The Lord's Way -- Part II

Jesus told us that we would suffer if you loved him. He said we would suffer if you followed him.  What did he mean by these two statements and what was he really saying?

Our Father said, "My ways are not your ways and My thoughts are not your thoughts." Isn't this statement saying the very same thing that Jesus said in a different way?

First, let us look at the word "suffer". Most take the negative meaning of this word as meaning serious pain to the body. This word suffer has meanings other than pain and yet what you do to make changes in your life may be painful in mind, for it can be the exact opposite of what you may want to do.

When we first came to the East Coast, we heard statements like this: My pain this, my pain that and so forth. It truly was mystifying to me, for there were no sores on the body. There was no disease in the body. There was nothing that anyone could see that would cause pain.

It was later explained to me that what each meant was a "mental" pain of acceptance, pleasure or "displeasure" that they were going through.

The Thesaurus gives us these words that have a like meaning for suffer other than the pain from an illness: undergo, experience, bear, endure, go through. It is the third word that we want to understand. The word "bear" is what Jesus was trying to say to his Disciples to stand it, allow it, accept it, tolerate it. This is what he was saying. Do not stop the little children from coming to me. Swallow your pride. Put up with the idea that all My Father's children are important to him-even the little ones.

He was asking his Disciples to support his teaching and to sustain and uphold every word that he taught them. This teaching all came down to mean one thing: God is the only Power in this Universe. Our Father God wants us to think as He thinks, see as He sees, feel as He feels and act as He acts.

When we see this teaching as a pattern for endurance and abide by Divine Wisdom, then Divine Love will fall in place. Your eyes will be open. Your heart will receive a downpour of love that you will never be able to explain. Your mind will be in a receptive mode and you will be given thoughts that will feel and look like Our Father in His Beautiful Nature.

God's Child

By Reverend Dr. Pat Ogletree

      A few years ago after our Sunday Celebration, we were enjoying a wonderful fellowship together over tea, coffee and a few delights when a very warm conversation began with one of our members. She spoke about her new Great Grandson and how he was so relaxed in waiting to be given the tender love that he knew he would receive. She spoke of how serene and calm he was in knowing that he was loved. Then she said, "It is so wonderful to be a baby." Immediately I said, "We are all babies. We are God's babies"

      How true this is. Many articles have been written about mother and child, parental love, how to love your children and so forth, but I do not think anyone has ever written about how to be God's baby. Oh, we often say that we are children of God, but do we really mean it or understand it? With what we do in life, the way we act, is this what God had in mind as His child?

      Certainly, we all leap into the idea of being a child of God and perhaps have given no great thought to it, but rather we just accept the idea because it sounds so nice.

      However, there has to be more to it, for if God accepts us as His child, His children, then there must be something that God's children are to do in order to be the best that we can be and to fulfill His precepts.

      We are guided into doing so many things that will make for a happy life, but it may be that we simply read it, hear it, understand it in theory and never really apply it.

      A mother cares for her children and hopes, in return, that her children will return her love. However, when the time of discipline comes into play, often that is when we decide to withhold our love. For a mother, no matter how many years are accumulated, her child is always her baby, her little boy or her little girl. I believe that our Father-Mother God operates in the same manner. No matter what we do, I believe that we are always God's little boy or little girl and what happens when we relax and act in the same manner that our member's Great Grandson? What happens when we simply wait and let God give His tender love and care to His little boy or His little girl? Is there anything that we are to do other than wait and just know that God is the Father and the Mother?

     The obedient child always receives the best there is to experience, so why not be the obedient child? The obedient child knows what she or he wants, therefore the parent loves to respond, it is easy and it is the kind thing to do. The focus is harmonious, the love is conscious and the joy in the mind of the child is on how he or she can love the mother more, respect the father and live happily.

       To be God's Baby is no different than being Mom and Dad's baby. Therefore, it calls for each to love, be kind, do good, be sweet, peaceful, be joyful, praise the good and be obedient, first to God and then to our earthly parents. When this occurs the child is in harmony with that parent and the parent is in harmony with the child. Well, we are in harmony with God when we are loving, kind, sweet, peaceful, joyful and obedient to others. The pipes are clear, the channel is free and all doors are open. This causes the flow of love and all things, good things to move easily, without difficulty and straightforwardly.

