Worship God in Spirit and in Truth

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

For The Spirit is God, and it is fitting that those who worship him worship in The Spirit and in The Truth.”

Aramaic Translation

In reference to the woman of Samaria: 23, Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

John 4:24-26

Many religious believers take part in ceremonies or rituals, but never know the Object of their worship. It is those who have God consciousness, who commune with God that can truly speak of worshiping God.

We need to know, that when we are sincerely devoted to God, no matter what words we use, God will answer. Unfortunately most people do not worship God with conviction based on the experience, that God is real and that He is listening to our prayers; that He is just behind our thoughts. If we pray with all our heart and mind concentrated on that indwelling Presence, we will know the One we worship.

Why does God remain unknown to people who worship him in temples and churches?

Churches and temples talk about God as if He could be comprehended by our restless mind. Divinity itself is perceived through intuition, the soul’s God given power of knowing truth. When mental restlessness is stilled and our consciousness is interiorized, in touch with our soul, the God revealing intuition is awakened. When we find God within, He is no longer a mystery concealed by his various material manifestations.

The most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, (Acts 7:48) heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Has not made my hand made all these things? Isaiah 66:1(KJV)

Worldly people have build temples on hilltops and lived in places of pilgrimage, only to find that their inner environment is still a place of sense and thought based matter worship. Worshippers, who by meditation interiorize the out flowing consciousness, by withdrawing their attention from identifying with the body and material nature, discover through direct experience what God is. They know what it means to truly worship Him; they have found the way to salvation.

When Jesus said:”God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

The term God and Spirit based on mystical insight, are mutually exclusive, but are interchangeable where no distinction is required.

Spirit signifies the Unmanifested Absolute, void of even the slightest ripple of thought or vibration, where even space, time and dimensions are nonexistent. There abides only ever - existing, ever – conscious – ever – new Bliss that is Spirit.

God implies the transcendental Creator, beyond creation but existing in relation to the manifestation that evolves from Him. When relative creation is dissolved again into its Creator, then God becomes Spirit, the Unmanifested Absolute. 

God remains transcendental as both the source of becoming and imminent as the sum and substance. In manifesting creation, when Spirit becomes God the Creator, His transcendence is reflected in creation as the guiding Universal Intelligence. Thus God is Divine Intelligence manifesting creation. Spirit is Divine Intelligence with creation dissolved in It.

So in truth, God is Spirit becomes the Father of Creation. He is all things in creation; but the manifestations of creation are not God. His Spirit nature never changes, though a portion of that consciousness is present in nature.

The wave distorts the ocean only in appearance, but not in its essence. The true vision of God lies in the Spirit Ocean without the waves of creation, the realization of God as Unmanifested Spirit: the only existing substance, Truth, without the delusion of matter or phenomena.

As long as our consciousness is limited to creation and its inherent delusion of separate things, we have not attained enlightenment. We live in delusion absorbed in the ever changing phenomena. We need to lift the veil and see God first as transcendent in His creation, following that, we can realize God as transcendent beyond creation.

As Absolute Spirit is reflected as God’s guiding Intelligence in macrocosmic creation, so is Spirit reflected in the microcosm of the body as the soul, the individualized spirit image of Spirit in man. True worshippers who actually commune with God, who experience his presence in meditation, realize that the soul and God the Creator are reflections of Spirit.

Another spiritual insight informs us, that God the Father of manifestation can be known by the soul either by perception of or oneness with any of His manifested attributes. Spirit, the Unmanifested Absolute, can be known only by oneness with Spirit.

God in relation to the soul presumes a duality, the Object to be perceived, God; and the perceiver or experiencer, the soul.

I AM

All things in the universe are manifested by light. The light is consciousness. Consciousness is the One, expressing in an infinite number of forms. There is no real separation or gap in consciousness. It is referred to in the bible as the “I AM or God, the One without another”.

Man may conceive himself to be rich or poor, but at the center of his being, he remains the same regardless of the concept he holds of himself. There is only one I AM, manifesting in countless forms or concepts. I am that I am. I AM is the Self definition of the Absolute, the foundation on which everything rests. I AM is the first cause and substance. I AM is the self-definition of God. It is the “I AM that” sent me into existence.

I AM THAT I AM. Be still and know that I AM God. I AM is a feeling of permanent awareness. The very center of consciousness is our feeling of I AM, Existence, Being. Joy. I may not know who I am or what I am, but I cannot forget that I AM. The awareness of being remains, regardless of the degree of ignorance. I may experience forgetfulness of my existence as a result of my identification with body and mind, instead of with my essence, which is ever the same and eternal.

Man is actually the arbiter of his own fate, and it is the concept he has of himself that determines the world he experiences and how he responds to life. As an example, if he is experiencing chronic ill health, knowing the truth about his existence, he cannot attribute the illness to anything other than to the concept which was produced by his own reactions to life, and his proclaiming "I am not well." This is why we are told: "Let the weak man say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10), for by his assumption, the cause and substance I AM is re-arranged and must therefore manifest that which its rearrangement affirms.

