SUMMARY ON PHILLIPIANS

SUMMARY ON PHILLIPIANS

This book is a compilation of ideas from 2 Corinthians and the following epistles.

Empty shell, willingness, and the power of creation.

As we become more aware of our creative power and accept responsibility for the way we see the world we are encouraged to explore deeper into our motive/purpose so that our creative power is used to enhance the flow rather than resist it.

There is a phrase that comes up several times--”you are the process of creation that is God.” 

I would encourage us all to take that thought into meditation. It is not something which can be grasped by the thinking mind. Only the heart will truly understand, but when we are deeply aware of this truth and allow our purpose to be Love, we will be in the space of Miracles.

4Is that which you believe that which you have chosen based upon the foundation of your motive? 5Do you have a foundation without a building, and a building without foundation? (p. 350)

This is a key teaching: (v 1 – 4)1The way you operate in the world is a reflection of your faith and your belief. 2For the way you operate is not action, but the image of the expression of thought.(p. 350)

If we could continue to be aware of this we would realize we are in a continual state of grace.

There is continual focus on the idea that what we see and experience is a product of the mind.

What follows in Chapter 3 is more like a meditation or guided imagery. I would encourage you to quietly sit and meditate with this chapter.

(I am including an imagery suggested by this chapter on the web site:   http://www.christintraining.com ).

SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS

SUMMARY OF EPHESIANS

The first sentence picks up on willingness, “I have come to teach you that which you have become willing to learn.” 

This book speaks of the Law, and since there is only One Law, it is the Law of Love.

The Law of Love governs all things, whether we are conscious of it or not.

This is why we are continually encouraged to be conscious, aware and awake.

The Law of Love, which is expressed in creation is always active; we are always creating. 

If we believe we are not worthy of love, then we will create experiences which express that. Chap. 2 (11-13):

1Therefore, remember that this law is who you are, so that this law works through you even as you believe you are who you are not. 2This law is your truth, completely inseparable from you. 3You must learn this law and love it in order to realize and accept the truth of who you are. (p. 340)

(19-22) 7-13:

7This is the agreement, which is also law: 8All that you are, you are through creation. 9All that you be, you be through creation also. 10In this way, thought is alive and serves as your creative force through your brothers, who serve you as you serve them. 11This is not a conscious agreement, so it can seem to bring unhappiness and conflict.12But all that is at the surface is illusion. 13In truth, you ask of your brother through your mind, and your brother answers you exactly as you have asked. P. 340-1

Much of this book is a reminder of the above.

There is also a solution if we do not like what we have created. Chap. 4 (29-32):

(v 29 – 32)1Make, therefore, your decision, and then be true to it. 2The mind is receiver, but you choose from the mind. 3Watch the thoughts carefully. 4Do not choose those which you would not deliver, knowing all that is delivered can be given back to you. 5Pick the thoughts you would deliver to the body, knowing that it is also you. 6Let go of all thoughts you would not keep, and they shall not be delivered. 7Deliver in love and you receive in love, for you deliver unto yourself. 8Know your happiness by realizing your truth and operating in it according to true desire. P. 343

Chap. 5 (3-7) 5-6:

5Choose now a different experience, and it is something different that will be given you. 6Choose now to know Love through your being of Love, and it is Love that shall answer you. P. 344

Directives towards solutions: 

Chap. 5 (8-14) 8-10: 

8Give off Light, that Light may come back to bless. 9Give off Light, because Light is the reflection of your truth. 10Give off Light, because Light is the expression of your joy and all that you would give or ask now is joy, because joy is all that is necessary. P. 344

Chap. 6 (1-4) 3-8:

3As you think, you experience. 4It is through your thinking that illusion is made. 5It is through awareness of thought that you see what I teach. 6It is through releasing thought that illusion is let go. 7This is the process of awakening. 8As you let Me, I take your hand and lead you through this process now.9Everything is according to your own willingness. 

