divine love

August 23, 2015 – Touching the Hem of the Garment

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08/23/15 Rev. Blaine Tinsley
Touching The Hem Of The Garment

Here is a wonderful story about the healing process from Mark 5, 25-29.

Now there was a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years. Metaphysically, the number 12 means “as long as it takes”, how long it takes for us to decide we’ve had enough. Hemorrhage means a loss of vital energy, we are in need of healing.

She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. It’s ok to see a doctor, but this woman was looking for healing outside of herself, not giving energy to the things that would heal her. We need to stop blaming people and conditions outside of ourselves and take responsibility for how we deal with our experiences.

She had heard about Jesus, the Christ part within us that we all have access to, which knows the truth, that God is love everywhere present. When you know that you stand in your power. That’s the truth of who you are!

And came up behind him in the crowd. She had to put forth effort to move forward through the people (thoughts and distractions like “You’re not good enough or smart enough. You don’t have the ability.”) The truth is you are a beautiful child of God. You are whole. You are loved.

And touched His garment, for she said, “If I but touch His clothes, I will be made well. She reached out to the power! It’s symbolic of our reaching inward and touching the power within.

Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. To touch just a bit of that light and love is when the healing begins.

Jesus said to her, “Daughter your faith has made you well.” He didn’t say, “I did this.” He was saying, “It ain’t me babe! Your faith connection to the presence and power within has made you whole.”

The Centers for Spiritual Living and Science of Mind both teach, “Change your thinking—change you life.” We can’t always change our disease, like when we make our transition, but we can always change our relationship to what causes us pain. Changing that perception changes our lives. Ram Dass said, “Healing doesn’t mean going back to how things were before, but rather allowing what is now to move us closer to God.”

Affirm As I touch the divine love within I am healed at depth. As I touch the divine love within I am healed at depth. As I touch the divine love within I am healed at depth.

I behold the love of God in you! I behold the light of God in you!

 
 

March 22, 2015 – Beauty & the Beast, Part 2: Embracing the Pain

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03/22/15 Rev. David McArthur
Beauty & the Beast, Part 2: Healing the Pain

Our assignment last week was to heal our pain from past relationships. A change of perception will move us to the wholeness that we are. “Beauty & the Beast” talks of this spiritual awakening. It pictures the Kingdom of Heaven where divine love is caring for and supporting us in every moment. We can see the gifts (but not the giver). We can enter into our heart, into the feeling of goodness, the divine presence, by breathing the feeling of ease. But to grasp spiritual awareness is to forfeit life as we have known it.

Beauty (our feeling side) consciously enters the presence of the ugly fearsome Beast. How do we move into the conscious presence of “ugly” (the pain we carry from past experiences)? We must accept and be aware of it consciously. Breathe ease and hold the feelings in the heart. If we are in our head we go into the blame circle. But in the heart the spiritual energy holds it without judgment. It just is.

Beauty’s perception of the Beast begins to change. She still sees ugly, but also sees nobility, caring, and wisdom. Simply holding the ugly in our heart we begin to see more. Our perception changes. Beauty asks for some time to return to her family and what she misses. The Beast won’t refuse her anything, but warns “if you don’t return I will die.” If we don’t return to healing, the opportunity to heal changes. So Beauty returns to her family and soon forgets her promise to go back to the castle. She dreams one night she is in the castle and the Beast has died. So the next day she hurries back to the castle with intention, searching out of care for what had previously been frightening and ugly to her. She has grown.

Drafted to serve in Viet Nam, Arthur’s love for his wife Marina carried him through the ugliness he found there. Unfortunately, she found another and broke his heart. He used meaningless relationships, drugs and alcohol to cope, until he realized he had to change. He found a new relationship and happily remarried. Then Marina arrived to make amends. His terrible heartache returned. He had moved on but had not healed. The purpose of forgiveness is not to develop excellent coping mechanisms, but to heal the pain and find freedom from it. He went to his heart, where he had compassion for his pain that was real. He healed, and now says, “whenever I recall those days, I can do it with a smile…I can experience that goodness because it is here.”

