Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for May 18, 2008
Inner Change
Today we are going to discuss Inner Change, which is sort of an oxymoron. Because inner change is the only change you could possibly make.
Which bring to mind an old joke. There was a Zen Buddhist that went up to a hotdog vender and said, “Make me one with everything.” The vendor gave him his hotdog and the Buddhist gave the vendor a $20 bill. He waited, then finally said, “Where is my change?” The vendor told him, “Change comes from within.”
Trying to change things ‘out there’ is like looking in a mirror and expecting the image to change because you don’t like it. Nothing around us changes, until we change inside.
And yet we spend our life changing spouses, changing the city in which we live, changing jobs, changing friends and expecting things to get better – without ever changing our inner selves. It is much easier to look ‘out there’ and think that is where our troubles come from.
There is a wonderful story that Wayne Dyer tells:
He was walking on the beach in Florida and a man approached him. He said that he was new to Florida and had just bought a house here. He asked Wayne what it was like. Wayne asked him what it was like in the place he came from. He said it was just awful, the people were not friendly at all, he was not respected in his place of employment, and the local government was terrible. Wayne told him – you will find it about the same here.
Then further down the beach Wayne ran into a woman with the same story, she had just moved here and wanted to know about the area. He asked her the same question, "What was it like in the last place you lived?” She said it was wonderful, and that she had a great job, the people were friendly, it was a great place to live. Wayne told her – you will find it about the same here.
Because wherever you go – there you are. You drag all your baggage with you. However you see the world, it is based on your history and who you are. When you change inside – you will see your world differently. It is all based on your inner perceptions.
CHANGE ERROR TO TRUTH
It says in Charles Fillmore’s book Keep a True Lent, "As the mind changes from error to Truth, corresponding changes take place in the body, and the ultimate of these changes is perfection and wholeness in every part.”
The whole person, spirit, soul, and body, must be lifted up into the Christ consciousness of life and perfection, which is the goal of our existence. We are here on this world, in this physical body, to grow spiritually. And, as we move to higher levels spiritually, our body improves, our life improves, and our world improves.
(Luke 18:26-30) "Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible for mortals is possible for God." Then Peter said, "Look, we have left our homes and followed you." And Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."
The teaching of Jesus is that all of us will be saved and be made free from sin to the uttermost – spirit, soul, and body. But we must leave our house and parents. This means we must change our minds and give up all of our old beliefs that no longer serve us in our spiritual growth.
All of our limitations must be left behind, or given over to the universal, the Christ within. It is our privilege to give up all our old thinking and to enter into the consciousness of the Christ.
REFUSE TO SEE THE NEGATIVE THINGS
In the book Atom-Smashing Power of Mind, Charles Fillmore writes, "When you refuse to see negative things they will disappear, and you will be surprised to see how you will change”
If you look at what’s happening in the world today, you will see that we are now in the midst of a world-wide transition in the development of the Christ within – which was implanted in us from the beginning. If we are to heal the destruction of the earth, if we are to heal the war consciousness in man, we must adopt a new concept of God, man, and the universe.
Will God take us up to an imaginary heaven in a chariot of fire, or do we use our mind to lift ourselves heavenward? On earth, as well as in the heavens, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ We need to begin, right where we are, to bring forth the kingdom of God within us. And, yet, we are not alone. It is when we realize that we can connect ourselves with the God-mind that our potential almightiness begins to appear.
(John 14:10) "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”
If you are a worrier or you find that you live in anxiety, think about the fearless confidence and trust of the Spirit. Change your thoughts from worry to God and the power within you will begin its work of straightening out your affairs. Worrying about them won’t, it hasn’t worked so far, has it? But trusting the Christ within and rising above the problem will take you to possibilities that you have not yet considered.
If you are overwhelmed with material work and the call of the outer world, stop and concentrate in the "I AM." Charles Fillmore recommends saying to yourself,
"I am Spirit.
I do not believe in matter or material conditions.
I have power, because I know that all power is in Divine Mind.
Divine Mind now sets my thoughts and all my affairs in divine order, and I rest in the confidence and peace of the kingdom within."
