New Thought Center for Spiritual Living

the Nature of It All

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:53:26 -0800

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With Imagination

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 15:29:13 -0800

Appreciation for All Things

Sun, 3 Oct 2010 07:13:39 -0700

Summary coming soon.

The Art of Detachment

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 21:11:06 -0700

“The Art of Detachment” 9-26-10
Rev. David Alexander

Detachment is an important spiritual practice. The only things that we can control are our own thoughts. The core of our distress over any issue is attachment. The only thing that is keeping us from inner peace is attachment. When we don’t like how something is going or how someone is behaving and we believe it should be different, we are attached to the outcome and not open to “all that is.”
Attachment looks like:
• If you don’t have it, you won’t be happy
• When you think about not having it, you get depressed
• Judging yourself for not having or doing something
• If is doesn’t happen, you won’t be OK and happy

Monkeys can be captured quite easily by attaching a coconut to a tree, cutting a hole in the coconut just big enough to fit the monkey’s paw and by putting an enticing morsel that the monkey wants inside the coconut. The monkey comes along, puts it’s hand in the coconut and grabs the morsel. When the monkey grabs the morsel, it can’t get it’s hand back out of the coconut. And, rather than letting go of the morsel, it will hang on, even when it knows that the hunters are coming—and it gets caught—it gets taken!

We are just like the monkeys when we hold on, stay attached to anything. We get “taken away” with ego and anger and bitterness and upset-ness and resentments and self-righteousness and worry. We are stuck, just like the monkey, until we let go!

Being anchored and aware in God is an essential prerequisite for being of service in the world. We’re here to reveal God in everything. We are the hands and the face and the vehicle of God in the world. Our job is to let go and be clear about what is ours to do.

Byron Caty says that we should only be concerned about what is ours to do.
• There is others people’s work or business,
• Our work or business and
• God’s work or business.
We are not to meddle in another’s or God’s business.
Stay anchored and clear and trust God to do God’s part.
When we learn to trust the Universe, we will be happy.

Questions to Ponder:

1. Is there any place in your life where you are attached to the outcome?

2. Are you concerned about what others “should” be doing?

3. Would you be willing to let God do God’s part?

The Four Winds

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:52:50 -0700

Living Prophet Series - Special Wed. Evening Serivce with DE Paulk

Truth is a Journey, Not a Destination

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:25:16 -0700

Truth is a Journey, Not a Destination 9-19-10
Pastor D.E. Paulk

Our speaker is the Senior minister of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on Atlanta, GA. And he says that his ministry is New Thought inclusive!
A while ago, Pastor Paulk heard a voice, “Tell me that you don’t know.” It took awhile, but eventually, Pastor Paulk said, “OK, I don’t know.” He said that immediately ideas, people and books flooded his life and there was a new, overwhelming knowing that was available to him.
Our journey is a constant one, not a destination. He learned that we never stop learning and to keep questioning.
In the Bible, it is clear growth and questioning was an essential part of the spiritual life.

• Paul, in his epistles of the churches, grew in understanding over the years. He moved from thinking that Christ was only in a few to realizing that the Christ was in us all.
• Peter started by believing that Jesus was a person and progressed to knowing that the Christ Principle was awake in Jesus.
• And even Jesus himself grew. When a Canaanite woman asked for his help, he rebuffed her twice before realizing that he was the Christ and above human prejudice.
There was a difference between Jesus the man and the Christ. The Christ is within and through us all.

Questions to Ponder:

1. Discuss the idea that the Christ expressed through Jesus. Do you see the Christ expressing through you?

Journey to Inner Peace

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:16:46 -0700

The Journey to Inner Peace 9-12-10
Rev. David Alexander

Our journey to inner peace has people standing in our way! And they are the people who aren’t agreeing with us that we are right! All the inner strife and conflict that we experience with others boils down to one or both of us trying to be right. When we stay attached to our small “piece,” we can’t have peace! Surrendering our attachments is the answer, because, then, we can move closer to inner peace.
When we have our own perspective about anything and hold onto the idea that we are correct, our brain actually fills in the information that we don’t really know so that we can be “right.” (see www.blindspotteat.com). In the absence of information, the brain “makes it up.” Our places of “in-harmony” in our life may be places where the brain is “filling it in.” We create our own ideas about our own ugliness or that of others. Our brain gathers evidence to prove our own perspective.
We are surrounded by the perfect people to help us in our spiritual growth and greater awakening. The way to peace is to:
1. Give up our “piece” and our attachment to it
Speak our perspective kindly without attachment (remembering that our perspective is only a small part of the true picture)
2. Catch a bigger vision and remember that God is in control of it all!
God has a plan and all things work together for good!
3. Know who you are and know what you’re here to do.

Most of all, stay anchored in prayer to gain inner peace:
1. Pray for those closest to you
2. Pray for leaders, ministers and teachers
3. Pray for those in the highest offices
4. Pray for those who appear to be weak
5. Pray for the little things—those who can’t speak for themselves.

