Every scripture that appears very simple on the surface has so many levels of Truth underneath that it can be examined in various layers.

Most people are familiar with this verse but may not have taken the time to truly analyze it and understand its depth. Most spiritual people also believe that man is made in God’s image.  We all accept a Creator that has the ability to create any desire at will but what does that mean for man?

For those of us that know ourselves to be souls, individualized Spirit, we believe, likewise, we are creators although on a smaller scale.  As society grows in its spiritual understanding, science and psychology are proving in more ways the connection between a person’s thoughts and their experience.  However, because of the influence of ego, our sense of separation, we often feel we are the victims of life.  The truth is that we have all attracted our experiences based upon our thoughts at one time or another.

We need to understand that the Spirit is the Originator of all thought.  In other words, no human being has ever truly had an original thought.  All of God’s laws have existed way before man’s ability to consciously capture His ideas.  Since all of creation is ultimately God’s thought, man has the ability to be a creator of our own experience but we are not capable of manifesting a thought that somehow supersedes God’s thought or plan for His creation.

We’ve all been coming across books that seem to suggest that man, simply through the power of “positive” thought, can manifest anything he desires.  This is somewhat true but with a disclaimer.  All thoughts originate with the Source.  From there the soul can choose any thought it desires from an “infinite basket” of thoughts.  Through the power of free choice and will this idea begins to descend from the Absolute downwards into the causal realm of being, further downward into astral energy and finally into a gross physical form that we tend to recognize as “reality” because we identify what’s real through our limited ability of the senses.

The reason why some people seem to be better able to manifest and materialize their thoughts is because we create our “realities” on three different levels.  Our thoughts are truly things.  “…verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20

To first be able to create something from our thoughts it requires a degree of faith.  We strengthen our faith by actually coming to know our Creator from within through experience.  Through that experience we come to “know” a Truth.  Without that experience anything else is just a “belief.”  Through greater faith our thoughts, words and actions begin to coincide to a magnificent degree so that there is no contradiction between what a person says, speaks and does.

Now here’s the important disclaimer that separates those who try to use “thought power” to simply improve their own lives and the difference between Realized souls, such as Jesus, who can not only walk on water but materialize, dematerialize or manifest anything he or she chooses. That distinction is – “in his heart!”

Most of us who are trying to discipline our thoughts in an effort to improve our lives do so from the “egos” standpoint.  Yes, it is possible to “think” your way to becoming rich, powerful, famous or to become the CEO of a major conglomerate like Oprah Winfrey.  (Of course your words & actions must support that thought)  But it is extremely difficult if your only motive is to benefit yourself.  When a person, through the baptism of Spirit from God communion, becomes “pure in heart” then they lose any selfish motive or desire to find pleasure in temporary worldly desires.  It behooves one to remember no matter what you accomplish in life, it is temporary and you cannot take your possessions or accomplishments with you to the afterlife.

Jesus didn’t perform miracles for his own delight.  Everything he did was out of service to God’s will.  He even gave up his own life not as a process of self-glorification but as a testament of his lack of selfishness, ego and/or motive.  When we ascend our consciousness to a degree where everything we do is for service to God and humanity then we come to realize that He is the Sole Doer of all miracles!

If you exercised all the “thought power” you could conjure up, you still wouldn’t become ruler of the world because that is not God’s will.  Every thought does have creative energy and never goes unnoticed but most of us who try positive thinking aren’t patient enough to wait to see the results.  Like any science experiment, it typically requires a process to reach “critical mass” before there’s a transformation.  Anyone seeking to utilize the power of their thought will be best served if they are determined to first “check themselves” to analyze their motive and then persevere until results are achieved.   In due time, with practice, it becomes easier.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter what you may create for yourself in life there is no guarantee it will make you happy.  All pleasures derived through sensual stimulation are ultimately unfulfilling and fleeting.  True, permanent Happiness is only found within.  When you connect your self with your Higher Self then the Bliss from that experience is grander than anything this world can offer.

This leads us to – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 When you’ve successfully established yourself in Spirit then “all things shall be added unto you.”  This doesn’t particularly mean “worldly things” for when you’ve found God, you are contented beyond understanding and everything of this world no longer satisfies.  A person who has truly connected with Source can live in poverty or prosperity and it wouldn’t matter to them because their “richness” comes directly from Above.

Most of us cannot imagine that Reality because we’re still under the influence of ego and sense pleasures.  In conclusion, I say continue to discipline your thoughts.  Seek to use your thoughts unselfishly to help others and you’ll see the best results for yourself.  Everyone wins!  Any positive thought is better than negative thinking.  But aspire to raise your consciousness beyond all thoughts and then you will become the goal you may have been seeking elsewhere!  Perhaps the Highest Thought anyone can have is simply – “I Am!”

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10