Mark 11:24 - The Manifest Cookbook

Oh How They Love To Control

Throughout human history there is a sad and never-ending scenario. That scenario is of one person or group maneuvering to control and gain power over another person or group of persons. Sometimes that maneuvering is done through brutal cruelty. Sometimes merely the threat of harm has been enough to gain control. Yet another way control is achieved is through psychological manipulation. Brutal mass controllers abound throughout history – Genghis Khan, Timur, Torquemada, Leopold of Belgium, Stalin, Hitler, Mao Zedong and so on.

I am not advocating for anarchy. In order for a civilized society to function, there must be some control mechanism in place. This mechanism is necessary to keep a small minority from interrupting the peace and harmony of the large majority.

Beyond political and financial control is a far more insidious and toxic form of control. Humans just can’t seem to help themselves from trying to control the minds and thoughts of other humans. It’s a perversity without any redeeming value.

For example, your boss at work that almost has an orgasm when he or she arbitrarily exercises control. Next, there is the political authority who delights in lording over their position of control. Then there is the corrupt law enforcement official who gets a cheap thrill out of intimidating and creating fear. In addition, there is the husband or wife who use all manner of ways to subtly gain control in the relationship. And on and on and on, ad nauseum.

Stop Whining, Start Believing

Some human beings like being controlled. Most do not. The majority who feel aggrieved more than likely form resentments against their control. These resentments can be silent (within themselves). They can be verbally expressed. They also can take the form of various actions and reactions. The pressure for you to conform to be a certain way can make for an unhappy life.

The words of Jesus Christ in Mark 11:24 are essential truth as well as timeless in nature. “Whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believe that you have received it and it will be yours”. Do you desire to be free of being controlled by others? Then start believing that you are free. That is where you begin breaking free.

I can almost see the “yeah buts” coming forth like a horde of locusts. Yeah but if I do not do or be what he (or she) wants me to do or be, they won’t like me. They may try to hurt me in some way. The harm could be physical, emotional, mental or financial in nature.

Believe. Believe that you are free from control. In your inner mind, experience your life as you desire it to be. Free to be your real self. Free to think the thoughts and say the words that you choose. Your new belief is that you are living in a manner that expresses who you are. Make this your unchanging belief regardless of any circumstances. To hell with circumstances. Believe what you choose to believe. That is your power.

Daniel And The Lions Den

Many have heard the story of Daniel. During the captivity of the Jews in Babylon in the sixth century B.C., Daniel prayed only to the one true God. This was in direct violation of the decree of King Darius. This decree stated that for a period of thirty days all prayers and petitions be directed solely to King Darius. The decree was to force people to acknowledge that all substance came from their secular ruler, Darius, not from any other source.

Daniel ignored the decree. He was arrested and sentence to be placed into a pit of hungry lions. In fact, the lions were not fed the day before so that they would be good and hungry. Daniel’s focus and attention on the one true God remained steadfast. He turned his back to the lions the entire night. He emerged the next day from the lions den totally unscathed.

The story of Daniel is the story of every man. Daniel completely turned his back to the lions. He looked only at the light that is God. He looked only at the power that is God. In the same way, every manner of control that humans can come up with can likewise be neutralized.

Every problem automatically produces its own solution. The solution is to be free of the problem. Thus, with any problem, turn your back to the problem (the lions). Turn your face to the solution. Focus your belief on the solution (being free). Focus your mind’s attention on the solution already having occurred. Feel yourself to be that which you desire. If your desire is to live free in peace and harmony, then that is precisely what you believe and feel.

Not A Big Guy With a Long Beard

The famous painting by Michelangelo, “The Creation of Adam” is one of the most well-known paintings in the world, ranking right up there with Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. Michelangelo’s painting is the fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The painting renders a portrayal of God giving the spark of life to Adam. God is portrayed as an old guy with white hair, wearing a white robe and having a long beard.

Michelangelo’s painting of God creating Adam is probably the most reproduced artistic creation of all time. It is truly an impressive creation of art. It served to translate the image of God into an image discernable to the human mind. There is even a Family Guy parody that portrays God as an old guy with white hair, robe and beard. Peter is with God in an elevator that is stuck between floors. He starts asking God all types of questions. Peter: “God, are we just a computer simulation run by a higher species”? God: “Yes”. Peter: “OK, I wasn’t expecting that”.

