Today, Friday, March 25, is the fifteenth day of Lent. Lent is the period of time during which we can prepare ourselves for the Easter experience.
 

Assignment 15
 
Every human being has the power to say, “No, thank you, this is not for me.” Every human being is evolving in the outer, but more important there is an evolving that is an inner change which demands inner integrity, freedom of soul, and full action of Spirit.
 
Many experiences and conditions in our modern world that we call social problems are but the struggle of the soul for inner integrity and outer alignment.
 
Man has lived on the surface and outer shell of his true self. He has lived by an outer code which has not been his own God-direction. This code was set up by religious laws that long ago had an ulterior motive, the desire for a few to control the masses.
 
These outer laws of behavior and obedience are the last fragments of a time when the ruler of the land was the religious head of the people. Religion was a tool in the hand of the often greedy and unscrupulous, and church laws were not all Divinely revealed. Religion was a forced action instead of the activity of God in the heart of man.
 
We can then understand the many splinters of religion as man has slowly built the courage to be true to himself, to find his own indwelling Father, “which to know aright is life eternal.”
 
We come to bless and to know the strength of those who in the evolutionary pattern of man’s soul have walked with God and found their freedom.
 
When we look at the warped lives of men striving to live by rules that snuff out the very movement of God and then to know that if they stepped out to answer the call of the heart or believed something that their very soul demanded, they must stand the scorn of their fellowman. Sometimes those who could no longer follow the teachings were prey to their own sense of guilt for not being able to believe.
 
Jesus was one who followed the voice of Spirit within. Hearsay and blasphemy were his daily companions and the scoffers snapped at his heels like vicious dogs. Evolution of the soul of man goes on, as the great Presence of God involved in his innermost being evolves until man’s soul is free. As Paul puts it, “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed.”
 
 
(This series of Lenten messages was first developed by Unity minister Dr. Sue Sikking, founder of Unity-by-the-Sea, Santa Monica, California, author of God Always Says Yes and Seed of the New Age.)
 
 
God is Blessing You, Right Now!
 
Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
 
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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-nine years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions, at www.spiritualsolutionsblog.com

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Today, Wednesday, March 16, is day number seven in the Lenten season. Lent is the period of time during which we can prepare ourselves for the Easter experience.
 
Assignment 7
 
There are many things in our world today that overwhelm us. There are situations and conditions of seemingly great evil, manifestations that we cannot understand with our human reasoning, things in our lives and relationships that haunt us with the question “why?” There are in our world today things that strike fear in our hearts and before which the strongest one trembles. Strength is to stand against the appearances of any time.
 
The Scripture reassures us that we belong to the One Power we call God and we as human beings have overcome or conquered “all such” for the power that is in us is greater than this that is in our world. (I John 4:4) It also tells us we are saved from these things “by grace.” (Eph. 2:8) If we are safe from the “things” of the world, we should find out how and be safe!
 
How do we get this grace? How do we use it? What is it? Grace means “beloved, dear.” So we must have the power because we are beloved, and dear, belonging to the One power that dwells in us.
 
Surely Jesus believed He was beloved and dear to the power within Him that He affectionately called “Father.” He also called this Power, “Our Father.” Jesus had power in the invisible far beyond modern man’s greatest achievement. We of this day and age are awed by the invisible realm of feeling and being and here in the invisible realm lies All Power!
 
In the realm of ourselves we have not found our authority. Our minds, bodies and emotions are an enigma to us. We live in the outer. We can only enter into our true being with the realization of feeling. Feeling is the Power.
 
You have been aware of your outer self for years. Have you thought of your body as feeling? Pinch your arm and you realize your body is feeling. Body and soul are merely two aspects of feeling. The body is not one substance and soul another, they are both our feelings.
 
Your response to everything in life is feeling. There is only feeling. We react to sight, hearing, touch, taste, or breath with feeling. Movement is feeling. Rest is feeling. Grace is feeling that you are beloved and dear to the power within. How do you feel?
 
