Thursday, January 22, 2009

28 comments:

peacemaker said...

Yes...Gratitude is the master key that unlocks all the abundance the Universe has to offer.

I do believe in the Law of Attraction and I believe it replicates our thought energy back to us as manifestation, but I also believe gratitude is the beacon which directs manifestation to the the origin of the energy itself...US!

I have a great llfe, but I realize most of the greatness comes from the people in it. For them, I am truly grateful.

Great pic of you and Judah with the Capitol in the background...a perfect frozen moment in time.
I'm looking forward to next week, too. What's this...our 4th or 5th trip across the Pacific together? Couldn't let you go back without me8)

Peace,
PM

Anonymous said...

For jasmine tea
And frost of winter
Log piles high
Callus
And splinter

For cardinals perched
On shepherd's hook
By candle's glow
Search favorite books

For spaghettied fingerprints
On 'fridge
Past and future sprints
Now bridge

For DQ cones and Jelly Bellies
For Lucy's paws, once corn chip smelly
A diamond in the sky, she spins
So miss her "little Elvis grin"

For champion shoes to run and leap
And twirl and dance
And keep God's peace

For crockpot full
Of igneous spool
For words that warm
Like spa and fuel

I'm grateful.

Anonymous said...

veriword - gadoe, God/Agape dominates over everything.

Love not only wins but has already won the day of our human existence.

My personal expression of gratitude has not only released abundance of wealth beyond money to me but has also been my point of connection with the energy that is real to me and is now recognized by me as the only God there is. My God was there in the beginning and I am now convinced that all who were created in that image were also there on some level. To be grateful for that alone releases energy from me that is important to those around me.

A second area of gratitude that is part of the equation though is often more difficult for me. Each time the difficulty is overcome there is more understanding imparted to me. No doubt though there are some who probably wish that I was a quicker study in this area and did not need so much redundant encouragement. The perfect love that is casting fear away from me in the refining fire is continually yeilding a more precious person in me.

Gratitude for the promise that gives hope of returning to the place of perfection, with an understanding of what perfection is, drives me forward toward a mark or goal of attaining to perfect love.

I agree with Peacemakers statement concerning the origin of energy being released into the world around us as coming from us. There is a wealth of information to support this statement. To acknowledge this is to take responsibility for caring in a godly manner for everything around us. Those times in the past where I have not operated best in this, to the best of my memory of those events, is also the times when I have been the least grateful.

So yes gratitude is an important key to have well marked for easy access among the keys to the kingdom.

Thank you Bishop and Pastor Debye for your devotion to the growth of CITN. The recipricol energy created by your efforts is freeing many souls from the bondage of the cares of the world and releasing an abundance of more than you can ask or think of asking for back to you again.

peace and prosperity to all,

JB

Anonymous said...

Received this in an email this a.m....

"When in doubt, show up early. Think less. Feel more. Ask once. Give thanks often. Expect the best. Appreciate everything. Never give up. Make it fun. Lead. Invent. Regroup. Wink. Chill. Smile. And live as if your success was inevitable, and so it shall be."

ttfn

g8trgrl

Anonymous said...

Gratitude is an attitude! Obvious I know, but nonetheless important to mention. I believe that Gratitude is tied to our thoughts. Of course we will not be greatful if we dont have thoughts of thankfulness. So in order to manifest gratitude, I guess it is first concieved in thought and later birthed through our spirits.

I am convinced that most all(if not 100%)of our Enemies are of our own design. I mean that we have hand crafted our own devils. Yes through years of cultivation, we have fashioned and formed the weapons that we use to destroy ourselves. Most of what is warring against us is autonomous(we made it happen). Scary, but true.

If that's the case, it is of utmost importance to re-new those thought patterns (new nueral pathways). Think new thoughts. If you believe that you have very little to be thankful for, then think again. There must be something good to start with. Don't spend your life thinking that the good stuff is set aside for God's favorite kids. You ARE His favorite. Believe it. Call it Attraction, or how about Faith. Whatever it is...I believe is allows God to bless us with more.
It has got to start with gratitude. I have walked this out in the last 4-5 years and I AM BLESSED. Tip of the iceburg for all of us.

"I wanna thank you..where would I be if it was'nt for you..what could I say, what would I do..."

Gratitude.. Thank you God!

Anonymous said...

I am thankful, that if I choose to, I can.

Lisa said...

Thanks for this reminder! It amazes me still that when I am struggling that GOD always plants a simple word or picture etc... to remind me of what I should be doing instead of what I am doing! I will be in gratitude for the miracles we have recieved and be in gratitude for what will come. I will be in Graditude for my gifts my treasures and GOD will bring the rest. Thank you!!!

