Psalm 148 The Rejuvenating Activity of Praise

Prayer and praise change people, not God.  To praise God essentially requires us to willingly put God at the center of our lives. We must surrender all of ourselves to the Spirit.

Psalm 80 Look Within

As we take our spiritual journey, we should expect to have trials and tribulations along the way. These experiences help us broaden and strengthen our understanding and faith. There are times, however, when we are caught off guard by these troubles and instead of looking within for guidance; we are seduced into relying on external signs for information and direction. Undoubtedly when we make these errors, we experience a great deal of suffering in our lives.

Psalm 25 Grace

One of the most profoundly liberating aspects of the divine/human relationship is the nature of the grace of God. We do not have to be perfect before we receive grace. It does not require us to make amends for our past mistakes (do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions). There is no scorecard. We merely have to change our minds and make God the center of our lives.

Psalm 132 True Love

We, as human beings, live our lives constantly in search of love.  The love faculty in us searches and searches until it finds a dwelling place (in the consciousness) for the Lord.  Most of us find ourselves looking in externally rather than looking within ourselves for the answers.  Indeed, this is perhaps the greatest source of unhappiness for humankind.  When we look to other human beings, alcohol, or food for love; we find ourselves in destructive relationships.  Until we get quiet and look within ourselves for that spark of the Christ presence, we will never find that love that satisfies our craving.  

God’s takes up permanent residence in our heart, mind and soul in the Christ center (ark) in our consciousness.  Our innate gifts are spiritualized through love and the result is right use of God given talents (righteousness).  As we attain a deeper understanding of the divine, the process of refining and purifying that love intensifies.  

God has chosen love’s abode as the divine resting place.  Our ideas of a selfless nature (poor) will receive the substance of life (bread) and grow and prosper.  The guidance of the intellect (priests) must be based in conscious and right use of God given attributes (salvation).  Through the inspiration of Spirit (anointed), our path is lit (lamp).  God’s love is the only love that will make us whole.  Once we begin to understand the abundance of God’s love for it and us becomes part of our being; we are at peace, and know we are love and are loved.
And so it is! Amen!

Psalm 16 Divine Protection

One of the most important aspects of a relationship with the Divine is that it improves the believer’s everyday life. This is commonly referred to as the protection of God. For the faithful there is a perspective on every situation that is beyond the worldly appearance. Without faith in God and the spiritual perspective, the world seems to be an evil place. This prayer of thanksgiving to God is a strong affirmation of faith that there is no good apart from the Divine. The spiritual life offers us the ability to see any circumstance from the divine point of view (holy ones in the land).

Many of us worship false gods: money, prestige, stature, etc. When we keep worldly pursuits foremost in our lives, we make ourselves miserable (multiply their sorrows). These things offer temporary fixes, but in the end they drain us of life (offerings of blood) and cannot satisfy our souls.

When we choose the inner path (the Lord is my chosen portion and my cup) and we willingly surrender to Divine will, we find ourselves satisfied with the way that our life has turned out because we have all that we want, need, and some things we never dreamed of (the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places). We can claim our abundant Divine inheritance (goodly heritage).

As we embrace the guidance of the Lord, even when things are unclear or befuddled (night) the power and presence of the Christ within (heart) leads us in the right direction. With God at the core of our every thought and feeling (keeping the Lord before me), we cannot be swayed or confused.

When we allow our lives to be led by Spirit, we can be certain that we too can reap the fruits of our Divine inheritance (fullness of joy, pleasures). We are secure in heart, soul, and body because we have been shown the spiritual journey rather than being left to the death of the worldly concerns. God's path is the path to eternal life.

And so it is! Amen

Psalm 127 Our Foundation

Frequently, we encounter people who believe that they are the masters of their own successes. They will not acknowledge a higher presence at work in their lives. They toil away at their lives attempting to reach greater heights. These are inevitably the same people who find themselves in a great mess in their lives at some point, because instead of identifying with their spiritual nature, they have identified themselves with some worldly thing (money, job title, familial role, etc.). Once the world as they know it has been taken away from them, they struggle to find meaning in their lives.