Questions to Ponder:

1. Where are you “right?” Have you been gathering agreement from others?

2. Is it possible that there is a bigger picture around this person, or event that you’re not seeing?

3. Are you willing to surrender your attachment to being “right?”

Labor of Love

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 20:00:27 -0700

Labor of Love 9-5-10
Rev. David Alexander

A labor of love is doing something without the motivation of money or personal gain. We love to do it, we would do it anyway!
To labor in vain, in contrast, is to work without “spirit.” Our life proceeds from the metaphysical, the “meta” or invisible to the “physical”, the visible. If we are doing anything with great love and passion, the “father within”, the spirit, does the work. If we don’t come from spirit, what we do really is real labor and we are doing it on our own small self. It is helping no one. When you see someone who loves what they are doing, it is clear that it is a labor of love.

We all have something inside us that we are to give birth to. Are we living the life that we want? What is it that you love to do? What do you want to give birth it? What isn’t complete in your life until you do it?

The questions that we ask determine the quality of the life that we live. And the questions and answers determine the consciousness of our life and therefore, produce the results in our life.

A better question to ask is this, “Am I living the life that Life wants to live through me?
What is the quality and nature of the life that Life wants to live through me?
Am I being a place through which Life can express?
These questions create instant “space” where we can really contemplate that we have a divine gift to give the world.

We are each a manifestation of the love of the Universe. We are each a labor of love of the Universe. Are we making ouerselves available to the call of this labor of love? Are we knowing ourselves as love, truth, harmony, abundance, wisdom and peace?

Questions to Ponder:

1. What is your labor of love to give to the world?

2. Do you truly believe that the Universe is expressing through you?

Synergistic State of Being

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:47:11 -0700

The Synergistic State of Being 8-29-10
Rev. David Alexander

We’ve been following Practice the Presence Workbook this whole year and this month the focus is on Being.
Synchronicity is a multiplicity of things with a similar goal or purpose that have a greater result than just one could create.
What are we doing in church? Our soul is longing for a connection, wanting to “go home.” We are “amping” up the vibration of the soul and magnifying it so that we can experience a greater awareness of being one with spirit.
We all want autonomy and autonomy is actually an illusion because everything is really working together. Nothing is really independent. So, our desire for freedom and autonomy is this: there is a place for me. My source and I want to be in a synergistic relationship. Everything is in a synergistic relationship with everything else. And it isn’t about doing—it’s about being in tune with our creative source and being open to the divine in-flow. Our soul is longing to have an attunement with the Infinite energy.
Our source is infinite love, wisdom, peace. Spirit’s desire to know us is what is calling us. We are intertwined with the Infinite. And we’re here to magnify our wholeness with each other—while not trying to fix each other. We have a responsibility of cooperating with the universe in remembering for others that they are connected to their source. We dedicate our life to remembering that we live in, with and from God!

Questions to Ponder:

1. What do you come to church for?

2. Have you experienced the synergy that happens when we are in community?

3. How can you support another in remembering their wholeness?

Transforming through Community Spiritual Practice

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:21:18 -0700

Wed. Night Service - Rev. David shares of the power of community when we dedicate to being in spiritual practice together!

Being at Ease

Sun, 8 Aug 2010 13:01:05 -0700

The Sharing Consciousness

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:39:19 -0700

Learn from Yesterday, Live for Today

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:18:45 -0700

Free Your Mind, the Rest Will Follow

Sun, 4 Jul 2010 12:07:33 -0700

Rev. David returns for this inspiring 4th of July message!

The Insular Paradise

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:59:28 -0700

Guest Speaker Rev. Dr. Harry Morgan Moses

It's in Every One of Us

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:27:50 -0700

From the One come the Many

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:59:59 -0700

Arise In ME! Easter Sunday 2010

Sun, 4 Apr 2010 19:18:14 -0700

Easter Sunday 2010

The Journey Inward

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:06:36 -0700

Palm Sunday 2010

All Things Possible

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:58:02 -0700

The Gentle Nature of Spirit

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:06:57 -0700

I am Worthy

Sun, 7 Mar 2010 18:00:03 -0800

Keep Good Company

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:44:45 -0800

Language of Love

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:32:58 -0800

Love Is the Answer

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:58:56 -0800

Open to Love

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 16:50:42 -0800

The Spiritual View

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:07:02 -0800

Going Within 2010 Series: “The Spiritual View” January 24, 2010
Rev. David Alexander

Seeing those people and things we don’t like or resonate with us as whole and one with us is the spiritual view. Ernest Holmes’ perspective of the spiritual view was that there are spiritual principles that are universal and work for all people at all times.

We are raised with the “human view”, which is that we are separate from others and we have to protect what we have and get ours before others get theirs. War is a human view.

What we want is to live from the spiritual view that says God is all, the Infinite energy. Spiritual discipline is knowing that all good—love, peace, power, happiness, beauty, joy, harmony and enthusiasm is already ours—that God is all there is.

According the Ernest Holmes, spirituality is the constant and consistent attempt to feel the presence of God in everyone and everything—to see the Spirit in everything.

