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"The
Spirit within us is always expanding. If we do not expand with it
we begin to limit ourselves, and as we limit ourselves we experience
pain in some area of our lives. There is only one Spirit and it is
omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and omni-active. We live and
move and have our being in this universal Power, Intelligence and
Activity. If it is ever expanding and never stands still, we must
also be constantly unfolding more of the potential that is within us."
- Dr. Frank E.
Richelieu,
The Art Of Being Yourself
This
week we continue with our annual review of the first four Introductory
Chapters of "The Science of Mind" with Introductory Chapter 2,
"The Way It Works." All references to SOM, are from "The Science of
Mind." Most of us know that the ancient scriptures state that
we are "made in the image and the likeness of G-d," and it is
important that we understand what this means. We have been endowed
with the power, the intelligence and the spirit of the Infinite.
In other words, G-d has imparted a part of Itself in all of us. We
are infinite individualizations of the One. And as was revealed by
the mystical Isaiah, "besides G-d there is nothing." Dr.
Holmes writes in "The Science of Mind" that the "Seed of
Perfection is hidden within" ... within each of us. Let us
consciously think about what this means to us and how this might change
the ideas and beliefs we have held about ourselves and others.
Not realizing this, we have misused this
highest power that we possess. (SOM) "And so great is this power -
so complete is our freedom in it, so absolute the domain of law through
it - that the misuse of this power has brought upon us the very
conditions from which we suffer. We are bound because we are first
free; the power which appears to bind us is the only power in the
universe that can free us. This is why Jesus summed up His whole
philosophy in this simple statement: "It is done unto you as
you believe." This statement was not original to Him, but as
He examined the laws of Nature and the behavior of the people around
Him, this was the only intelligent conclusion. The key words to
remember are "as" and "believe" ... these two words
direct the power either for our good, or for our misery. As we
believe in the good - good will be our experience. As we believe
in something other than good - this something other will be our
experience. This is as simple as, "as you sow, so shall you
reap." I believe that most of us have a greater faith in G-d,
or the Good, than we may recognize, but we are not always
"consciously" aware of it. This is why it is important
that we affirm that we have faith and that we believe that our Good is
assured. Emma Curtis Hopkins taught that "faith is a
self-increasing characteristic, faith in Goodness will feed itself and
increase itself."
(SOM) "Spirit works for us by working
through us. The Thing, then, works for us by working through us
and is us, always. It cannot work for us in any other way.
It spreads Itself over the whole universe and shouts at us from every
angle, but
It can become power to us
only when we recognize It as Power."
(SOM) " We cannot recognize that It is, while we are believing that It is
not." This creates confusion and frustration. We must
be "firm" in our beliefs and in our faith ... we create this
firmness mentally by persistence. If we are not believing in G-d,
just be wise and say "I don't believe, but I am trying to" ...
when we begin where we are, everything works out much better for us.
(SOM) "If we say we can only experience a
little good, then we shall experience but a little good. But, if
we say, with Emerson, "There is no great and no small to the soul
that maketh all," then we may experience a greater good because we
have conceived it. Therefore, our belief sets the limit to our
demonstration of a Principle which, of Itself, is without limit.
It is ready to fill everything, because It is Infinite. So, it is
not a question of Its willingness, nor of Its ability. It is
entirely a question of our own receptivity." And so the
questions for all of us to answer for ourselves is: 1) How much
can I believe?, and 2) How much can I accept? I may believe that
"all things are possible with G-d" ... but do I believe that
all things I can imagine for myself are possible for me? And can I
accept the things I desire for myself? These questions can only be
answered by self-reflection, and by acknowledging that we require G-d to
be our "silent-partner" in whatever it is that we seek to do,
to be, or to have.
Our receptivity and acceptance of a greater Good for
ourselves, for most of us, has been hindered by a belief in both good
and evil, a god and a devil, reward and punishment, etc. It is
time for us to give up these things and realize that if G-d is All;
Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient ... there is G-d and nothing ...
and nothing to restrict us, limit us or bind us to limitation. We
can read in scripture, "The Lord (Law) is my shepherd. I
shall not want." And from the Master Mind Jesus we learned,
"All that the Father (Infinite Spirit) hath is mine." It
is up to us to accept it. And as we do, we are revealing G-d in
our experiences for all to see.
(SOM) "Then,
knowing that The Thing can work for us only through us, let us begin to
accept today more good than we experienced yesterday ... Let us realize
and work with this sound knowledge and perfect faith: That as high
as we shall make our mark in Mind and Spirit, so high shall be Its
outward manifestation in our material world."
AND
SO IT IS!
Keep
the faith!
Rev.
Dr. Henry Lee Bates
Visit Rev. Bates BLOG: Living
the Science of Mind
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