To Change, Move From Concept to Experience

For those who were at service on Sunday, a few bullet points to jog your memory:

1.     What kinds of negative things do you say to yourself about yourself – take a moment and identify one or two. :0)

2.     What would your reaction be if you were sitting at one of the tables in Fellowship Hall and someone said to you, “You know what your problem is? You’re _________________.” Why is it OK for us to emotionally abuse ourselves?

3.     Why do we continue to go to negativity?

4.     Two possible reasons: (1) Its familiar, and

5.     (2) “Because [we] know basic truth as a quote but not as a personal experience.” (Vernon Howard, Secrets for Higher Success, page 149)

6.     Is what you purport to know based upon your genuine experience or is it a concept that you have held so closely, quoted over and over again, that it now passes as experience?

7.     Map and territory perspective. A map (quote) gives us a representation of something.  Walking the territory (application of the concept) gives us an intimate experience of what the map points to.

8.     Understand life through realizing that dropping the ways you’ve done things before will bring you a different experience. If you want to have a different experience, you’re going to have to want to be different. Avoidance is maintenance.  The work must be personal to us.

9.     Jim talked a few weeks ago about changing and he suggested that if you want to have a new experience you will have to change your friends from the ones who want to “keep you where you are” to those who will invite you to a higher place in awareness and self- realization.  You’re also going to have to stop hanging around the same thoughts of negativity.

10.   “With God, all things are possible.” (MT 19:26)

11.     You are an obstacle dissolver!

Bless everything,
Rev. Brad

Shake It Off and Step Up

For those who were at service on Sunday, a few bullet points to jog your memory:

•  People generally have the habit of engaging in negative self-talk when they realize we’ve been unconscious 
• Saying, "Thank you, God" when you awaken from unconsciousness is a simple way to break the negative habit. Getting negative is a way of keeping old memories alive.
• Future Memory - what do we want our memories to be in the future? The way we deal with our experience of life now will be our memory in the future.
• "The farther we are from an act the more we are likely to be dishonest." (Dan Ariely in The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty)
• The farther we get from consciously connecting with God the more likely we are to be dishonest about our true nature.
• When life throws dirt on your back, shake it off and step up (like the mule does in the ancient proverb)

• Instruction from my Inner Guidance which I define as the Holy Spirit:   “Trust is the main requirement in finding a happier, more peaceful life.  Trust in Me. Trust in the power and Presence of Me.  Why do you doubt what you have not yet fully tried? What difference would it make if you were wrong? Would it be anything more than a temporary departure from what already isn’t working or is working minimally?  “Try Me, you’ll like Me.”  Now go and have fun in life.  Bring good cheer with you in whatever you do.  I love you.”

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To read the complete text of "Shake It Off and Step Up" from Sunday, August 19, 2012,  click here.

Look Above The Bar

Norman Vincent Peale tells a story about a pole vaulter who only had to make a vault he’d made before in order to be awarded a college scholarship. The young man lost his confidence and told his coach, “It’s too high. I can’t do it.”

The coach responded, “I want you to throw your heart above the bar. In you imagination and in your eyesight, see only things above the bar.”

So often we look at the “bars” we have to vault over in life and we say to ourselves, “It’s too high. I can’t do it”

We are not alone. God is with us always.  We can remind ourselves if this by using one of these affirmations when we face struggle in our life:

·         God is the strength on which I depend (Lesson 47, A Course in Miracles)

·         I can do all things, through God who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)

If we wish to keep up comfortable place in mind, and have a peaceful soul, we must distance ourselves, at least somewhat, from negative distractions around us.

But distancing our self isn't always easy, especially when so many negatives are struggling to get our attention, and our participation.

Each week we close our service by reciting The Prayer for Protection and we affirm, “Wherever I am, God is, and all is well.”

What this prayer is affirming is that we are not alone.

We are not alone – God is with us always (all ways)

We all have this habit – when we realize we’ve been unconscious we get upset with/at ourselves… isn’t that accepting the call to participate in negativity?

When you have a spiritual realization, what do you do, get upset or be grateful? 

Realizing that you’ve been unconscious is reason for rejoicing because now you’re conscious again!

Would you be willing to focus your attention “above the bar?”  Would you be willing, for the next 24 hours, to deliberately speak in positive terms about everything in your life? Would you be willing to speak, positively, about your job, your health, your relationships, your marriage, and your future?

Would you be willing to GO OUT OF YOUR WAY to speak, optimistically, about everything? The pessimistic way doesn’t work—it NEVER did. Look for the positive in everything… talk positively.

Enjoy this video: http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/99-The-Greatest

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To read the complete text of "Look Above The Bar" from Sunday, August 12,  click here.

Catching Up After Vacation, Part 2

I've been on vacation for two weeks and I'd like to thank C.Dee Coy, RScP for filling in for me on August 5, 2012

     (Dee Coy, a native Hoosier, is a Religious Science Practitioner and senior ministerial student at Denver campus of Holmes Institute of Consciousness Studies. Dee is currently serving as ministerial intern at the Center for Spiritual Living of Greater Cincinnati.)

Synopsis of Dee's message:

Heaven is used to describe the sky above us, the celestial realm of stars and constellations above that, and the realm of pure spirit where living beings reside after death. The master teacher gave us another description which he repeated many times in many ways throughout his teachings.  The kingdom of heaven is within and at-hand and we are to seek it first.  In doing so, all other things are added unto us.   

We all have a concept of heavenly reality and we all would like to see that reality reflected here on earth.  We do so by applying the law of cause and effect, concentrating our attention on realizing the heaven within that awaits us and allowing that realization to shift all other thoughts and actions in accordance with it.  We must give up nothing but the notion that “we” do the work.

The full text of Dee's message can be read here.

Catching Up After Vacation, Part 1

I've been on vacation for two weeks and I'd like to thank Jim Tallman for filling in for me on July 29, 2012

Synopsis of Jim's message:

Living a more spiritual life is aided by surrounding yourself with positive people.  He who walks with the wise grows wise. (Proverbs 13:4)

Limit negative self talk.  Negative self talk can be transformed through the use of denials and affirmations.

Be around people that:

* Support you 

* Celebrate your success 

* Encourage you when things "appear" to be going bad.  

As you grow in spiritual strength become that kind of friend to others, asking yourself "would I want me for a friend."

Bad company corrupts good people. (I Corinthians: 15:33)