(pp. 345-346)

and (5-8) 1-4:

8)1Awakening comes from the Heart, so let the Heart lead in all things. 2The mind is the great receiver. 3But with the Heart, sort through that which is received. 4Let the Heart and mind together give to spirit, so that the deliverer receives, always, through the Heart. P. 346

And the key passage which sums all this up is: 

Chap. 6 (v 10 – 18)1

I ask you to remember this: 2You are the free Son of God. 3Coercion can have no influence over you. 4You may decide what you want, ask for what you want, and you will receive in kind. 5Look, therefore, within your Heart. 6Know what you truly want before you ask. 7In this way, you only receive blessings upon your true desire, which is of God.  (p. 346). 

You might also wanT to check out p. 343 (29-32) 1:

Make, therefore, your decision, and then be true to it. 2The mind is receiver, but you choose from the mind.

It seems like a simple statement, fairly obvious, but some would consider it to be a pivotal piece of awareness.

ACIM makes a brief and one-time reference to what I calls “the Decider.”

Anonymous; Schucman, Helen; Thetford, William; Helen Shucman and William Thetford (2009-06-12). A Course In Miracles ((Original Edition)) (p. 539). Course in Miracles Society. Kindle Edition. 

Remember the old image of the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other? It was always a question of who is going to win, the good thought or the “bad” thought. All our focus is on the angel or the devil.

ACIM and NTI are focusing on the person, the decider between these two thoughts. Notice the difference. The DECIDER is not a passive victim to good or bad thoughts, he/she decides which one to embrace or hold onto.

That might net seem like much on the surface, but the DECIDER is a huge part of the picture. 

NTI REVIEW OF GALATIANS

NTI REVIEW OF GALATIANS

From all this talk about the world in 2 Corinthians, we might begin to see the world or our perception of it as the “enemy” and that kind of thinking just gets us back to fear and judgment again.

P. 330 (v 21 - 22)1I ask you not to look at the world and be sad for what it seems to be. 2I ask you to look at the world and be happy for what it is. 3See there, within the world, the Light that cannot be extinguished. 4See there, within the world, the evidence of Love Alive. 5Love your brothers for their truth, watering, therefore, the Light that is the truth within them.

I believe GALATIANS all about the energy of WILLINGNESS, not as some wimpy wishful thinking, but getting in touch with the desire of our hearts and allowing the energy of that desire propel us to a knowing of ONENESS. 

It might or might not be important to you, but I came across some information for Regina Dawn Akers, the scribe of NTI, where she stated that the book of Galatians is somewhat unique in that it speaks with the voice of Jesus, whereas the other books were directly from the Holy Spirit.

I don’t want to quibble about differences here. The point is that in Galatians, Jesus relates the ideas that are shared with His own human experience.

1. 330 again:

3Through your willingness you are healed. 4Through your willingness, you are free. 5Through your willingness the darkness of confusion is lifted, and the oneness of Heart is known.

Instead of pulling more quotes I think Chapters 5&6 can be read over and over. 

Chapter 6 is almost written in the form of a guided imagery.

You can listen to and download a meditation from this chapter on 

http://christintraining.com/reflections.htm

AND what might be the most important paragraph in the entire book:

P. 329 (v 6 – 9)1Let Me tell you what I see when I look at you. 2I see faith and willingness and love. 3I see a heart that is so strong, not even the heavens of your universe can contain it. 4I see a mind that is awakening to its own Heart. 5I see gentleness through awakening, and I am grateful to have come to welcome you back unto your truth.

NTI REVIEW OF 2 CORINTHIANS

NTI REVIEW OF 2 CORINTHIANS

Simply put, we create our life experiences.

What we experience is also the result of our perception.

Perception is a limited point of view and can be changed.

We can choose to change our experiences and our perceptions of them.

Since we are One, our thoughts effect the One.

Hold to your True thoughts (this is the creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth).

The ego, the world (our learned perception of the world) are continually telling us they are right and true. Essentially they are always saying, “Just look around, separateness is real.”

There is another source of evidence and that is the Heart. We can choose which one we listen to, our perception of the world or the Heart.