In the Religious Science movement, there has never been a question that everyone is included. There is not a God that would exclude anyone or anything, indeed, nothing can be excluded because it is all ONE! We are each a child of the one God. We are each a significant entity and we are to be proud that we are a divine entity in the mind of God.

Questions to contemplate:

1. In what ways have you “bought into” the “human view” of life?

2. Who in your life wears a “mask” so that you have trouble seeing them from the spiritual view?

3. How could you apply spiritual discipline so that you can see everyone from the spiritual view?

Prayerful Decisions

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:05:06 -0800

Going Within 2010 Series: “Prayerful Decision” January 17, 2010
Rev. David Alexander

Prayer affirms the goodness of who we are. It is not bargaining with an outside power that might withhold something from us. It is not begging. It is acknowledging and affirming that which is! God moves through us and only shows up through our mind. Supplication. Bargaining and begging is a mental affirmation that we don’t have what we want and are separate from God. Because the Universe only responds by corresponding to us, we therefore stay separte from God! And then we beat ourselves up for not praying “right.” It is when we surrender and let go that our prayers are answered.

Are prayer and treatment identical? Yes, if affirming our good. No, if there is any supplication on the part of prayer.
God is forever pouring itself into it’s creation. We don[t create anything. The creative energy of the Universe creates. We simply affirm and let our good manifest in our lives. We have therefore used the energy of the Universe to reveal what was there all along.

We are the ones who create meaning for what we see happening in our world. When we respond with love and doing what is ours to do, then our activity is an affirmative prayer.
Prayer treatment starts with recognition of God as the One, moves the Unification, remembering that we are one with God. Then we realize our good, give thanks and release the prayer. (R.U.R.T.R.) when we shift into alignment with our good, there is joy. We want to shift from a state of separateness into a state of oneness.

Prayer treatment is the time, process and method that is necessary to change our thinking and move into creative correspondence to bring forth God qualities into our lives.

Questions to contemplate:

1. When was the last time that you used bargaining prayer? Have you noticed that it doesn’t work!

2. Do you really live from the understanding that the Infinite responds to you by corresponding?

A Deciding Faith

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:02:38 -0800

Going Within 2010 Series: “A Deciding Faith” January 10, 2010
Rev. David Alexander

Judith Wright in her book, The One Decision, says that it is not “I want to do this “so that” …because that statement implies that we are trying to look good to the world, which is an “un-decision.” What we want to say is, “I want to do this because this is right for my life.” An important decision—the one decision.

We have all the faith that we are ever going to have. We can’t add any faith to ourselves. Our faith is that which concerns us, that which occupies our attention and it is usually about ego and conditional effects. The only ultimate concern that is worthy of our ultimate attention is God.

It is a challenging and rewarding life when we give ourselves over to what we really want, when we give ourselves over to God. We are spiritual beings, only bound by negative thinking. When we put our faith in the universe, there is no limit for us. When we surrender, the universe supports us and things are changed.

Fear is faith misplaced—it is a positive acceptance of what we don’t want.
Faith in God is the positive acceptance of what we do want.

When we have a decision to make, the question for us to ask is, “Does this move me in the direction of my ultimate purpose?” When we make the one decision and surrender, then unlimited good is ours.

Questions to contemplate:

1. Are your desires and resolutions based on the statement, “I want to do this “so that…”?

2. Or are your resolution based on the question, “I want to do this because it is the right thing for my life?

3. Where are you placing your faith?

What is your ultimate purpose?

All Things New!

Sun, 3 Jan 2010 13:52:04 -0800

“Practice the Presence” Series: “All Things New” January 3, 2010
Rev. David Alexander

Rev. David paraphrased what Ernest Holmes said 50 years ago:
We are expanding as a spiritual movement and when a church is dedicated, we teach and practice our principles. Individual alignment with the divine leads us to an energy of serving others.
The cross on the top of this new building will stay there because when it is rightly understood, it has great meaning. The seat of consciousness is at the intersection of the vertical Divine and the outreaching, horizontal human. The focus is on the heart space and to remember who we are and who we serve.
In our teaching practicing ministry, we remember One divine presence that is personal to each of us.
We remember that there is a power for good that is greater than all and can be used by us for good.

We are trained in the law of good and it will multiply it’s effect through our united consciousness.
We are joined with the universe and we understand that there are many paths to God and that there is no private good.
Ernest Holmes, in 1918, talked about the fact that we are not controlled by anything outside ourselves. When we are aligned with the truth, we therefore prosper. Each of us is destined to be an emancipated soul.

This church is a natural out-picturing of practicing the presence. Our awareness that is steeped in God and the laws of the universe recognizes that it is the nature of the sum total of our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs to bring our good into manifestation. What we see had no choice but to be out-pictured. And this church is a means to an end—inclusivity, love, wholeness and nourishment. We’re all welcome here because we are each a God being and we had to have a place to express that being.

