February 28th 2014 Lesson 346
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 341 - 350:
13. What Is a Miracle?
A miracle is a correction.
It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on
devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes
error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the
function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it
paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for
fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.
A miracle
contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And
thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it
fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception
which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions
that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is
forgiveness seen as justified.
Forgiveness is the home of
miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in
mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what
was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers
all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the
Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the
light of perfect purity and endless joy.
The miracle is taken
first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made
ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet
faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really
there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it
rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed
from what you thought was there.
Miracles fall like drops of
healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and
thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is
green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is
born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
Lesson 346
Today the peace of God envelopes me,
and I forget all things except His Love.
- Invitation Prayer: Father, I wake today with miracles correcting my perception of all things. And so begins the day I share with You as I will share eternity, for time has stepped aside today. I do not seek the things of time, and so I will not look upon them. What I seek today transcends all laws of time and things perceived in time. I would forget all things except Your Love. I would abide in You, and know no laws except Your law of love. And I would find the peace which You created for Your Son, forgetting all the foolish toys I made as I behold Your glory and my own.
- And when the evening comes today, we will remember nothing but the peace of God. For we will learn today what peace is ours, when we forget all things except God's Love.
- The law of love guarantees that we have no need unfulfilled, and this is the path to peace for it removes the stress and worry associated with fulfilling desires. We are free of the need to impose any requirement on our brothers or on the world so that we may experience peace, the foundation of happiness. Defenses only increase weakness, and attack is unnecessary for we have found the peace of God through His law of love. Now can we truly forgive ourselves and the world, absolving both of the mad perceptions we held about them. The law of love bids us offer miracles to our brothers so that Christ's vision may purify our perceptions and remind us of the infinite fullness of God Love. Remembering God's unfailing Love is thus all we need to experience lasting peace and happiness.
I and my Creator are One. 
February 27th 2014 Lesson 345
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 341 - 350:
13. What Is a Miracle?
A miracle is a correction.
It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on
devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes
error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the
function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it
paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for
fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.
A miracle
contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And
thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it
fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception
which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions
that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is
forgiveness seen as justified.
Forgiveness is the home of
miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in
mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what
was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers
all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the
Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the
light of perfect purity and endless joy.
The miracle is taken
first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made
ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet
faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really
there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it
rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed
from what you thought was there.
Miracles fall like drops of
healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and
thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is
green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is
born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
Lesson 345
I offer only miracles today,
For I would have them be returned to me.
- Invitation Prayer: Father, a miracle reflects Your gifts to me, Your Son. And every one I give returns to me, reminding me the law of love is universal. Even here, it takes a form which can be recognized and seen to work. The miracles I give are given back in just the form I need to help me with the problems I perceive. Father, in Heaven it is different, for there, there are no needs. But here on earth, the miracle is closer to Your gifts than any other gift that I can give. Then let me give this gift alone today, which, born of true forgiveness, lights the way that I must travel to remember You.
- Peace to all seeking hearts today. The light has come to offer miracles to bless the tired world. It will find rest today, for we will offer what we have received.
- The law of love states that what we give to another we also give to ourselves. So understanding this law allows us to give freely of what we have, knowing that it is given to all our brothers as well as to ourselves, for we are all united. If we offer our forgiveness, time, possessions, etc., then these are offered to all our brothers and to us as well. And being the holy son of God, what we have to offer is only what God has given us, which is everything! Now, when we find ourselves wanting something, it simply indicates that we have forgotten who we are, forgotten that we already have everything. The technique then, for remembering that we already have a thing is for us to give that thing away, for to give it is a clear indication that we indeed must first have it. Furthermore, having given it, the law of love guarantees that it will be returned to us, for we are all one. A miracle is: a corrected perspective of our true identity; a gift form God; a benefit we receive for having forgiven someone; the way to have Christ's vision shine through us onto all we perceive, opening our awareness to our Creator. This is the greatest gift we can offer to another, and to ourselves as well. We offer it first on faith, and in faith is it returned to us, strengthening our knowing and reminding us that it is something we already have.
