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August 2, 2015 – Pray and Forgive

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08/02/15  Rev. David McArthur

Pray and Forgive

Forgiveness is a part of the consciousness of the world. I want it to be a part of me. There are 2 parts in forgiving. We know how to heal the emotional hurt, although it’s not always easy. The other part is when we experience the hurt, the brain needs to blame the other person so it can protect us. The brain rejects and pushes back with resentment for that person. This is how we have evolved. It becomes a block in our spiritual growth, but we do not have to do this. We have wisdom. We do not have to carry the resentment the brain creates.

Mother Teresa: “When people ask me what advice I have for a struggling married couple, I say, ‘pray and forgive.’ For a young person in a violent home, I say, ‘pray and forgive.’ And for a single mother left with young children, I say, ‘pray and forgive.’”

I love the place where you pray for that other person. Edwene Gaines says forgiveness is a big part of opening to God prospering in our lives, but that also there’s another level of forgiveness prayer, which is blessing the other person. Once she was surprised to find she still had feelings against a former husband who had struggled with substance abuse. So she declared of this man, “I see you blessed and doing all you’ve ever dreamed of, peaceful and joyous on your way.” The very next week she got a letter from him (after years). He said he hadn’t appreciated her before, but now wanted to thank her, as she was part of his subsequent recovery and prosperity. He was now free from addiction and doing well. He included a check for $3000 that he had owed her but which she had given up hope of ever seeing.

A prayer that means a lot to me is to pray for peace and mercy. I don’t have time for justice. Let’s get into the wholeness of our spiritual being. I’m ready for karma to be over. I pray God’s grace, healing, and peace blesses you. I know when we harm each other it can be from the insensitivity we have in our “sleep” or from our pain. Whatever another goes through, I am for them to know God’s grace, healing, and peace. I pray God’s grace, healing, and peace blesses you. I pray God’s grace, healing, and peace blesses you. I pray God’s grace, healing, and peace blesses you.

And when we do it, guess what? God’s grace, healing and peace comes to us! God bless you!

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July 26, 2015 – Goodness Is Now

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07/26/15 Rev. David McArthur
Goodness Is Now
 
In the midst of that “stuff” we get into, there is a beautiful moment of wisdom we can get. It is the now moment. One of our favorite and best teachers about this is Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin have made a fine fire for the evening and are talking about a great dinner they don’t have when they hear a scary noise in the forest. It’s Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear comin’! They’ll likely roast them up and eat ’em both right there at their own fire! Hiding his fright, Rabbit invites them over for a delicious fish dinner! But Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear don’t see any dinner at all. Rabbit explains they have to go down to the pond to catch the fish. (Bre’r Rabbit here is the Christ self and shows us there is always an answer!)

With the bright moon’s reflection on the water, Rabbit tells everyone the moon has fallen into the pond and scared all the fish away. “Unless we get that moon out of the pond, we ain’t gonna get any fishes!” (The moon in the pond is the lower reality. We get so involved with the stuff in our lower reality!) While Rabbit runs back for a fishin’ net, Bre’r Terrapin tells Fox and Bear about a secret pot of gold in the pond. “Don’t tell Bre’r Rabbit.” Rabbit brings the net and Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear jump in the pond with it. They spread it out in the muddy water but no moon, no gold. When they get sufficiently tangled in the net, Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin take off into the forest skipping and laughing.

In this moment the wisdom is no matter what is taking place. In this moment God is, but only at one time—in the now moment. In Buddhist mindful meditation, we learn to be in the present moment. When someone in traffic makes a sudden move, we’re in the present moment, but this isn’t the now moment, the connection with the pure love that is God-expression within us.

I was walking down the beach one wonderful day. A dad was showing his baby the ocean for her very first time. As the waves washed over her toes she squealed with delight, with a joy so pure it brought everyone into their hearts. It was a goodness that was an expression of God, of love, of love of life and discovery for that little being. In that moment there was a beautiful burst of love added to the universe. I guarantee no one was thinking of their taxes or of filling their tanks with gas. We were all there in this heart-awakened moment—here—now.

One way is just to appreciate the wisdom and presence in these people about you here, now. God’s goodness fills this moment! Right now! God’s goodness fills this moment! God’s goodness fills this moment! In this moment this goodness, this wisdom is present in each of our worlds. And we can laugh and skip like Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin when they took off into the woods!

