Peter

April 21, 2013 – Our True Work – Healing the Heart

by

4/21/13 Rev. David McArthur
Our True Work — Healing The Heart

There are things that keep us from our peace—places of pain on our journey. Our assignment as spiritual beings is that when we see something which is less than the magnificence which we are, then it is time to heal it. We remember God is good all the time—even in Boston this week—but sometimes it’s hard to get to that knowing. However, life doesn’t happen to us, but for us.

A dedicated, loving ministerial student faced her final oral exam before the academic board. However, she was turned down for her diploma. She turned to a colleague for help in dealing with the rejection, but instead of asking him to commiserate with her, she asked he stand with her as she journeyed within to the place where she harbored a deep childhood hurt. It had caused the behavior which was the basis for her rejection. From her mature self, she loved that hurt little girl inside, assuring her she wasn’t there to hurt her, but to love her. That it was safe. She poured love out to her again and again. She opened up and let love in, and was at peace. Healed, she went back to the board, which was so impressed with her they granted her the diploma.

You are a beautiful being who came in not only to do it for yourself but for all others. When we recognize something which is less than magnificent in others it is because that same thing is alive in us. We have journeyed to heal it. You are not powerless and nothing can come into your life without you allowing it. What you do within is played out. You know how to do it because you know how to love. It is the Presence, the Power, because that is who you are! After the explosions in Boston, people ran toward the chaos to help. They responded with compassion. A whole world responded with compassion, deep love, and prayer. It is not what happens, but what we do about it. These things are part of the goodness that we experience. God is good all the time. Let Her show you a part of you that if you bring it to wholeness it will touch the heart and heal all of mankind. At times like these, “why?” is the next question, and now it is answered.

April 14, 2013 – From Complaint to Wisdom in Three Breaths

by

4/14/13 Rev. David McArthur
From Complaint To Wisdom In 3 Breaths

In Unity, we know we’re the ones that create our lives, so when there is something in our lives to complain about, we can’t blame it on the devil! Since thoughts in mind produce after their kind, we have to ask at such a time, “Where is our focus? What are we affirming in our thoughts and in our lives?”

We might think we’ve figured out where God blew it, and feel smart and that we’re right. (I used to like feeling smarter than “them”, but not any more.) Now, when we see we are complaining more, we are uncomfortable with that. We know God is good all the time, so how do we shift away from complaining and having things to complain about?

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? …[S]eek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you…” These teachings show up in all faiths. Lao Tsu said, “Watch the turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return…to the common source. [T]he source is serenity… When you realize where you come from, you naturally become tolerant, disinterested, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder of the Tao, you can deal with whatever life brings you…”

Bring to mind a recent major complaint. To shift quickly, try taking 3 breaths. The first is the Heart Breath. The heart is the doorway to the deep expression of Spirit. Second is the Hug Breath. Breath it in—grandma hugs, mommy hugs, little ones hugs—so marvelous. Remember one; breath it in. Third is the Wisdom Breath. Breath in the wise place in you. You have been there. You understand how to take care that is wise. Open. Receive the beautiful spiritual power we work with. That infinite intelligence is there to guide you. It is you. It is ready to lead you with beauty. Not one other person has any more wisdom than you. Take that Wisdom Breath. We have walked to that knowing place where you know how this can unfold for you. In that moment thoughts in mind produce after their kind. Life and wisdom center in you. You are in the Tao, the Kingdom. It is simple; it is the love you are. Being that wisdom is who you are!

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April 14, 2013 – From Complaint to Wisdom in Three Breaths

by

4/14/13 Rev. David McArthur
From Complaint To Wisdom In 3 Breaths

In Unity, we know we’re the ones that create our lives, so when there is something in our lives to complain about, we can’t blame it on the devil! Since thoughts in mind produce after their kind, we have to ask at such a time, “Where is our focus? What are we affirming in our thoughts and in our lives?”

We might think we’ve figured out where God blew it, and feel smart and that we’re right. (I used to like feeling smarter than “them”, but not any more.) Now, when we see we are complaining more, we are uncomfortable with that. We know God is good all the time, so how do we shift away from complaining and having things to complain about?