From Chapter 2

4But now I ask you to look in a new place for evidence. 5I ask you to look, not at the world for proof of what is true, but to look within your Self where the truth about you is known. (v 12 – 18)1The world was made to tell you that you are what you are not. 2But this is a lesson you can never fully learn, because the truth of what you are is written on your Heart. 3Seek there! 4Ask your Heart what you are, and the answer will be given clearly. 5Then look at the world, which gives you a different answer, and say to it, “I will believe the answer of the Heart. 6I will let that answer shine unto you.”

P. 313-14 (v 13 – 15)1Your belief is expressed through thought. 2Above all else, watch your thoughts. 3What are you allowing your thoughts to think? 4Are you thinking of the illusion of the world as if it is real? 5If so, you are expressing your desire to accept the veil of darkness. 6Is this your true desire? 7If not, why do you permit yourself to express it through the activity of your thoughts?

(v 16 – 18)1Fix your eyes and your thoughts on the true desire of your Heart, not because it is your hope for the future, but because it is your reality now. 2You are what your Heart tells you that you are. 3Only you do not see it, because you do not focus yourself there. 4Focus on the world, and you will believe the world. 5Believe the world, and you choose to keep the veil, which hides your truth. 6Focus on your Heart in all your thoughts, and you choose against the veil. 7You choose, instead, that the veil may be lifted, that you may see your truth and your brother’s truth and know in the joy of your Heart that it is true.

1. 315 vs. 3-15

3Here is how you are to practice: 4As you suffer, choose not to suffer. 5Let the experience of the body continue without the desire for the experience to be different. 6Rejoice that the experience is not your reality. 7When you are afraid, choose not to be afraid by remembering that what you fear is not real. 8It is of the world or it is born of thoughts of the world. 9It is an experience, but it is not real. 10It is not real, and so it is not your truth. 11When you are joyous because the world seems to be going your way, and today seems to be your day, remember that is not your joy. 12Your joy is your truth, which is beyond the world. 13Be happy and be joyous, but let your joy come to you apart from your experience. 14Let your joy come to you from the truth in your Heart. 15Relax in your joy and be your joy, beyond your experience of the world.

We are not separate from the mind of God, therefore we are not separate, and never have been, from total and complete Love.

Be aware of your thoughts, if they are not loving, let them go.

Since your thoughts are part of the One mind, they effect the One mind.

p. 321 11This is why I ask you to stay focused within. 12Look within your mind and your Heart before you look at the world. 13Know your purpose, which is the true desire of the Heart. 14Let your purpose lead you in all things. 15In this way, all actions that you take will be an expression of the true Heart, so all actions shall be giving of the thought of Love.

1. 323 ff

4Seek only for a moment to test your thoughts by the true desire of the Heart, and the light of the Heart shall shine, that you may see your thoughts truly. 

1You are not defined by the world. 2You are defined by the Voice Within, which is where you are. 3This is why I ask you not to look at the world. 4You seem to be in a world, but if you are in the Mind, the world can be nothing to you. 5It cannot affect you, if you remember where you truly are. 6You are protected from it by the nature of your being. 7For your truth is beyond the world and beyond the images that seem to be the world. 8Your truth is eternal, as is the truth of all thoughts within the Mind of God. 9For what is thought in God’s Mind is God, just as your true thoughts are the truth of what you are. 

10I have told you that your mind is tricky, because your mind is split. 11But the tricks of the mind will not fool you if you remember what you are. 12The thoughts that tell you that you are in the world and subject to the world do not know who you are, so they are not your true thoughts. 13They are a mirage. 14If you approach them closely, you will see that they disappear. 15For they cannot stand in the Light of the true desire of your Heart, which is you. (v 11)1Your true thoughts are below the thoughts of the world, closer to your Heart, because they stem from there. 2They stem from your truth, and so they are your truth. 3Listen to your truth and know, within, who you are. (v 12 – 14)1Within the Mind all is one, for there is no separation of any kind. 2All mind is of one Source, so all mind is one through its Source, which cannot be apart from Itself. 3Love one another, for you are of one Mind. 4In loving one another, you love your truth. 5In this love, you are one. 6Amen.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE 12/12/11

After all the chatter, all the books, all the workshops, the simple task, the ultimate yearning of our hearts is to be back Home, to be in the Oneness, to live in the continual state of knowing we are unconditionally loved.

