for everyone involved will happen)thing for everyone involved will happen) We spoke during the week about HOW to emotionally We spoke during the week about HOW to emotionally

experience the hurt self!experience the hurt self!

Strengthening My Will Strengthening My Will To Receive God’s LoveTo Receive God’s Love Engage repentance & forgivenessEngage repentance & forgiveness

This deals with the areas in my life where I This deals with the areas in my life where I have been:have been: In opposition to God through breaking God’s Laws In opposition to God through breaking God’s Laws Ignoring love of my brothers and sistersIgnoring love of my brothers and sisters

Dealing with these issues places me more in Dealing with these issues places me more in harmony with God’s Love harmony with God’s Love

Dealing with these issues opens me up to a Dealing with these issues opens me up to a relationship with Godrelationship with God

We spoke during the week about HOW We spoke during the week about HOW to forgive & repent! to forgive & repent!

Developing My Will To Developing My Will To Receive God’s Love Receive God’s Love You have already received and will You have already received and will

receive more information on ‘How receive more information on ‘How To’ grow towards GodTo’ grow towards God

The major question now is not The major question now is not ‘How do I do it?’ it is ‘Do I want to ‘How do I do it?’ it is ‘Do I want to do it?’do it?’

There are:There are: Things we can do, and;Things we can do, and; Things we need to avoidThings we need to avoid

Assisting Development Of Assisting Development Of My Will To Receive God’s My Will To Receive God’s Love Love

When When Growing MuscleGrowing Muscle

When Growing The When Growing The Will to Receive God’s LoveWill to Receive God’s Love

Overloading stimuliOverloading stimuliIncreasing weightsIncreasing weightsDo it until it hurtsDo it until it hurts

Overwhelming StimuliOverwhelming StimuliEmbrace the CHOICE to long for God's Love Embrace the CHOICE to long for God's Love

Allow emotional overwhelm in relationship with GodAllow emotional overwhelm in relationship with GodKeep working on the very next thing God places in front Keep working on the very next thing God places in front of youof you

RepetitionRepetitionYou must do it You must do it repetitivelyrepetitivelyRepetition brings real Repetition brings real resultsresults

RepetitionRepetitionDo it often, during each dayDo it often, during each day(if you don’t you obviously do not have much will)(if you don’t you obviously do not have much will)

FoodFoodEat nourishing foodEat nourishing food

Spiritual ‘Food’Spiritual ‘Food’Focus on spiritual nourishment about GodFocus on spiritual nourishment about Gode.g. Study God, seek Truth about Gode.g. Study God, seek Truth about God

WaterWaterYou have to drink a lotYou have to drink a lot

Waters of TruthWaters of TruthOpen your heart to receiving Truth about God and Open your heart to receiving Truth about God and yourself. This is an emotional, not intellectual, process.yourself. This is an emotional, not intellectual, process.

Harming Development Of Harming Development Of My Will To Receive God’s My Will To Receive God’s LoveLove

When When Growing Growing MuscleMuscle

When Growing The When Growing The Will to Receive God’s LoveWill to Receive God’s Love

Relying on others Relying on others To tell you what to doTo tell you what to doTo do it for you To do it for you To encourage you To encourage you To agree with you To agree with you To approve of youTo approve of you

Relying on othersRelying on othersTo tell you about God; you need to seek Him out yourselfTo tell you about God; you need to seek Him out yourselfTo do it for you; no one have a relationship with God for To do it for you; no one have a relationship with God for youyouTo encourage you; if you always depend on To encourage you; if you always depend on encouragement you don’t have a personal desire, you encouragement you don’t have a personal desire, you are in an addiction with othersare in an addiction with othersTo agree with you; If you abandon your desire to know To agree with you; If you abandon your desire to know God when others pressure you, you will never receive God when others pressure you, you will never receive God’s LoveGod’s LoveTo approve of you; while you seek a relationship with To approve of you; while you seek a relationship with GodGod