July 26, 2015 – Goodness Is Now

by

07/26/15 Rev. David McArthur
Goodness Is Now

In the midst of that “stuff” we get into, there is a beautiful moment of wisdom we can get. It is the now moment. One of our favorite and best teachers about this is Uncle Remus: Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin have made a fine fire for the evening and are talking about a great dinner they don’t have when they hear a scary noise in the forest. It’s Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear comin’! They’ll likely roast them up and eat ’em both right there at their own fire! Hiding his fright, Rabbit invites them over for a delicious fish dinner! But Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear don’t see any dinner at all. Rabbit explains they have to go down to the pond to catch the fish. (Bre’r Rabbit here is the Christ self and shows us there is always an answer!)

With the bright moon’s reflection on the water, Rabbit tells everyone the moon has fallen into the pond and scared all the fish away. “Unless we get that moon out of the pond, we ain’t gonna get any fishes!” (The moon in the pond is the lower reality. We get so involved with the stuff in our lower reality!) While Rabbit runs back for a fishin’ net, Bre’r Terrapin tells Fox and Bear about a secret pot of gold in the pond. “Don’t tell Bre’r Rabbit.” Rabbit brings the net and Bre’r Fox and Bre’r Bear jump in the pond with it. They spread it out in the muddy water but no moon, no gold. When they get sufficiently tangled in the net, Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin take off into the forest skipping and laughing.

In this moment the wisdom is no matter what is taking place. In this moment God is, but only at one time—in the now moment. In Buddhist mindful meditation, we learn to be in the present moment. When someone in traffic makes a sudden move, we’re in the present moment, but this isn’t the now moment, the connection with the pure love that is God-expression within us.

I was walking down the beach one wonderful day. A dad was showing his baby the ocean for her very first time. As the waves washed over her toes she squealed with delight, with a joy so pure it brought everyone into their hearts. It was a goodness that was an expression of God, of love, of love of life and discovery for that little being. In that moment there was a beautiful burst of love added to the universe. I guarantee no one was thinking of their taxes or of filling their tanks with gas. We were all there in this heart-awakened moment—here—now.

One way is just to appreciate the wisdom and presence in these people about you here, now. God’s goodness fills this moment! Right now! God’s goodness fills this moment! God’s goodness fills this moment! In this moment this goodness, this wisdom is present in each of our worlds. And we can laugh and skip like Bre’r Rabbit and Bre’r Terrapin when they took off into the woods!

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July 19, 2015 – Our Greater Purpose

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07/19/15 Rev. David McArthur
Our Greater Purpose

Today we’ll explore a new state of consciousness: the one where we go, “Why me?!!” when those red lights start flashing behind us or when the computer crashes and everything we have is lost. But it’s the very last question answered!
 
Fortunately, you already set up an answer to use when you made the commitment to come into this life. You committed to love. You made the choice to be here as part of the heart-awakening of humankind, a shift of perception of the 3D world into the experience of the connection in the heart to see the goodness. We are in the midst of this change. 
 
These changes are a journey through the chakra system. The first was, as primitive man, we learned to survive. Then we developed the tribal, group, consciousness. Then, in the 3rd dimension, we have observed and learned and were able to analyze, to be scientific in our journey. We have gone deeper and deeper into the human brain and today we understand power is no longer “out there”, but in our awareness. 
 
We have gained power over the dimensions. Look at our power over food. What would happen of we looked at food from the 4th dimension? —we’d share it! In the 4th, we awaken the heart. We have wisdom. Infinite intelligence flows through us. We share our emotional and mental oneness that is there. We know humankind needed the wisdom in these hearts. That’s why we came. We do our spiritual work; we accept abundance and beauty into our lives. 
 
With all the knowledge we have, we do not have all the answers for the problems of humankind, but we are guided by the wisdom in all our hearts. Through the greater wisdom and presence, we make that change every time we choose love. It’s what we came into this life for—to share the heart-awakening of humankind. 
 
Every Sunday I experience the true pure love that comes from the people here. I choose love. I know you’ve made that choice many times. There are many times I don’t want to do that, but I know once I get there it will be easier. 
 
We came because the love in our hearts lifts all humankind. We took that on. “I choose love—the world awakens.” “I choose love—the world awakens.” “I choose love—the world awakens.” I know that again and again you make that choice. For that I thank you! 

