FEAR

 (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we started to learn about the inner workings of fear and how it holds its deathly grip on our lives. Do we understand the principle of fear better this week? Have we identified any of our own fears? I certainly hope we will soon overcome at least some our fears and that it will open many doors for us in life. Life is such a rich experience. Not an easy one at all but it can be a rich and rewarding experience if we have the right frame of mind. 

Spiritual development is a journey, not a destination. This being the case, it is clear that our main concern is NOW and HERE, where we have an effect, where we have choice and the power to make good or bad decisions.  We walk this journey NOW - by BEING IN THE NOW and not by focusing on what has happened in the past nor focusing on what it might be like when we one day complete this journey on earth. 

Of course we must keep our eye on the goal and become like our Creator, and until we get there, we are responsible for NOW. That means the choices are ours and we are the ones responsible for getting there at all. No one is going to drag us kicking and screaming. We have to decide to quit being stuck and we have to decide to start walking. 

Spiritual growth is a process and is usually somewhat painful because change is painful. We mustwant to grow spiritually. We must want to change. We must want to expand our awareness of how the universe works and how we fit into it. Most people on earth are not ready to grow.Most people have already formed their beliefs and they are content with their beliefs just the way they are. Their idea of spirituality is to find information and groups of people that will reinforce their current belief system.  They are not interested in growth. They are STAGNATED and seemingly they like it that way. Such people are of the consciousness that they have grown as much as they can grow, they know everything they need to know, and so their only concern is to NOT SLIP and SLIDE BACKWARDS. It is familiar to them... It is comfortable because they know it well and do not wish to change anything, hence their stagnation. No change = No growth. Period.     

These people are satisfied with their lives and they have no TRUE desire to grow. They live a lie (pseudo spirituality) and they devote so much energy to reinforcing their limited current beliefs.

Human spiritual development is a journey.

That means WALKINGthe path and not SITTING still.

It is an ACTIVE CONTINUOUS Process...

Now back to the subject of fear.  How does fear affect our spirituality? Well... think of fear in the sense of our physical existence and experience. Fear can be debilitating in some cases. In a spiritual sense, fear is a thousand times worse. Experiencing fear in the physical means we are somewhat affected by it but we are still pretty functional. We survive and get around pretty good in spite of fears.  

Fear in spirituality means total dysfunctionality. (How’s that for a new word?)  Fear not only makes us stand still on our path but we might as well be in a spiritual coma. Our views and understanding of the universe are limited to our own fears, to the few things that make sense to us (our beliefs.) People tend to cling to their handful of beliefs (not facts) because they feel comfortable with those limited beliefs. That is not a spiritual walk or journey at all. It is wasting a life... 

To grow in a spiritual journey, to really walk it, means we have to make progress. Progress means change. Change equals GROWTH. Change requires an open mind that is willing to receive new information. Change also requires a DESIRE to change, or rather a desire to really grow. The only way to grow is to realize that there is so much more to the universe that we could ever know and then to develop the desire to learn as much as we possibly can.We must realize that dogma and the old beliefs taught by many religions have not done much to advance spirituality over time.  These old systems no longer serve OUR needs for growth. These systems may still serve a purpose for many folk but it applies to the masses of humanity that remain in darkness. WE on the other hand have chosen to step forward and continue our spiritual journey. It means we now must search out the truths that have been hidden from us for so long.

OUR consciousness has expanded beyond the basic teachings of established religion.  We all learned to abide by the classic 10 commandments but now it is time to proceed to the next level. The Bible and Jesus' teachings and miracles have taught us so much already but they are not the be-all-and-end-all of spiritual teachings. Besides, having a limited view of the world and how it really functions means we misinterpreted many of the original teachings due to our own lack of understanding. It was but the introduction to something greater than we have become used to experiencing as ‘being.’ There is MUCH MUCH more.... 

No dear friend, growth and learning will be our task for a long, long time to come. Here is a thought to ponder. When Jesus performed what we call miracles, He also told us that we could do the same and much more. So how is it then that we have not learned to do these things, perform miracles as He did, in over 2000 years?

The answer is rather simple. There is much more to our world and much more to the universe than we know and probably will know for a very long time. If Jesus said we could do the same and more, then it means it is within our ability to do so. It further implies that some time in the future we WILL be able to do the same. So again, why have we not learned these things in 2000 years?  I am sure that there are many factors at play but by far the most contributing factors to our continued stupor are these:  FEAR, STUBBORNNESS & ARROGANCE.

We have refused to learn, to explore, to develop, to change, to GROW! 

Why? Because we fear what we do not know.

We FEAR that which we do not understand.

We fear what we are not used to.   