 
(This series of Lenten messages was first developed by Unity minister Dr. Sue Sikking, founder of Unity-by-the-Sea, Santa Monica, California, author of God Always Says Yes and Seed of the New Age.)
 
 
God is Blessing You, Right Now!
 
Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
 
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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-nine years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions, at www.spiritualsolutionsblog.com
 
To subscribe for free weekday inspirational quotes, Rich Words, go to www.alanrowbotham.com
 
Feel free to share this article in its entirety with a friend.
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Let’s take a searching look at the word gentleness. It is defined as “mild, kindly, amiable; not severe or violent.” Its synonyms are “courteous, polite, tender, compassionate, considerate, tolerant, sweet, meek, tranquil, smooth, and calm.” In former times, the terms “gentleman” and “gentlewoman” characterized men and women of good birth and breeding, spiritually put together, balanced, harmonious, and carried the implication of a kind of noblesse oblige that goes along with breeding and culture.

Man is always at his worst when he resorts to violence, force, hostility, anger and war. He is always at his best when he expresses love, meekness, humility, and gentleness. The traditional concept of noblesse oblige of the French nobility was that along with privilege went obligation to create and maintain the sort of atmosphere and conditions and actions that were in everyone’s best interests.

The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” has a cosmic dimension. As I express in the world, the world will surely express to me; there is a comeback, the law of causation. We have to breathe the pollution of the air we create. Gentleness, humility, kindness and consideration are not at all signs of weakness. Such erroneous thought has obscured one of the great potentials of men and women.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” At first glance this appears to be mistaken, for it seems to us that it is the strong rather than the meek that inherit the earth and possess it. The Greek word “praeis” which we translate as “meek” really means tame, in the sense of being the opposite of wild or unrestrained; it refers to a harnessing and mobilizing of one’s powers. It indicates that the outer manner will be reserved and controlled, poised and peaceful. But it is not a weakness but rather strength, because all the inner powers are harnessed and not dissipated in bluster and aggression and show.

In the French translation of this particular beatitude, we gain a new insight, “Blessed are the debonair,” the last word meaning of “good manner;” in other words, pleasant, courteous, gracious, or charming and carefree. A contemporary idiomatic rendering might be: “Blessed are the cool.” This implies one who is flexible, adaptive, big enough that he or she does not need to belittle.

The “big” person stands on principle; thus, he does not have to dispute others and be contentious. When you are sure of the principle, you can with ease give in for the sake of peace and harmony. The gentle person knows when to step back, when to yield, when to give way; when to go on might simply indicate willfulness. He does not borrow trouble by always insisting on his “rights” or fighting for his “freedom.” He knows that the only truly free person is the one who keeps his heart free from hatred and conflict. This is why the meek inherit the earth, because the consciousness of meekness and gentleness leads to a free experience in the world while the aggressor is chained by his own aggressive thoughts.

There is a story of a taxicab company whose slogan is “Wave them through and watch them smile.” This was stamped in large, bright letters on every driver’s clipboard, reminding him to be “debonair, cool, and good-humored.” In everyone’s daily living there occur traffic jams in human relations, in one’s own thinking; and someone or something has to give for progress to be made. What a tremendous sense of power one may begin to feel when he has set off a chain reaction of cooperation and courtesy. A smile is contagious; you cannot watch it and then frown back at it. There is something about it reflected in your own lips as they curve upward in response. We should teach ourselves to smile more; it relieves tension and gives time for the deep breath of a considered act.

We tend to think of the dynamic person as one who is aggressive, domineering, flamboyant, thundering through life. The really dynamic person is not noisy; he is meek in the sense of being tame. His powers are in control. He can speak with authority, take decisive action, and act with power and conviction, without beating the drum. Instead of thundering, he employs the lightning of ideas. Instead of thrashing about in the darkness, he switches on a light.

This is the power of gentleness, and I think we all need to give more thought to becoming gentle creatures, gentle persons, and gentle at heart; becoming “debonair,” becoming “cool.”

Remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
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Rev. Alan Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-eight years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, “Spiritual Solutions,” at www.spiritualsolutionsblog.com

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“In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

In our last newsletter and blog post, we talked about the importance of the open door and the now moment, of clearing your mind of doubt and letting God direct your steps in how you spend each precious God-given day.

In this message, by no means do I want to diminish the importance of the open door and the now moment, but I do want to focus a little bit on the need for quiet, the need for silence, and periods where you can enjoy open areas of consciousness where you sit back and relax and just know your oneness.

We are living today in a period of speed and accomplishment, and we go more places and do more things in less time than at one time would seem imaginable. Without a doubt, it is the spirit of industry and ingenuity that has made our nation great. But I think we have come to the place where we must make a decision whether the machines and technology we have created are going to master us or whether we are going to master them; in other words, to dance to a little different drummer and keep ourselves in tune with the rhythm of the universe.

Whenever you feel that you have so much to do that you can’t possibly get it all done, then that is the very time to stop and take a break. If you go forward at this point, trying to do what you believe cannot be done, it is unwise and possibly dangerous. You have lost your focus, you are out of attunement, and you are out of the rhythm of life. And when you are out of rhythm then you are susceptible to all sorts of problems, accidents or anything else.

In a study a few years ago some specialists said that they were more concerned now, when a person had fallen and broken a bone, with why the person had become out of tune with the universe that caused the person to fall than the actual break in the bone. The idea behind this is that when a person is in tune on the inside with the rhythm of life, then there is always a compensating factor whereby he or she can adjust to the conditions on the outside.

If at any time you find yourself in a hurry, the need often is to pause for a moment; just allow yourself to get still and get yourself in tune, getting the thought of hurry and its related worry out of the mind.

There is a scripture that is helpful in these times: “In returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” (Isa. 30:15 KJV)

Quietness would seem to suggest something soft and easy – but it really isn’t that at all. Quietness is strength. Only the really strong person can be quiet, and only the quiet person is really strong.

One of the great problems of the industrious, ambitious person is that he tends to cram his life full of every activity conceivable, and he prides himself on never having an idle moment. His or her philosophy often is, “Keep busy, get things done, do it now.”

The emphasis on “Do it now” sometimes keeps you in a rush and a bind and in a pressure, whereas sometimes to let things wait for a little while will allow the unfoldment of the divine process. The need is to rediscover the pleasure of the pause, the pause that refreshes.

Sometimes the most urgent need in the midst of a feeling of urgency is to pause and relax. Quite often we make rush and urgency such a habit that we come to a place where honestly we cannot really tell whether we are rushing because we feel things are urgent or whether we feel things are urgent because of the habit of rush.

The reason we feel so tense about things that must be done is that we are not realizing our inward resources through which they can be done easily and well. “Wait on the Lord.” Put off doing the thing so as to dispel the tension that results from urgency, and then let the subconscious mind help you to organize your ideas and solve the problem for you. If you plunge into a thing with the thought, “I must get it done immediately,” you are cutting yourself off from the creative flow, that subconscious creative activity that does much of the work for you.

All of us need to relearn the art of pausing, and it is an art which takes practice and skill. We need to practice the art of pausing, the art of doing nothing. We need to make time and not wait to find time. In this way we can, as someone has said, “Let our souls catch up with our bodies,” and get in tune with the rhythm of the universe. And let us resolve that we won’t be rushed, that we won’t necessarily “Do it now,” for as the prophet of Ecclesiastes puts it, “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Eccles. 3:1)

Remember, God is Blessing You Right Now!

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-eight years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions.

Please feel free to publish this article in your blog or newsletter or share it with a friend, as long as you include this resource box.

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words.

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STRENGTH

7th Day, Wednesday. Read Matthew 4:1-11.

Strength is freedom from weakness; stability of character, power to withstand temptation. It is the force or power to do, capacity to accomplish. “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Strength originates in Spirit; the thought and the word spiritually expressed bring the manifestation.

