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.

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. 

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

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. 

Care for the Dying

Care for the Dying.  The word Hospice (from hospitality) was originally a term used for a place where tired or sick travelers could find shelter and care. In 1948, it was applied to care for dying patients by Dr. Dame Saunders, and became a generally accepted term in 1963 when she presented her concept of specialized care at Yale. 

The online journal, Medical Daily, explains that palliative care for those suffering terminal conditions can "improve their quality of life by relieving pain and other symptoms," but there are substantial gaps in the provision of this care. "At the end of 2014, 67 percent of hospitals with 50 beds or more had palliative care programs," this article reports. 
Although there has been great improvement, there is still limited access to palliative care for Americans today, especially in the Southern portion of the country. 

http://www.medicaldaily.com/many-seriously-ill-americans-lack-access-palliative-care-358828

Of the multitudes who came to Jesus for healing, tens of thousands were in conditions considered incurable and with little or no hope for care, comfort or support. No wonder they flocked him and pressed to touch him. One woman thought that if she could just come from behind him and touch the edge of his robe, she would be healed -- so great were the number of instantaneous healing occurring around him wherever he went. She touched, and immediately was healed of a chronic 'issue of blood.' Jesus said that her faith had made her whole (begin with Matthew 9:20). 

https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=touched+the+hem&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1

WHAT TO DO. Finding oneself in a desperate situation with no access to palliative care does not mean no care is available, for Jesus said that the Christ would be with us "alway" (Matthew 28:20). One translation adds, "I will be with you always, day in and day out, as you will see." The Love that is God, and the Christ presence are with you every moment, no matter how threatening or hurtful a circumstance or condition may appear. Turn your attention to that loving Presence with a desire for comfort and healing such as the woman who touched his hem, and you are sure to experience some benefit of good, if not full relief. 

Gratitude for Love's presence and care makes the human circumstances conform to that truth. If there seems no care present, affirm (often, with feeling and trust) that the Christ is right with you, within and without, day and night, caring for your every need. It is like opening a closed door to let in the full sunlight that is just on the other side of it. Open consciousness a crack by this repeated affirmation and expectation of good, and the Christ-light will flood thought and create a better experience for you. Nothing and no one can separate you from the love of God and His care for you. This attitude and purposeful declaration of truth will adjust things in your behalf for good. Give gratitude and receive.

Paul writes, "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, no height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). 

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/rom/8/38/s_1054038

Road Rage: Presence of Peace

Road Rage is outrageous. According to BBC News, a four-year-old, Lily Garcia, "was shot and killed in an apparent road rage incident in New Mexico" today, October 22. What an unthinkable, unbearable, and senseless act -- how sorrowful. Lily's father told police that "the shooting was the result of road rage." The pictures of Lily show a delightful and happy little face of innocence.

Those who suffer from violent anger that erupts without control need to seek aid to find a more balanced, more peaceful, less threatening life. Some do go to therapy called 'anger management,' and get help, but a great many do not. Vehement anger is like a burst of destructive flame, and should never be anywhere near a sweet child -- or anyone else. 

In Ephesians it counsels us to "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and glamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. The question is, How do we do this? Whether the need is to heal yourself of spurts of anger, or to help another who may even be violent or get out of control, the underlying basis for a turn-around to steadiness and more peacefulness is the fact that God is all, God is good, and we are His reflection ("image and likeness" -- Genesis 1:26). 

God is never out-of-control angry; God is Love and peace. The Infinite is pure calm. He is never ruffled, never hurried, never disturbed, irritated, aggravated, or wrathful. God is pure peace and goodness. Man is His likeness. Our true identity is just like the Peaceful One. No matter how much evidence of rage is seen or felt, suffered or suppressed, the fact is that man is never in a state of anger, for man is the steady and changeless reflection or likeness of God. That which is in the mirror can only show forth that which is before it. God, the calm ever presence, is reflected by man at all times and under all circumstances. This is the truth that "makes free," and it is the truth we hold to in prayer when the opposite appearance threatens. 

I once walked into a home to see a new friend, only to find she had been beaten by a drunk abusive husband, and her children were crying in the corner of a bedroom. I had no idea she was dealing with that. Before I could leave, he returned home. Let me tell you, he was big and scary. I managed to get out to my car and was thinking I should call the police but my phone would not work. I prayed as hard as I could to know the truth of man as God's likeness, to see this drunk and enraged person as he really was -- the likeness of the Infinite Calm One -- peaceful and good. I pulled out onto the main road and was immediately stopped by the police. I was never so happy to be stopped by an officer. My tail light was out, but the real reason was so that I could point to the house and tell him that my friend was in danger. He left right away to take care of the situation. The result of this was that the man was forced to get help, the wife was protected, and the power of Love was demonstrated by the police officer's appearance just when it was most needed.

We must be wise on the roads, and wise in our dealings with others. Watch body language, and be careful not to provoke anyone, especially when there are children around. What can be done now? Lily's little four years of life and sweet joyfulness must leave an indelible mark of good -- it must be a catalyst for us to effect some lasting change for good -- it must not be in vain, but rather save the lives of others. It has caused me to write this blog, to share a most powerful spiritual fact about man's true nature that can help and heal, protect and transform. Pray to see reflection of the peace and calm of God as Soul, right where rage is burning, for that is the truth of man's identity and nature. Seeing spiritually brings protection and healing. Doing this will keep you and others safe. Road rage will dissipate. 

Lily is in the arms of the dear Infinite One, loved. Let us pray that her family feels the comfort of Love, and keep close with supporting thoughts and truth. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34599562

Arctic Drilling, Polar Bears, and Dominion

The Arctic region has protected itself by yielding less than desirable results in recent testing for offshore oil and gas.  Environmentalists, and especially, polar bears, are quite happy over this finding which has caused cancellation of "two potential Arctic offshore lease sales" as well as any extensions on current leases. The expense and dangers of arctic drilling further aid in the protection of this area. The Scriptures say that man was given "dominion over all the earth," but does not mean to exploit it or bring harm to the environment or the creatures it sustains. (Gen. 1:26). The idea of "dominion" given in Genesis is more in line with care giving, and wise use of resources provided. To "subdue" the earth infers that man makes it productive and good, but surely this does not include destruction, contamination, or ruin. There is nothing in the nature of God as presented in the first account of creation (Genesis 1:1 - 2:4) that would occasion any necessity for ruin or imbalance. God calls all into being by His word, "Let there be..." and everything is pronounced "good" (1:31). However dominion is interpreted, surely it must be in line with God's true nature of Love.

WHAT CAN WE DO? Prayerful meditation on the reality of spiritual being, the true nature of Love filling all space and protecting all the innocent ones, will support all right endeavors and bring healing to our planet.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34557099