July 19, 2015 – Our Greater Purpose

by

07/19/15 Rev. David McArthur
Our Greater Purpose

Today we’ll explore a new state of consciousness: the one where we go, “Why me?!!” when those red lights start flashing behind us or when the computer crashes and everything we have is lost. But it’s the very last question answered!

Fortunately, you already set up an answer to use when you made the commitment to come into this life. You committed to love. You made the choice to be here as part of the heart-awakening of humankind, a shift of perception of the 3D world into the experience of the connection in the heart to see the goodness. We are in the midst of this change.

These changes are a journey through the chakra system. The first was, as primitive man, we learned to survive. Then we developed the tribal, group, consciousness. Then, in the 3rd dimension, we have observed and learned and were able to analyze, to be scientific in our journey. We have gone deeper and deeper into the human brain and today we understand power is no longer “out there”, but in our awareness.

We have gained power over the dimensions. Look at our power over food. What would happen of we looked at food from the 4th dimension? —we’d share it! In the 4th, we awaken the heart. We have wisdom. Infinite intelligence flows through us. We share our emotional and mental oneness that is there. We know humankind needed the wisdom in these hearts. That’s why we came. We do our spiritual work; we accept abundance and beauty into our lives.

With all the knowledge we have, we do not have all the answers for the problems of humankind, but we are guided by the wisdom in all our hearts. Through the greater wisdom and presence, we make that change every time we choose love. It’s what we came into this life for—to share the heart-awakening of humankind.

Every Sunday I experience the true pure love that comes from the people here. I choose love. I know you’ve made that choice many times. There are many times I don’t want to do that, but I know once I get there it will be easier.

We came because the love in our hearts lifts all humankind. We took that on. “I choose love—the world awakens.” “I choose love—the world awakens.” “I choose love—the world awakens.” I know that again and again you make that choice. For that I thank you!

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July 12, 2015 – The Perception Trap – The Projection Game

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07/12/15 Rev. Sheila Gautreaux, L.U.T.
The Perception Trap –– The Projection Game
 
If your eyes are healthy [your perception is true], your whole body [your body of affairs, your life] will be full of light [illuminated, aware of truth].” (Matthew 6, 23-24). If our perception is unhealthy, it is darkness within. So we see events in the moment erroneously, and are triggered by past pain. That’s the Perception Trap. We then project the past pain into the present and into the future. That’s the Projection Game. Until we heal that core negative belief, we react from that belief, and it gains energy over time. We update our pain with the Perception Trap and the Projection Game.

We all have core negative beliefs that cause us to react in a way that has nothing to do with the situation, but with something that happened to us when we were young. That young man in South Carolina acted from a misperception; he felt he had to act to protect himself. But what he expected would happen didn’t. Instead people came together in love and compassion. “When… we see as God sees—that all is whole and perfect… we avoid recreating the pain and suffering of the past.” Elizabeth Sand Turner (Be Ye Transformed). That’s what we are being called to do in our world right now.

Anytime we get triggered there’s something else going on. The core negative beliefs come up because they are still there, not to hurt us, just calling for healing. These things come up FOR us; they do not happen TO us. We have to consciously hunt for them and heal them.

The world is calling on us to help it heal. We’re a microcosm of the macrocosm. If a large percentage of us are carrying core negative beliefs the world is going to reflect it. Take an inventory of your core negative beliefs. Write them down. Look at where they came from. Decide to forgive where it was imprinted in the first place and then forgive yourself for carrying it all this time.

Each time we face a situation without letting it trigger us we stand in our power. Keep “tilling that soil” of your consciousness to discover what is in there that is showing up out here in our world. When you see something on the news that makes you say, “Oh my God!” say instead, “That’s a part of me, too!” “That possibility lives within me too.” I See As God Sees And My Vision Is True! I See As God Sees And My Vision Is True! I See As God Sees And My Vision Is True! Lao Tzu said, “The caterpillar sees the end of the world. The rest of the world sees the butterfly.