Even though I am continually being bowled over by the loving and insightful messages of The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament. I need to be aware that this book, too, is just a symbol.

It’s power lies not in what it says so much, but in reminding us of the Truth that we already know.

And, now, here is the ultimate paradox, to be able to pray as Emily Cadie* did, “God, I don’t know the answer, You do, show me.” 

You see, “I” know, but that is still the individual “I” speaking. To know with clarity, to touch and be embraced by Divine Truth, “I” must be no longer (or at least irrelevant). To know Oneness with the Father there can be nothing in the way, not a hint of judgment or separateness.

How can “I” possibly do that? I can’t---but God can. This, again, is surrender. Letting go of knowing (or thinking that I know). Letting go of my attachment to all the methods of enlightenment I have collected over the years. 

It is ultimate, complete surrender. As 12 Step recovery recommends,

“I can’t; God can; I think I will let Him.” I would even amend that a bit. Rather than saying, “I think I will let Him,” I would rather pray, “I am open and willing to be guided to Your Truth. I do not know the way or the method. Please guide me, and aid me with the grace to follow.”

Notice that our learning is changing. Blame, guilt, fear, sin and making mistakes are exchanged for gentleness, understanding, choice, and asking for help.

We are becoming more and more aware of our Higher consciousness which observes our little self doing whatever it is doing. Instead of getting wrapped up in the drama, we begin to lovingly ask for guidance from the Spirit (which is our true self) and we move forward with grace. 

Instead of letting our little self, who we thought we were, run the whole show, we realize we are more than that, and we can make choices accordingly. 

The more we surrender, the more we become who we are.

*Lessons in Truth

NTI Sunday 12/4/11

Discussing the 1st phase outlined in Acts (chapters 19-23)

Our willingness is expressed through our acts  of study, prayer, etc.

Throughout all this activity, the Holy Spirit is loosening the knots of our attachments, false ideas, beliefs, etc.

It is not our “work” so much as it is our willingness that allows this loosening to take place.

The question came up, as it does many times, “What started this whole thing?” “How did I create such a mess?”

 And, of course our answer goes back to the moment when from “a tiny mad idea” we asked the question, “I wonder what it would e like to be separate?” We are still living in that ancient moment.

I think the point here is not to try to understand all that, but to recognize that today we are drawn to the Truth. We want the Peace of God, we want the experience of wholeness. We are willing to experience the Truth of who we are----the One Son of God.

What about when we “see” disease, physical imperfection? What do we do with that?

We were reminded of an incident in Jesus life (from the Old New Testament John 9: 1-12, and summarized in NTI John 9 (1-12)[the rest of this chapter in NTI speaks of “spiritual blindness.”]

The man born blind. “Who has sinned, this man or his parents….” Jesus replied, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him.” Put into the language of NTI, there is no focus on sin, but Jesus’ ability to see Oneness, no disease, no imperfection, just Oneness and Wholeness.

Now how do we practically apply that? Suppose we see someone we perceive as sick, what do we do with that? Well, we could pray that we are able to see them/him/her as whole, but 

1) we are still looking at them and ourselves as separate and

1. we are still seeing the other(and sometimes ourselves) as “something wrong.”

There are two prayers from Acts that offer corrections for this kind of thinking.

Acts 1( 7-10) Therefore, pray in this way: Father, I do not know what is best for me now, in this time and this place, that I may be led back to You. Because I cannot see the path I am ready to walk, take my hand and send me your Voice to guide me. 1I shall go where it asks me to go, and I shall do as it asks me to do in joy and peace and certainty. P. 216

Acts 4(10-14) Oh Father, I come to you now in humility and gratitude. I am humble, because I realize that I do not know how to see. I cannot see the Holy Spirit’ s plan, and so I do not know what I look upon. But I also come in gratitude, because I trust that the Holy Spirit does know, and the plan is safe with Him as the overseer of all things. Amen.. p221-2

Introducing the 2nd phase: Loosening continues, but now in a more conscious way. We become aware of the the thoughts, ideas, beliefs, etc. which have reinforced illusion, and we become aware we have a choice of what we think, hold onto, etc.

