Global Peace, Joy and Goodwill

By Reverend Dr. Fred Ogletree

A Reprint of December 23, 2001

In celebration of this Christmas Season and beyond, I invite you to affirm and embody this meditation: Infinite Spirit, bring peace and goodwill to all peoples. Direct the pathway of every nation into unity, happiness, peace and joy. Remove the thought of fear, hate and anxiety and greed from the mind of humankind. Let every thought of hate be turned to love, every thought of fear be turned to faith, every thought of doubt be turned to certainty, every thought of war be turned to peace and understanding. Heal the wounds and hurts of the world and bring peace, joy and goodwill upon the face of planet earth.

I shall always cherish and nourish the feeling in my heart when we named our church community World United. To me, it represents all people regardless of race, creed, present or former religious background.

Ho often I remember the warm, friendly, neighborly, respected relationship our former minister Dr. Hornaday, shared with two distinguished spiritual giants, world renowned Rabbis, Rabbi Will Kramer and Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin. Both were guest speakers at Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services at Founders Church of Religious Science, our former

In my opinion, true heart to heart global diversification among leaders and all peoples will bring about lasting peace, goodwill, joy and respect to all concerned.

I believe love, peace and joy are all part of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in us. The world and communities today are in desperate need of joy. We have but to look at the faces of those we meet every day to realize how few people have discovered either the real meaning of joy, peace, goodwill, or where it may be found. I believe joy and goodwill are instinctive with every human being. They are a divine heritage to be claimed and used. No person or thing, no outside circumstance or condition can give them to us, just as nothing can take them away from us.

Sorrow and sadness are in the world. It may seem strange how this can be if God's will for the world is joy, peace and goodwill. When we see life aright, we know that none of this is due to any neglect on God's part. The tragic state of affairs is the result of humankind's own lack of vision and failure to direct its life in accordance with the divine purpose. When negative moods weigh us down and threaten our gladness of Spirit, instead of depending upon some person or condition to roll away the stone of our discontent, we may ourselves apply the divine stabilizer.

Those we depend upon may fail us, material pleasures may prove unsatisfactory, and the happy hours we anticipated are, many times, delayed. But the joy, peace, goodwill within, that we have sensed in our own consciousness or springing from an indwelling Spirit, the attribute we may carry into every day experiences, is the joy, peace and goodwill that no one can take from us. It is a fullness of joy, peace and goodwill, where there is no room for bitterness, resentment, quick to anger or self-pity. If in God's presence there is this fullness of joy, peace and goodwill, we withdraw ourselves form Good every time we are gloomy, or sad, worried or discouraged.

It is true the Master Jesus was sad at times. He even wept at the tomb of Lazarus, but it could not have been because His friend was dead. In just a few minutes, the living Lazarus stepped forth and was restored to his family. Many times we have felt like weeping over the ignorance or the suffering of others, while all the time our permanent sense of peace, joy and goodwill has remained undisturbed. It was this sympathetic quality in Jesus that saddened Him and caused His tears. Have we, as the Master did, always given our principle with our compassion?

It is said that the bluebird of happiness loses its brilliance when it is selfishly caged. It glows with heavenly hue only when it is freely released to bring joy, peace and goodwill to another.

I accept and claim the keynote for this December and beyond is joy, peace and goodwill, ushering in, as it does, our celebration of Christmas and the Gospel that has re-echoed in the heart of humanity for centuries: "Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy!" Truly, Christmas is no legend, but a revelation, a pilgrimage of the mind to a manger in the soul where "unto us born a Savior, which is the Christ Spirit with in each of us."

The greatest message of the ages was broadcast on the first Christmas morning, but only the wakeful, watchful shepherds were attuned to receive it. The heralding star shone vividly in the East, but only the three wise men followed it, bringing their gifts to present to the newborn King.

The song is still being broadcast, with its good news of great joy, peace and goodwill. The star still gleams through the darkness as an eternal light, a guiding radiance pointing the way and illumination the peace where the young child lay. At this shrine of our divinity, we may daily offer our gifts-the gold of understanding, the frankincense of our joy, peace and goodwill and the myrrh of our accomplishment. If we do this, the Christ Spirit will unfold within us until we too shall grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and humankind.

I believe, as never before, our soul should vibrate to the joy, peace and goodwill of sharing. The world needs our gifts of love and blessings of healing, of encouragement and of prospering. Let us breathe into them this message: From my Spirit to your Spirit, more understanding of Infinite joy, peace, goodwill and the need to make it universal.

In Love and Light,

Rev. Fred

Ask and Believe-That Is How We Receive

By Reverend Dr. Pat Ogletree 

We tend to ask for things, some spiritual, some involving the economy, some on finances, some on politics and some on health. The answer appears in our mind. It comes in different forms, but how do we address it? Some of us say, "No; I cannot change from what I am doing. It is too hard."

This idea of asking has been in mind for many years. We are to know first, then understand next and then use Divine Wisdom last, in whatever we do. Even when we use the affirmative statement, it would be wise to keep in mind that we are to understand what we are doing. Also the one thing that is important when we are praying for an answer to "a" problem or for many problems in our life is to ask that it come in a form that you can understand and believe.

If your thoughts are negative, your answer will come to you in a negative way. How else can it happen? Thus, the first thing to do is to pray that Our Father or Jesus Christ will show us how to think positively affirmative. Next, ask that the answer come to us gently, lovingly, peacefully, joyfully, kindly, easily and quickly. Then believe that Our Father loves us and answers us always.

In the Wisdom of Science of Mind, it is wise to know that there has to be some kind of Religious Study, because this kind of thinking is what Our Father sent Jesus to Earth to teach. If that is troublesome for you, then I know not what to say to you.

Have you searched for an answer to the reason that you are here on Earth? On the other hand, are you thinking that Our Father sent you here; therefore, He is going to take care of you so you do not have to do anything. Wise up O lovely one. Do you recall that He gave you authority over your OWN LIFE? Therefore, you are to free yourself from fear and simply trust Him. Do not be afraid, just believe and whatever ills you may have or something that troubles you will leave.

In Divine Love and Delight,

Rev. Pat

O My Lord, delight my soul. Make me feel and know all about the Christ Child that is about to be born and is coming alive, alert and awake in me.  Make my soul jump for joy as John the Baptist jumped in the womb of his mother when Mary, the Mother of Jesus came near. I know that The Lord comes where everything is free from dust and is orderly. Thus, I make everything beautiful, charming and splendid and I make my mind new, loving and joyful.  For this My Lord, I give thanks.  I let it be and so it is.  Amen. Shalom. Selah.