I and my Creator are One.
February 26th 2014 Lesson 344
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 341 - 350:
13. What Is a Miracle?
A miracle is a correction.
It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on
devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes
error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the
function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it
paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for
fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.
A miracle
contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And
thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it
fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception
which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions
that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is
forgiveness seen as justified.
Forgiveness is the home of
miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in
mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what
was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers
all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the
Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the
light of perfect purity and endless joy.
The miracle is taken
first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made
ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet
faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really
there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it
rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed
from what you thought was there.
Miracles fall like drops of
healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and
thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is
green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is
born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
Lesson 344
Today I learn the law of love; that what
I give my brother is my gift to me.
- Invitation Prayer: This is Your law, my Father, not my own. I have not understood what giving means, and thought to save what I desired for myself alone. And as I looked upon the treasure that I thought I had, I found and empty place where nothing ever was or is or will be. Who can share a dream? And what can an illusion offer me? Yet he whom I forgive will give me gifts beyond the worth of anything on earth. Let my forgiven brothers fill my store with Heaven's treasures, which alone are real. Thus is the law of love fulfilled. And thus Your Son arises and returns to You.
- How near we are to one another, as we go to God. How near is He to us. How close the ending of the dream of sin, and the redemption of the Son of God.
- The law of love is based on the understanding of oneness--since we are all one, the giver the receiver and the gift are all the same unified entity. What I give to my brother I automatically give to myself. This law of love is also echoed in two scientific principles: the law of Conservation of Energy, which states that the total energy of a closed system is constant--energy can never be created or destroyed, but only transformed from one state to another. The second is the principle of the equivalence of mass and energy, as expressed in Einstein's equation*:
. Broadly speaking, because mass or matter is simply a form of energy, and the total energy of as system is always constant, then the act of giving and receiving is simply the play of energy expressing itself in different forms. The energy of the giver, the energy of the receiver and the energy of the gift are all fundamentally the same unified energy. The law of love is the basis of the idea of the equivalence of giving and receiving; the giver gives to himself and the receiver receives from himself. God's plan for our salvation is simply the application of the law of love, which guarantees that forgiveness given is forgiveness received, and this is the ending of the dream of separation. We need but be mindful therefore of the gifts we are giving through our words and actions. Most importantly, give the gift of forgiveness, for that is our function here; give kindness and sweetness; give positively and generously and the world will mirror these back to us
* In this equation. E represents the unit of energy measured in joules, m represents the unit of mass measured in kilograms, and c represents the speed of light constant (186,300 miles per second.) The equation simply states that a small amount of mass is equivalent to a huge amount of energy. Or inversely, that a huge amount of energy is needed to create a small amount of mass.
I and my Creator are One.
February 25th 2014 Lesson 343
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 341 - 350:
13. What Is a Miracle?
A miracle is a correction.
It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on
devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes
error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the
function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it
paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for
fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.
A miracle
contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And
thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it
fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception
which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions
that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is
forgiveness seen as justified.
Forgiveness is the home of
miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in
mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what
was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers
all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the
Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the
light of perfect purity and endless joy.
The miracle is taken
first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made
ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet
faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really
there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it
rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed
from what you thought was there.
Miracles fall like drops of
healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and
thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is
green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is
born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
Lesson 343
I am not asked to make a sacrifice
To find the mercy and the peace of God.
- Invitation Prayer: The end of suffering can not be loss. The gift of everything can be but gain. You only give. You never take away. And You created me to be like You, so sacrifice becomes impossible for me as well as You. I, too must give. And so all things are given unto me forever and forever. As I was created I remain. Your Son can make no sacrifice, for he mus be complete, having the function of completing You. I am complete because I am Your Son. I cannot lose, for I can only give, and everything is mine eternally.
- The mercy and the peace of God are free. Salvation has no cost. It is a gift that must be freely given and received. And it is this that we would learn today.