Of course, God is not some old guy with white hair and a long beard peeking at you from behind the clouds. God is transcendent and unknowable. The Kingdom of God (Awareness of Being) is within each and every human being. That is the way in which you were created. The Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). The peace, the power, the freedom of God is available to all within that Kingdom.

There Is A Way Out

If you do not enjoy being manipulated like some chess piece in someone else’s game of chess, there is a way out. The way out involves completely revising your perspective about everything in your current circumstances. You’re going to have to “go rad”. You are going to have emulate Daniel.

Is your spouse controlling you? Look only at God. Is your boss at work controlling you? Look only at God. Are your physical infirmities controlling you? Look only at God. Is your church or other social group controlling you? Look only at God. Is your depression controlling you? Look only at God. Is your financial situation controlling you? Look only at God. Are your friends controlling you? Look only at God. Are your fears controlling you? Look only at God.

There is only One Presence. There is only one Power. That Presence is God. That Power is God. There is a counter-logical solution to any situation where you feel controlled by your circumstances. Like Daniel in the lions den, turn your back to the circumstances.

Fix your mind, your thoughts, your vision, your heart, your entire being, solely on God. See only the One Presence. See only the One Power. Give up your belief in bad circumstances. Where there is strife, believe only in peace of God. Where there is weakness, believe only in the power of God. It is your way out.

Power – Use It Or Don’t Use It

Universal Intelligence, God, created you in the image of Universal Mind. The truth of Mark 11:24 reaches out to you every single day of your life. Whatsoever you believe, you will receive.

There is a critical “catch” to this power of belief with which you have been gifted. This “catch” is called free will. If you choose to make the decision to refrain from believing, your connection to the power is interrupted. Unbelief throws the power switch to the “off” position.

Your complete conviction, without any hidden doubts, without any secret fears, seals the deal for you. While in a relaxed state, employ your imagination to the fullest. Feel your desire as rock solid real. Your steadfast faith keeps the power switch in the “on” position.

Your power exists. It is yours to use or not to use, as you so choose.

Conceive. Believe. Receive.

The M & M Boys Nailed It

When you hear the letters “M & M” what do you think of? Perhaps you think of the eponymous button sized candy manufactured with that name. Or if you are in my age category, maybe it brings to mind that famous baseball duo from the New York Yankees, Maris and Mantle. In the slang of the texting world, m & m has a number of different meanings. The “M & M Boys” that I would like to focus on however are two books from the Bible, Matthew and Mark. There is one verse from each book containing the words of Jesus as they relate to the incredible power of belief and its connection to manifesting your current reality.

Let’s take the King James Version of the verse, Matthew 21:22 – And all things whatsoever ye ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” All things whatsoever. That is what I would call all encompassing. I will follow that up with the translation from the Aramaic Bible in Plain English – “Everything that you ask for in prayer and believe, you will receive.” I believe where things go south in the prayers of humanity is in the interpretation of the words “ask for”.

Next let’s travel over to the book of Mark. Mark 11:24 states – “Therefore I say unto you, what things so ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them” (King James Version). Following up that same verse within the Aramaic Bible in Plain English translation, we find – “Therefore I say to you, that everything that you pray and ask, believe that you are receiving it and you shall have it.”

When you reflect on these two verses, the two words that reverberate with pure energy are “believe” and “receive”. The M & M Boys truly nailed it with these two verses.

Awareness Of Being Makes It Happen

The clarity of the two verses is absolutely unmistakable. ALL things you ask in prayer BELIEVING, you will RECEIVE. EVERYTHING that you pray for and ask, BELIEVE that you are RECEIVING it and you shall have it. To me, the one single key word out of those two verses is believe. By that is meant, you have it now, it is a done deal. It does not mean believing that you can receive it. It does not mean that you will receive it at some undetermined time in the future. It means that in your heart, in your mind, in your soul, you know that what you pray for, what you truly desire, has already been done. Your union with the Kingdom of God is your awareness of being. You are living right now with true gratitude that what you pray for, what you assume upon yourself has been accomplished. It sounds ridiculously easy but it is not. Obstacles appear all around you. Probably the foremost obstacle is the illusion of time. Time is a necessary construct for this earth dimension that we reside in. In the world of spirit, all is now. In our earth dimension however, time is a necessary vector. There is almost always a lapse of time between our believing and our receiving. It is in this time lapse period where the evil counselor of doubt sneaks in, uninvited.