The energy of God is the energy that says, “Behold, I make all things new.” I have the power now. I make all things new today. We step into it and align with it daily. The verse, “Behold, I make all things new,” could more accurately be described as “Behold, I AM (the Christ within us, the presence of the Father within) makes all things new.: It is our job to release what doesn’t serve us any more and remember that the energy of the Christ makes all things new in our life.

Questions to contemplate:

1. Are you willing to steep yourself in the awareness that the I AM presence can make all things new in your life?

2. What would you like to be new in your life?

Answer Me This?

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:07:58 -0800

Love Overflowing - Advent week 4

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:54:24 -0800

Joyful Insights - Advent week 3

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:32:53 -0800

Advent Series, Wk 3 “Joyful Insights”

More notes to come....

A Vision of Peace - Advent week 2

Sun, 6 Dec 2009 10:22:59 -0800

Advent Series, Wk 2 “Vision for Peace”

We’re beginning a sacred time in our church calendar. We are journeying toward the birth of the Christ, which is a spiritual journal of awe and wonder. We’re awakening something inside ourselves and moving toward an awareness and embodiment of the Christ. Advent is the 1st ceremony on the Christian calendar.

All the stories about the birth of Jesus were written at least 60 years after it happened, so it isn’t about the actual facts around the birth, but the metaphysical interpretation that has meaning for us. In fact, allegory was the primary way of interpreting scripture back in the time of Jesus.
The stories were meant to draw out faith in a new way of being.

Luke 1: 67-79 tells the story of Zachariah and John the Baptist who were preparing the way for Jesus and the lineage of Jesus is traced back to King David and Abraham. This Bible verse represent an evolution in consciousness, a liberation from hatred and envy and an establishment of oneness.

Luke 3: 1-6 establishes a time line about where the power lies and talks about preparing the way of the Lord. The journey from where we are to where we are going will be made straight. When we take the journey from our mind (Babylon/confusion) to peace and wholeness, our way will be made straight.

The Gospel writers were feeling the Presence of the Christ and want others to have the experience. They knew that as we put on the mind of Christ, we step into inclusivity and a connection with God. An alignment of oneness, recognizing that there is only One presence moving through us, we recognize that we can let go of concern about outward problems. We receive divine guidance and intuition. In doing this, we allow those around us to step into peace. God can only do for us what God can do through us.

Questions to contemplate:

1. What is the essence of peace for you?

2. Will you make it possible for this peace to show up in the world?

Gifts in Mind - Advent week 1

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:53:18 -0800

Gifts In Mind Advent Series, Wk 1

We’re beginning a sacred time in our church calendar. We are journeying toward the birth of the Christ, which is a spiritual journal of awe and wonder. We’re awakening something inside ourselves and moving toward an awareness and embodiment of the Christ.

All the stories about the birth of Jesus were written at least 60 years after it happened, so it isn’t about the actual facts around the birth, but the metaphysical interpretation that has meaning for us. In fact, allegory was the primary way of interpreting scripture back in the time of Jesus.
The stories were meant to draw out faith in a new way of being.

At the time of Jesus’ birth and later, as the stories were written down, it was a hostile time for everyone—there was agitation and the atmosphere was hostile toward Jews and Christians. The writers of the Gospels were reaching back into the past and addressing the fear and concern in the present.

When Jesus was teaching, the Temple was being remodeled and the disciples were in awe of that rebuilding and Jesus became concerned and told them to look within—that that was where the power was, not in the Temple. He said you’re out of alignment if you’re focusing on the Temple—the outer. The real power is with your inner guidance.

Jesus talked about redemption and the second coming and that redemption was reclaiming the love that is within. Retelling the birthing of the Christ is all about the second coming, the birth of love and compassion and beauty that will come out of us.

Question to Ponder:
1. Where are you in your relationship with the Christ presence?

2. Where are you on the journey?

Praise It Forward - Practice of Praise Series

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:58:27 -0800

Praise It Forward November 22, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

Part 3 of 3. more notes latter....enjoy!

Praise Now - Practice of Praise Series

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:56:27 -0800

Practice of Praise Series, Wk 2: “Praise Now” November 15, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

We’re in the 2nd week of a three week series on praise (the activity of gratitude). More than just a good idea—it is actually a quality of being and a vibrational tone. It requires practice. That is the description of praise. Praise can transform our life. The practice of gratitude is at the top of the list of spiritual tools.

We started last week with gratitude for our past, whether we labeled it good or bad. We want to be in the practice of praise for what it has taught us, what it has brought us, what it has revealed to us.
We are moving from our history to our destiny. Everything is unfolding for a reason. Everything has the potential to reveal something about ourselves and who we really are. Seeing the experience with the eyes of gratitude lets us see what we really want in all areas of our life.

Praise now is in the moment. No matter what is happening we can bring a sense of peace and gratitude into our life. Living in the present moment is to raise up into a different quality of being. Living from the past, we “flavor” the present with the past. We project onto people the way they have been. From a spiritual context, it keeps us from having a new thought. When we’re in the past tense, we’re living from pride or shame. We can be prideful about what happened or we’re feeling guilty and bad about it. In the present, if we’re focused on the past, we will end up living from vanity or embarrassment. If we’re in the future and living from our past, we’re dealing with anxiety or ambition. We really can’t win if we’re playing the “time” game.