- As God created us perfect, Spirit, free, we have no need for sacrifice, for all that we could ever need is given us. Only if we think and believe that we are lacking anything, does the need for sacrifice become meaningful to us. It is absurd to think that the Creator of all that is, and who exists in every particle and wave of creation, be lacking anything. God is whole, and created us as Himself, whole. We too lack nothing and have no need of sacrifice. But having forgotten our lineage, our potential, and our purpose, we wander around in our dream world thinking and believing that insufficiency is real, that we are lacking and therefore must use sacrifice as a means to get what we believe we do not have. Our salvation from this dream state is the awakening of our awareness to the truth that we are all children of God, endowed with all His characteristics and gifts. No sacrifice is need, for we already are what God created, whole, complete and forever united with Him..
I and my Creator are One.
February 24th 2014 Lesson 342
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 341 - 350:
13. What Is a Miracle?
A miracle is a correction.
It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on
devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes
error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the
function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it
paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for
fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.
A miracle
contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And
thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it
fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception
which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions
that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is
forgiveness seen as justified.
Forgiveness is the home of
miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in
mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what
was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers
all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the
Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the
light of perfect purity and endless joy.
The miracle is taken
first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made
ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet
faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really
there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it
rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed
from what you thought was there.
Miracles fall like drops of
healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and
thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is
green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is
born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
Lesson 342
I let forgiveness rest upon all things,
for thus forgiveness will be given me.
- Invitation Prayer: I thank You, Father, for Your plan to save me from the hell I made. It is not real. And You have given me the means to prove its unreality to me. The key is in my hand, and I have reached the door beyond which lies the end of dreams. I stand before the gate of Heaven, wondering if I should enter in and be at home. Let me not wait again today. Let me forgive all things, and let creation be as You would have it be and as it is. Let me remember that I am Your Son, and opening the door at last, forget illusions in the blazing light of truth, as memory of You returns to me.
- Brother, forgive me now. I come to you to take you home with me. And as we go, the world goes with us on our way to God.
- This is our vision, this is our goal, to remember our true identity as the holy children of God and walk through the gates of Heaven together. God's plan for our salvation is forgiveness, which comes from the realization that no amount of fixing or manipulating on our part can change our belief in separation. In order to wake up from this dream of separation, we must realize that forgiveness is the only means that will work. We have tried everything else, and nothing has worked to bring us to our goal of Heaven. So let us begin with forgiving ourselves for not recognizing God's plan for our salvation sooner. We were hypnotized by the apparent separation we perceived around us and thought we had to defend against it. But now we realize we were mistaken and now have no need of defenses, for nothing can harm the children God created perfect, Spirit, free. Through forgiveness we begin to perceive the world anew, awash with the light of Heaven, and all the beauty God created. Perception now serves the purpose of reminding us of our true identity, and showing us the path to Heaven..
I and my Creator are One.
February 23rd 2014 Lesson 341
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 341 - 350:
13. What Is a Miracle?
A miracle is a correction.
It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on
devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes
error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the
function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it
paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for
fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.
A miracle
contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And
thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it
fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception
which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions
that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is
forgiveness seen as justified.
Forgiveness is the home of
miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in
mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what
was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers
all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the
Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the
light of perfect purity and endless joy.
The miracle is taken
first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made
ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet
faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really
there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it
rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed
from what you thought was there.
Miracles fall like drops of
healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and
thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is
green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is
born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
Lesson 341
I can attack but my own sinlessness,
And it is only that which keeps me safe.
- Invitation Prayer: Father, Your Son is holy. I am he on whom You smile in love and tenderness so dear and deep and still the universe smiles back on You, and shares Your Holiness. How pure , how safe, how holy, then, are we, abiding in Your smile, with all Your Love bestowed upon us, living one with You, in brotherhood and Fatherhood complete; in sinlessness so perfect that the Lord of Sinlessness conceives us as His Son, a universe of Thought completing Him.
- Let us not, then, attack our sinlessness, for it contains the Word of God to us. And in its kind reflection we are saved.