Beauty finds the Beast near death. Compassion washes over her. You too can embrace the ugly within and feel the compassion in your heart. The tears of compassion break the ugliness and there is only healing, beauty, love, wholeness, freedom. I embrace my pain with compassion. I am free. I embrace my pain with compassion. I am free. I embrace my pain with compassion. I am free. That beautiful power and light that flows through us is no longer blocked and flows to those around us and creates that state of consciousness known as “happily ever after”!
 

March 22, 2015 – Beauty & the Beast, Part 2: Embracing the Pain

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03/22/15 Rev. David McArthur
Beauty & the Beast, Part 2: Healing the Pain

Our assignment last week was to heal our pain from past relationships. A change of perception will move us to the wholeness that we are. “Beauty & the Beast” talks of this spiritual awakening. It pictures the Kingdom of Heaven where divine love is caring for and supporting us in every moment. We can see the gifts (but not the giver). We can enter into our heart, into the feeling of goodness, the divine presence, by breathing the feeling of ease. But to grasp spiritual awareness is to forfeit life as we have known it.

Beauty (our feeling side) consciously enters the presence of the ugly fearsome Beast. How do we move into the conscious presence of “ugly” (the pain we carry from past experiences)? We must accept and be aware of it consciously. Breathe ease and hold the feelings in the heart. If we are in our head we go into the blame circle. But in the heart the spiritual energy holds it without judgment. It just is.

Beauty’s perception of the Beast begins to change. She still sees ugly, but also sees nobility, caring, and wisdom. Simply holding the ugly in our heart we begin to see more. Our perception changes. Beauty asks for some time to return to her family and what she misses. The Beast won’t refuse her anything, but warns “if you don’t return I will die.” If we don’t return to healing, the opportunity to heal changes. So Beauty returns to her family and soon forgets her promise to go back to the castle. She dreams one night she is in the castle and the Beast has died. So the next day she hurries back to the castle with intention, searching out of care for what had previously been frightening and ugly to her. She has grown.

Drafted to serve in Viet Nam, Arthur’s love for his wife Marina carried him through the ugliness he found there. Unfortunately, she found another and broke his heart. He used meaningless relationships, drugs and alcohol to cope, until he realized he had to change. He found a new relationship and happily remarried. Then Marina arrived to make amends. His terrible heartache returned. He had moved on but had not healed. The purpose of forgiveness is not to develop excellent coping mechanisms, but to heal the pain and find freedom from it. He went to his heart, where he had compassion for his pain that was real. He healed, and now says, “whenever I recall those days, I can do it with a smile…I can experience that goodness because it is here.”

Beauty finds the Beast near death. Compassion washes over her. You too can embrace the ugly within and feel the compassion in your heart. The tears of compassion break the ugliness and there is only healing, beauty, love, wholeness, freedom. I embrace my pain with compassion. I am free. I embrace my pain with compassion. I am free. I embrace my pain with compassion. I am free. That beautiful power and light that flows through us is no longer blocked and flows to those around us and creates that state of consciousness known as “happily ever after”!

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March 1, 2015 – Learning Prayer – Sending Love

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03/01/15 Rev. David McArthur
Learning Prayer – Sending Love

As a child I really didn’t feel connection to anyone “up there”. As a young man I started meditating and my experience of the reality of prayer changed. Later, in the tragedy of losing my wife, I learned the power of prayer. I entered into forgiveness and found peace. Through the experience of prayer it was given to me.

I wanted to really know about prayer. Unity asked me to step into the spiritual being I already was, and to open and receive my good that was already there, not to ask someone else “outside” of me. This experience of prayer I still did not really understand. There’s a difference between knowledge and understanding.

Rev. Mary Wessel established the Unity ministries throughout Montana. I met her when she was 104 years old. She lived on the top floor of a home which overlooked a beautiful valley and mountains. When I stepped into the room Spirit opened my eyes and I saw vibrant ribbons of light flowing out through the window like highways and I knew what she was doing. She was in a ministry of prayer. And later, even with mountains between us, I knew those ribbons of light reached to me and many others. It is powerful and it makes a difference. It is the sacred experience of love supporting each other as we go through this Earth experience.

I invite you to bring someone into your awareness, into your heart, who needs support. Now send that love that you are feeling. Enfold that love over them. At this moment you know for that person they are loved. Tell them You are loved. You are loved. You are loved. Divine love through your heart enfolds them now. Feel that beautiful love. Know this transforming power creates, and that it enfolds them here, now.