Look back over the last 2000 years. Have we changed at all spiritually? Are we much different spiritually than people were 2000 years ago? I like to think some of us are at least.   What about developing t the point of performing miracles.  Some people have continued to grow in that respect. Some secluded monasteries grasped these opportunities ages ago and they kept growing. These few people are now able to do some pretty amazing stuff. So the information has always existed but most people were simply not aware of it. Those who knew were too afraid to share. Either afraid for their own lives (many paid the price) or others were afraid they would no longer be able to govern the people if the masses were privy to this information. 

Essentially humanity has been in a spiritual coma for 2000 years and probably for much longer.  

The point is:  There is nothing that is really new. What we learn a thousand years from today may be new to us but it has always existed. As long as we grow, EVERYTHING we learn will SEEM NEW and different to us though in Jesus’ true teachings it has always existed.

Let us say it again so we have this clear in our minds.

We are here because we wish to grow.

Growth means change and requires change.

To change we must learn something new.

To learn something new we must be open to receive new information WITHOUT FEAR.

The trick is to know what information we should make our own and what information we should discard. We need to learn discernment... and not to decide about something new, based on our fears. We already know we tend to fear the unknown. We must learn to be open and receive new information... and to process this new information with our divine Heart, rather than with our brain. This is the process of discernment. Based on what our Heart tells us, we will know what is true. ONLY THEN can we decide to make this new information our own, to internalize it. If our Heart says, ‘it does not serve us at this time’ or ‘maybe not at all,’ then we must pass no judgment on this new information or thing and simply discard it by the wayside. 

Learning to master discernment is a process too. It is something we learn to do and not something we all do instinctively. Instinctively we respond to our minds. We must learn to LISTEN to our Hearts. Listening to our Heart is harder than it seems but it is VITAL that we practice this until it is second nature.  

  Again dear Friend, let us ASK for help.

  Let’s ask God to help us in this discernment development process.

  Let’s ask God to help us learn to LISTEN to our Heart.

  Let’s ask that our discernment be honed to a fine instrument.

  Let’s ask that our fear of new unfamiliar things be dissolved.

  Let’s ask for wisdom...

Let’s ask for help while processing new information so that we can FEEL in our                                                           Heart when something RINGS TRUE.

IN SUMMARY:

Spiritual fear causes stagnation.

Stagnation = No change and thus NO GROWTH.

To grow means to learn new things.

People are afraid of new things because they fear the unfamiliar.

Especially in spirituality because the way they see the universe, their Creator and their understanding of everything may become unstable or uncertain. New information is a threat to these poor people. If new information is very different from the way they have always believed, it might shake the foundations of their world. They feel their world would fall apart if things are NOT what they have always believed them to be. They would have no valid reference points and so their lives might turn into chaos. For these people, new information presents a serious threat to their sanity. THEY FEAR THAT WHICH IS UNFAMILIAR.  

It is easier to remain stagnant in a place where they know things are comfortable to their mind. It may be empty and unfulfilling and may even be senseless to others, but to fear filled people, what they know is comfortable. They have no wish to change or grow and are clearly not ready to make a firm decision to grow.  

Remember that fear seems like a very real thing. In truth however, it is nothing more than a negative emotional response to something that is neutral. Fear is caused by the lack of truth and by the lack of the ability of real discernment.  

As I’ve said before, beliefs are hardly facts. A belief is something WE form about something so that it will fit nicely into the world that makes sense to US. Take the existence of angels for example.  There is in fact tons of evidence available that prove the reality of angels and their guardianship beyond a shadow of a doubt. If one were to overcome their initial fear response and actually decide to go look for evidence, they would find it easily and find lots of it as well. Many people are too afraid to consider the implications of angels, guardians from God. It is easier to DO THE ‘DENIAL DANCE’ and not deal with this issue at all. If they continue to believe angels do not exist at all, then they are choosing to form a belief that fits into their own view of the world. They simply are not interested in the truth. If they were interested in truth they would want the truth and would go looking for it. 

In Summary:  Whether or not we believe in angels is immaterial. OUR beliefs do not alter the facts. OUR beliefs only shape OUR view of the world and OUR beliefs help US to exist in a place of seeming uncertainty. BELIEFS ARE NOT FACTS, no matter how convinced we may be. Only FACTS are FACTS. 

I have talked about fear extensively and repeated statements over and over hoping to drive the core issues home. We are guaranteed to learn things in life that will invoke our fear response because some (or much) of the information may be new to us.  THAT IS OKAY. What is important is that we step through it and continue on our journey. It is more important to learn to process information without fear and making up our minds for ourselves as to what works for us and what does not. That is our discernment. That is what we use our Heart for.

In future messages we may be introduced to new points of view and we may experiencefear at first.  By now we should understand fear pretty well. The only thing to fear in life is fear itself. I have spent a lot of time trying to help us understand fear so that we can effectively overcome it when we encounter it during our spiritual journey. To this very day I personally encounter new fears I have to process and right now I am in the middle of a few tough ones. Believe me; it is natural to all of us. The important thing is that we process the fear and work through it. If we learn something new and we go into denial, then we need to check our fear levels.