Jesus is the greatest teacher. He is the type that I am striving to follow, not only in spiritual culture and in mind culture, but in body culture. By faithfully studying and using the methods of Jesus I am bringing forth the very best that is in me.

Through Christ the mind and the body of man have the power of using strength on various planes of consciousness. I affirm that I am steadfast and strong in thought and in deed, and thus I am establishing strength in soul and in body. I refuse to let the thought of weakness enter my consciousness, but always ignore the suggestion and affirm myself to be a tower of strength within and without.

Supreme strength as demonstrated by Jesus can be attained by one who trusts in Spirit and conserves his vital substance. The strength of Spirit is necessary to the perpetuation of soul and body and to the overcoming of death.

As I relax more and more and lift my consciousness to harmonize with the ever-present perfect Mind, I am invigorated and restored to stabilizing power. No harm can befall me. I am made strong through Spirit.

I affirm: “The joy of the Lord is a wellspring within me, and I am established in divine strength.”

Questions:

1. Define “strength.”

2. Where does strength originate?

3. How can we establish strength in soul and body?

4. Why is strength of spirit necessary?

I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. As I turn to Him in prayer, my mind is open to ideas that are strong and true, and I feel an inflow of strength.

Remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

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 Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-eight years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions.

Please feel free to publish this article in your blog or newsletter or share it with a friend, as long as you include this resource box.

 If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words.

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In the tenth letter, Brother Lawrence is apparently responding in regard to someone who has lost a loved one or friend; then in the eleventh letter he is seeking to console someone who is ill or in pain and to have the person accept and embrace the condition rather than resist it.

Some of the language is old-fashioned and very traditional, but in both letters he is seeking to draw the correspondents back to principle, to focus first and foremost on God’s presence rather than on the condition they are experiencing.

In the succeeding letters, Brother Lawrence empathizes with his correspondent and seeks to emphasize the importance of giving oneself completely into God’s loving care and keeping, notwithstanding suffering of any kind, and to pray for courage, humility, and love.

He then declares: “Let us seek after Him often by faith. He is within us; seek Him not elsewhere. . . . Let us begin to be devoted to Him in good earnest. Let us cast everything besides out of our hearts.”

TWELFTH LETTER

If we were well accustomed to the exercise of the presence of God, all bodily diseases would be much alleviated thereby. God often permits that we should suffer a little to purify our souls and oblige us to continue with Him.

Take courage; offer Him your pains incessantly; pray to Him for strength to endure them. Above all, get a habit of entertaining yourself often with God, and forget Him the least you can.

Adore Him in your infirmities, offer yourself to Him from time to time, and in the height of your sufferings beseech Him humbly and affectionately (as a child his father) to make you conformable to His holy will. I shall endeavor to assist you with my poor prayers.

God has many ways of drawing us to Himself. He sometimes hides Himself from us; but faith alone, which will not fail us in time of need, ought to be our support, and the foundation of our confidence, which must be all in God.

I know not how God will dispose of me. I am always happy. All the world suffer; and I, who deserve the severest discipline, feel joys so continual and so great that I can scarce contain them.

I would willingly ask of God a part of your sufferings, but that I know my weakness, which is so great that if He left me one moment to myself I should be the most wretched man alive. And yet I know not how He can leave me alone, because faith gives me as strong a conviction as sense can do that He never forsakes us until we have first forsaken Him. Let us fear to leave Him Let us always be with Him. Let us live and die in His presence. Do you pray for me as I for you.

I am,

Yours, etc.

THIRTEENTH LETTER (To the Same)

I am in pain to see you suffer so long. What gives me some ease and sweetens the feelings I have for your griefs is that they are proofs of God’s love toward you. See them in that view and you will bear them more easily.