The only thing that we can be sure of in this world is change. To build a foundation for our life that is so transient is asking for trouble. The way to find peace and security is in a relationship with the Divine. God is the unchangeable Presence that brings the gift of peace of mind (sleep). 

The fruit of trusting in God is the multitude of Divine ideas with which we are entrusted (sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord). These are the inklings and glimpses that we receive when we take the time to listen to the Christ within us. God constantly provides us the opportunity to participate in the activity of Spirit, but in order to hear we must be actively, and intentionally receptive. Even the most casual Divine idea has great potency (like arrows in the hand of a warrior). These are the ideas that transform our lives and the world for the better.

For all of the effort we put into life, if we redirect that effort to reconnecting to our spiritual Source, the rest of the pieces of life will fall into place with ease. From this grounding we “find our place in the world.” We experience a sense that we are where we are supposed to be, doing what we are supposed to be doing. We find great meaning and purpose in our lives. We have our quivers full.

And so it is! Amen!

Psalm 146 Trust in God

Human beings are strange creatures in that we trust that the sun will rise and set but do not trust in the omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of God. No other creature in all of creation has less than absolute faith in Spirit; that which is behind, within and around everything we experience. It is absurd for us to trust in the sun but not trust in God. Each and everyday we are confronted with the miracles that are proof of this Presence, yet we question.

Psalm 34 Lessons for Life

One of the most challenging aspects of the spiritual life is that the Divine requires a blank canvas (poor soul), on which to paint its perfect portrait. We must approach God with pure humility, laying aside our personal will, in the search for true spiritual understanding. Any troubles we experience are only a reflection of our erroneous beliefs of our separation from God and each other. We experience separation primarily when we become deeply self-centered. When we choose to make ourselves our center, our connection to God fades.

Psalm 104 Divine Creativity

We have the opportunity to participate in the field of Divine creativity each and every day. God is constantly reaching towards us (laying the beams of his chambers). We need only be receptive. This current of life imparts divine ideas (messengers) and the cleansing and purifying activity of the Holy Spirit (fire and flames your ministers).

Psalm 22 The Dawn

All of us suffer through experiences where the appearance of things can make us question our relationship with God: whether God is still near us and whether we are worthy of God’s attention.  We know better, but at times we are overwhelmed by the enormity of our circumstance.

Psalm 26 Integrity

What does the word integrity mean? Most of us think of this word in terms of either being in accordance with worldly standards or some standard we have set for ourselves. Spiritually speaking, we claim integrity when we know that God is before us and behind us every step so that we can rest in our faith. To stand in integrity is to conform unwaveringly to God’s standard or God’s will through attention to the Christ presence within us.

Psalm 124 A Place of Safety in the Flood

Have you noticed how one negative thought can quickly turn a positive state of mind into a chaotic mess? These thoughts are extremely destructive and have been compared to wild beasts in this poem. They certainly wreak havoc on our state of mind when we allow them to linger. When we are overwhelmed with thoughts based in the deluge of material and worldly consciousness (flood, raging waters), we can always turn to God for help.

Psalm 1 Happiness

So often we find ourselves very unhappy although we are following the culturally prescribed path to happiness. The media tells us if we buy more things, we will be happy. Our friends and family tell us that if we become powerful lawyers, doctors or CEOs we will be happy. These worldly things may bring a semblance of happiness, but it is always transient. Any time that we look outside of ourselves for happiness, we will inevitably be disappointed.

Psalm 19 Divine Intelligence

There is an underlying intelligence in all things that is evidenced by the constant change in the world. Nothing stays the same. That is because of the Divine energy that moves us forward through the cycles of life. It is the source of all life. From every beat of our heart, to the seed that becomes a plant, this force creates life. We can choose to cooperate with that force or we can attempt to fight it, for God has given us freewill. But there are consequences of resisting.

Psalm 125 The Sanctuary of Faith

For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  - Matthew 17:20

When we have faith in God, we are firmly planted in the commonwealth (cannot be moved, but abides forever). Our hearts and minds are fixed on the Lord. We are protected (surrounded) by our level of spiritual understanding (mountains). Most of us believe that we have to do good things in order to reach God. This is actually the opposite of the way the process works. We must first turn our lives over to God (upright in heart), and then through the activity of Spirit we are able to fulfill our spiritual potential and do good works.