You can have a well, healthy body, but you have to begin to build it in mind. Whatever you think and believe is stored in your physical body. All of your anger and fear and grief is actually stored in your body. Instead of storing weak and sick words in your body, begin now to think and speak words of strength and health – and keep at it. Don’t dwell on what has been your experience in the past. Clear your mind of all the rubbish about disease and you will find that it has no place to live in your body.
Your thoughts make your body and determine the conditions it lives in. Thoughts of health are living things that work with an irresistible power to tone up your body to a state of harmony and capability.
Do you want harmony in your home? Then establish it first within you. It is the law of Spirit that we must be that which we would draw to us. Do you want love? Then you must be love. You must be loving and kind. Do you want peace and harmony around you? Then you must bring it forth from within you.
You must faithfully and persistently deny the appearance of anything that seems to be inharmonious. Then silently and faithfully affirm the omnipresent peace, love, and harmony that you want to see manifested in your life.
Whatever we hold in mind, hold in consciousness, will appear in our life. So never hold the thought of anything that you do not want to see appear in your life. Ask yourself what you think about all the time – then look at what shows up in your life all the time. See a connection?
In order to realize Truth and to demonstrate it you must live it. Your mind, body, and affairs are the expression of your thoughts, conscious and subconscious. So if you’re not happy, change your mental habits. You can't change the image in the mirror until you change the person that is being reflected by it.
If this doesn't make sense to you right now - try it out. Faithfully practice the Golden Rule and send only thoughts of love to everyone. You will see the results in a very short time, if you look for it.
You can cultivate the habit of seeing the good, the true, and the bright side of everything. When you are with your friends you can bring this side out in conversations. Keep yourself positive and poised while sowing the seed of Truth not only in your mind, but in the minds of others.
Jesus showed by His life and teachings that it is the will of God for us to be well. We need to understand this if we wish to be healthy. If we believe that God creates sickness and suffering, then His love and power are shut out of our consciousness. So it is necessary to dwell on the love and power of God so that a steady, unwavering faith may be established in our minds.
MENTAL CHANGING POINTS
Having a healthy mental attitude and having a healthy body go hand in hand. When you believe in physical health, you will have a healthy body. And when you take care of your body by getting enough sleep, exercise, and nutrition you will find it easier to have a healthy mental attitude.
Dr. Albert Ellis wrote a book called, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. In it he talks about several points of mental attitude that we can look at changing within ourselves. Because as Dr. Phil is found of saying, we cannot change that which we don't acknowledge.
(John 14:21) "They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them."
We need to first love God, then to extend that love to others. We can rely on God's perfect love for us. But, we also need to know that, as adults, it is not a dire necessity to be loved for everything we do by our significant others. Concentrate on your own self-respect and seek to love rather than to be loved.
(Matthew 5:44-45) "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."
We need to change our minds about holding strong opinions on good and evil. God makes the sun rise and the rain fall on everyone. So the least we could do is to be flexible in our value system about others. People who appear to be evil are most likely untrained, ignorant, or neurotic. De-stress yourself by seeing all people as God sees them. They are his children, too.
Jesus was our way shower, he is our example, and he said, (Matthew 26:39) "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want."
We need to have flexible expectations of what may occur in our lives. If you think things can only happen one way, you are shutting out God and his will for your life. When we are flexible we can go with the flow, adjust, look for the good in what occurs and go to Plan B. Jesus certainly did.
(Matthew 6:22-23) "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"
What do your eyes see, what is your perception of your world? You control your perceptions of the world. Are your eyes healthy in that you perceive the goodness of God in the world? If so, you will be full of light. But if your eyes, or your perception, is unhealthy and you see only the evil, then you will be full of darkness. Change your perception, choose the good and the true, so that you can live in joy.
It's all about inner change. I can't change you, I can only change me and my perception of you. And I am the one who benefits from that.
Let me close with scripture from (Romans 12:2) "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect."
SCRIPTURE: Luke 18:26-30; John 14:10; John 14:21; Matthew 5:44-45; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 6:22-23; Deuteronomy 30:19; Romans 12:2
REFERENCE: Keep a True Lent Charles Fillmore; Atom-Smashing Power of Mind Charles Fillmore; Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy Dr. Albert Ellis
--------------------
Last updated
May 19, 2008