As your case is, it is my opinion that you should leave off human remedies, and resign yourself entirely to the providence of God. Perhaps He stays only for that resignation and a perfect trust in Him to cure you. Since, notwithstanding all your cares, physic has hitherto proved unsuccessful, and your malady still increases, it will not be tempting God to abandon yourself in His hands and expect all from Him.

I told you in my last that He sometimes permits bodily diseases to cure the distempers of the soul. Have courage, then; make a virtue of necessity. Ask of God, not deliverance from your pains, but strength to bear resolutely, for the love of Him, all that He should please, and as long as He shall please.

Such prayers, indeed, are a little hard to nature, but most acceptable to God, and sweet t those that love Him. Love sweetens pains; and when one loves God, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage.

Do you so, I beseech you; comfort yourself with Him, who is the only Physician of all our maladies. He is the Father of the afflicted, always ready to help us. He loves us infinitely, more than we imagine. Love Him, then, and seek no consolation elsewhere. I hope you will soon receive it. Adieu. I will help you with my prayers, poor as they are, and shall always be, in our Lord,

Yours, etc.

FOURTEENTH LETTER (To the Same)

I render thanks to our Lord for having relieved you a little, according to your desire. I have been often near expiring, but I never was so much satisfied as then. Accordingly, I did not pray for any relief, but I prayed for strength to suffer with courage, humility, and love.

Ah, how sweet it is to suffer with God! However great the sufferings may be, receive them with love. It is paradise to suffer and be with Him; so that if in this life we would enjoy the peace of paradise we must accustom ourselves to a familiar, humble, affectionate conversation with Him.

We must hinder our spirits’ wandering from Him upon any occasion. We must make our heart a spiritual temple, wherein to adore Him incessantly. We must watch continually over ourselves, that we may not do nor say nor think anything that may displease Him. When our minds are thus employed about God, suffering will become full of unction and consolation.

I know that to arrive at this state the beginning is very difficult, for we must act purely in faith. But though it is difficult, we know also that we can do all things with the grace of God, which He never refuses to them who ask it earnestly. Knock, persevere in knocking, and I answer for it that He will open to you in His due time, and grant you all at once what He has deferred during many years. Adieu. Pray to Him for me as I pray to Him for you. I hope to see Him quickly.

                                                                                                I am,

Yours, etc.

FIFTEENTH LETTER (To the Same)

God knoweth best what is needful for us, and all that He does is for our good. If we knew how much He loves us, we should always be ready to receive equally and with indifference from His hand the sweet and the bitter. All would please that came from Him.

The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, except when we see them in the wrong light. When we see them as dispensed by the hand of God, when we know that it is our loving Father who abases and distresses us, our sufferings will lose their bitterness and become even matter of consolation.

Let all our employment be to know God; the more one knows Him, the more one desires to know Him. And as knowledge is commonly the measure of love, the deeper and more extensive our knowledge shall be, the greater will be our love; and if our love of God were great, we should love Him equally in pains and pleasures.

Let us not content ourselves with loving God for the mere sensible favors, how elevated soever, which He has done or may do us. Such favors, though never so great, cannot bring us so near to Him as faith does in one simple act. Let us seek Him often by faith. He is within us; seek Him not elsewhere.

If we do love Him alone, are we not rude, and do we not deserve blame, if we busy ourselves about trifles which do not please and perhaps offend Him? It is to be feared these trifles will one day cost us dear.

Let us begin to be devoted to Him in good earnest. Let us cast everything besides out of our hearts. He would possess them alone. Beg this favor of Him. If we do what we can on our parts, we shall soon see that change wrought in us which we aspire after. I cannot thank Him sufficiently for the relaxation He has vouchsafed you. I hope from His mercy the favor to see Him within a few days. Let us pray for one another.

                                                                                    I am, in our Lord,

Yours, etc.

(Note: He took to his bed two days after this writing, and died within the week.)

I hope you have received good value and insights from this classic spiritual book.

God is Blessing You Right Now!

The Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham

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Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-six years, invites you to enjoy more articles and/or subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions or go directly to the Spiritual Solutions Blog

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