Psalm 45 The Spiritual Marriage

In the Scriptures we see many different types of relationships between man and woman, beginning of course with the story of Adam and Eve. When reading the texts in the context of the deeper spiritual meaning, one sees that both the masculine and feminine represent various faculties within the individual consciousness. Masculinity symbolizes the intellect, mind and wisdom. Femininity on the other hand symbolizes for the intuition, emotions, feelings, love and the soul. These are not intended as pejorative labels and these ideas do not necessarily represent social roles for individuals. Within each man and woman all of these faculties exist and are to be developed appropriately.

Psalm 84 Worshipping in the Temple

Once we have turned our attention Godward, we are transformed. When we have had a taste of the Truth it becomes irresistible to us. Even though there are many challenges to be met along the way, when we have experienced the joy of letting go and letting God, it is impossible to forget. There is such happiness and harmony when we go with the flow of Spirit rather than resisting. What a gift it is to learn that God truly has only our best interests at heart! When we put ourselves completely into God’s hands, we can have all of these things with no effort of our own.

Psalm 111 Praise as Practice

Many believe that in order to praise God we must go to church or secret ourselves away in prayer and meditation. While these are fine ways to spend time, we must understand that with every breath we take we make a choice whether or not to praise God. If we live in worldly consciousness, we praise that giving our thoughts to the external. When we decide to view all things in our lives spiritually and act accordingly, we praise God.

Psalm 130 Morning Comes

If God were tallying errors how could any us stand tall? But in God’s eyes we are all worthy. God’s nature is merciful, so there is hope for us all. Divine forgiveness merely requires that we be receptive to changing our attitudes and thoughts, and be willing to orient our lives around our relationship to God.

Psalm 51 In the Right Spirit

God, in steadfast love, is waiting for us to step forward and claim our spiritual inheritance. But we must take up our cross (cross out our personal will), in order to understand and fully benefit from the law of Spirit. If we approach God and even only a small portion of our personal will remains; we cannot fulfill our spiritual destiny. For when personality gets in the way, somehow, we always start to question God.

Psalm 14 Foolishness

The dictionary says a fool is someone who lacks understanding. It is true that only a fool would say that there is no God. When we believe there is no God is we have undoubtedly been seduced by the trappings of intellect and the physical realm. If we look to the world for strength, purpose, and support, we can be tricked into believing that there is nothing beyond our experience in this world.

Psalm 89 The Covenant of Love

No matter how far we veer from our spiritual path, God is true to God’s promises. Even when we are in the depths of despair, we should know that all experiences in our lives have one purpose: to lead us to God. We need only recognize that fact and step forward in faith and love to claim our divine inheritance.

Psalm 24 Sincerity

Contemplative moments (ascend the hill of the Lord ) are ones in which we are acutely aware of the Presence of God within us and in our midst and our connection to that Presence. It is interesting that while we are in the world, we are never separate from God (the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.) And yet even the most devout people proclaim the experience of separation from God. Despite the presence of God everywhere, in the world there are many distractions, internal and external, that seduce our attention and energies away from this truth. During these times it is critical that we stay connected to our deep down, burning desire to know God (clean hands, pure heart.)

Psalm 48 The Fortress of Love

Love is the most powerful force in the world. This statement sounds idealistic, at best, and insane, at worst, in world of materialism and greed. But those who have attained some level of spiritual understanding know that the power of love can conquer all evil (ungodliness). If we take the time to observe, we can easily see that love has the ability to transform any circumstance. If we can remember to apply the force of love in all of our challenging situations, we will be astounded at the level of security it provides.

Psalm 130 Morning Comes

If God were tallying errors how could any us stand tall? But in God’s eyes we are all worthy. God’s nature is merciful, so there is hope for us all. The forgiveness of God merely requires that we be receptive to changing our attitudes and thoughts, and be willing to orient our lives around our relationship to God.

Psalm 9 God Our Foundation

When we recognize God as the only Power and Presence in our world we live the holy life This power can be perceived as having the full authority of the Presence of God at our back going with the flow). This power is ours if we choose to remove our limited thoughts that prevent us from acknowledging and participating in our heritage of abundance as beloved children of God.