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life… Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? …[S]eek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you…” These teachings show up in all faiths. Lao Tsu said, “Watch the turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return…to the common source. [T]he source is serenity… When you realize where you come from, you naturally become tolerant, disinterested, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder of the Tao, you can deal with whatever life brings you…”

Bring to mind a recent major complaint. To shift quickly, try taking 3 breaths. The first is the Heart Breath. The heart is the doorway to the deep expression of Spirit. Second is the Hug Breath. Breath it in—grandma hugs, mommy hugs, little ones hugs—so marvelous. Remember one; breath it in. Third is the Wisdom Breath. Breath in the wise place in you. You have been there. You understand how to take care that is wise. Open. Receive the beautiful spiritual power we work with. That infinite intelligence is there to guide you. It is you. It is ready to lead you with beauty. Not one other person has any more wisdom than you. Take that Wisdom Breath. We have walked to that knowing place where you know how this can unfold for you. In that moment thoughts in mind produce after their kind. Life and wisdom center in you. You are in the Tao, the Kingdom. It is simple; it is the love you are. Being that wisdom is who you are!

April 7, 2013 – Pooh and the North Pole – The Knowing Place

by

4/7/13 Rev. David McArthur
Pooh and the North Pole—The Knowing Place

Pooh and I, Jesus, Lao Tzu and Krishna, share an amazing place. It’s a place all of us want, but we’re not sure where it is or even if we’ve gotten there! It always seems out of reach, not for ordinary people, but we’ve all gotten there many times. It’s The Place Of Knowing—the amazing experience where we actually know—we experience—the presence of the divine. But after we’ve been there we aren’t sure where we’ve been because the mind forgets. It doesn’t know what to do with the experience.

Winnie the Pooh called it the North Pole. (In stories, each character is part of ourselves, and speaks to our journey.) Pooh is the seeker. He is open. The whole gang goes off with him to find the North Pole. They sit by a beautiful stream to eat lunch. Roo falls in the water, and after much excitement, Pooh and Kanga hold a pole for Roo to grab and crawl out. Christopher Robin declares it is the North Pole. He represents the divine self that you are which, even though you didn’t know what you were looking for, has the full capacity to know when you have found it. That beautiful capacity to say, “This is what it is.” So they put a sign on it that says, “This is the North Pole.”

You probably do not find it in meditation or prayer, but in the middle of the dishes or doing something that needed to be done, like helping Roo. Suddenly you experience, you know, the goodness of God. You feel it is true. You’ve touched that very fabric of the Presence Itself. It is freeing. You can’t think it, but you can be it. You’ve been there, and you’ve forgotten, but a sweetness and gentleness lingers.

Eventually we do forget and think this stuff down here is what’s real. That’s where Christopher Robin has such a wonderful message—when you have found it, stop and put a sign on it. “This is my place of knowing. I feel all-loving goodness.” When you remember that feeling you remember that you know what is real. I Feel the All-loving Goodness. I Feel the All-loving Goodness. I Feel the All-loving Goodness. You do. You know it. Put that sign on it. You’ve found it, The Place Of Knowing, in you. You’ll be there again. You feel it because you are loved; you are that love!

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April 7, 2013 – Pooh and the North Pole – The Knowing Place

by

4/7/13 Rev. David McArthur
Pooh and the North Pole — The Knowing Place

Pooh and I, Jesus, Lao Tzu and Krishna, share an amazing place. It’s a place all of us want, but we’re not sure where it is or even if we’ve gotten there! It always seems out of reach, not for ordinary people, but we’ve all gotten there many times. It’s The Place Of Knowing—the amazing experience where we actually know—we experience—the presence of the divine. But after we’ve been there we aren’t sure where we’ve been because the mind forgets. It doesn’t know what to do with the experience.

Winnie the Pooh called it the North Pole. (In stories, each character is part of ourselves, and speaks to our journey.) Pooh is the seeker. He is open. The whole gang goes off with him to find the North Pole. They sit by a beautiful stream to eat lunch. Roo falls in the water, and after much excitement, Pooh and Kanga hold a pole for Roo to grab and crawl out. Christopher Robin declares it is the North Pole. He represents the divine self that you are which, even though you didn’t know what you were looking for, has the full capacity to know when you have found it. That beautiful capacity to say, “This is what it is.” So they put a sign on it that says, “This is the North Pole.”

You probably do not find it in meditation or prayer, but in the middle of the dishes or doing something that needed to be done, like helping Roo. Suddenly you experience, you know, the goodness of God. You feel it is true. You’ve touched that very fabric of the Presence Itself. It is freeing. You can’t think it, but you can be it. You’ve been there, and you’ve forgotten, but a sweetness and gentleness lingers.

