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“This
week we are in week #5 of a 6-week prosperity series of lessons that I
am giving so that each of us have an opportunity to "discover"
the way in which we can increase our measure of prosperity and financial
ease. [previous lessons in Archived
Messages ] I am presenting these lessons via the web site text
messages, on the Sunday morning radio program and on the 6-Wednesday
evening radio programs. The first step to realizing greater
prosperity is "commitment to prosperity" and so to
"activate" our commitment to prosperity, I am suggesting that
after each lesson, everyone is to send $1 to Rev. Bates at P. O. Box
1173, Palm Springs, CA 92263 ... I will also accept non-U.S.
currency
... write on the outside of the envelope "#5"
this week ... and then "#6" for the last
lesson next week of the 6-weeks of commitment to prosperity as we
gain a "conviction" that we can experience a more prosperous
life, now.
If you are just beginning this week to respond to this exercise in
prosperity, write # 5 on your envelope.” -
Rev
Bates
"Blessings
has Multiplying Power: The act of blessing what is on hand can
increase it mightily. A business woman proved this. She was
between jobs. Her grocery supplies were so low that the only food
she had in the house was a small amount of hamburger, some coffee, and a
half carton of cream. This hungry woman started blessing her
pocketbook and financial affairs, but nothing happened. She
decided to bless the small amount of food that was left, remembering how
Jesus had multiplied the loaves and fishes by taking them in his hands
and blessing them. (Matthew 14:19)
She anticipated that,
as she blessed the food at hand, more food or the money to purchase more
food would come to her somehow. This did not happen, but the power
of blessing worked anyway. After the act of blessing the
hamburger, cream and coffee, she used a portion of them for her evening
fare. The next day, when she again inspected the food, she
realized that there appeared to be just as much there as had been before
using a portion of it the previous evening! That food was like the
manna in the wilderness that been gathered by the Hebrews on the sixth
day and had lasted through the seventh day, when no more appeared.
As she continued to bless what was at hand, it met her needs until more
money arrived. Through the continued act of blessing, she secured
a job and the crisis passed.
Remind yourself often:
"The act of blessing has multiplying power. As I bless what
is on hand, this opens the way for it to increase mightily. So I
bless and increase my health, wealth, and happiness now!"
-
Catherine Ponder, Minister, Author
Many people will read the words above
written by Catherine Ponder with disbelief ... some will doubt ... and
some will read no further as they stop and think about what they will
bless first! The disbelievers and the doubters may never have
faced poverty, illness, or loss of any kind ... but, then, perhaps they
have and just accepted it as their fate in life and learned to live with
it. Yet, most of us don't accept any of these things as our fate
in life and that is why we are willing to "discover" the way
in which we can move into a greater experience of financial ease, health
and happiness. And we won't make this "discovery" unless
we are willing to do something that we haven't done before because there
is no god that can do anything to us ... only through us. As the
Master Mind Jesus taught, we should let our "child-like
curiosity" impel us to find out what works for us and what doesn't
... without letting our ego place a judgment in our mind that blocks us
from experiencing one of the most enlightening experiences of our life
... demonstrating part of the infinite Good in our lives.
I choose to believe the testimonial
from this woman because believing it has a greater benefit than not
believing it. It offers hope, inspiration and something new to
think about and put into practice. And further more, I want to
"prove it" for myself and the only way I can do that, is to do
what she did. I believe the reason why some people
"disconnect" from the teachings of Jesus is because the
religion that came from his teachings is not about "doing what he
did" but talking about what he did. This woman, "did
what he did" in her own personal experience.
Life is a gift ... It is not a test. The
woman in Catherine Ponder's testimonial was not being tested, she was
being gifted ... not with food, money, and a job ... but with faith and
confidence that she could absolutely depend on G-d's infinite givingness
... through Love and Law. She spoke the words, probably at first
hoping and wishing that they would do something ... and even when they
didn't she persisted. Persistent and consistent practice of
spiritual principles will make a demand on our consciousness to be
receptive and open to receive. But ... we must not confuse
spiritual principles with man-made-manipulations. Blessing, like
giving is spiritual and imitates the "likeness" or "being
like" G-d. G-d blesses us and gives to us freely. We
"give" in order to participate in the Divine Circulation;
freely give and freely receive. Love and Law in perfect action.
The woman, by blessing what she had,
activated the Law through Love; that is, trust and faith in Something
Greater that would respond to her blessings. Her faith increased
each time she blessed the hamburger, cream and coffee ... and so her
good increased according to her belief. Without a belief in what
we are doing ... nothing happens ... belief contains faith, and faith is
the substance (energy) of things hoped for. Our spiritual
practices develop our faith and conviction ... and for most of us this
requires repetition. How much? ... no one knows until the
demonstration is made and the good desired is made manifest. The
important point for all of us is ... are we willing to practice with
persistence?
The wise Myrtle Fillmore wrote:
"We are to have whatever we require, yes. But we are making
progress toward the time when we shall work at something really
constructive, something that reveals God in people and in God's world,
something that gives us the privilege of deciding for ourselves, under
guidance of Spirit, when we are to go and when we are to come. As
soon as we are capable of it, the Lord will place us in such a position
among our fellow human beings."
And so we find a simplicity in both
the words of Catherine Ponder and Myrtle Fillmore.
We are to demonstrate through faith the things that we require, because
in so doing we are revealing a greater faith and trust within our own
consciousness, and this developing of our faith will lead us to have
more, to do more, and to be more, so that we can make not only our own
life better, but that Spirit can use us to prosper and bless others.
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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Rev
Bates on the Radio