We can only live in the NOW, beyond time and space. In the NOW, there is only the eternal, the ever-lasting, the place where spirit dwells. Here, in the present, we are whole and complete.
Just take a deep breath—can’t focus on those things from the past when we are in the NOW.

We can approach life with praise because everything in this moment is supplied for you. Do what you can with what you have—all the power of the universe is around you.
The Universe responds to us by corresponding to the thoughts and attitudes that we have.
To stop recreating the past, move into the NOW. We are therefore not carrying the past into the present.

Remove the word need from your vocabulary. When we say “need’, we are instantly living from a space of not having enough—and that is not true about us. We have everything that we can desire right here in the NOW moment.

Action is the expression of spirit—when a desire comes up, it is fulfilled, rather than responding to a need. The practice of it is transformational. This is what Jesus was talking about when he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Rethink and your life changes.

To step into the now, you’ll have to give up your ”stew”—the feeling and anxiety about the present and the past and the future. Disgruntled thoughts and pissosity about the world—are fed by ourselves and others—bitterness, anger and frustration. We want to share that “stew.”

Question to Ponder:
1. What are other ways that you can express a desire without saying the word “need.”
2. What is the taste of the “stew” that you’ve been stirring around in your mind?
3. Are you ready to give up that “stew” and move into the practice of praise in the NOW?

Come On IN! - Practice of Praise Series

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:32:24 -0800

Come On In November 8, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

Today, we’re starting a three-week series on gratitude and praise. The vibration of coming into wholeness, when we talk about gratitude, we’re talking about a state of being and praise is gratitude in action—it’s the activity of gratitude. When we’re in gratitude, we’re in the activity of praise. This is a spiritual tool that we can use to make the world a better place.
This tool has the possibility to completely transform and enhance your life. Tool reduces stress, biologically lower cholesterol level and release endorphins in your body. Can rewrite your entire history.
When we come into a home or a new relationship and experience a welcoming, it is something that we share in common. It is exciting and energizing. When we are walking through our life in the darkness and then come into a new job or community, etc, it is in many ways like turning on a light switch so that we can see where we are. There’s more to life, more to love, more to prosperity than I thought. In our spiritual community we believe in a law that says the universe is a whole and self-givingness of spirit for it’s own expression. It made everything so that it could know itself as life.
As we deepen our study, we learn that this energy, light and love and Presence of God that is everywhere present, responds by corresponding to our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs. It reflects back to us what we are perceiving. This is enlightening and exciting. We notice that we were stumbling over things that we put there or got put there by others and it still may be hard to get across the room.
What I know is that I create my reality, thoughts become thing. And now I see the things from my past and it’s hard to navigate therefore it must be my fault and why did I create this and how did I create it—we begin to very subtly – practice metaphysical malpractice. And it doesn’t do us any good to lament, worry, fear or fester about how things got to be the way they are ---about anything in our life.
While it is all well and good, there is something that you can do now to set a vibration for your life and dissolves all the negative vibrations that have gone before you. That’s what the attitude of gratitude and the practice of praise does for us.
Come on in to the vibration of love and gratitude that you are. The Divine Mother says to “pick up you room.” Today, we are practicing praise for our past and picking up the boxes. We don’t feel bad and lament, but rather we transform those past experience through the attitude of gratitude and the practice of praise. You might be saying, I don’t like where he’s going with this—is he saying that I should be thankful for everything in my life. He really doesn’t understand the pain that I’ve experienced. This is the way the universe works: if I was to give you a gift, you say “Thank you.” You therefore become the owner of the gift. When I give the gift, I am now free to do something else. You are free to move on, I can give the gift away or save it or throw it away—you own it. In the human dimension, we receive a gift and if we’re not grateful then the giver may be disappointed –therefore, I won’t give you gifts anymore. Then I look for places that will appreciate the gift that I have to give. If received a gift and didn’t really life it, therefore make sure that that person doesn’t give you gift anymore. We set up demand and expectations on both sides.
The universe operates kind of like a dog that likes to have you throw a ball so he can retrieve it—it’s relentless, never tires of retrieving the ball. The universe is like that, too,--it is relentless in the gifts that it is bringing to you. It is relentless in the pursuit of your happiness, it is relentless in presenting to you everything that you need for your greater growth and development so that you can be the best that you can be. You have to receive the gift—if you don’t, the gifts keep coming.
When we move into the attitude of gratitude, and say thank you for the gifts that we have received in the form of experiences and people, we get the learning, the insight and the awareness out of the gift. We now know something more about ourselves. We are therefore different people.
When we don’t receive the gifts, we end up having a stockpile of “stuff” waiting. We have to “clean up our room”—whatever the feeling or emotion are on the inside. We recognize that this is the insight that I gained—yes, there was fear, yes, there was darkness, and I say “thank you for the insight” in knowing more about myself today. Therefore we free the giver (the universe) to go on and do something else. Until it is free, you are shackled and chained to that past experience. Living from our “history” rather than from our “destiny”, we have stockpiled things, reasons and excuses. When we begin to give praise for the past, the praise unlocks and frees up the experience and energy so that we release the shackles and break the chains.
We’re here to understand that the first step is to receive every unredeemed gift in our life. As we receive and claim those unreceived gifts, we are free to celebrate and live the life of our dreams. This frees us to live in the moment. This is principle in action. It is about the revelation of heaven on earth now. We are released from the bondage from the past.
The fullness of life is unlocked. Gratitude makes sense of our past, makes peace with our present and creates a vision for our future. We are therefore authors of our own destiny.