I invite you to join us as a spiritual community to pray at noon (or whatever time; Spirit doesn’t get hung up on time) for every person that has asked for prayer support. Pause for a moment and let them know they are loved. What we discover then is that each of us is loved!

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March 1, 2015 – Learning Prayer — Sending Love

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03/01/15 Rev. David McArthur
Learning Prayer – Sending Love

As a child I really didn’t feel connection to anyone “up there”. As a young man I started meditating and my experience of the reality of prayer changed. Later, in the tragedy of losing my wife, I learned the power of prayer. I entered into forgiveness and found peace. Through the experience of prayer it was given to me.

I wanted to really know about prayer. Unity asked me to step into the spiritual being I already was, and to open and receive my good that was already there, not to ask someone else “outside” of me. This experience of prayer I still did not really understand. There’s a difference between knowledge and understanding.

Rev. Mary Wessel established the Unity ministries throughout Montana. I met her when she was 104 years old. She lived on the top floor of a home which overlooked a beautiful valley and mountains. When I stepped into the room Spirit opened my eyes and I saw vibrant ribbons of light flowing out through the window like highways and I knew what she was doing. She was in a ministry of prayer. And later, even with mountains between us, I knew those ribbons of light reached to me and many others. It is powerful and it makes a difference. It is the sacred experience of love supporting each other as we go through this Earth experience.

I invite you to bring someone into your awareness, into your heart, who needs support. Now send that love that you are feeling. Enfold that love over them. At this moment you know for that person they are loved. Tell them You are loved. You are loved. You are loved. Divine love through your heart enfolds them now. Feel that beautiful love. Know this transforming power creates, and that it enfolds them here, now.

I invite you to join us as a spiritual community to pray at noon (or whatever time; Spirit doesn’t get hung up on time) for every person that has asked for prayer support. Pause for a moment and let them know they are loved. What we discover then is that each of us is loved!
 

February 15, 2015 – Romance – I Love You

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02/15/15 Rev. David McArthur
Romance – I Love You

Today we’re talking about a sacred experience between 2 people, that beautiful relationship which happens with couples. It comes from that simplest understanding that God is love, and when we experience it we experience God. It changes us and the way we perceive. We see the other through divine eyes. It is a unifying power.

Told that if he’d survive at all he’d be a quadriplegic, a young man fixed his eyes on his wife and mouthed the words, “Maybe we should let me go.” She replied, “I will support whatever you decide, but I am in it for the long run.” The next words she spoke gave him his life back. “You’re still you. I love you.” He mouthed, “This is way beyond ‘in sickness and in health’”. It was Christopher Reeve—Superman! Their love went beyond their vows. She saw him and he saw her as they really are.

Perhaps the most profound statement found in the Bible is “He who is without love is without God.” Love is greater than even marriage. In the most hostile climate of northern Scotland Peter and Eileen Caddy were known for their beautiful gardens. Years later I contacted Peter. He had a new wife and child in Hawaii! He explained that Eileen’s purpose and his had changed. Love doesn’t own. It releases when the connection doesn’t serve the soul’s growth. It doesn’t mean that love is not there and vibrant. It is part of love—letting go.

An ice skater from the age of four, Ekaterina Gordeeva was partnered with Sergei when she was 11, he 15. They skated as a pair for the Soviet Union and in 1988 took Olympic gold in Calgary. Their partnership blossomed into love, and soon into marriage and a beautiful baby girl. In Lillehammer in ’94 they again took the gold. The next year, while they trained in Lake Placid, Sergei collapsed onto the ice dead from a heart attack. He was 28.

Ekaterina was not sure she could skate without Sergei. But at the stadium for his memorial service she felt Sergei’s presence right there beside her. Hearing her coach say, “just trust Sergei” she skated to the music they had used to win the gold. She said she never felt so much power. “I didn’t have a thought in my head. It was all in my heart—my soul.” She later spoke of how they had agreed to smile at each other every day, and every day to say one extra time, “I love you.”

God is love and goes beyond time. Remember feeling that love for your special person and say, “I love you.” So one extra time each day this week say, “I love you.”

