I have been thinking about The Seven Laws of the Mind a lot this week. Working to commit them to memory and obviously trying to use them whenever I can.

The Law of Substitution is number one with good reason. I have used it for many years without ever putting a name to it. Forcing myself to sing a happy song when under pressure, quoting a meaningful promise from scripture or a powerful proverb from elsewhere when faced with a difficult situation; even trying to transport myself mentally to a better time and place. I have probably done all of those things most of my life but usually only in very difficult situations. Now I think quickly about using it even when a fleeting negative thought comes in. The birds can hover but I am not letting them nest.

I have been using the other laws more too. The Law of Practice can work both ways. That’s why we make the proviso, Perfect Practice Prevents Poor Performance. Look what happens if you reverse the order of ‘poor’ and ‘perfect’, the opposite affect.

If someone is doing something the wrong way and keeps on practicing without correction then things can only get worse. We all hate criticism and whilst I don’t want to go off at a tangent here perhaps we should use The Law of Dual Thought and take criticism as a gift, even if it was not meant that way. Then wouldn’t that be a great opportunity to use The Law of Forgiveness.

But let me return to The Law of Practice and give you an example of how using it in combination with The Law of Relaxation and The Law of The Subconscious has been working for me recently.  I like to play table tennis and found when we practice regularly just on Friday evenings both my playing partner and I are getting better continually.

But more than that, I am learning to play without engaging my conscious mind. I jokingly call it using the force to the guys I play with but I can honestly say I am getting better than I have ever been in my life. I am in my mid 60’s and not as fit as some of the other guys but they can’t get near me when I am able to zone in, which is happening more and more; although not yet all of the time. I must practice not just the game itself but my ability to ‘zone in’.

I have always been able to play better when just knocking up and then seemed to go all tense once the game started causing me to make silly errors and throw away vital points. By using The Law of Relaxation…bypassing the conscious mind and letting the subconscious mind and muscle memory come together I am not only hitting great shots but am also moving much faster than when I was thinking too much.

I know it is only a game but I believe this principle is transferable into anything we might want to do. I am planning to teach the church congregation from the 4th chapter of Philippians on New Years Day. It is very rare I have a sermon outlined so far in advance but I saw so much more in it while preparing for last Sunday’s message that I had to say I will leave this portion and come back later. I think that’s the first time I have ever given a movie trailer for a future sermon, I am looking forward to hearing it myself.

Philippians Chapter 4 has always been important to me: this is what it says from verses 4-9 The Apostle Paul writes

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

How powerful is this? To Rejoice is a choice anyone can make.  You could worry if you wanted to, but there is always an ‘instead’ with God. Pray Instead.

Giving thanks is a choice…having an attitude of gratitude…we can be upset at what we don’t have right now but ‘instead’ count your blessings one by one. You will be amazed at how much you do have.

Use The Law of Substitution…FIX YOUR THOUGHTS…its another choice and maybe the most important one. You choose what you think about and that is the cause before the effect. What will be the effect of focussing on things that are “true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.”

God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand… will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Solomon tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it come the issues of life. So it’s our choice to do it and God has our back when we do. I understand that it is a stretch for some people to recognise that God is real and He came in a human body in the person of Jesus Christ but that’s just your old blueprint at work. It’s the conditioning we were all given in this post Christian land. It took me till I was 30 to have my eyes opened a little. I just accepted the words of Christ by faith, faith is the substance. But what I have learned on this MKMMA has so enhanced my faith…I can almost see how everything works now. The 7 Laws, the Master Key, particularly finding out about the Solar Plexus have been nothing short of revelation knowledge. I knew my spirit had been reborn and now linked me to the Holy Spirit but just how that happened was a mystery on which much light has now been shed.

The law of Forgiveness is the drawbridge…Jesus is the Door…I forgive, I seek forgiveness…I am forgiven…forgiven for everything and let me tell it plainly; I needed quite a lot of forgiveness . So I give thanks, I aim filled with gratitude and I know that gratitude is not only the result of receiving God’s mercy but the seed of much greater blessings to come.