Question to Ponder:
1. Where have you not opened a “gift” from the universe?

2. Are you willing to open it now?

The Principle of Divine Emergence

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:01:04 -0800

The Principle of Divine Emergence November 1, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

Something wonderful is happening—we see inclusion emerging everywhere. The Divine Presence is creative by nature and it operates through laws. It can only create out of itself. We are each unique and recreate the operation of the Divine. We can only experience good in our life that we sense and accept and embody—then we can express it. The Universe can only do for us what it can do through us.
God is unfolding in “real time.” We are worthy of all good and always have been. We’re playing “catch up” in knowing that we are worthy and spiritual awakened . When we reclaim love, beauty and joy, we move into this “real time.” We can accelerate our spiritual growth to where God is expressing “as us” I the present moment. We come to know that our good is being created in real time with Spirit—Divine emergence.
The Universe is operating through:
Radical Novelty: We are each unique—there is no one else like us
Principle of coherence and correlation: everything is necessary for our growth and development. We need each other. Nothing is against us. And, I wouldn’t be the person I am supposed to be if there weren’t annoying people around me ti show me where I have work to do.
Global Wholeness: At the “macro” level, there is wholeness. At the “micro” level, it may look like chaos yet everything is working together for a higher good
Evolutionary: Everything is always evolving and expanding. The new is greater than the old and we change over time. The wisdom is brought form the past.
Observable: Can see it in the community: new hope, joy, love and prosperity. The song that each of us is “singing” is part of us and wants to be expressed.

The Spirit that is providing all good for me is providing that good for all. I need you so I can be the best me I know how to be and you need me so you can be the best you you know how to be.
There is no private good in the Universe. Spirit goes before us, we don’t have to sorry about the next steep.

Question to Ponder:

Who is there in your life that is annoying to you?

Could it be that they are necessary for your unfoldment as a Spiritual being?

Becoming Receptive to the Divine

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:31:40 -0700

Can We Talk With God? “Becoming Receptive to the Divine” October 25, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

We relate to God on many levels:
The universal—the essence, the Invisible Presence
The personal—an anthropomorphic picture of God
The individual—unique in you. We have to cultivate it.

We must make peace with the past and move into the indwelling essence of God. We feel this face of God when we are moved or touched by nature, another person, music, etc.

There is only One Mind—everywhere present and expressing, with no end. The universe corresponds to our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs. Our labeling of the world from our upbringing leads us to see things as good and bad. The universe replicates what we are knowing. When we become less receptive to the outer world, seek out spiritual tools, meditate and change our conversations, our life gets better because the universe responds to us.

Everything is here by intention and all is from the One. We have a divine nature and we are an intention of God. We’re here to reveal love, joy and peace. And everyone else is here on purpose, too! All things work together for good. Nothing is wrong or outside the intention of the universe.

My our perception is shaping my reality. God in man, as man, is man. Spending time daily to vision, pray and meditate and contemplating harmony, prosperity and all good leads us to our desire. Our mind doesn’t know the difference between a “real” experience and an imagined experience. When we live from vision, we begin to live from the realm of the possible and we are led to grow. It is the realm that is not bound by precedent.

Question to Ponder:
Are you visioning the life you desire on a regular basis?

Did you grow up with an anthropomorphic picture of God? How has that picture of God changed over time?

What is your intention in your life? ( what are you focused on?)

What Are We Talking

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:23:02 -0700

Can We Talk With God? “What Are We Talking About” October 18, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

3 faces of God from Ken Wilbur’s work: different aspects of the Infinite.
1. 3rd person: Impersonal—infinite—the “is-ness” no gender, behind of all things, that which connects all
2. 2nd person: Personification of God: messenger (Jesus or Buddha) or picture of God.
3. 1st person: Indwelling essence: essence, divine spark that whelms up inside of us, that is personal just to us

Ernest Holmes before Wilber—speaks of three faces. Today, we’re talking about the personal, indwelling presence, yet vast and all.

There is this Presence and there is the Law that makes it work. We can “bang up” against the principles of life (having the same relationship and experiences again and again) and there is a law that says you can’t break the law but you can break yourself against the law.

The Law is impersonal. If you’re misusing the law, the results are the results. It’s the same with mathematics or electricity. The law works the way it works, no matter how you’d like it to be different.