Anonymous said...

Bishop,
Dr. Torri, Holly and I went to D.C. on Monday night via bus that Torri had put together.. We met some great people. WOW! There were 57 all together and Holly and I got the last two seats. ...After driving all night the bus arrived at 7:00a.m. Along the way people on the bus got up and introduced themselves, where they were from, why they were going etc...There was a lot of great commradere
We got off at the RFK stadium and were shuttled to a place where we started walking to the mall. (That's a story in itself..)
We ended up near the Washington monument! It was an incredible, freezing, fun, elating, (I call it a "Somewhere over the rainbow" experience- with all colors of humanity unfolded and dreams for so many that came true! I was so thankful to BE in the moment!!
The whole earth is filled with His glory!

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks, PM...I'm expecting this to be our best trip ever to the Philippines...

(And thanks again for commenting on the other blogs...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Izumi, we have some little finger prints on the glass on our front door, and the house has been given orders that they're not be be wiped off...

I'm grateful...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

JB, I'm amazed at how you are able to maintain focus on the big picture - on the reality that God is love - in your writings, no matter what...

Beautiful.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Good stuff, G8TRGRL...thanks for sharing...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Matt T...you're so awesome...glad to have you as a part of this cyber-community...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Amen, Anon10:03...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks, Lisa...stay strong...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

P. Nancy, I really appreciate you sharing about your trip to Washington. I was going to write about ours, but I think I said enough about it last night. You were a part of history...

I want to take the whole church on a giant field trip to D.C.!

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

I'm grateful for you all...

The message to Izumi should read "they're not to be wiped off"...

Friend4Life, are you on here today?

Anonymous said...

So...has anyone started their gratitude journals yet? I confess, it is in my heart, but not yet written down, but I want to get one going this year.

My wife Natasha and I are doing some searches right now involving searches for work...please pray for direction, clarity, good productivity, confirmations and provision.

Thanks!
-Karl

River said...

Gratitude...

I am grateful that Pastor Debbie
Timberman was there for me and she knows what I mean.

I'm grateful for P.J & Pastor Kasey for all they have done for my daughter & the teens.

Bishop & Pastor Debye words can't compare to how much you have spoken into my life and the life of my family. For all that I'm am grateful just to have you minister to me on a daily basis.

Pastor Jimmie & Nation Of Worship
You guy's have my heart.
It is an honor just to be able to sing with you guy's each Sunday.
And I am grateful for each one of you.


Pastor Chad I am very grateful that you are restarting The Flow.
Poetry is so much a part of my life. I really miss meeting with the poets and hearing what each other brings to the table.
Thank You.

CITN Friends
I'm just grateful to be a part of you.

BITN Bloggers
You guy's are great sharing your feelings and in turn ministering one to another for that I'm grateful.

Be Blessed All

Anonymous said...

Also, on the way to D.C. I got to minister to the whole bus!! The guy in charge kept calling me up to pray before we left, when we got there and when we got home...it was cool
Sign me up for the CITN Field Trip!

Larry Usher said...

It's funny to look at the "heart hands" picture because today at lunch when I got out of my Jeep, there was something fluttering at my feet- a leaf exactly the shape of a heart! Just smiled...

Blessings to all,

Larry

word ver: GULSA- "God Uses Little Signs Aplenty"

Linda Luke said...

I was gonna just blurk cuz just got in~

...as I was reading everyones posts I heard someone sing 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow Dreams Come True...' on the tv in the next room and then as I scroll and read P. Nancys post ....AMAZING ...she wrote it before I heard it! Just like God has written wonderful things for our lives and we have to hear it!

I am very very grateful for lotsa of things, people and esp this place!

Sweet dreams~

Anonymous said...

Why I am grateful ~ in 2008, I came very close to losing my home, again. I am not a stranger to suffering and I lost my home and contents there of at least twice in the past. All the evidence was pointing to me losing my home but I discovered a few spiritual keys that I used completely for the first time. So first I am grateful for the lesson of being lead by the spirit and listening caerfully for His voice.

I remembered the teachings from you, Bishop about obtaining our miracles. So, I knew that the miracles were all in the kingdom of God and in those who were familiar to me. It continued to come to my mind, the kingdom of God is as close as your hand.

I solicited the prayers of my CITN family, and my BITN family. Bishop, you mentioned it in your sermon on one October Sunday morning and I was glad of the acknowledgment because I was clear that many people in the congregation was going through similiar situations.