Let us remember what we have discussed these two weeks. We must try to listen with our Heart. Our Heart is that Divine part of us that connects with the Divine part of God through the Spirit.  Keep in mind, the brain can be an obstacle on our spiritual journey if it is a servant of our emotions. Our brain IS fallible. Only the Heart knows the truth and it is our duty to ourselves and to our Creator to learn to listen to our Heart. If something rings true then we keep it and make it our own. But, if it does not ring true, then we honor the voice of our Heart and we discard the information our Heart does not agree with.  

We have been well prepared for this journey. From this point on I hope we continually learn something new to help us along our personal journey of self-discovery. I will attempt to offer reference material whenever possible. Ultimately though, is up to each of us investigate and pursue additional references.

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Our Mission This Week

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All of our messages to this point have been laying the foundation for us. Everything has been pretty basic so far. We are getting ready to delve into deeper subjects though and in many instances even unfamiliar territory.  That’s why these assignments are very important to do.  They will help us to discern correctly and to handle fear so that our Spiritual Foundation isn’t shaken by something later on.

DAILY: Please reread this message often. Meditate on it and allow the material to sink in and settle as a firm and solid foundation that we can continue to build on. The material to come will require that we have a steady and firm grasp of the issues commitment, humbleness, and fear that have been dealt with so far. In particular, we must understand this fear issue as best we can. If we do not manage to overcome our fear of the unfamiliar or unknown, we may get stuck somewhere along our spiritual journey and quit growing all together.

PERIODICALLY re-read all the messages we have covered so far. It will help to develop a broader view and understanding of the material. For instances as you go back and reread the message on commitment in view of what you have learned concerning fear you will get new meaning from it.  Sit down with your SPIRIT Journal (or pad of paper you use to write your goals and fears on) and fill in some of the gaps with new revelations, thoughts and emotions you may have now that you didn’t have before. We also need the ability to receive new information and then to process it without fear, even if it is very different from our current views or understanding. Remember, No one is forcing us to believe everything. But let’s learn to process new information objectively and with an open heart and mind. If we don't understand or like something then let’s choose not to pass judgment and keep going. Maybe in later messages all the little pieces of this huge puzzle will magically fall into place for each and every one of us and suddenly make sense...

The spirit world is mostly an unseen world to us right now. We must not judge what we do not understand. Let’s not fear what we do not understand either. Instead, let’s commit ourselves to learn what we can. Sooner or later we will learn to see inside this spiritual "unseen" world.

I know we can do this, no matter how hard we struggle with certain concepts. We are brave people and we should honor ourselves for that. We have stood up to be counted by the very fact that we are in this congregation and committing ourselves to meeting this way every week. We have stepped forward and that took courage. Our courage will carry us a long way. Let’s have the courage to change and to keep GROWING. Let each of us be that powerful little seedling that reaches for the Sun. Let us have the courage to learn new things in spite of the fear that may come with the unknown. And let us ask for support from our Creator. We are not here by accident. There are no coincidences. Strap in dear friends. The journey gets pretty interesting up ahead.  

We ARE Ready... We CAN Do This!!!

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A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK: (Change it to fit your needs.)

Dear God, Creator of ALL-THAT-IS... I come before you now with humbleness and I ask for your continued support and guidance on my personal spiritual journey. I realize I have much to learn and many bridges to cross ahead. I also realize this choice of mine means I take on greater responsibility, for myself and my own spiritual growth but also for the work you have asked me to do here on earth.  

I ask that you will guide me to this internal knowledge. I have placed my faith and trust in You.  I have made a solemn promise to You and to my soul that I will see this part of my journey through to the end and learn as much as I possibly can. Yes God, I expect to encounter fears in this journey.  

So I ask now dear God for Your Grace and Your Divine Intervention with regard to my fears. Release me totally from fear dear God and I ask that You dissolve these fears, stagnant energies and any other darkness that surrounds my being with your powerful golden-white Light. Fill my entire being with your Divine Love, Great Spirit, and help me to experience Joy, Love, Kindness, Gentleness and Beauty along my journey ahead.  

I am ready to let go of the old beliefs and fears that no longer serve me. I ask that these be lifted from my being and replaced with Your divine Love & Light, so that I can walk gently upon the earth, eager to learn more of Your wondrous mysteries through Christ’s true teachings and that I may be a Joy to all that I encounter. Cleanse me of darkness. Fill me with Your Divine Light. I ask these things only if it serves my highest good and if it serves Your WILL.   

SO BE IT... And such it is...

Well dear ones, that’s all for this week. I know we have repeated some of these words many times it seems but know that they are important. If we fail to build a solid foundation, then the house we build next may collapse at any moment. What good would that be? 

I wish us only the very best for this week to come. Next week we will talk about our spiritual journey. May God bless us all richly.

Reverend Sharra