Eventually we do forget and think this stuff down here is what’s real. That’s where Christopher Robin has such a wonderful message—when you have found it, stop and put a sign on it. “This is my place of knowing. I feel all-loving goodness.” When you remember that feeling you remember that you know what is real. I Feel the All-loving Goodness. I Feel the All-loving Goodness. I Feel the All-loving Goodness. You do. You know it. Put that sign on it. You’ve found it, The Place Of Knowing, in you. You’ll be there again. You feel it because you are loved; you are that love!

March 31, 2013 – Every Time I Love

by

3/31/13 Rev. David McArthur

Every Time I Love

5 days after 9/11, in an Egyptian coffee shop in Queens, New York City, Labib Salam and his friends were trying to understand it all when 4 young men entered and smashed everything. The police quickly caught all four, but Labib didn’t press charges. He said, “I understand their rage.” Labib and his friends began to clean up, and within an hour the four young men returned to help. In Labib’s compassion and forgiveness, we are reminded of the forgiving Jesus did from the cross. It is an amazing thing.

Resurrection is a little different. It’s an inside job. You can’t do it for someone else. When those four guys went back to Labib, they thanked him for not pressing charges. They grabbed brooms to help and soon were sharing coffee and conversation. Labib and the 4 left as friends the next morning. That’s resurrection!

Jesus’ resurrection was a demonstration of the things he had shown all along. You too have done all those things—feeding the crowds and supporting those needing healing. We do it sometimes “because we gotta”, but other times in a consciousness of wholeness and love. That’s different. Love transforms. It cannot not. Every time I love, love transforms. It does every single time. So you’ve been that demonstration! You are that life—that love. Every time I love, love transforms.

When we really screw up we usually blame others or just run away. The sense of connection is dead. Your compassion is dead. There is only you. But these guys touched the compassion of responsibility and brought back life.  Death is not the end. Those parts of us that are lifeless then are brought back to life. What makes the difference is the love. Every time I love, love transforms.

Sugar transforms the bitter cacao bean into chocolate, and the whole world loves it! Chocolate, as in the chocolate Easter egg, is a symbol if, every time you take a bite, you know love transforms. Make the commitment. Every time you take a bite of chocolate remember, Every time I love, love transforms. It is who you are—the beautiful child of God! And Every time you love, love transforms.

March 31, 2013 – Every Time I Love

by

3/31/13 Rev. David McArthur
Every Time I Love

Five days after 9/11, in an Egyptian coffee shop in Queens, New York City, Labib Salam and his friends were trying to understand it all when 4 young men entered and smashed everything. The police quickly caught all four, but Labib didn’t press charges. He said, “I understand their rage.” Labib and his friends began to clean up, and within an hour the four young men returned to help. In Labib’s compassion and forgiveness, we are reminded of the forgiving Jesus did from the cross. It is an amazing thing.

Resurrection is a little different. It’s an inside job. You can’t do it for someone else. When those four guys went back to Labib, they thanked him for not pressing charges. They grabbed brooms to help and soon were sharing coffee and conversation. Labib and the 4 left as friends the next morning. That’s resurrection!

Jesus’ resurrection was a demonstration of the things he had shown all along. You too have done all those things—feeding the crowds and supporting those needing healing. We do it sometimes “because we gotta”, but other times in a consciousness of wholeness and love. That’s different. Love transforms. It cannot not. Every time I love, love transforms. It does every single time. So you’ve been that demonstration! You are that life—that love. Every time I love, love transforms.

When we really screw up we usually blame others or just run away. The sense of connection is dead. Your compassion is dead. There is only you. But these guys touched the compassion of responsibility and brought back life.  Death is not the end. Those parts of us that are lifeless then are brought back to life. What makes the difference is the love. Every time I love, love transforms.

Sugar transforms the bitter cacao bean into chocolate, and the whole world loves it! Chocolate, as in the chocolate Easter egg, is a symbol if, every time you take a bite, you know love transforms. Make the commitment. Every time you take a bite of chocolate remember, Every time I love, love transforms. It is who you are—the beautiful child of God! And Every time you love, love transforms.

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March 24, 2013 – How Full Is Your Glass?

by

3/24/13 Rev. David McArthur
How Full Is Your Glass?

A very large crowd spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road shouting “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered Jerusalem. Jesus was demonstrating the Spiritual power He had, and which he was inviting us into. There are times when everything comes together for us beautifully. Even the events that led up to Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate were seen by Jesus to be part of the process of infinite love which takes us where we are to go. He demonstrates this in his answer to Pilate, when Pilate told Him he had the power to free Him or send Him to his crucifixion. Jesus said, “You would have no power over me if it were not given you from above.” As we know, God is good all the time, but the ‘all the time’ is what gets us. When you are in a situation that is filled with only pain, it is not a demonstration of somebody doing this to you. It is a demonstration of love unfolding for your great good.

