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Monday, November 16, 2015

Threats of Terror

There is a Psalm that is called the Psalm of Protection -- the 91st Psalm. In the shadow of terrorist attacks and threats it would do us well to pray with this Psalm deeply. The spiritual ideas in it are powerful and unlimited in scope and application. In this blog I will share the Psalm and something of its intensely powerful spiritual meaning.



Psa. 91:1 ¶ He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. We are hidden in Spirit when we need to be unseen.
Psa. 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Go consciously into the arms of the loving One, knowing His presence becomes as walls that surround and hide you.
Psa. 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. You cannot be trapped in some evil plan, or terrified by announcements of threats.
Psa. 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Covered and hidden under Love's wings, you are protected by shield (completely covered), and buckler (small specific spot of protection).
Psa. 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Night and day, the ever-present Love of God surrounds you.
Psa. 91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. Night and day -- God is Light, Love, Spirit, and the Christ presence abides around you, in you, through you -- and radiates out from you. 
Psa. 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Let all the fears fall -- "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind" (II Tim. 1:7).
Psa. 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Evil appears, but it is temporal; there is nothing real or permanent in evil; God is Good, supreme.
Psa. 91:9 ¶ Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; Because you let Spirit dwell in your consciousness...
Psa. 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. No evil will touch you; your whole being is safe.
Psa. 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Angels, or spiritual intuitions and messages from God, take charge of thought, and thoughts manifest in experience.
Psa. 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Know, when something is frightening, that angels do surround you and that you will not be harmed. Trust.
Psa. 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. That which would devour or poison or sting -- you have power to stamp it out -- put out all suggestions that anything has power over you but God, Good, Love. Trample down even a "dragon" evil suggestion or appearance, such as terrorism -- past acts/ future threats.
Psa. 91:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. This is God speaking now -- there is a change here. You have set your love upon Him -- He sets His love upon you. You are set on high -- in Spirit, even here and now. His name is holy, His name is Love.
Psa. 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. God continues to speak to you here. He wants you to call on Him, and He promised to answer. The omnipotent Good promises to deliver and honor you. Just call on Him for help -- for everything.
Psa. 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Long life -- not cut down short -- but long life, in fact, eternal life! Here God promises to show you His salvation -- to heal you, comfort you, and save you. 

As we approach Thanksgiving in the U.S. we are reminded to express and to feel gratitude for many things on all levels. I am grateful that this writing from thousands of years ago still exists in a form where we can access its ideas, and I am grateful that we each reflect the divine Intelligence to absorb its deeper spiritual meaning and apply it for safety and healing.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Paris



The terrorist acts in Paris on Friday the 13th (2015), have been claimed by ISIS. One of the targets was a rock concert that they called a nest of prostitutes. Another, a harmless sports event. Innocent ones in a restaurant suddenly found themselves in a shower of glass and bullets. Hate and fear in this horrendous form of violence can never be met effectively by more hate or fear. It can never be effectively addressed by anything but its absolute opposite -- the love of divine Love.

Terror. From Latin terrorem meaning great fear, dread, panic, alarm. It is to fill with fear, frighten, or tremble. The Oxford English Dictionary explains that a terrorist is one who is "a member of a clandestine or expatriate organization aiming to coerce an established government by acts of violence again it or its subjects." The Bible exhorts, "Dread not." These were words of God to Moses, and they are words of God to us today. God says, "... be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed" (I Chronicles 22:13). How can we do this in the face of terrorism, its devastating aftermath and its future threats? The opposite of dread and dismay is Love, not human or personal love, but the Love that is the nature and substance of the Infinite One. How can we access this for healing and protection?

There are many survivors that need healing right now, physically and emotionally. Nothing short of Spirit's lifting consciousness up from the darkness and horror to the Light of Love will do this. Standing in astonishment is a natural reaction, but turning from that blackness to the Light of Life is the only thing that will bring healing, and bring it speedily. "Be not afraid of the terror by night" (Psalm 91:5). Many people who have been through war situations have leaned hard on this 91st Psalm, known as the psalm of protection. If you are ever going to memorize a portion of the Scriptures, this would be one of the best.The first verse reads, "He that dwelt in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." What is this secret place? It is the ever presence of divine Love that continually enfolds us. It fills all the universe with its living Love. 