- An attack on my holy sinlessness is the belief that we are not the holy children of God, or that we are the children who have fallen out of favor with their Creator. But how could this be possible when the Creator is the source of our existence? He is the One who created us perfect, Spirit, free, likened unto Himself; the One who knows our true identity, and our full potential as an extension of Himself; the One with whom we are forever inextricably united. It is impossible that we are not the children of God, for He is the sole creator of all that is, and it is also impossible for us to be out of His favor for we are united with Him and He does not contradict His own Will. So the only place an attack on our sinlessness can occur is in our dreams, fantasies and illusions, where we can make up any scenario we wish and play the part of victim, lost to our own identity. But this is not the reality that God created, it is only a game that we have played in for so long that we have forgotten our true identity, which is easily remedied by the remembrance of who God is and. So now, while we live in our make-believe world of dreams, let us begin to listen more to the word of God within us so that we may quickly awaken form our impossible dream of being apart from our Creator.
I and my Creator are One.
February 22nd 2014 Lesson 340
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 331 - 340:
12. What Is the Ego?
The
ego is idolatry; the sign of a limited and separated self, born in a
body, doomed to suffer and to end its life in death. It is the "will"
that sees the Will of God as enemy, and takes a form in which it is
denied. The ego is the "proof" that strength is weak and love is
fearful, life is really death, and what opposes God alone is true.
The
ego is insane. In fear it stands beyond the Everywhere, apart from
All, in separation from the Infinite. In its insanity it thinks it has
become a victor over God Himself. And in its terrible autonomy it
"sees" the Will of God has been destroyed. It dreams of punishment, and
trembles at the figures in its dreams; its enemies, who seek to murder
it before it can ensure its safety by attacking them.
The
Son of God is egoless. What can he know of madness and the death of
God, when he abides in Him? What can he know of sorrow and of
suffering, when he lives in eternal joy? What can he know of fear and
punishment, of sin and guilt, of hatred and attack, when all there is
surrounding him is everlasting peace, forever conflict-free and
undisturbed, in deepest silence and tranquility?
To know
reality is not to see the ego and its thoughts, its works, its acts, its
laws and its beliefs, its dreams, its hopes, its plans for its
salvation, and the cost belief in it entails. In suffering, the price
for faith in it is so immense that crucifixion of the Son of God is
offered daily at its darkened shrine, and blood must flow before the
altar where its sickly followers prepare to die.
Yet will one
lily of forgiveness change the darkness into light; the altar to
illusions to the shrine of Life Itself. And peace will be restored
forever to the holy minds which God created as His Son, His dwelling
place, His joy, His love, completely His, completely one with Him.
Lesson 340
I can be free of suffering today.
- Invitation Prayer: Father, I thank You for today, and for the freedom I am certain it will bring. This day is holy, for today Your Son will be redeemed. His suffering is done. For he will hear Your Voice directing him to find Christ's vision through forgiveness, and be free forever from all suffering. Thanks for today, my Father. I was born into this world but to achieve this day, and what it holds in joy and freedom for Your holy Son and for the world he made, which is released along with him today.
- Be glad today! Be glad! There is no room for anything but joy and thanks today. Our Father has redeemed His Son this day. Not one of us but will be saved today. Not one who will remain in fear, and none the Father will not gather to Himself, awake in Heaven in the Heart of Love.
- The end of suffering comes with the conscious awareness of God's Voice within us, the voice of our Higher Self, inspiring us to forgive ourselves and the world for what we thought they were. We are the holy children of God, and the world is our playground. It is the illusory mirror of our dreams and wishes expressed as real and apparent to our senses so that we can experience them fully. And through such experiences we come to remember our true identity as one with God. Having forgotten our lineage and the purpose of the world, we suffer because we think we are small and alone, separate from our Creator, our brothers, and the world, and relate to them with suspicion and caution. But when we hear the Voice for God and remember our true identity, we can forgive our misperceptions and embrace our Father, our brothers and the world in oneness. Let today be the day we look upon the world and our brothers with appreciation, based on the knowledge that we are all one.
I and my Creator are One.
