Living In Spirit: April 2015

Thursday, April 30, 2015

God And Used Car Salesmen

Some time ago I had a conversation (berating more accurately) with an “adamant” my way or the highway Christian. You have probably met one, within the first few minutes of conversation they ask if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and if you don’t answer to their satisfaction the sales pitch begins. They state matter-of-factually that if you don’t buy their brand you are doomed for all eternity and it is their job to save you.

In truth, there are thousands of churches based on the Christ teaching and many (if not most) state matter-of-factually that they are the only true path. Fortunately for all there are some things that God is not, and limited or exclusive is on that list.

We have all fallen into the cross hairs of an aggressive salesman, how did you enjoy the experience? Even if you purchased what they were selling, how did you feel? Would you then go out of your way to recommend or continue a relationship with this person? You may have even bought what they were selling just to get away from them.

Having turned my will and life over to the care of God many years ago, I have never seen the spiritual “hard sell” approach work in the long run. To be clear: To have a spiritual awakening the desire must come from within. The best sermons are delivered with hands and feet, so we live our lives as a demonstration of the Word. We stand firm in faith and never shrink from flying our flag of belief but we deliver it with a smile and a gentle heart, considering how we would want to be approached if the roles were reversed, leaving the hard sell to used car salesmen.

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Serenity, Enlightenment, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Addicts Today, Chopra, Jesus, Healing Path Recovery, Einstein, Marianne Williamson, Sayeh Beheshti, AKUA

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Imperfect Speech

Often we fail to measure the words we use or take the time to consider their ultimate impact. We have all experienced the sick feeling when words have slipped past our lips that we would give anything to have back; unfortunately we cannot un-ring a bell. Conversely there are the times when we have failed to speak up and then rehearse when alone what we feel we should have said, extending the discomfort of our inaction.

Words carry impact, reverberating with life far beyond the moment of their utterance. Fierce resentments have been born from seemingly casual remarks, birthed from what we perceived was innocuous. Fortunately the converse is true as well, our words spreading out to provide hope and solace far beyond our limited understanding.

Having chosen to live on a new basis, the Spiritual Basis, we speak from the heart, delivering the truth to the best of our current understanding, with the lightness of a feather. Our goal to always be of service, to stand for truth, to help and never harm, but realizing we all fall far short of perfection in speech.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Borrowing God

As a younger man I wore the coat of the agnostic. Having heard so many say that God was love but if you broke a certain rule you would suffer for all eternity, that the Devil battles with God and actually wins from time to time, never made any sense to me. I had always believed that there was “something”, some power or intelligence, but the idea of a punishing, score keeping, testing God that could lose battles just did not pass muster. As life progressed, the one thing I did right was keep an open mind, continuing to seek and learn. I studied and investigated everything from Catholicism to Islam, Dianetics to the Rosicrucian’s, learning much but never convinced. Finally I found myself in a position where I had to face the proposition of God not from some intellectual hilltop but from the depths of depression and pain. Nothing sharpens the mind, cutting away the superfluous like pain, for in the dark night of the soul esoteric knowledge and philosophical debating points lose all significance. Lost in pain and doubt I reached out and my plea was answered, lacking all ambiguity and I was convinced.

Though we are all connected in Spirit, each of us walks our own path, daily choosing pain or peace. Our path of awakening following the decisions and choices each make, for pain is the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self. Today I know in my heart of hearts that God desires all His children to be happy, joyous and free and that He will guide us through the process of enlightenment, as long as we remain open minded and willing. Forgiveness in Spirit our birth right.

If you are struggling with the concept of a punishing score keeping God, please borrow mine. When I make a mistake, a daily occurrence, He directs me and shows me the correct action to take if I but ask. The price: pray regularly, meditate daily and treat all in the manner you wish to be treated in. Please no pushing; there is plenty of Him to go around.

When we know, who walks beside us, on this path we have chosen, our fears fall from us.