Psalm 20 The Victory

Many people spend their whole lives looking for a victory. Success in a career, marrying the right man/woman, owning a nice home, and financial riches are all external conquests. Although these are nice things to have, they mean nothing without the Great Victory. The victory of Spirit (salvation) within the individual is the only victory that really matters. We need not worry about the petty concerns of the world. For if we successfully attain spiritual enlightenment all of the above and more will be given to us.

But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Psalm 138 Self Sufficiency

Self sufficiency is the one of the greatest hindrances to our spiritual development. Many of us believe that through sheer willpower we make our lives happen. But of course that is not true. There is an underlying force that creates life that we cannot explain or control and that is the breath of God. It is that invisible vitality which inspires our being: it is our soul. When we live in harmony with that inspiration from Spirit, we feel truly alive.

Psalm 29 Renewal and Glorification

In order to glorify the Lord, we must understand God. This is a difficult concept to convey in words because typically when we think of understanding, it implies some intellectual or analytical exercise. Spiritual understanding does not have this connotation.

Psalm 104 Divine Creativity

We have the opportunity to participate in the field of Divine creativity each and every day. God is constantly reaching towards us (laying the beams of his chambers). We need only be receptive. This current of life imparts divine ideas (messengers) and the cleansing and purifying activity of the Holy Spirit (fire and flames your ministers).

Psalm 1 Happiness

So often we find ourselves very unhappy although we are following the culturally prescribed path to happiness. The media tells us if we buy more things, we will be happy. Our friends and family tell us that if we become powerful lawyers, doctors or CEOs we will be happy. These worldly things may bring a semblance of happiness, but it is always transient. Any time that we look outside of ourselves for happiness, we will inevitably be disappointed.

Psalm 98 Breakthrough

Spiritual growth is not a straight upward climb. We experience times of major forward progress. Then we reach a plateau stage, where things roll along smoothly. After this phase of development, we typically have some sort of major upheaval in which our faith is tested. If we pass these tests with harmlessness, we begin the cycle again. The shift from upheaval to major advancement is called a breakthrough.

Psalm 22 Dawn

All of us suffer through experiences where the appearance of things can make us question our relationship with God: whether God is still near us and whether we are worthy of God’s attention.  We know better, but at times we are overwhelmed by the enormity of our circumstance.

Psalm 23 Green Pastures

Green is term we use to describe those who are inexperienced and childlike in understanding. But “green-ness” is critical to a fresh perspective and new understanding. Although many of us desperately cling to the “same-ness” and stability in our lives, living is about change and transformation. If we fight to stay the same, we find everything continues changing around us. It is in the new that we are best able to embody those childlike qualities, we desire. When we can drop the facade of expertise and knowledge, we allow ourselves to just experience what is. The excitement and anticipation in facing the unknown is palpable.

Psalm 4 Change Your Thinking

Despite the fact that we know what Truth is intellectually, we have thoughts within the subconscious and unconscious (people) that surface and create confusion in our minds (love vain words, seek after lies). We become distracted by negative thoughts and feelings, but know that God hears us. When we become mired in negative thinking, it is critical to stop and reconnect with our faith and knowledge that God is with us at all times. Spirit is our anchor in our search for Truth and the process of regenerating attitudes (Answer me when I call, O God of my right; Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer). Faithfulness creates order in our lives because rather than fighting the flow of Spirit we surrender our will to It.

Psalm 133 Oneness

When we begin to understand our spiritual heritage, our entire perspective is changed forever. The commonwealth of God is only experienced from the perspective of unity. It is godly (good) to recognize and embrace the oneness of all things (live together in unity). Because we are all of God, we are all one. Spiritual consciousness is the recognition and experience of unity, the oneness of everything and everybody in God. From the unified perspective nothing but love exists, for we are all God and we are all one.

Psalm 118 Resurrection

We celebrate the resurrection of the Christ this week. This triumphant story has a profound connection to our own walk with God.  Death is an important part of our spiritual life.  In order to know God, we must die to what we think we know so that we are available to God's revelation. The creative power of God (right hand) raises us up and out of the confusion of the world. If we open our hearts and minds, Spirit can show us the straight and narrow path (open to me the gates of righteousness), the way to our inner Christ. Only when we surrender our lives to God can we enter into our spiritual domain.