This principle governs every aspect of our life, be it social, financial, intellectual, or spiritual. I AM is that reality to which, whatever happens; we must turn for an explanation of the phenomena of life. It is the “I AM's” concept that determines the form and scenery of its existence.

Everything depends upon its attitude towards itself that, which it will not affirm as true, cannot awaken in its world. That is, the concept of ourselves, such as "I am strong," "I am secure," "I am loved," determines what we experience. In other words, when we say, I am a man, I am a father, I am a doctor, we are not defining the “I AMs”; we are defining different concepts or arrangements, we speak of name and form identification instead.

When we know that consciousness is the one and only reality and that we are a part of it, we are free, free from the belief that there are causes outside of us that can affect our lives.

In the consciousness of the individual we find the explanation of the phenomena of life. If man’s concept of himself were different, everything in his world would be different.

If on the other hand his concept of himself is, that everything in his world must be as it is, it becomes clear that there is only One 1 AM and we are that I AM also. And while I AM is infinite, we, when having a limited self concept, are displaying only a limited aspect of the infinite I AM that we are.

Unfortunately in our daily lives we use the personal pronoun “I am” for all we do and think, not realizing that the powerful “I Am” used in a negative manner could be harmful to our very existence.

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The great I Am is the all embracing Divine Spirit whose creative power lends form to all beings and all things, and gives to man his consciousness. Every being is destined to live the I Am of the Divine in his own way. We must live in the world of space and time, but in it we are indented to manifest the transcendental in our being. Our nature is transcendental, yet we can only fulfill it in the natural world.

Life on earth can only be fulfilling as long as we do not fall out of the cosmic order and by maintaining our contact with the Infinite.

Transcendence can be viewed as super natural reality. Or as an interior attitude of which all one does, or perceives takes on a superior meaning.

The nature of the Holy Spirit

So what is the nature of the Holy Spirit? We have Christ telling us that the Spirit that God gives us as a gift is a counselor, comforter, advocate and helper. Christ also shows the Spirit of God to be the power by which we are ushered into the Kingdom of God which other scriptures equate with eternal life. John shows that having the Spirit is what identifies us as having God in us. Paul says the Spirit identifies our being in Christ. Paul says we should allow the Spirit to control us and not our sinful nature. Paul shows God's spirit is a spirit of power, love and sound mindedness. Paul also shows that the Spirit can be stirred up and it can be quenched.

When one looks at the many references to the Spirit of God in the scriptures, it becomes apparent that God's spirit is an expression and manifestation of what God is. God is life and imparts life to us through His Spirit. God is love and imparts love and the ability to love through His spirit. God is power and through His Spirit will manifest His power through us as He wills. God's spirit is counselor, comforter, advocate, helper and truth.

Our Soul Journey

Consider the possibility that you have desired and been given the body that is exactly right for your soul’s journey in this lifetime, the vehicle that will take you where you need to go, providing the essential life experiences along the way that contribute to Self-realization.

Love that body!

Every time we remain peaceful—are not thrown off balance by changes or become easily upset—we contribute to our own wealth of energy. We can then draw on this energy for useful purposes.

The quickest way to lose inner peace is to argue with the way things are. The quickest way to regain it is to accept what is.

We perform many supportive acts for ourselves everyday without expecting any acknowledgement. With spiritual vision, we can care for others in the same way—spontaneously and without expecting a return.

Concentration acts as a purifying agent for the mind and the heart and prepares the way for meditation.

Enlightenment is possible in this lifetime. What other lifetime is there?

Surrender of the sense of being separate from God frees us from the tyranny of self will.

.Regardless of outer accomplishments, if our life isn’t in harmony with the law of our soul, it cannot be called a success. Success is living in harmony with divine will.

Shared spiritual values provide a firm foundation for a conscious relationship. Interests change with time. Values grow stronger as we live them together.

May love shine forever in the sanctuary of our surrendered devotion to God and may we awaken that Divine love in hearts everywhere. Peace – Amen.

Prayer

O Spirit, make my soul Thy temple, but make my heart Thy beloved home where Thou wouldst dwell with me in ease and everlasting understanding.

O Bestower of unceasing bliss! I will seek to make others truly happy, in gratitude for the divine joy Thou hast given me. Through my spiritual happiness I will serve all.

Heavenly Father, teach me to remember Thee in poverty or prosperity, in sickness or health, in ignorance or wisdom. Teach me to open my closed eyes of unbelief and behold Thine instantaneously healing light.

O blazing Light! Awaken my heart, awaken my soul, ignite my darkness, tear the veil of silence, and fill my temple with Thy glory.

Heavenly Father, charge my body with Thy vitality, charge my mind with Thy spiritual power, charge my soul with Thy joy, Thine immortality.

O Father, Thine unlimited and all-healing power is in me. Manifest Thy light through the darkness of my ignorance.

O Eternal Energy, awaken in me conscious will, conscious vitality, conscious health, conscious realization.