The BITN family responded with offers for no rent, no electricity, just move in. One sister who I didn't even know, contacted me and said, it is just enough for me to know that you are part of CITN and she offered me her house that had been on the market for 22 month swith no contract. 24 hours later, she had her 2 contracts put in on it, but that was okay because her heart was great towards me. Now, that miracle was for her because of her big heart and her obedience.

Other's encouraged and yet another house offer. In this experience I learned not to be double minded as I was torn between staying in my home and relocating in what seemed to be 4 days dead and stinking.

I choose the road less traveled but one thing I learned was the way out is through, (a sign of a true winner).

It was not my spiritual family who ministered the finances for these miracles to take place but instead it was the steadfast fervent prayers of the righteous which availed abundantly. I had a network of believers who stood with me and cared and prayed. I also learned how to stand, and when it look like the winds was going to blow me down, to "hankker -in" and stand some more knowing that Jesus was bidding me to come.

That was the springboard for the miracle and then the natural things transpired to deliver me from what could have been homelessness.

Secondly, the Lord softened Pharoh's heart and made the impossible possible.

The Lord used (things) and people to give unto my bossom to allow my finances to come in order.

I learned about decreeing something and then allowing the Lord to establish it.

Everything points back to the words of our mouth. When I agreed with other family members that we were going to keep our dwelling, through God the father, who have a thousand cattle....our decision caused the miracle(s) to line up.

Some people believe that we only need the holy spirit as the one master key to unlock all of the locked doors, but I believe the holy spirit will give us different keys to unlook different doors but certainly the holy spirit is the master locksmith.

With 5,000 jobs cut today at Microsoft and the big "Going out of Business" sign at my local Goodies, while my heart goes out to them, I am grateful for my family, my loved ones, shelter, lights, heat, car, insurance, gas, food, health, the Holy Spirit, my Lord and savior and President Barack Obama and his family, my Bishop and his family and CITN as well as BITN.

What happened in the past week nationally with the plane landing safely in the Hudson, the Obama Express, the day of Service for MLK BD, all of the events surrounding President Obama's inauguration and the fruits of his first few days are miracles to me.

I have an heightened awareness of each one reaching one and serving our community and country. It is a very exciting time in history (like none other) and I am grateful to be alive and to share this moment.

My heart is filled with an attiude of gratitude and so I will stop here for length sake however I know a change is going to come...

Our God Reigns!
Water Walker

Friend4Life said...

AWWW...yeah I am here. I see you called me out...(smile) Was going to just blurk today...Can't even begin where I have been.(Being still and quiet)

I am grateful for Every-1 that comments here and gives a encouraging word, laugh, cry..you know a "Shout Out of Love"...I was looking 4 you, Bishop and Judah on my new "47 LCD TV"!! Ok...that's where I have been these past days. (smile)((Very grateful)) Didn't see ya, but it was beautiful to watch.

My kids came home and saw me watching...my son said Rock Obama!! (He's 5)That was priceless!!

I will confess about Sunday's words. I wasn't playing fairly. (smile) Came out of N.O.W. and was talking to one of the greeters. Then another one handed me "PLAY". I was like ummm give me another..."CREATE"...well, I passed it. I wanted "DREAM". Well, long story short..I know I was suppose to get "PLAY". Funny thing was I kinda knew what my husband got.

I've been trying to get him to "PLAY" monopoly w/me. I asked him what his word was; it was "PLAY". Can't tell ya that was funny for us. So, this Sunday whatever you have to give or use..I'll definitely keep the first!!

Ok...I need to catch up on the other blogs. Keep Creating!!

~Peace, Love, & Dream BIG~

Word ver: doomath
Ok..someone must have homework to finish(smile)

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Hey Friend4life...first, I just wanted to tell you and your husband THANK YOU...but also, I wanted you and him to know that the timing of his visit on Saturday determined whether we went to Washington or not...I'll tell you about it when I see you (assuming you're who I think you are...if not, then disregard this message)...

Anyway, I am grateful for your family's obedience...

Peace.

Friend4Life said...

What...You know who I am.((smiling)) Anyway, that was nothing compared to your Life Words you give to us. Hope you didn't mind.

We love you and Pastor Debye very much!! Very grateful you created your Dream!!(CITN)

Friend4Life said...

PS- I can't comment on AW4W's. Something is wrong or it's me. Oh, did you ever check out Sept. 14, 2008. (Sunday Strength) I put a comment there just now. (smile) Maybe that will help you w/ the deleting. There is a couple of comments when you were away in Uganda...So, Bishop.."You Got Mail" from 2008.

~Peace~

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks. AW4W seems to be working now...

Thanks, everyone...