July 12, 2015 – The Perception Trap – The Projection Game

by

07/12/15 Rev. Sheila Gautreaux, L.U.T.
The Perception Trap –– The Projection Game

If your eyes are healthy [your perception is true], your whole body [your body of affairs, your life] will be full of light [illuminated, aware of truth].” (Matthew 6, 23-24). If our perception is unhealthy, it is darkness within. So we see events in the moment erroneously, and are triggered by past pain. That’s the Perception Trap. We then project the past pain into the present and into the future. That’s the Projection Game. Until we heal that core negative belief, we react from that belief, and it gains energy over time. We update our pain with the Perception Trap and the Projection Game.

We all have core negative beliefs that cause us to react in a way that has nothing to do with the situation, but with something that happened to us when we were young. That young man in South Carolina acted from a misperception; he felt he had to act to protect himself. But what he expected would happen didn’t. Instead people came together in love and compassion. “When… we see as God sees—that all is whole and perfect… we avoid recreating the pain and suffering of the past.” Elizabeth Sand Turner (Be Ye Transformed). That’s what we are being called to do in our world right now.

Anytime we get triggered there’s something else going on. The core negative beliefs come up because they are still there, not to hurt us, just calling for healing. These things come up FOR us; they do not happen TO us. We have to consciously hunt for them and heal them.
The world is calling on us to help it heal. We’re a microcosm of the macrocosm. If a large percentage of us are carrying core negative beliefs the world is going to reflect it. Take an inventory of your core negative beliefs. Write them down. Look at where they came from. Decide to forgive where it was imprinted in the first place and then forgive yourself for carrying it all this time.

Each time we face a situation without letting it trigger us we stand in our power. Keep “tilling that soil” of your consciousness to discover what is in there that is showing up out here in our world. When you see something on the news that makes you say, “Oh my God!” say instead, “That’s a part of me, too!” “That possibility lives within me too.” I See As God Sees And My Vision Is True! I See As God Sees And My Vision Is True! I See As God Sees And My Vision Is True! Lao Tzu said, “The caterpillar sees the end of the world. The rest of the world sees the butterfly.

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July 5, 2015 – Freedom from Within

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07/05/15 Rev. David McArthur
Freedom From Within

That freedom thing! Have you been celebrating? Freedom to choose our leaders, and freedom to disagree with them. Freedom to worship as we choose. They’re from without.

For the spiritual being there is another kind of freedom from within, which preserves the quality of our lives and what our lives are creating. Like 7 years ago when we were replacing our old building and there was a recession when everybody got afraid at once and the economic flow stopped. The lenders stopped lending out of fear. Fear took away freedom. But here, we chose to be free. God is our source. We can free ourselves from the fear of lack.

Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Charles Fillmore, in “Prosperity”, wrote, “Pour your living words of faith into the omnipresent substance, and you will be prospered though all the banks in the world close their doors.” God is our source, not banks. Because of that no one and nothing can withhold my good from me. We kept to this and our fear started to release. So a bank which had quit lending and which didn’t do church loans did for us.

Of those who lost family in the church in North Carolina, many said to the gunman, “I forgive you.” “Hate won’t win.” “We have no room for hate.” “I pray God for mercy on your soul.” “May God bless you.” That’s freedom! It was not an easy choice, but in it they found freedom from hate and destruction. It’s one of the most powerful choices available to us. They made the choice of love and used it to go to forgiveness. Freedom from hate, from what we’ve all done, that’s freedom!

I keep looking back at the experience of Viktor Frankl as he told it in “Man’s Search For Meaning”. Suffering the worst of man’s depravity in a Nazi concentration camp, he clung to his wife’s image in his mind until it grew more luminous than the rising sun. For the first time in his life he knew that love is man’s highest goal, that the salvation of man is through love and in love. He said he understood how even a man who has nothing left may still know bliss. This freedom from within that even the worst depravity cannot take away is in you. It is yours anytime you choose to love.

If Viktor Frankl can do it where he was, then maybe I can do it. If those families in North Carolina can, we can too. That’s the real freedom. We have freedom to choose love. If I understand his journey, that is the only choice that matters. I am grateful for those that showed me how. I choose love; I am free. I choose love; I am free. I choose love; I am free. What a treasure to live in a country that holds that. What a way to be! Enjoy!

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July 5, 2015 – Freedom from Within

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07/05/15 Rev. David McArthur
Freedom From Within

That freedom thing! Have you been celebrating? Freedom to choose our leaders, and freedom to disagree with them. Freedom to worship as we choose. They’re from without.
 
