Psalm 97 Right Relationship

When we allow ourselves to acknowledge the presence and power of God in our lives, we begin the process of understanding our relationship with God.

God is in our consciousness surrounded by mystery (clouds and thick darkness). Despite this mystery, we are given a clear path by the Presence and Power of the Christ within us. Once we understand our right relationship with God (righteousness) and constructively call the laws of Mind into action (justice), we can approach the throne. We can only come forward in the knowledge that we are each children of God, inheritors of the fullness God's estate.

Psalm 67 Deliverance To

So often we think of God’s saving grace as something that lifts us out from things that we consider undesirable. I think this is because so many of us only turn to God when things get bad and we feel we cannot handle it ourselves. But this is only half the story. These verses remind us that the from implies a to. Being saved is not only deliverance from “bad things,” it must be also understood as delivered to an abundance of good.

The Rejuvenating Activity of Praise

It has been said, “prayer and praise change people, not God.” What happens to us when we offer praise to God?  To praise God essentially requires us to willingly put God at the center of our lives. We must surrender all of ourselves to Spirit.

Psalm 24 Sincerity of Purpose

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 30 The Great Physician

Is it God’s will for us to experience health? Doctors who understand will tell you that they do not and cannot heal. The medical profession has been trained in some protocols that may (or may not) hasten the process of healing. But healing is a process that the created Universe seems to be bathed in. There is a healing Presence that we have the opportunity to experience in all facets of our lives.

Psalm 30 The Great Physician

Is it God’s will for us to experience health? Doctors who are aware will tell you that they do not and cannot heal. The medical profession has been trained in some protocols that may (or may not) hasten the process of healing. But healing is a process that the created Universe seems to be bathed in. There is a healing Presence that we have the opportunity to experience in all facets of our lives.

Psalms 42 & 43 Altar Living

We all encounter times when we have doubts about our faith, particularly during difficult circumstances. Rather than allowing ourselves to get into a frame of mind that God is not with us, we must remember to see God in all circumstances, even those that on the surface appear to be evil or tragic. Believers know that Spirit is working in everything and is working for good. If we can look back at our lives objectively, we recall the many times that the guidance of Spirit led us through dark times and remember how when the experience was over we were grateful for the resulting good.

Psalm 148 The Rejuvenating Activity of Praise

Praise has the capacity to transform our bodies, hearts minds, and souls.

To praise God essentially requires us to willingly put God at the center of our lives. We have both a soul and a mind. The soul is that which has the capacity to communicate directly with the Divine. If our minds were to directly apprehend the fullness of God, we would perish from the intense energy. (Recall Moses’ countenance after the burning bush experience).

Psalm 23 Green Pastures

Image by evelynishere via Flickr

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.

Psalm 30 The Great Physician

Is it God’s will for us to experience health? Doctors who are in tune will tell you that they do not and cannot heal. The medical profession has been trained in some protocols that may (or may not) hasten the process of healing. But healing is a process that the created Universe seems to be bathed in. There is a healing Presence that we have the opportunity to experience in all facets of our lives.

Psalm 150 Joyous Celebration

Praise does not change God but it most definitely changes us!

Psalm 150 eloquently describes the natural rhythm, harmony and joy (music) established throughout the consciousness, when the soul radiates the power and presence of God.

Psalm 63 Hunger and Thirst

Making a commitment to the spiritual journey and actively seeking God, we literally tap into the strong human craving to reconnect with Spirit (my soul clings to you). This basic need is frequently described as hunger and thirst. For all human being’s this desire is present, and it is a basic compulsion in us all. Unfortunately, most of us do not understand that this underlying discontent that we all feel is a spiritual need. So we set off to placate the urge with things physical, emotional and mental. But these cannot quench the thirst; only the spiritual journey can do that. So we see many people in orgiastic relationships with sex, falling in love, money and intellectual theories. But at their core they remain discontented because they have not reached towards the heart of the problem. In all of us there is a core yearning that can only be satiated by spiritual enlightenment and a relationship with God.

Psalm 138 Self Sufficiency

Self sufficiency is the greatest hindrance 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 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 this Divine energy that moves us forward through the process of evolution. It is the source of all life. From every beat of our heart, to the seed that becomes a plant, this life force creates life. We can choose to cooperate with that force or we can attempt to fight it, for God has given us freewill. We must understand and accept that there are consequences of resisting. This force moves us towards the greatest good at all times.

Psalm 148 The Rejuvenating Action of Praise

It has been said, “prayer and praise change people, not God.” What happens to us when we offer praise to 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 96 All Things Old Are Made New

The irony of the world is that the more things change the more the stay the same. Our planet is undergoing dramatic change the likes of which has never been seen before. Technological advancements have created an environment in which many of us are suffering from information overload. There is no sign of an ebbing of the rapid pace of transformation. In the midst of all of this turmoil, there is a source of stability and permanence in our lives should we choose to embrace it. God is our refuge in a world of chaos.

Psalm 25:1-10 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. Although God’s grace is constantly in our midst, our ability to experience that mercy is limited by our ability to give it expectant attention. Without our willingness to look for and anticipate God’s care, divine miracles can happen all around us without us experiencing the wonder of the direct knowledge of grace.

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).

Psalm 24 Sincerity of Purpose

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 34:1-8 Lessons for Life

One of the most challenging aspects of the spiritual life is that the Spirit of 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.