Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for April 27, 2008
God First
Today we are going to talk about putting God first, which seems like a simple thing to do, but how often do we do it? Right here, sitting in church, we tell ourselves that of course we put God first. But, what about when you were sitting in traffic, trying to get here on time, and some fool was holding up the traffic? Did you put God first? What about when someone gave you a hard time? Did you put God first, or just try to prove them wrong? What about that day you had too much to do and too little time to do it? Did you put God first? What if, in any situation, you could put God first and then just have the pleasure and joy of observing every situation resolving itself in a new and wonderful way? Wouldn't you rather do it that way?
We have talked about what the Truth is. We've explored the Truth of God, the Truth of us, Jesus, the Bible, and many other things. But putting God first is not about finding the Truth. It is about serving Truth or putting Truth into practice. Think about the times in your life when there were challenges, and you actually put God first to solve the problem. What did that look like? What did it feel like? Then ask yourself if there is anything going on in your life right now that can be improved by putting God first. Keep this thing in mind throughout today's talk and see if there isn't a better way to solve this particular challenge.
OPRAH
The May Oprah magazine is dedicated to spirituality. In it, Oprah writes, "Spirituality for me is recognizing that I am connected to the energy of all creation, that I am a part of it—and it is always a part of me." We need to know this and we need to do whatever is necessary to keep this in mind all the time. Set an alarm on your PDA or phone to go off every half hour and stop and remind yourself to put God first. Remind yourself that God is with you now, closer than breath. Remind yourself that God is more important than anything you are now doing or thinking or being.
Oprah writes, "Spirituality isn't something I believe in. It is what and who I am: a spiritual being having a human experience." When we know this we can put God first. Our experiences don't define who and what we are. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Our experiences don't have us - we have them. We own them. We create them. And we can create something else, if we don't like them.
Oprah and Eckhart Tolle have been teaching his latest book online. Oprah writes, "The book is essentially about recognizing that you are not your thoughts, and seeing, then changing, the way your ego-based mind dominates your life." When we put God first we override the ego and the way it does things. When someone offends us our ego-based mind jumps up and wants to fight back, or be right, or be hurt, or a million other things that don't really serve us. But, putting God first, we can pause and see that what another person does or says is not really about us. It's about them. Then we can just observe how interesting it is that they act in that manner.
During Oprah and Eckhart's online class people call, write, or email in their comments. One person said, "I felt a sense of weight lifted off my shoulders. Everything happens when and where it should. I need to stop fighting and let it be. I can just live, not fight my life" This is what happens when we put God first in our lives. Life doesn't seem to be so heavy on our shoulders. When we allow God into our lives the right and perfect things happen when and where they should. We can just live and be aware of how God is working in our lives.
ERIC BUTTERWORTH
I would like to read you something that Eric Butterworth wrote in his book, The Truth in a Nutshell. He says, "Someone once said, "If you aren't as close to God as you once were, don't make the mistake about which one of you has moved." We sometimes act as if God were lost, and that our efforts in spiritual unfoldment are to find God. This attitude must be changed! God is not lost! It is simply that we must find ourselves…take stock of ourselves. When we do, we find that we enter a right relationship with things…and God is that relationship. We find that God is the Wisdom of our mind, the Life of our body, the Substance of our affairs. We will know that there are no God-empty spots in our life—that the Presence of God is present, not absent. Much that we have engaged in, which we have called, "The Practice of the Presence," has really been a practice of the absence of God, because it has been a prayer or affirmation or some kind of devotion that is based upon trying to reach out to God "out there somewhere." There are no God-empty spots, and where you are God is…vitally completely and fully. So, religion is not simply a "one day a week" activity, but an every day process of relating ourselves dynamically with the God-Activity that is in everything and that radiates in and through ourselves."
Trying to find God is like a fish swimming in the ocean around and around looking for the ocean. God is in us, through us, and around us. Like Butterworth says, "There are no God-empty spots." Putting God first is merely a perception. God is already there, God is already the only thing that exists - we just need to recognize it, and make God the most important thing in our life. God is the wisdom of our mind - so we put God first so that we can have the understanding that we need. We allow God to enlighten our mind. God is the life of our body - so we put God first so that we can have the health that we desire. We allow God to heal us, revitalize us, and keep us in perfect health. God is the substance of our affairs - so we put God first so that we can have everything we need in our lives. We allow God to prosper us in all ways. Every moment of our lives that we put God first is a moment that improves our lives. It is returning to the perfection in which we were created.
UNITY'S VIEWPOINT
(Matthew 6:25-33) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God is forever giving to us with no thought of return. God is love. Love always thinks of giving, never of receiving. God's giving is the natural outflow of perfect love. The more we put God first in our lives, the higher we will rise in recognition of the Divine within us. Then we too, will always think of giving, not of what we will receive. We won't have to WORRY about our lives.
Putting God first in our lives is the only way of growing and of overcoming. (Philippians 2:5) "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." We don't have to exert some inhuman effort to draw this Mind into us, but we simply let it be in us. Our part is to consciously take the attitude of receiving. We need to remember to first enter the "inner chamber" of our own soul, and to shut the door on all thought but that of the Divine Presence.
In the book Lessons in Truth, H Emilie Cady recommends using these affirmations on a regular basis:
First: God is life, love, intelligence, substance, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence.
Second: I am a child or manifestation of God, and every moment His life, love, wisdom, power flow into and through me. I am one with God, and am governed by His law.
Third: I am Spirit, perfect, holy, harmonious. Nothing can hurt me or make me sick or afraid, for Spirit is God, and God cannot be sick or hurt or afraid. I manifest my real self through this body now.
Fourth: God works with me to will and to do whatsoever He wishes me to do, and He cannot fail.
God is--first, last, and always. The more we can learn to live daily, moment by moment putting Him first, the freer we are of fear and the less need we have for miracles. For God will supply us with whatever we might need. In meeting any challenge, the first thing we need, often the only thing we need, is to turn from the problem to God. God will supply the answers. God will supply the path we should take. God will supply the inspiration we will need.
(1 Kings 3:11-13) "God said to Solomon, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you." Solomon put God first. He didn't ask for things because he knew that God was aware of what he needed. He put aside his ego-mind and merely asked for an understanding heart. He asked for a spiritual consciousness of God within him as wisdom, life, and power. Because he accepted this within himself, he also received all the good things that a king should have. So seek first his kingdom, or the consciousness of putting God first, and all things shall be added unto you.
(Matthew 16:25) "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." So those who try to save the things in their lives, those who cling to their ego-based minds, will lose everything. But those who put God first to search for Truth in their lives and choose finding God within above all things will find that they get to have all good things.
In putting God first we need to turn our thoughts away from the external illusion to the inner and real world of God. We need to say, as the prodigal son did, (Luke 15:18) "I will get up and go to my father." We need to know intellectually that we are not separate from God and that He desires to manifest Himself within us. We need to try to love instead of hate. Instead of avenging ourselves, we need to forgive, even if it takes a great amount of mental effort. We need to deny all envy, jealousy, anger, sickness and imperfection within us. Then we need to affirm love, peace, and health.
Decide today to just put God first.
Let's close with the 103rd Psalm:
(Psalms 103)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits--who forgives all your mistakes, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our mistakes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who respect him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who respect him.
For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.
As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who respect him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.
Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.
Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. AMEN
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:25-33; Philippians 2:5; 1 Kings 3:11-13; Matthew 16:25; Luke 15:18; Psalms 103
REFERENCE: Oprah Magazine; The Truth in a Nutshell Eric Butterworth; Lessons In Truth H Emilie Cady
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Last updated
April 28, 2008