SO HOW CAN WE HELP? Go to Psalm 91 and let your spiritual sense of its message comfort you and lift you from the depths of reaction to the horrors of the Paris attack to the love of the infinite I AM.  Go in thought, focus on the light of Love that is within, and Love will lift you to spiritual Light and power through His grace. See this energy of the Spirit of Christ resting on everyone touched by this recent event, bringing consolation and healing. See the Light of Love present -- solid present -- no one can get outside of it. 


Do not try to figure everything out. We have healing work to do, and comforting to bring. Thank you for your prayers and brotherly-sisterly love. It is felt. It is helping. It is healing. It is consoling. 

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Continuing Refugee Crisis: Continuing Love



As refugees continue to be in crisis, reports and photos keep the world aware of their needs and expose the amount of help offered from various countries. Lebanon has accepted an incredible one million refugees this year, while Germany has received over 570,000. Meanwhile the United States has stuck to its quota of 70,000, to be increased, but not until 2017. Starving, begging, homeless or poorly housed refugees do not have the ability to wait. Borders are closing on them, and desperate people continue to use often dangerous water routes to get around these.

While survival for one's self is a huge motivator and force, parental care for children in extreme need or danger drives individuals to the limits. There are things we will do for the sake of our innocent little ones that we might not otherwise attempt. Behind the courage or daring of this is the pureness of Love, and this higher power of divine Love is what we must call on in prayer to remove obstacles and bring the needed things.

WHAT WE CAN DO. Affirming together that the energy of Love and Spirit is present and can do all things, prayerfully meditate for at least a few minutes to realize the protecting power and Light of the Christ surrounding all of God's children -- and we all are God's children. The practical result is safety and supply. Affirm that your spiritual realization is operating now as a Law that is healing and saving for the refugees, opening the way, feeding their hearts and feeding them needful food. As you pray and rise to the energy of Spirit or Soul, know that your prayer is "not in vain in the Lord" (I Cor. 15:58). You have a direct impact for good on those little ones who need it most -- even just three minutes. We are a collective force for good that reaches those our prayer rests upon whether near or really far, whether we know the ones we are knowing Truth for, or not. Love encircles those of our intention and comforts them right now.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/04/world/middleeast/syria-refugees-europe-crisis-maps-explainer.html?ref=world&_r=0
New York Times, Nov. 8, 2015

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Food and Spiritual Grace



The Health/food section of BBC News reexamines the recurring question of what foods are good for us versus those that might harm. Once again, the diametric changes in opinions on this topic are observed incredulously. 

The article, "Are Any Foods Safe to Eat?" poses these startling inquiries: "Is bacon really as bad for you as cigarettes? Will coffee give you a heart attack? Do wheat-eaters suffer - 'brain fog'?" 

The deeper issue, beyond chemical properties of material food, lies in our emotional responses to it -- pleasure, fear, threat, sad memories, indignation as to what was done to obtain the food, the attitude of the one cooking or making your food, and so forth. It has been shown that if one eats while angry, the chemical properties of the food become toxic. 

My daughter and I went to a deli for a sandwich to split. The woman who was making it became very surly and said mean words. We both decided that we did not want to eat that sandwich. Taking in food is really taking it, as an idea, into your consciousness. It should not be eaten when in the midst of negativity either around you or within  you. 

Maybe saying "grace," besides expressing gratitude, is a protection. Saying "grace" requires grace. Grace dissipates negativity, sadness or anger. I like to say that whatever the food is, it is an idea of God (the Creator of all) and therefore can only bless me. It is a protective grace.

Lift your sense of food up from the material to the idea of nurturing and feeding consciousness by Spirit. Try to have love and positive thoughts and feelings surround your food. This is more important than the information on labels or changing beliefs of nutritionists or new findings of research. 

Grace: Thank You, I AM THAT I AM, for this idea of food that can only bless me.