There is a famous Taoist story about a farmer who had a much admired horse to work his farm, but it ran away. The neighbors felt sorry for him. But he answered, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” The horse returned, and two wild horses with him. The farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” Then his son broke his leg breaking-in the wild horses. The farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” When the army came through, they drafted all the young men except the farmer’s son, with his broken leg. The farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

We do get “beautiful Jerusalem” moments where it is easy to see the good. At times it is not so easy, but we can still see the goodness that is always there. Once you know this, it is an amazing gift of peace. Life doesn’t do things to us, but for us. We can take the risk of reaching out to touch others because we know it is there. Every experience is filled to overflowing with that good. Is your glass filled to overflowing? —your life? —your heart? —to overflowing? You have the ability to see it. It is always there. Yes, your life is filled to overflowing!

Taoist

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March 24, 2013 – How Full Is Your Glass

by

3/24/13 Rev. David McArthur
How Full Is Your Glass?

A very large crowd spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road shouting “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered Jerusalem. Jesus was demonstrating the Spiritual power He had, and which he was inviting us into. There are times when everything comes together for us beautifully. Even the events that led up to Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate were seen by Jesus to be part of the process of infinite love which takes us where we are to go. He demonstrates this in his answer to Pilate, when Pilate told Him he had the power to free Him or send Him to his crucifixion. Jesus said, “You would have no power over me if it were not given you from above.” As we know, God is good all the time, but the ‘all the time’ is what gets us. When you are in a situation that is filled with only pain, it is not a demonstration of somebody doing this to you. It is a demonstration of love unfolding for your great good.

There is a famous Taoist story about a farmer who had a much admired horse to work his farm, but it ran away. The neighbors felt sorry for him. But he answered, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” The horse returned, and two wild horses with him. The farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” Then his son broke his leg breaking-in the wild horses. The farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?” When the army came through, they drafted all the young men except the farmer’s son, with his broken leg. The farmer said, “Who knows what is good and what is bad?”

We do get “beautiful Jerusalem” moments where it is easy to see the good. At times it is not so easy, but we can still see the goodness that is always there. Once you know this, it is an amazing gift of peace. Life doesn’t do things to us, but for us. We can take the risk of reaching out to touch others because we know it is there. Every experience is filled to overflowing with that good. Is your glass filled to overflowing? —your life? —your heart? —to overflowing? You have the ability to see it. It is always there. Yes, your life is filled to overflowing!

March 17, 2013 – Why Pray?

by

3/17/13 Rev. Sheila Gautreaux
Why Pray?

God knows our hearts, our every desire. So why pray? The word “prayer” comes from a word with two meanings: 1st, ‘to set a trap’. So when we pray we are setting up to trap the attributes, the characteristics of God, like love, peace, joy, wisdom, perfect health, perfect relationships. 2nd, it means ‘to make an adjustment’. When you pray you open to the attributes of God and you adjust. So when the storm comes, it does not have so much power because you can project the attributes of God into it. In that sense, the storm is birthing you! It strengthens your God muscle. Exercise it daily. Walk daily with God. And when you come upon a storm, you know you will be greater in the sunshine that’s on the other side.

It’s one thing to pray everyday. It’s another to have a relationship with God. It brings the rain-shelters and umbrellas so you have them when the storms come. How do we do that? The Unity 5 Step Method is a basic foundation.

1. Just sit. It’s not about doing, but being.

2. Focus inward. You could use “Come Holy Spirit” or “The breath of god is breathing me”. Use whatever brings your attention inward.

3. It’s not begging or asking, but reflecting on the love and goodness of God to give what you are wanting. Or meditate on the attributes of God. God already knows what you need, so picture yourself receiving.

4. Realize it’s already yours. God’s good pleasure is to give you the you the kingdom of Heaven. Realize it. Know it.

5. Gratitude. I know that I know that I know! You need to know how your Creator feels and acts toward you! God adores Its creations! It is well pleased with Its creation—you! Give thanks.

What shows up is the result of your relationship with your Creator. All we need is a critical mass of 1% to change the whole world at depth. Then people will say, “I don’t want to fight. I don’t need this assault weapon to bring peace.” Try it! We try on shoes; we take a test drive in a car. So try it!

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