Deep within your heart is the center of stillness and silence where joy, peace and understanding reside. It’s time for you to change your residence from the outside world to the inside world. Move out of reacting to situations, circumstances, events, occurrences and people and move into the depths of your heart where you pro-act from joy, peace and understanding.
Sense the outside world, feel the pathway, know your direction and be centered in your being. Live from your heart guiding your mind and the beauty of life will unfold in Divine order perfectly for you and everyone; now and forever.
When you operate from truth, truth operates on you. It alters your perspective, direction and expression to allow Divine order to manifest your Divine purpose perfectly. When you look outside for answers you sometimes forget why you asked the question. Look within and you will understand why you even asked the question. Focus on what is important and advances the growth and expansion of all.
Your Divine purpose unfolds in Divine order when you allow the grace of God to operate in your life. Share the joy, peace and understanding with all everyday of your life!
~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Elizabeth and I would like to invite you all to our site ‘Service In Prayer’. For many months we have been led to offer a way for our online friends to have a forum to share our prayer needs with each other.
The purpose of this website is to connect with one another and share our needs for healing in whatever areas we feel we need. Please visit the website or go to the Facebook forum to post any public prayers on the Wall or PM us for private prayers.
We will pray for you or help you to find Prayer Partners to assist you in healing and realization of your Divine purpose and the unfolding of it in Divine order.
Thank you all for your support, kindness and for blessing us with your ongoing friendship. Peace and blessings to all of you and your families! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
OUR PAST ISSUES
Did you miss any of the issues of The Spirituality Post Daily? If so, following are the links to each and every day for you to peruse. Please visit our advertisers and help us to keep going in our service to the spiritual community of souls who long for a greater spiritual perspective on life. God bless you and your families! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
What is the Spirituality Guidance Channel? SGC is a video portal designed to introduce spiritually inclined individuals to be exposed to spiritual videos, radio, teachers, music, art, books, resources and links from a selected group of teachers and requests from viewers. Each featured coach/teacher will have their own page highlighting any videos, audios, websites or printed material they have produced. This portal will be regularly promoted on the Internet through social networking and targeted marketing channels. Please visit the website at the following address:http://www.spiritualityguidance.com and email me at webproducer@hotmail.com with any suggestions, links or materials. Thank you for your most courteous participation in this project. I welcome your input. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
What is the Spirituality Guidance Channel? SGC is a video portal designed to introduce spiritually inclined individuals to be exposed to spiritual videos, radio, teachers, music, art, books, resources and links from a selected group of teachers and requests from viewers. Each featured coach/teacher will have their own page highlighting any videos, audios, websites or printed material they have produced. This portal will be regularly promoted on the Internet through social networking and targeted marketing channels. Please visit the website at the following address:
http://www.spiritualityguidance.com and email me at webproducer@hotmail.com with any suggestions, links or materials. Thank you for your most courteous participation in this project. I welcome your input. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Facts exist independent of the observer; individual participation in the unfolding of subsequent facts changes the perceived outcome of occurrences.
Opinions proliferate when individual agendas are more important than what has occurred and an individual uses what has occurred to their advantage.
Facts unfold in natural order but the perceptions of those facts are molded and shaped by one’s alignment with Divine order.
You are always entitled to your own opinion but you are not entitled to change the facts to suit your opinion; that is called lying and it comes from the ego’s desire to control, dominate and manipulate reality to suit its need for self-survival.
Always be honest and diligent with the facts regardless of ANYONE’S opinion. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
WEBSITE HOSTING
OUR SERVICES IN
DELAWARE
Please visit our websites and send them to anyone you think would need our services. If you are out of our area (Northern Delaware) and know someone in our area, please forward these links onto them.
We are available for work over the next few months, so please let us know as soon as possible. ~Liz & Dean
As the Spirit of God unfolds from within you to manifest your Divine purpose in Divine order, many distractions occur along the way to hone and fine tune your conviction toward actualizing your purpose.
It is not a series of tests as some might say but a natural progression of the movement from a perception of self being in control to allowing SELF to guide us in the unfolding. Certain events, circumstances, occurrences, situations and behaviors of others will reveal benchmarks along the way that when we are paying attention, will reinforce the guidance we have received.