We have all felt this overwhelming sense of God and power and love and life and we haven’t understood the law. We are all doing the best we can with the consciousness that we have. Yet the law is the law. Don’t understand why things aren’t going well –so then we project it back onto God. We have given God a personality so that we could understand the law. All the stories are relevant, but are a misrepresentation of the true nature of God. God is love and peace and wholeness and works through a law. The law corresponds to the sum total of your thoughts, attitudes and beliefs. The law takes the direct impress of your thoughts and responds to it. The law doesn’t care.
Yet we ask the question: “How is it that bad things happen to good people.” “How does God allow these good people to suffer and how does God allow war, etc.? The answer is: Through the misuse of the law. The law doesn’t care. God seeks to express love and harmony through us and we must be in tune and in alignment. The law takes whatever you choose to put your attention on and makes more of it.
God itself has a secret: God has all of eternity in which to wait. It will show up in the receptive channels where and when they are. Whatever is incongruent with love and harmony and wholeness and inclusivity: those structures automatically “expire.” The universe always replaces them with a higher vibration. Progress is always forward moving.

We are talking about the love intelligence of the universe that seeks to express itself in the world and it works through a law of correspondence, whether we are in alignment with the universe or not. Evidence and fact, the way it is—what you’re talking about is what you’re getting. If you want something different, you have to talk about something different.

Question to Ponder:
What have you been “talking about” in you life that you would like to change?
What will you talk about now?

Can We Talk to God

Sun, 4 Oct 2009 17:17:58 -0700

Part 1 of 3

Can We Talk With God? October 05, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

The question, “Can we talk with God?”, brings up our relationship to Spirit. We have been told that we can talk “at” God, but can we talk “to” God? We may not have gotten a sense that we could talk to God as we were growing up—maybe we thought that we were doing it wrong. For many of us, we have “traded up” to a new idea that we could have a relationship with God.

Many contemporary thinkers like Ken Wilber talk about the three faces of God, three ways to relate to God: 1st person: the indwelling Presence, 2nd person: outside of ourselves and a personal relationship and 3rd person: Universal substance.

Most of our training about religion has come through the 2nd person: the personification of God as “He” or Jesus or another form like the Sophia (she). Basically, this idea is something that is outside ourselves and must have an intermediary or channel to be reached. Most of us have traded in this idea and have explored God in other ways. We recognized that we didn’t need a medium and we also recognized that we could see God everywhere—in music, art nature and creative expression, to mention a few. This is the most developed “face of God” in our society.

We are relational beings so the personal relationship (2nd face) is powerful. We can only relate to something through the filter of our won consciousness. Together, collectively, we created an anthropomorphic God and none of that is true about the divine.

When we don’t have all three faces of God developed, we are limited. When they are developed, we are in a more ecumenical stance because we recognize that people are just relating to God at a different level. We’re here to take care of each other.

Can we realize that we are speaking to God when we talk to our neighbor and when we are creating something?? Can we realize it when se are serving others and when we are meditating, when we recognize beauty? It is then that we have an appreciation for God.

Can we talk with God? Yes, indeed.

Question to Ponder:

1. Did you have an anthropomorphic view of God as a child? When did it change for you?

Who Knows? The Principle of Divine Guidance

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 16:10:15 -0700

Who Knows? June 7, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

There is something within us that does know. Divine guidance is always available.
“ Nothing is more important than remembering that we are immersed in limitless wisdom” Ernest Holmes
We all have an internal GPS. A mechanical GPS in our car will recalibrate our direction when we change our direction. Our internal “GPS” will do the same. All we have to do is call upon the wisdom within us. The gift of God is forever delivered…we just have to ask.
The ancient covenant is;
• I will be with you (there is nowhere where God is not)
• I will guide you (with signals, people, signs—no matter what)
• You will be changed (as you learn to listen and be available. If I follow guidance and if I don’t follow guidance, I will be changed, either way!)
Since guidance is ours for the asking, there is always an answer.

We are on a path of spiritual evolution. We can trust that no decision will lead us off course. Your delay is not your denial! It is simply a resting level. Delay is a preparation period. Delay does not mean that God left us or that we’re not good enough. A delay is a waiting period that the soul requires so that we can receive insight and value so that we can move ahead. There is another level of learning and we have things to figure out.
The emergency guidance list has three tools:
1. Work through an open heart
2. Surrender
3. Sit in silence and listen to the answer

Where is the Law when you Need It?

Sun, 31 May 2009 13:14:23 -0700

Backed by the Power of the Universe

Sun, 24 May 2009 12:18:23 -0700

Backed by the Power of the Universe May 24, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

We have access to a Universal Power. We can get tripped up by the events in our life…our choices may be overwhelming . We can think that we are alone, over our heads. In those thoughts we cannot handle things from a most powerful place. The power of the universe is at our disposal.
Decoration Day (Memorial day was originally about honoring Civil War Veterans. The date was chose because it was the time of year when the Union came back together as one. With a new vibration, we come back together in oneness.
Where are the places where I can remember a union? Where am I divided?...with “us and them” thinking? This is an invitation to remembering that we are always one.
The cycle of remembering:
1. the event
2. access of memory file
3. find
4. Be transformed by the learning of the experience.