February 15, 2015 – Romance – I Love You

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02/15/15 Rev. David McArthur
Romance – I Love You

Today we’re talking about a sacred experience between 2 people, that beautiful relationship which happens with couples. It comes from that simplest understanding that God is love, and when we experience it we experience God. It changes us and the way we perceive. We see the other through divine eyes. It is a unifying power.

Told that if he’d survive at all he’d be a quadriplegic, a young man fixed his eyes on his wife and mouthed the words, “Maybe we should let me go.” She replied, “I will support whatever you decide, but I am in it for the long run.” The next words she spoke gave him his life back. “You’re still you. I love you.” He mouthed, “This is way beyond ‘in sickness and in health’”. It was Christopher Reeve—Superman! Their love went beyond their vows. She saw him and he saw her as they really are.

Perhaps the most profound statement found in the Bible is “He who is without love is without God.” Love is greater than even marriage. In the most hostile climate of northern Scotland Peter and Eileen Caddy were known for their beautiful gardens. Years later I contacted Peter. He had a new wife and child in Hawaii! He explained that Eileen’s purpose and his had changed. Love doesn’t own. It releases when the connection doesn’t serve the soul’s growth. It doesn’t mean that love is not there and vibrant. It is part of love—letting go.

An ice skater from the age of four, Ekaterina Gordeeva was partnered with Sergei when she was 11, he 15. They skated as a pair for the Soviet Union and in 1988 took Olympic gold in Calgary. Their partnership blossomed into love, and soon into marriage and a beautiful baby girl. In Lillehammer in ’94 they again took the gold. The next year, while they trained in Lake Placid, Sergei collapsed onto the ice dead from a heart attack. He was 28.

Ekaterina was not sure she could skate without Sergei. But at the stadium for his memorial service she felt Sergei’s presence right there beside her. Hearing her coach say, “just trust Sergei” she skated to the music they had used to win the gold. She said she never felt so much power. “I didn’t have a thought in my head. It was all in my heart—my soul.” She later spoke of how they had agreed to smile at each other every day, and every day to say one extra time, “I love you.”

God is love and goes beyond time. Remember feeling that love for your special person and say, “I love you.” So one extra time each day this week say, “I love you.”

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September 21, 2014 – Send Healing Love

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9/21/14 Rev. David McArthur
Send Healing Love

Today is the UN’s International Day of Peace and is our chance to join in prayers for peace with others of all religions around the world. All people share an understanding, a consciousness, like an energy grid. The more we fill it with the consciousness of peace, the more we will see a greater consciousness of peace in the world. Our prayers and intentions are a part of that. However, I was watching the news about ISIS and the beheadings, and when I asked myself then what I was contributing to the grid, peace was not a part of my contribution.

One of those wonderful mystics we have been gifted with, Black Elk, wrote,“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and … [that] at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that its center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.” I was forced to admit it is there in those people in the news. And in me. How can I get there?

I can start by being aware that I contribute to the lack of peace, but also that I have choice. I can focus my awareness, and respond with a state of peace within myself. But then I remembered my favorite spiritual leader didn’t say “Send peace to your enemies”; He said “Love your enemies”. Wow! That’s bigger than peace. How do I do that? I looked at how I perceived the people in that violence. I could find nothing to love. I knew that conflict comes out of pain, and I saw great pain and fear in these people with swords and guns. I also saw that peace does not heal pain. But when we step into the flow of love there is power there that changes us all.

I’d like to send love to those people in violence, in pain. Let’s go to the tremendous love in our own hearts. Now turn your attention to those people on TV with the swords and guns. Black Elk said the presence of the Great Spirit is within each of those. To them say, “I do not know your world, your pain, your fear, but I know that within you is the presence of Divine Love which loves you just as you are, without limit or condition. It can flow through you and heal your pain. We ask that for you. Mother Father God, we ask that their fear dissolves and they discover Your Divine Love and that it flows through them.

“We do not wish you suffering. We do not ask for justice. We ask the grace of God flow through your lives and that you are healed and free. We know this Divine Love can heal your hearts and we ask it be so here and now. Amen.”

There might be others at home, at work, who do not find peace in their worlds. When you see them with pain, send them God’s love. I send you God’s love. I send you God’s love. I send you God’s love. That is the moment when peace is created!