11/27/11 PHASE 4 1 CORINTHIANS 15

If it seems we get off the subject occasionally that is merely an illusion. No matter how many different angles we use to approach it, there is only One subject, and that One subject is YOU/ME. There is only One of us here, so there is only One purpose, to know Truth.

We began looking at the end chapters of 1 Corinthians. Chapter 15 devotes itself to “the fourth and final earthly phase of the path of truth with Me.” (3-11)5

The first three phases are described in Acts chapters 19-21. 

              BRIEF SUMMARY

1)The Search  please read/reread all of Chapter 19

                       A key here is willingness

Much of the work here is performed by the Holy Spirit within our unconscious through our willingness. The work is the loosening of our mind from false beliefs/attachments.

2)Loosening/Letting Go  Please read/reread Chapter 20&21

Now we have willingness combined with choice

At this stage as the Holy Spirit’s work continues, we are now more consciously involved in the process, making guided choices on what thoughts we no longer want to keep or hold onto.

We are continually reminded during this process that we are not doing this work alone. We are always being lovingly guided. This is especially true, since as we cleanse and heal, some of our supposed negativity will seem to feel worse instead of better. See Chapter 20(13-24) 12-16; (25-31); (32-38); Chapter 21(1-6) 5-7.

In this stage we are challenged to embrace our experiences as our own creation, allow ourselves to learn whatever it is we intended to learn, and then release them and let them go. 

Know that you create and have an experience, but that is not who you are. 

See John 8(48-59) 9-10  “You experience that which you ask. Does that not tell you that you are beyond your experience?” And Galatians 5 (1) 1-6.

3)Guidance or Service  Chapter 23

Willingness, choice and action

From this stage emerges the willingness to see, to put self-will aside, knowing always that the answers are within. (I think this stage would be similar to what spiritual teachers call The Practice of the Presence of God.  Truly seeing God in all things and being open to God’s loving guidance always. Notice what is happening here. I give up my will in order to flow with God’s Will, and as my little will is ignored, there becomes only One Will, God’s/Mine.)

The fourth stage described in 1 Corinthians 15.

And Chapter 15 begins with “Let me remind you of the simplicity of what I request….I ask you to lay down willingly everything but your trust.”

To be honest when I read over phase four it seemed to be so out of my reach, so beyond my usual experience of life that I thought I was reading a fairy story. I heard myself saying to myself, “Yeah, right” and although I knew that was the ego talking I was still aware of how far away I felt from the reality described in Chapter 15. 

The kind of thinking I fell into is a trap, a trap of judgment, comparison, unworthiness, and belief in my own false limited perception of myself.

Although NTI describes these aspects of the path as “stages or phases” in our development, they are more a statement of our “unlearning” or our letting go of the ideas of what we are not, so that we can see and know who we truly are. 

We go through these stages, or we think we have to go through these stages because we still perceive ourselves in a limited way.

(But the stages are necessary within our limited perception see Acts Chapter 7 

My limited vision is described in Acts 4(1-22) 1-5:

“I have told you before that you will be tempted to deny your guidance. And I have told you where this temptation will come from. It is resistance born of a sense of unworthiness. I have also told you where this sense of unworthiness comes from. It is born of guilt, born of the belief that you have stolen yourself from God.”

Just read over the fourth earthly phase in 1 Corinthians 15(12-19).

Instead of dismissing it as being impossible or saying to yourself, “I am so far away from that” stop for a moment, and as you read that passage, listen to the yearning of your heart, listen to your heart as it reminds you of the truth of this passage. Know that the yearning of your heart is not a wish for something, but a reminder of what is True.

How could you yearn for this fourth phase unless you already knew the truth of it? 

We yearn to be free because we know we already are.

IT IS EASY TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO THE HEALING OF THE WORLD,

                                                     BUT

the task we are asked to take on today is, “Are you willing to be 100% responsible for the healing of the One Son of God?”