Sunday Message for October 17, 2021

GOD'S MIRACLES MAKE ME WANT TO SING

Opening prayer: Father, Mother, God; I pray that You fill me with the joy of the Lord, that overwhelming joy. Your joy is unlike anything this world has to offer. It brings peace, trust and hope and with that a rest because I know You are in control.

It says in Nehemiah 8:10, "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." I will lift my eyes to the hills, Lord, because I know from You comes my joy and peace. Thank You, God Amen!

We are in our third week of exploring a profound statement from Genevieve Behrend in her wonderful book, Your Invisible Power: "As you grow in understanding as to who you are, where you came from, what the purpose of your being is, and how you are to fulfill the purpose for which you are intended, you will become a more and more perfect center through which the Creative Spirit of Life can enjoy Itself."^a

And here's how we paraphrased it last week: The more we know who and whose we are and the more we live the life we are meant to live, the more God has fun.

And as we do this (and look at our fears in a new way - relisten to last week's talk if you need a reminder about that), the more we can see the miracles of God in, through, as, and around us! In fact, they just might make us want to sing.

I also spoke last week about having choice. About how every moment of every day, we have a choice. We have a choice about how we show up around fear, and we have a choice to live in a place where the miracles of God make us want to sing -- or we can ignore them.

We have a choice to live in harmony with the miracle of the Divine within us -- or we can live in disharmony with it.

We have a choice to be a creator of miracles in our lives -- or a victim of our lives.

We have this choice! Now, remember, that doesn't mean we'll never have a challenge -- but it does mean that we have the tools and the spiritual grounding to move through (may I even be so bold as to say to GROW from) them.

So, this morning I want us to look at God's great miracles in our lives and we will look at how when we trust that "God is Good -- ALL THE TIME!" we can move through life with greater ease and we can be a conduit for even greater and greater miracles.

1. THE MIRACLE OF LIFE ITSELF
1. The Miracle of Life Itself

The first of God's great miracles is life itself. Not some demonstration in life, but life itself.

A Convention of Scientists, after many papers and much discussion, concluded that we now know all the secrets of life; thus, God is not necessary. One of the scientists is commissioned to tell this to God.

The scientist gets an audience with God and tells Her that She is no longer needed since humans can now create life, etc. God smiles and says: "Show Me."

The scientist bends over to pick up a handful of earth when God interrupts: "Oh no, get your OWN earth."

Each and every one of us is a miracle, a crowning work of God. Think about what it takes to have everything in this physical vehicle we're in working. And even if parts of it don't work exactly as they should -- there are lots of parts that do!

I love this little song written by Rev. Noel McGinnis: Every little cell in my body is happy; every little cell in my body is fine. Every little cell in my body is happy; every little cell in my body's divine.

Let's say together: "I rejoice in God's miracle that is my body."

Take it a step further and say: "The miracle that is my body makes me want to sing."

2. THE MIRACLE OF THE POTENTIAL WITHIN US
2. The Miracle of the Potential Within Us

Henir Bergson once said: "An intelligent being carries within him the wherewithal to surpass himself."^b

We can never be anything that we do not have the potential of being, and the potential for being is always within us, from the very beginning. Our pathway to fulfillment is the way of believing that we have the ability and seeking to cultivate it and release it. This is the way of faith, the way of security, the way of joy and ease of expression. And it is the way so clearly outlined in the Bible.

For instance, the story of the Israelites in their flight from Egypt is quite meaningful today. On the surface, it would seem anything but inspirational. Moses encouraged his people to give up their security, meager as was their lot in Egypt, and brace the unknown journey to a vague Promised Land.

Actually, as we measure distances today, it was a very short trip -- about 200 miles. Yet it took them 40 years to arrive at their destination. 40 years of struggles, disputes, hard work and frustration. What is so inspiring about that? With a little more insight into human nature and a contemplation of the spiritual meaning of the story, we see that Moses represents the coming of Truth consciousness to humankind.

Metaphysically interpreted, a country represents a state of consciousness, so Egypt represents a consciousness of bondage, impoverished.

When we get our first glimpse of Truth, we find the vision of the Promised Land looming large on the horizon. It means happiness and peace; it means freedom from want and sickness. It represents a new wonderful life. At first glance, it would seem to be a simple trip.

The Israelites had Moses, their leader, and they had a goal 200 miles away. All they had to do was go and enter and possess the land. But what happened? They did arrive easily and quickly at the very border of the land and sent spies into the area to see what was ahead of them.

What was the report? They came back saying "There are giants in the land, and we are in their sight and in ours as grasshoppers." Sounds a bit like the parable of the Nobody named Ordinary that I shared a couple of weeks ago, doesn't it?