Allow the act of remembering to be not only unification but beyond to a transformation/change.
The blueprint of an unlimited power is within each of us. We can consciously direct this power and get out of any “rut” we might be in.
Be willing to cut out that that isn’t serving me
Must enlarge viewpoint and be open to expansive ideas.

Questions to ponder:
1. We’re backed by the power of the universe. Are you happy with the patterns that are working in your life?
2. Are you learning from the past so that you can be transformed?

The Power of Giving: Give Up, Give in!

Sun, 17 May 2009 10:45:28 -0700

The Power of Giving: Give Up/Give In May 17, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

This is the last day of the 2009-2010 Pledge Campaign.
As we participate in life—giving our energy and attention to ourselves and others, we therefore create a greater good in our lives.
Any idea that keeps me from being open and receptive to abundance in our life is something to give up.
Visioning is a spiritual practice that elicits and taps into a greater wisdom, a divine intelligence. We connect with the divine pattern of perfection. There is a universal nature and presence that is trying to express through us and all life. When we look at nature, we see abundance, beauty and harmony, expressing in higher and higher levels of beauty and harmony and complexity.
So, in visioning, we start by grounding ourselves and moving into unconditional love. And then we ask the question: “What is God’s highest visions/ idea for me around________________________.
Then we ask, “What must I become/be? Being is more powerful than doing.
Next, ask, “What am I called to do, what are the gifts I have to do/give?
Finally, we ask, “What do I have to release for this vision to come into my life? We’re looking here for the habits that are keeping us from experiencing an abundant life.
Then, we take a step—we “fake it until we make it,” thereby activating the ability to really become our vision.
God’s idea for us is far beyond what we think. Surrendering is giving up so that God can move in. Let go and surrender and take one authentic action and, therefore, our vision is triggered in physical and spiritual area. This is the logical and necessary by-product of your vision when you let-go. The divine nature of spirit must have an outlet. Fretting, being in doubt or worry gets in the way of our vision manifesting. Releasing opens us up.
Change is the ever-present reality of spirit. No matter how far you have come, there will still be more change—there is no time off at the level of the soul.
Give up/surrender to the evolutionary impulse and give in to the power, presence and abundance of God.

Questions to ponder:
1. Do you find that it is hard for you to let things go?

2. What do you want to vision for in your life?

The Power of Giving: How Much Can I Give?

Sun, 10 May 2009 20:12:23 -0700

The Power of Giving: How Much Can I Give May 10, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

We continue with the 2009-2010 Pledge Campaign. We do our campaign in the spring because it the time to plant seeds—to prepare for a new harvest.
How we give is based in the energetic aspect and asking the question: “Am I willing?” Sometimes that commitment scares us. And we all have something to give. And we are given signs, information for our next level of giving.
We want to know that where we are giving is using the money/time /talent well and that there is good leadership and a positive result in the world. The best way to give is to give to where we feel passionate about the work being done.
All things are connected, so our giving is blessing all. We can’t out-give the Universe. The Universe is, at this moment, ushering to you everything that you need. Our role is to be in harmony with the Universe and be open to giving.

Questions to ponder:
1. Is there any place in your life where you feel you are withholding from anyone or from the Universe?

2. Is there anyplace in your life where you feel a lack?

3. How can you give what you believe you are missing (i.e.: love, money, caring, peace)?

The Power of Giving: To Whom Can I Give?

Sun, 3 May 2009 19:24:11 -0700

The Power of Giving: What Can I Give?

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:47:01 -0700

The Power of Giving: Teen Sunday April 26, 2009
Kristin McGuirk

We give because we want to be part of the whole. We give out of selflessness rather than selfishness. Our job is to take care of ourselves so that we can give out of wholeness. Our job is to be a vehicle.

There are 3 places where we spend our time:
1. Family and home life
2. Work or school
3. Community—spiritual

How do we create community? How do we support financially, with our time and talent? We give with love and joy and clean up anywhere where we might be affecting others.

The Power of Giving: Why I Give

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:16:54 -0700

The Power of Giving April 19, 2009
Rev. David Alexander

We start the 2009-2010 Pledge Campaign today. We do our campaign in the spring because it the time to plant seeds—to prepare for a new harvest.
We’re receiving value from our spiritual community. We are asked to participate at the level of consciousness that gets our attention. In the general church cultures, there is an idea that 20 % of the people give 80 % of the funds to maintain the church. That is not true about NTCSl. It is much more like 50% of the people providing 80% of the funds.
The funds pledged during the Pledge Campaign are used to budget for the next year—we budget at 90% of the Pledges for the next year.
So the question is asked: “Why do I give?” There are many reasons: health benefits and for our social health, to just mention two. We give to the church because the community and atmosphere supports us. Education, inspiration, and support happen when we, together, provide an environment of caring. Together, we create a financially viable community.
During the Spirit of Home Pledging Campaign, the question that we ask ourselves is: “What is mine to give, knowing that we are each a generative being, here to give and receive.”