Giving upGiving upWhen things feel When things feel uncomfortable or painfuluncomfortable or painfulWithout being tested the Without being tested the muscle won’t growmuscle won’t grow

Giving UpGiving UpWhen we begin we still have many errors that will need When we begin we still have many errors that will need to be exposed and released in order for us to feel God's to be exposed and released in order for us to feel God's feelings for us. We must be honest about this. If we feelings for us. We must be honest about this. If we blame God and give up when we don’t get immediate blame God and give up when we don’t get immediate results we are not being humble to what God is trying to results we are not being humble to what God is trying to show us about our injured state.show us about our injured state.

Harming Development Of Harming Development Of My Will To Receive God’s My Will To Receive God’s LoveLove

When When Growing Growing MuscleMuscle

When Growing The When Growing The Will to Receive God’s LoveWill to Receive God’s Love

Eating junk foodEating junk foodThat deplete the That deplete the systemsystemNo nutritional valueNo nutritional value

Engaging in ‘junk’ activitiesEngaging in ‘junk’ activitiesRelationships, past times, activities that deny the Relationships, past times, activities that deny the existence of God, that reinforce cynicism about existence of God, that reinforce cynicism about love, and hopelessness. These deplete our desire love, and hopelessness. These deplete our desire for a relationship with Godfor a relationship with God

Drinking sugary, Drinking sugary, processed liquidsprocessed liquidsThese interfere with These interfere with our recovery processour recovery process

Drinking down liesDrinking down liesDrinking lies about God, God's Laws, God's Nature Drinking lies about God, God's Laws, God's Nature & Character& CharacterLetting ourselves get away with personal lies for Letting ourselves get away with personal lies for the sake of ‘comfort’ or the delay of feeling fear the sake of ‘comfort’ or the delay of feeling fear or other emotions we denyor other emotions we deny

Conclusion Conclusion

Recognise & Love The Two Recognise & Love The Two Greatest GiftsGreatest Gifts The first greatest gift which we The first greatest gift which we

already have is the gift of willalready have is the gift of will Developing the first gift allows us to Developing the first gift allows us to

receive the second greatest giftreceive the second greatest gift The second gift is God's Love, which The second gift is God's Love, which

cannot be received without the cannot be received without the strengthening and development of our strengthening and development of our will will

Conclusion Conclusion

To Strengthen My Will To Receive To Strengthen My Will To Receive God’s Love I Must: God’s Love I Must: Face the arrogant belief that I already Face the arrogant belief that I already

know God's Nature & what God’s Love know God's Nature & what God’s Love feels likefeels like

Deconstruct the façade selfDeconstruct the façade self Challenge & release my addictionsChallenge & release my addictions Experience my hurt selfExperience my hurt self Engage repentance & forgiveness Engage repentance & forgiveness

Conclusion Conclusion

To Develop My Will To Receive To Develop My Will To Receive God’s Love I Must:God’s Love I Must: Allow myself to be overwhelmedAllow myself to be overwhelmed Engage in prayer during every dayEngage in prayer during every day Seek truth about God, God's Laws and Seek truth about God, God's Laws and

naturenature Open myself to receive God's Truth Open myself to receive God's Truth

about the Universe & myself about the Universe & myself

ConclusionConclusion

To Develop My Will To Receive To Develop My Will To Receive God’s Love I Must Avoid:God’s Love I Must Avoid: Relying on othersRelying on others Giving upGiving up Wasting my time with junk activitiesWasting my time with junk activities Drinking down lies about God & self Drinking down lies about God & self

HomeworkHomework

Re-examine My LifeRe-examine My Life How do I use the following three How do I use the following three

things a manner that strengthens and things a manner that strengthens and develops within me my soul based develops within me my soul based sincere desire to have a relationship sincere desire to have a relationship with God?with God? My timeMy time My willMy will My desire to live in truth My desire to live in truth