In the case of the Israelites, they did not have the consciousness to possess that which they desired, even though it was there for the taking.

The Israelites had gained their freedom from the bondage and enslavement of Egypt and they had Moses himself as their leader, but something was lacking. They were still slaves at heart -- grasshoppers in consciousness.

They had to wander in the wilderness before they could individually and collectively come to a consciousness of freedom, peace and plenty. Their long years in the wilderness was their long way home. But it was the right way, and perhaps for them the only way. They had to remain in the wilderness until they dropped the grasshopper consciousness and claimed for themselves their own spiritual inheritance. Certainly, they were children of God right at the beginning and all along the way, but they didn't know it.

With us, we find that reading the right books, being inspired by all the right courses and leaders may not be enough. We say, "I know the Truth. Why am I not helped or healed?" Yes, you know ABOUT the Truth. But perhaps you do not KNOW the Truth. Our wilderness is our laboratory of growth and unfoldment; it is our long way home.

As Job said: "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;."^c

Within you is the unborn possibility of limitless living, and yours is the privilege of giving birth to it. And you can!

Let's say together: "I rejoice in God's miracle that is the Potential within me."

Take it a step further and say: "The miracle that is my potential makes me want to sing."

3. THE MIRACLE OF KNOWING "GOD IS GOOD -- ALL THE TIME!"
3. The Miracle of Knowing "God is Good -- All the Time!"

So, the key is not to learn how to work miracles, but how to live your miracle by learning how to think, how to keep your mind stayed on Spirit.

You may say, "but the thing I desire, the goal I have set for myself in life, is beyond reach. There are impassable obstacles. I just can't help feeling it is impossible." That's what makes me say it will take a miracle!

The real problem is not the obstacle, but your judgment of it. Obstacles are essentially mental barriers. There is that obstacle-complex. It is a problem for so many of us.

Columbus faced the obstacle of a belief in a flat world, but he eliminated it by finding a new continent.

Speed was once limited by the sound barrier, which was broken. This opened up the possibility of speeds that may ultimately approach that of light.

Every time we have an Olympics, past records are blown out of the water!

The Truth is there is no law of limitation, only the law of supply and all-sufficiency in all things. Look up, contemplate the facts from the highest point of view. See from a larger frame of reference.

When Jesus stood before the 5,000 hungry people when the disciples reported an insufficiency of food, it would have been easy to say that only a miracle could feed them all. But we read "Looking up to heaven, he blessed the food, and told the disciples to distribute what they had."^d And there was abundance.

This did not mean pulling strings with the "man upstairs." "Heaven is with us," he said thus looking up was looking in, away from the evidence of lack and relating to the all-sufficiency of omni-present substance -- God is good all the time! And this is the miracle for us all.

The need is to look up and see it, to apply it, to comprehend it. Hard to understand? The day may come when we know more of the omni-presence of substance. But this was a demonstration of law.

Jesus said: "Do you not say, "Four months more, then comes the harvest"? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting."^e

No miracle, but a perception beyond appearances. Life always carries with it the means to bring to pass what we have the consciousness to see.

Let's say together: "I rejoice in the miracle that God is good all the time!"

And you know the drill -- one more time: "The miracle that is God is Good all the time makes me want to sing."

Albert Einstein once said: "There are only two ways to live your life - One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."^f

In Biblical Favorites by Jim Lewis it says: "In the story of the healing of the epileptic, Jesus uses the mustard seed in relation to the development and expansion of faith. The disciples wanted to know why they could not heal the body. Jesus said it was because of their little faith. He said to them, "For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." (Mat. 17:20) If all things are to become possible there must be an expansion or growth in faith.
"Jesus made a very interesting statement about faith. He said, "According to your faith be it done unto you." According to your perception of life, be it done in manifestation for you. If the individual cannot perceive the possibility of himself being healed, there will be no healing. If one cannot perceive the possibility of a better life, there will be no better life even though in truth a fantastic life is possible. Those who cannot perceive the greater potential of the inner kingdom will remain in the darkness of mind until they can open their minds. "When faith opens the mind, mountains of problems are met and removed. Things or problems that we thought impossible now become possible to solve. The mustard seed parable is telling us that great things can be accomplished with just a little spiritual insight. And that insight comes simply through a willingness to listen and let our mind open up through faith."^g

Online I found this wonderful Song of Joy Meditation which we will use as our closing prayer: "There is a song upon my lips today; it sings of the glad heart and the happy ways of Life. I will listen to my song, for it carols to me the glad tidings of Great Joy, of Love and Life. It tells me of the Wondrous Journey of the Soul and the Boundless Life in which my life is hid. I am filled with the song of joy. Amen