February 21st 2014 Lesson 339
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 331 - 340:
12. What Is the Ego?
The
ego is idolatry; the sign of a limited and separated self, born in a
body, doomed to suffer and to end its life in death. It is the "will"
that sees the Will of God as enemy, and takes a form in which it is
denied. The ego is the "proof" that strength is weak and love is
fearful, life is really death, and what opposes God alone is true.
The
ego is insane. In fear it stands beyond the Everywhere, apart from
All, in separation from the Infinite. In its insanity it thinks it has
become a victor over God Himself. And in its terrible autonomy it
"sees" the Will of God has been destroyed. It dreams of punishment, and
trembles at the figures in its dreams; its enemies, who seek to murder
it before it can ensure its safety by attacking them.
The
Son of God is egoless. What can he know of madness and the death of
God, when he abides in Him? What can he know of sorrow and of
suffering, when he lives in eternal joy? What can he know of fear and
punishment, of sin and guilt, of hatred and attack, when all there is
surrounding him is everlasting peace, forever conflict-free and
undisturbed, in deepest silence and tranquility?
To know
reality is not to see the ego and its thoughts, its works, its acts, its
laws and its beliefs, its dreams, its hopes, its plans for its
salvation, and the cost belief in it entails. In suffering, the price
for faith in it is so immense that crucifixion of the Son of God is
offered daily at its darkened shrine, and blood must flow before the
altar where its sickly followers prepare to die.
Yet will one
lily of forgiveness change the darkness into light; the altar to
illusions to the shrine of Life Itself. And peace will be restored
forever to the holy minds which God created as His Son, His dwelling
place, His joy, His love, completely His, completely one with Him.
Lesson 339
I will receive whatever I request.
- No one desires pain. But he can think that pain is pleasure. No one would avoid his happiness. But he can think that joy is painful, threatening and dangerous. Everyone will receive what he requests. But he can be confused indeed about the things he wants; the state he would attain. What can he then request that he would want when he receives it? He has asked for what will frighten him, and bring him suffering. Let us resolve today to ask for what we really want, and only this, that we may spend this day in fearlessness, without confusing pain with joy, or fear with love.
- Invitation Prayer: Father, this is Your day. It is a day in which I would do nothing by myself, but hear Your Voice in everything I do; requesting only what You offer me, accepting only Thoughts You share with me.
- It may not seem that we always get what we request, but the eternal and often surprising truth is that we do in every circumstance, because all requests are ultimately made to God, who always fully answers the requests of His holy children. The reason why we don’t always recognize that God has answered our request, is because we are not always aware that we have made a request, and even when we are aware, we do not always recognize the implications of what we request, or the fact that our current request may conflict with another request, causing both to be cancelled, or in some cases the answer seems to be more than what we requested. An analogy to illustrate this is the difference between trowing a single pebble into a still pond, which ripples out in smooth concentric circles, as opposed to the chaotic rippling caused by a handful of pebbles. The effect of the single pebble is easily seen, but the effect of a handful of pebbles is more difficult to see or even calculate due to the canceling or compounding of interacting waves. Like that, the results of certain requests can be canceled or compounded if they interact with other requests. The thing to remember is that all requests are answered and all are beneficial and edifying, whether or not we recognize them, and as such it is best to treat each result we experience as the best answer to one or more prior requests. Obviously, the clearer we are in our request, the clearer we will recognize the results.
- The fundamental reason why we do not recognize that God answers all our requests lies in our confusion about who we really are, and so we request only what is in accord with our belief about ourselves, and with what we believe we deserve. The way out of such thinking is to realize our true identity as the holy children of God: perfect, Spirit, free!, and that we can be, do and have anything we request. Changing what we believe about ourselves begins by experiencing, through meditation or other means, the divinity at the core of our being, and remembering and extending this awareness in all states of being. As this awareness becomes established in us, we will recognize more and more, the fact that we never have to face any seemingly difficult task by ourselves, for God is always with us, constantly providing the exact guidance we need in every circumstance. God, being omniscient and benevolent, always answers our requests in the way that best promotes our edification, even when we don’t recognize the wisdom of His solutions. Neither would He be partial only to some of of His Children, so it follows logically that we all do receive whatever we request.