 Heavenly Spirit, bless me that I may easily find happiness instead of becoming worried at every test and difficulty.

Teach me to feel that Thou art the power behind all well being, and the value within all things. Finding Thee first, I will find everything else in Thee.

Invincible Lord, teach me to use my will unceasingly in the performance of good actions, until the little light of my will burns as the cosmic blaze of Thine all-powerful will.

Easter 2019

The joyous Easter message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ reminds us anew of his glorious victory over every limitation of mortal life — and brings encouragement to each of us to awaken the limitless freedom, power, and joy within our own souls. As you dwell on the divine life of Jesus, may his example inspire you, and strengthen your confidence that the universal light of Christ Consciousness manifest in him is also within you. It is waiting to be resurrected from the confines of the ego, to shed the covering of ignorance accumulated in dealing with the outer world of duality and with the inner self-created environment of limiting habits and thoughts to which most persons accustom themselves.

God created our souls in the beautiful image of His love and goodness, and has given each of us the power to manifest that image in our lives. The all-inclusive consciousness of Jesus reflected perfectly that Christ-love which reaches beyond a small circle of caring to encompass all of God’s children. He did not judge people by nationality or social status; nor did he shun those who had erred. Even on the cross, he sought forgiveness for his enemies. To see and respect God in all is a wonderful way to expand our human consciousness into divine consciousness. Each time we seek to understand someone whose opinions differ from our own, or express consideration of others’ needs, we broaden the horizons of our minds and enlarge the compassion of our hearts. Paramahansa Yogananda said: “One of the greatest victories over the little self is to be sure of your capacity to be always thoughtful and loving, to be secure in the knowledge that no one can make you act differently.” The world thinks that power means the ability to control others. But God-united souls like Christ have proven that there is no greater power than to control one’s own consciousness in accord with God’s will and His laws of love and truth. When we follow that example, we no longer need to depend for our self-esteem upon the fickle world of maya or be ruled by the short-sighted ego. We know the inner assurance and freedom of a calm mind and a conscience at peace. That is the consciousness in which Jesus lived.

The fullest blossoming of our immortal potential comes when, with ever-deepening yearning, we commune with God in the silent temple of the soul. Each devotional effort to touch that indwelling Divine Presence brings us closer to resurrection from human consciousness into Christ Consciousness. By feeling even a momentary contact with the all-fulfilling reality of Christ-love in our hearts, we know that there is nothing else to want or need. Whatever our outer circumstances, we find a deep security and trust within, knowing that we are in the loving hands of Him who created us in His image of immortality and joy.

May the dawn of that awareness in your soul be your blessed Easter awakening,

What is Peace?

These two questions are especially relevant today. This is a unique time we are living in. Our world is in a transition. The evolution of humanity is accelerating and while this time of change has brought with it many wonderful advancements, the speed of change has brought with it instability, insecurity, fear and turmoil. And as such, more and more people are realizing that to look for any sense of peace, any sense of security outside our-selves, in the external world, is to look in the wrong direction. Realizing this is a good thing, because it could be one of the great lessons that this time of change has come to teach us: it is to look within for answers.

        We need to look to our spiritual self, that divine nature hidden within us,. The way to this, is to meditate in order to satisfy that inner yearning of the soul with the experience of bliss, of peace, and of unconditional love. These are the aspects of the Divine and they are experiences that ultimately we all seek.

                             Scientific Technique to Experience Inner Peace

Meditation is a very effective way of experiencing this peace. True meditation brings the mind into a state of calm and focused awareness. But this is not so easy because the mind is very restless, and we need to know how to calm it. For this we need to learn a method or yoga technique to turn the consciousness within to awaken the spiritual centers located in the spine and brain. If we don’t know a meditation method, we ought to look for a competent meditation teacher.

How to Pray for Others

How can our prayers influence the lives of others? In the same way that they elevate our own: by implanting in the consciousness positive patterns of health, success, and receptivity to Divine help. Paramahansa Yogananda wrote:

“The human mind, freed from the disturbances or ‘static’ of restlessness, is empowered to perform all the functions of complicated radio mechanisms — sending as well as receiving thoughts and tuning out undesirable ones. As the power of a radio broadcasting station is regulated by the amount of electrical current it can utilize, so the effectiveness of a human radio depends on the degree of will power possessed by each person.”

The minds of illumined masters, who have perfectly attuned their will with God’s will, can transmit the divine power to bring instantaneous healing of body, mind, and spirit. The writings and lectures of Paramahansa Yogananda are abound with examples of such healings. He explained that though they seem miraculous, divine healings are the natural result of scientifically fulfilling the universal laws of creation. By conveying God’s idea patterns of perfection with sufficient will power and energy to manifest them in the minds and bodies of others, these enlightened ones follow the same process by which everything in the universe was formed.

Any person who prays according to these principles will find that his or her prayers also have a tangible influence. And though our individual power is obviously less than that which a master can convey, when the prayers of thousands are united, the powerful vibrations of peace and divine healing thus generated are of inestimable value in helping to manifest the desired results.