Beware the seeds of doubt because they serve only to short circuit the electrical connection between your “believe” and your “receive”. Doubt is a downer and a losing hand. Your “believe” must be free of doubt otherwise your “receive” loses its connection to you as in the cutting of an electrical cable. If your belief is you have it, you will have it at the appointed time. If your belief is you want, you will continue in that wanting, without fulfillment of your manifestation. Live in the end result. Live in the wish already fulfilled. When a thought shows up in your mind that negates your belief, show it to the exit immediately. You can do this be immediately substituting a new thought of pure gratitude that you have in fact received your manifestation. As Mary Howitt suggests in her poem The Spider and The Fly, “unto an evil counselor (doubt) close heart and ear and eye. Another way to look at it is to understand that your desire has already manifested in another dimension of reality and is just working out the logistics of meshing up with your earth dimension. It does require however your continual belief or it loses contact with you.

I can hear the “yeah buts” arriving in bunches. I don’t care about what you see. I don’t care about what your hear. I don’t care about anything that appears to contradict your faith. I care about you and your manifesting success. I care only about what you believe in the fullest, truest meaning of that word. That, dear reader, whoever you are, is what is going to get it done for you. What is your awareness of being because whatever it is is that is what you receive.

The whole “believe, receive” thing is something that is quite simple but it is not easy. You must go “all-in” as they say in the world of poker. You must choose to put all of your trust in the Universal Intelligence which created you. It is a free will choice to trust your very life to the essence of those words “believe, receive”. It is a scary proposition for most human beings – of letting go and going “all-in”. Your ego will most likely give you a half dozen reasons to hold back.

A True Life Example

Here is a true life example of believing and receiving. The son of someone that I know quite well was in a period of employment transition. The job that he was at was not qualifying to meet his needs. It was important to his financial status that he find replacement employment. The man assured his son that things were going to work out to his best benefit. He prayed in an intercessory manner for his son, creating in his mind a scenario whereby he was congratulating his son on succeeding in his employment mission. In his “real” vision/prayer, he heard him and his son discussing how it actually did turn out that the son was in a better situation now. He was happy to see the look of being successful on the face of his son. All of this without specifying the actual details, just the overall result, the “feeling” of it. You see, the “feeling” is the true secret.

In this occasion, it was a relatively short time later, the son followed his intuition to connect with a contact that he had made years before. It turned out that at the contact’s place of employment, there was a position just right for his son that just opened up. The contact promised to make a strong recommendation for him with Human Resources. In the space of a week after that contact, his son was hired for that position. The synergy of the beliefs of father and son allowed the connection to Universal Energy which brought about the “real-ization” of his desire. And the scenario envisioned with belief in the above paragraph was then played out in reality.

If You Forget All Else, Remember The Boil Down

I am in love with reading. Books, newspapers, magazines, essays, Wikipedia pages, internet articles, peanut butter jar labels, whatever. I just love to read. Over the years I have learned that when I read something that I really wanted to be able to recall later, I have a notebook that I call “the boil down notebook”. I write the name of the book or article or whatever. After that I write down a sentence or two to boil down what I just read. It may even just be a few phrases or a half dozen words. It helps to jog my memory of what I read.

If you find this post of interest to you, the “boil down” that I would leave you with is two words – Believe. Receive. Sometimes in the midst of a manifesting effort I will even use those two words as a kind of mantra to hold off the attacks of the damaging thoughts of fear or doubt or anger. The words of Jesus given to this world for everyone by the M & M Boys – believe, receive – were put out for everyone to hear, to see, and most importantly, to use, in order to demonstrate the Kingdom of God. Just as in the famous image seen above of Lady Justice, what you place in terms of Believe on one side of the scale will be balanced out equally on the other scale with Receive.

Maybe you will think what about the guy in the mental institution that believes he is Napoleon. Or the cult followers who believed Jim Jones was their ticket to salvation. Well, then you delve into the subject of discernment. This is defined as perceiving what is, in the absence of judgement, with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding. In a subsequent post, I will delve into this topic of discernment as it relates to belief. Mental illness can be caused by many factors. For whatever reason, the ability to properly discern goes awry. As to the cult followers, their discernment ability is thrown off kilter by the deceit or error of one type or the other of the primary cult figure.

Tag: Mark 11:24

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