^**How to Hear the Lord Speak*

        It's all done in silence. First, you remain silent and still. Then you listen for his voice speaking to your heart silently.     

**Most Important Reality**

        To not think or talk about God is to ignore the most important reality, for you owe him for your very existence right now. 

**Intelligence, a Common Sense Choice*

        In scriptures, we learn what makes you wise and what makes you foolish. So we choose to be smart or to be dumb before the Lord. Obviously, if you were smart, you'd choose to go along with him, and if not, you go against him. 

***To Live Openly and Secretly

        This is the ideal way of following the Lord God—you live with your heart completely open to him and live secretly in him for him alone. (And God will reward you in secret too.)       

**True Ideal Way of Livijng

        We all try to live our lives the way we want, then things never quite work out that way and we feel that our dream of living an ideal life is just a dream. I'd been thru all that and now know that Christ can take care of this. Whatever we lack and can't achieve, he can provide in a far superior way. It may not be your ideal way, but letting him have his way will get you to enjoy freedom, peace, and perfect contentment. There's just not another way to equal it. His way is the true ideal way for us, not to mention the fantastic reward you'll receive at the end. I recommend that to you with all my heart.

**The Knowing-God Difference

        People who are afraid of facing God also have difficulty accepting all the problems in life. Those who have already given themselves to God are ready to meet any challenge coming their way, knowing that God is with them.        

**Spreading Joy in Heaven

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus said to the Pharisees and scribes, "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance." We who repent to God regularly should rejoice that not only God forgives our sins, but also we cause great joy in heaven. Spreading joy itself is a joy. 

***Our Only Gain

        In today's first reading from Philippians 3, Paul wrote, "But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ." Only the Lord is absolute; everything else is relative. Once you know him, everything else pales by comparison. If he is a spoiler, it is for your own good. Pity those who are deeply entrenched in the world, for they do not know him yet. The Lord alone is supreme.

**How God Has Affected Me

        I used to be restless. Then I found Christ and now experience profound peace. Spiritually, the Lord has completely satisfied me. I only long for him, for he has deeply touched my soul and I belong to him now.

***All for Him for Us*

        One reason I pray to God is to show my obedience to him. The Lord deserved all the support we can give him. And he needs it so that he in turn may help us more.

**Answer to Our Desire

        We all want to live happily ever after and Jesus can actually fulfill this desire of ours by granting us eternal life! 

**To Live in Christ Is . . .

to live for him alone, known only to him and yourself.

**Letting the Saints Bless Us

        As it's All Saints day today, I am asking all the saints to bless me and pray for me and the world. Why not? They are one with us in union with the Lord and will be happy to intercede for us in glorifying God. Take advantage of all the extra help you can get to make your job easier and even more rewarding in serving the Lord. 

**Letting Joy Reign!

        In today's Gospel reading from Matthew 5, we heard the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gave us the Beatitudes and said at the end, "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven." Faithful Christians should realize that there will be so much glory coming to them greater than they can possibly imagine and start to rejoice and be glad right now, no matter how dark the world seems.  

**Something to Look Forward To

        Today is the Solemnity of All Saints. In the second reading from 1 John 3, the Apostle wrote, "Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Of course, we look forward to going to heaven. The other thing we can really look forward to is that we shall be like God!

**Praying Hard Needed

        The world is falling apart, but I know in the end it'll be all straightened out by God. In the meantime, we must pray hard and unceasingly so that it may turn around. This is the right thing to do, for if everyone prays to God like that, we'll have instant peace and order. If you do not pray hard, you obstruct the Lord.

***God in Charge

        I am open to the Lord everyday. On some days I receive as many as ten thoughts or more to blog. On other days, maybe just two, three, or four. Yesterday I received none. This shows clearly that the Lord is in charge. He gives and take away as he pleases. It makes me trust in him even more. 

**Ego Our Enemy

        Ego can destroy us if not checked. It make you feel good, but what good is it? Do you also feel more peace? If not, then it's only a false good feeling. If someone praises you and you like it, what do you really gain? Isn't that just vanity? In truth, you are being fooled, thinking that your are something, but in reality you are nothing more. A puffed-up ego is like a balloon filled with some gas. Once it gets punctured, you'll feel the hurt. Hopefully, you'll then wake up and understand what it's all about and become more humble.