     I think the only way to say how to be God's baby is to simply say, "We feel good, life is beautiful and every person we meet brings joy into our experience. Everything moves smoothly, we are one with the Living Presence within and before we call, our needs are fulfilled. That is being God's Child!"

In Love and Light,

Rev. Pat

Are You Ready to Remove What Impedes Your Experiences and Journey?

      In my opinion Washington State located the in the great North West was lush and vast in its uninhabited land, valleys and mountains of beauty in the spring time.

      While stationed in that area and a part of the Flight Surgeon's Office, we certainly experienced our bitter, pleasurable and sweet moments and times.  

       I shall never forget one bitter time when one of our jet pilots unfortunately crashed at the base of a mountain area still covered with winter snow and ice that made it impossible for any search crew or air-medics to get in and remove the pilot's remains until the thaw of spring. That was indeed unpleasant news we had to accept.

      After a month or so passed, my thoughts became unforced from the trauma and dreadfulness of spring thaw and the removal of the remains.

      After a few days had passed, while spending some off duty time in the base hobby shop, I met a fellow airman somewhat new to the base that had heard about the crash and knew the task ahead. He was born and raised in that area about 25 miles from the crash site. He began to share with me the breath taking beauty and awesomeness of that valley, the slopes and mountainside and streams leading to the crash site especially so seemingly in the month of May.  

      Of course, when the physical time came, how right he was! What a visual gift and emotional treat the journey to that site gave us.

      How many times have we dreaded such endeavors and journeys in our life remaining focused on what we believe to be life's bitterness with no thoughts of possible sweetness we could experience while involved in the journey that could transform our life or defuse the task or experience at hand.

      When will we "roll away the stone" that impedes and block the beauty and pleasures this life holds in waiting for us? I suggest, stimulated by the beauty of the month of May, is a good time to begin.

      We have all made stones, rocks, pebbles, molehills and mountains for ourselves. We have bound ourselves by fear, superstitions and unbelief. Then we lay down or upon our self-created piles in a state of why me, what did I do to deserve this torture or unpleasantness. Yet, if we would but relax and still the wheels of our thoughts, there is always a voice saying, "Arise and come forth."

      The Illumined One did not ask God to remove all the unpleasant experiences from him. This is an experience that even God cannot do for us. It is left for us to remove and give thanks for the opportunity, transformation, growth and development that is about to happen for our betterment.  

     I, today look back upon my experience and journey to that unpleasant crash site. Did I marvel or experience happiness over the incident? Of course not! Did I bemoan or curse my position or the coming task at hand? No! I just knew there would be an answer to what we had to do come spring thaw and it came to pass.

      Spiritual powers are indeed around and within us, but many of us are asleep to them. If we are truthful, we all have these drowsy, sleepy moments. They come sometimes out of deep grief, sometimes in the midst of confusion, sometimes even through meditation and prayer.

      Paul tells us today that the night is far spent, the day is at hand, that we should "cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." The armor of light suggests a radiance in which darkness cannot exist. This full armor of light with which we should surround ourselves is not something we assume or acquire. It is that which is!

      I believe there is a light that lights everyone's pathway. The light that led me and four others down the pathway, a journey of awesome breathtaking surrounding beauty to the spring thawed crash site.

      I believe whether we live or die, we belong to life. Whether we fast or feast, pray or remain silent, the dance of life goes on and if everything we do is done unto God through love, we are indeed in the rhythm of life. I suggest, do not restrict yourself to the spring beauty and awesomeness of the month of May. Each new day of the other months may be looked forward to as a fresh adventure, a new beginning, another starting point in that endless progression of the soul that Jesus believed in and which by some divine intuition we all sense.

      To all Mothers everywhere, may your Special Day this month be blessed abundantly in every respect. 

In Love and Light,

Rev. Fred