For the spiritual being there is another kind of freedom from within, which preserves the quality of our lives and what our lives are creating. Like 7 years ago when we were replacing our old building and there was a recession when everybody got afraid at once and the economic flow stopped. The lenders stopped lending out of fear. Fear took away freedom. But here, we chose to be free. God is our source. We can free ourselves from the fear of lack. 
 
Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Charles Fillmore, in “Prosperity”, wrote, “Pour your living words of faith into the omnipresent substance, and you will be prospered though all the banks in the world close their doors.” God is our source, not banks. Because of that no one and nothing can withhold my good from me. We kept to this and our fear started to release. So a bank which had quit lending and which didn’t do church loans did for us. 
  
Of those who lost family in the church in North Carolina, many said to the gunman, “I forgive you.” “Hate won’t win.” “We have no room for hate.” “I pray God for mercy on your soul.” “May God bless you.” That’s freedom! It was not an easy choice, but in it they found freedom from hate and destruction. It’s one of the most powerful choices available to us. They made the choice of love and used it to go to forgiveness. Freedom from hate, from what we’ve all done, that’s freedom! 
 
I keep looking back at the experience of Viktor Frankl as he told it in “Man’s Search For Meaning”. Suffering the worst of man’s depravity in a Nazi concentration camp, he clung to his wife’s image in his mind until it grew more luminous than the rising sun. For the first time in his life he knew that love is man’s highest goal, that the salvation of man is through love and in love. He said he understood how even a man who has nothing left may still know bliss. This freedom from within that even the worst depravity cannot take away is in you. It is yours anytime you choose to love. 
 
If Viktor Frankl can do it where he was, then maybe I can do it. If those families in North Carolina can, we can too. That’s the real freedom. We have freedom to choose love. If I understand his journey, that is the only choice that matters. I am grateful for those that showed me how. I choose love; I am free. I choose love; I am free. I choose love; I am free. What a treasure to live in a country that holds that. What a way to be! Enjoy!
 

June 28, 2015 – A Greater Love

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06/28/15 Rev. David McArthur
A Greater Love

This place that has been prepared for us by prayer and caring and it’s easier to enjoy the beautiful heart-field we are in when we are here. We do that for our families, too—create those heart-fields.

What’s challenging is when something disturbs this field. For example, when someone is in the pain of addiction it is so difficult to draw the boundary of safety and care for the family and say, “no, you have to take this elsewhere.” Such abuse often ends relationships, but there are times when, for self-care, a person has to say no.

In this pain when your love cannot care for the other there is a movement in spirit which shows there is a greater love. Dr. Emilie Cady, in How I Used Truth, tells of a time when someone in her life struggled with alcohol addiction. She went to Spirit and asked, “What do I do?” It took hours of surrender, but the answer was clear: “Lose him. Let him go… God is leading your friend in a way you cannot know. The Christ presence at the heart of every soul is working just as hard to bring your friend to it.”

I worked to heal a situation here with someone who was increasingly angry with me. My guidance said, “This is not yours. Let it go. Any more you do is co-dependancy. Lose her and let her go.” This raised my vision to that greater love/presence. Then the husband threatened my life and that of a board member. The board and I sought guidance and I have been so impressed with their care for me and particularly their love and compassion for these two people. That’s what we are here for, and it is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to care for our community. We called the police.

These difficulties call us to love and trust beyond what we see or understand. They open the door for us to step into forgiveness and go forward. It is so freeing. When these things happen my head wants to figure it all out, but we are being asked to step into that greater love for someone who is in conflict with himself.

The Prodigal Son “came to himself” and remembered he was a son of the father. That awakening is within each of us. When we touch it the judgments, right/wrong and the need to figure it all out just fades away. Who knows what is good and what is bad?

What we know is there is a presence, a greater love, in that person’s life and in ours. Know that. Keep opening to the awareness that “God’s goodness fills my life right now.” It’s beautiful, powerful, the very fabric of our lives. There are families here who have had to draw boundaries with someone caught in that pain. Hold for them, “God’s goodness fills your life right now.” We discover it in our lives and in others’ lives, and in those who don’t know. We discover it’s everywhere. “God’s goodness fills our lives right now.” Let that awareness fill us. Create a field which uplifts all of us way beyond what we know. For that I thank you!

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