I and my Creator are One.
February 20th 2014 Lesson 338
Part II Introduction
We will continue
spending time with God each morning and night and at each waking hour,
using all future lessons as introductions to the times in which we leave
the world of pain, and go to enter peace, calling to God when we have
need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal. During these holy
times, we will say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father
to reveal Himself to us, as He has promised that He would when we
invited Him.
This is how our times with Him will now be spent:
we say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait
for Him to come to us. Sit silently and wait upon your Father. He has
willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do
so. We need only call to God,
and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His
Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed.
Our
lessons will now be preceded by a theme of special relevance that we
should review before each lesson until another is given us. They should
be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of
the holy times we sit in silence and wait for God to reveal Himself to
us. The next of these special thoughts follow and are relevant to
lessons 331 - 340:
12. What Is the Ego?
The
ego is idolatry; the sign of a limited and separated self, born in a
body, doomed to suffer and to end its life in death. It is the "will"
that sees the Will of God as enemy, and takes a form in which it is
denied. The ego is the "proof" that strength is weak and love is
fearful, life is really death, and what opposes God alone is true.
The
ego is insane. In fear it stands beyond the Everywhere, apart from
All, in separation from the Infinite. In its insanity it thinks it has
become a victor over God Himself. And in its terrible autonomy it
"sees" the Will of God has been destroyed. It dreams of punishment, and
trembles at the figures in its dreams; its enemies, who seek to murder
it before it can ensure its safety by attacking them.
The
Son of God is egoless. What can he know of madness and the death of
God, when he abides in Him? What can he know of sorrow and of
suffering, when he lives in eternal joy? What can he know of fear and
punishment, of sin and guilt, of hatred and attack, when all there is
surrounding him is everlasting peace, forever conflict-free and
undisturbed, in deepest silence and tranquility?
To know
reality is not to see the ego and its thoughts, its works, its acts, its
laws and its beliefs, its dreams, its hopes, its plans for its
salvation, and the cost belief in it entails. In suffering, the price
for faith in it is so immense that crucifixion of the Son of God is
offered daily at its darkened shrine, and blood must flow before the
altar where its sickly followers prepare to die.
Yet will one
lily of forgiveness change the darkness into light; the altar to
illusions to the shrine of Life Itself. And peace will be restored
forever to the holy minds which God created as His Son, His dwelling
place, His joy, His love, completely His, completely one with Him.
Lesson 338
I am affected only by my thoughts.
- It needs but this to let salvation come to all the world. For in this single thought is everyone released at last from fear. Now has he learned that no one frightens him, and nothing can endanger him. He has no enemies, and he is safe form all external things. His thoughts can frighten him, but since these thoughts belong to him alone, he has the power to change them and exchange each fear thought for a happy thought of love. He crucified himself. Yet God has planned that His beloved Son will be redeemed.
- Invitation Prayer: Your plan is sure, my Father,--only Yours. All other plans will fail. And I will have thoughts that will frighten me, until I learn that You have given me the only Thought that leads me to salvation. Mine alone will fail, and lead me nowhere. But the Thought You gave me promises to lead me home, because it holds Your promise to Your Son.
- Having accepted the Atonement for ourselves and realizing that we have been merely mistaken about who we thought we were and what we thought the world is, we can now see that all that is needed to bring salvation to the world is a change of thought. Certainly we understand that our thoughts and beliefs dictate our actions, and with a change of thought comes a change of action. Thus having realized our true identity as the holy children of God we now decide to let go of all thoughts of guilt, shame, condemnation, and punishment, and instead simply choose the thoughts of forgiveness, and of God's plan for the salvation of the world. Now we can let forgiveness, understanding, and compassion dictate all our actions. I am a holy child of God; you and every sentient being is a holy child of God; God alone is and we are all one with Him. This is the thinking that will set us and the world free!.
I and my Creator are One.