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September 21, 2014 – Send Healing Love

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9/21/14 Rev. David McArthur
I Send You God’s Healing Love

Today is the UN’s International Day of Peace and is our chance to join in prayers for peace with others of all religions around the world. All people share an understanding, a consciousness, like an energy grid. The more we fill it with the consciousness of peace, the more we will see a greater consciousness of peace in the world. Our prayers and intentions are a part of that. However, I was watching the news about ISIS and the beheadings, and when I asked myself then what I was contributing to the grid, peace was not a part of my contribution.

One of those wonderful mystics we have been gifted with, Black Elk, wrote,“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and … [that] at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that its center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.” I was forced to admit it is there in those people in the news. And in me. How can I get there?

I can start by being aware that I contribute to the lack of peace, but also that I have choice. I can focus my awareness, and respond with a state of peace within myself. But then I remembered my favorite spiritual leader didn’t say “Send peace to your enemies”; He said “Love your enemies”. Wow! That’s bigger than peace. How do I do that? I looked at how I perceived the people in that violence. I could find nothing to love. I knew that conflict comes out of pain, and I saw great pain and fear in these people with swords and guns. I also saw that peace does not heal pain. But when we step into the flow of love there is power there that changes us all.

I’d like to send love to those people in violence, in pain. Let’s go to the tremendous love in our own hearts. Now turn your attention to those people on TV with the swords and guns. Black Elk said the presence of the Great Spirit is within each of those. To them say, “I do not know your world, your pain, your fear, but I know that within you is the presence of Divine Love which loves you just as you are, without limit or condition. It can flow through you and heal your pain. We ask that for you. Mother Father God, we ask that their fear dissolves and they discover Your Divine Love and that it flows through them.

“We do not wish you suffering. We do not ask for justice. We ask the grace of God flow through your lives and that you are healed and free. We know this Divine Love can heal your hearts and we ask it be so here and now. Amen.”

There might be others at home, at work, who do not find peace in their worlds. When you see them with pain, send them God’s love. I send you God’s love. I send you God’s love. I send you God’s love. That is the moment when peace is created!

August 17, 2014 – I Hold You In My Heart

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8/17/14 Rev. David McArthur
I Hold You In My Heart

The Spirit of Love keeps asking us to grow and explore the amazing possibilities that we are. One of the forms of daily connection I use is particularly effective with those things that don’t have an off button—like when you are with family or friends and there’s one that always gets to you. After they leave you can’t turn it off, going over what you’ll say or do next time. It’s called the monkey mind, but I call it the snakey mind. It’s snakey because there’s always some fear there—of rejection or I’m not good enough, and so forth.

It’s very difficult to deal with the physical or emotional illness of people very important to us. We can’t control or fix them or the situation. It is one of the great bummers of the spiritual world. We worry. We have anxiety. We don’t feel connected spiritually. We feel powerless even though we know we are one with the only power. We do understand that there is amazing power, intelligence, and guidance in the heart. We have done a lot with HeartMath techniques.

Today we involve the heart in a different way: to take that person and simply hold them in our hearts. We don’t have to choose what we feel, or call forth anything, we simply hold that person or situation in our hearts. For example, I have a particular affection for the people of the Mideast but I can’t do anything about their situation. I can’t fix it. I can’t control it. All I can do is hold them in my heart. It’s connecting to the great power in the heart. And one of my friends is experiencing something I can do nothing about. I don’t know if it does anything for him, but it does for me. This even works for people you don’t like. I say, “I hold you in my heart.” My hand automatically goes to my heart, and I change. How I look at that person changes.

After all the angels and visitors at the scene of the Nativity, the Bible says, “Mary took all these things and pondered them in her heart.” This is an instruction on how to take things in your life that are unfolding. When we take things into our heart, they have been lifted.

Lao Tzu said, “If you want to be given everything, give everything up…Only by being lived by the Tao can you be truly yourself.” It means give up control—give up figuring it all out—give up thinking that worrying is how to love. Bring it to where the Divine Presence lives in our lives. It is so simply delightful to find it in those divinely frustrating times.

“I hold you in my heart.” “I hold you in my heart.” “I hold you in my heart.” For those one’s you care for, and whose struggle you know, or for those parts of you that struggle. Fortunately we get a choice. Bless you!