Psalm 118 Death

Do you respond to the idea of death, with resistance or acceptance? The dramatic stories of the holy week in the Jewish and Christian traditions remind us that we must be willing to face death directly in order experience salvation. Are you in tune with the small deaths that you are confronted with daily? As spiritual seekers, we must die day-by-day to our attachments to the world.

Psalm 51 In the Right Spirit

God, in steadfast love, is waiting for us to step forward and claim our spiritual inheritance. But we must take up our cross (cross out our personal self and will), in order to understand and fully benefit from the law of Spirit. We must understand that if we approach God and even only a small portion of our personal will remains; we cannot fulfill our spiritual destiny. For when personality gets in the way, somehow, we always start to question God.

Psalm 107 Giving Up the Fight

Have you noticed that it is hard work to rebel against God? In a sense, it is similar to fighting against the laws of nature. If we try to act contrary to the law of gravity, eventually we are bound to get hurt. Likewise, when we resist the Laws of Mind and Being, much unnecessary pain and suffering result. It takes a lot of mental energy to actively resist the presence of Spirit in our lives. And yet so many of us are deeply committed to this practice.

Psalm 19 Divine Intelligence

There is an underlying intelligence in all things that is evidenced by the constant change in the world. Nothing stays the same. That is because of the Divine energy that moves us forward through the cycles of life. It is the source of all life. From every beat of our heart, to the seed that becomes a plant, this force creates life. We can choose to cooperate with that force or we can attempt to fight it, for God has given us freewill. But there are consequences of resisting.

Psalm 22 Dawn

All of us suffer through experiences where the appearance of things can make us question our relationship with God: whether God is still near us and whether we are worthy of God’s attention.  We know better, but at times we are overwhelmed by the enormity of our circumstance.

Psalm 25 Grace

One of the most profoundly liberating aspects of the divine/human relationship is the nature of the grace of God. We do not have to be perfect before we receive grace. It does not require us to make amends for our past mistakes (do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions). There is no scorecard. We merely have to change our minds and make God the center of our lives.

Psalm 50 Judgment Days

Most of us have a visceral response when we hear the word judgment. It brings to mind a wagging finger and a disapproving stare, or worse. Our response is stronger when we expand this idea to Divine judgment. But is there a way for us to view judgment differently?

Psalm 147 Giving Praise

Praise is the act of recognizing the good (God) in any and every situation. When we understand that God is with us always, our reaction to challenges in our life is transformed from attempting to escape into profound appreciation. Each and every situation brings with it an important life lesson, if we choose to investigate it. When we are spiritually blind we spend our lives trying to avoid tests and end up in a lot of pain because of it. If instead we give thanks for every circumstance no matter how small or how difficult it may appear, it will refine our hearts and minds.

Psalm 111 Praise as Practice

Many believe that in order to praise God we must go to church or secret ourselves away in prayer and meditation. While these are fine ways to spend time, we must understand that with every breath we take we make a choice whether or not to praise God. If we live in worldly consciousness, we praise that giving our thoughts to the external. When we decide to view all things in our lives spiritually and act accordingly, we praise God.

Psalm 62 There is Only God

The spiritually awake person knows that through all of the experiences in life and no matter how real the physical world may seem, there is only God. When we understand this, we view the world through a different light. Many of the situations in the world believed to be evil or wrong take on a new context if we know that God is present in every situation. We can bless each and every person and situation, as a lesson to bring us closer to our true spiritual nature.

Psalm 139 God is All

When we sit back and truly contemplate all that we are, we cannot help but be mesmerized. Each beat of our heart takes so many interrelated processes working in exact harmony. We know that it is impossible that human being could create something so perfect. If we sit and observe the precision of nature, we are filled with a profound reverence for life and for God. One can only take comfort in the immanence and steadfast love of God. We should take time to contemplate our lives and marvel at the wonder that is our existence.

Psalm 29 Renewal and Glorification

In order to glorify the Lord, we must understand God. This is a difficult concept to convey in words because typically when we think of understanding, it implies some intellectual or analytical exercise. Spiritual understanding does not have this connotation.