"The Healing Power of Love"

First we must become quiet deep inside. What comes from God is ete
al. If we have faith even as small as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible for us to attain. As I think in my heart, so I am. Out of our heart comes life. If I can begin to hallow our Father's name "as" it is in heaven, I am on my way. First I must pray for a faith that equals this great requirement.

One of my spiritual advisors taught me how to pray. He did so by example. I wanted what he had. He told me one day that he begins his prayers with praise and gratitude to God for all of the wonderful miracles He has bestowed upon him and he ends his prayers with praise and gratitude to God for all of the wonderful miracles He has bestowed upon him. He told me that he isn't suggesting that I pray his way but quite simply that is the method he uses to pray. This may sound academic to most of you. But to me it was a revelation.

I immediately adopted his method of prayer and thus began my spiritual journey anew. First I found that I didn't need to make a gratitude list because I did that during every morning prayer. But infinitely more rewarding than that, my love for God began to expand and expand and continues to expand on a daily basis. Betty J. Eady explains in "Embraced by the Light" and "The Awakening Heart" that first we must develop our love for God. After that it naturally follows that our love for ourselves grows and then expands to include all of our brothers and sisters. Christ said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our mind, heart, soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). The second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourself (Leviticus 19:18).

Following are a few passages from the Bible. I only know the location of the first two passages. You will need to find the others if you are so inclined.

"By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (Joh
13:35).

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13).

"Love never fails."

"Love casts out fear."

"Love is the fulfilling of the law."

"God is love."

"Every man that loves is born of God and knows God."

The final test of our spiritual development is a love-filled heart, (the love of God and the love of humankind). Our love of God is His love of us in action. As our love expresses itself to others in a God-like manner it is His love expressing itself through us. When we express His love we are with Him and He is with us, (we are withi
Him and He is within us). The only obligation we have in this life is to allow God's love to transform our love. Allow love to precede and trust will follow.

I must look on others as people upon whom I can practice love and thereby bring about my own salvation. This attitude is certain to ward off spiritual pride, the holier-than-thou feeling. Our spiritual power is not found in our preaching but in our "being". I need to experience Christ consciousness myself and not through acquired knowledge. That is why morning prayer and meditation are a daily necessity for me. I then need to carry that into "all" of my daily activities and when I fail I can start my day over again. I need to allow my love to become a spontaneous dependence upo
God's guidance.

What we know can divide people. It can cause argument and opposition. If we can express the essence of Christ through our being, no other proof or defense is needed. No argument can stand against it. This is our mystical light. I must try to experience the Spirit of Christ while making no effort at all to possess the theology of Christ. Theology is as diversified as the individuals who ponder and expound upon it. It scatters my attention away from Christ. One man's theology will ultimately be at war with that of another man. Love and war cannot coexist. Analysis and explanation offer a dignified excuse for retarding the journey. Let the theologians fight against each other, it is not our concern. Remembering this can save us from much heartache and disappointment.

Our character is not transformed by knowledge. The Spirit embodied in knowledge is that which quickens and renews us. Our intellect is polished by knowledge. Our soul is quickened by the Spirit. When our soul is first quickened by the Spirit, true knowledge naturally follows. Our real spiritual power is found in the "experience" of the Spirit.

Translate knowledge into experience. Then translate experience into knowledge. Never cram, but empty your knowledge. If we acquire knowledge first and then become entirely willing to give it up, wisdom will fill us instead. I recently prayed for three things and then gave them up into His hands. I have not prayed for them since. They are: 1) Health and strength that will enable me to serve Him. 2) Money and things that will supply me with the resources to live a creative and fruitful life. 3) The right work that will enable me to make my finest contribution to humankind, always ending with "thy will not mine be done".

God requires our absolute trust. He fills us only through the avenue of a peaceful mind. First I needed to forgive myself. Then I needed to forgive all others for their transgressions against me. God fills our souls through repentance, humility and faith. Be persistent and always look at the positives and never the negatives. Then I needed to at least make a beginning to surrender myself completely over to Him. I remain a flawed human being and cannot yet achieve this completely but, I continue to make a great effort on a daily basis. I pray for Him to release me from the bondage of self. I pray for Him to fill me with His love. I pray for Him to reveal His will for me and to give me the strength, courage, wisdom, love, understanding and humility to carry it out. And of course I begin and end my prayer with love, praise and gratitude for all of the wonderful gifts He has bestowed upon me.

I need to seek silence deep within myself. After my morning prayer I meditate on the following. "God is always with us. God is always helping us. God is always guiding us. In Him we live, we move and we have our being. God is within us and we are withi
Him." Then I simply relax and exist with God. This brings an inward peace and serenity to me. After this I can face just about anything. nnn