Be aware of what is going on around you and within you. Revelation requires your recognition, attention and focus on what is of value to you. As you trust more in the Divine, your awareness will be filled more and more as to what you need to value more.
Pay attention; experience is what reveals what you truly value in your life and love is how you share those values. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Currently Bobby Hinkle, Elizabeth
May Sutor and Dean A. Banks, D.D. have uploaded podcasts. Robert Yarbrough will be added soon. Just click on the podcasters placards below and click on the Podcast title. Currently there are five podcasts on Bobby Hinkle's page, one on Elizabeth Sutor's page and nine on Dean A. Banks, D.D.'s page. Stay tuned for more! Thank you for choosing us!
What is the Spirituality Guidance Channel? SGC is a video portal designed to introduce spiritually inclined individuals to be exposed to spiritual videos, radio, teachers, music, art, books, resources and links from a selected group of teachers and requests from viewers. Each featured coach/teacher will have their own page highlighting any videos, audios, websites or printed material they have produced. This portal will be regularly promoted on the Internet through social networking and targeted marketing channels. Please visit the website at the following address:
http://www.spiritualityguidance.com and email me at webproducer@hotmail.com with any suggestions, links or materials. Thank you for your most courteous participation in this project. I welcome your input. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Welcome to our new Sunday Morning Service by Dr. Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Every week Dr. Dean will be engaging subjects that are pertinent to your growth and expansion into recognition of; respect to; and communication with your inner spirit.
Please feel free to comment or suggest topics for review. May the Divine always bless you and your families! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Do you see what I see but in a different way? Do you see the blue side of a bus while I see the red side? The fact is it is a bus. It appears to be different to each one of us due to our individual perspectives. Our perspectives are filtered by our beliefs systems. Do you drink water from the tap? Or do you use a water filter to remove the impurities, particles and carcinogens?
Our belief systems filter our perceptions because they contain experiences we have learned and attached emotions to, thereby creating an identification and investment in them. We have a hard time changing something we are attached to, especially when it is an outcome we expect to fulfill.
Our ‘water filters’ filter facts and the truth with our beliefs in order to maintain our survival. We naturally compartmentalize people, places and things to either move away from them or move toward them. But are our filters processing facts properly? Are they allowing the truth into our awareness or are they rejecting the truth simply because we feel it can threaten our survival?
Our belief systems are programmed by our emotional reactions to our experiences. I was stung 26 times by yellow jacket wasps and black hornets when I was a kid. I retrieved a ball in between their ‘war’. I ran while they were stinging me and they chased me down the street continuing to sting me. To this day when I see or hear a wasp or hornet my entire system goes on alert. It is a programmed response that I use to protect me from experiencing that pain again.
How many of us have had similar experiences that are more or less traumatic that are programmed into our belief systems? Whether they are accurate or not they are our individual ‘relative’ truths that we use to guide our behaviors. To embrace the truth as it is we need to daily clean our ‘filters’ (belief systems) with guidance from the Divine.
How do we do this? We relax, still our beings and listen to the still small voice of God imparting the absolute truth to shine a light on our ‘relative’ truths. Our acceptance of God is much the same way. Most of us believe there is a ‘God’, but we argue in ‘how’ He appears to us. This is because we are programmed with beliefs from our families, schools, churches, society and friends that we accept as ‘true’.
The truth of whom and what God is, is revealed to us in deep meditation, flashes of insight and momentary intuitions. Pay attention to God speaking to you in pictures, words and feelings. It is the Divine extending love to you to filter and clean your perceptions so you can clearly understand the ‘absolute’ truth. Be aware, truly care and share that love within you with everyone around you. Live the truth! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
EBOOKS
OVERCOMING
The definition of overcoming is “to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; conquer; defeat: to overcome the enemy. It is to prevail over (opposition, a debility, temptations, etc.); surmount: to overcome one's weaknesses. Also, to overpower or overwhelm in body or mind, as does liquor, a drug, exertion, or emotion: I was overcome with grief; to overspread or overrun. Finally, it means to gain the victory; win; conquer: a plan to overcome by any means possible” [dictionary.com].
According to its definitions, the word ‘overcoming’ implies a struggle or a fight. When you fight and resist more of the same comes upon you. Is overcoming a good thing? Or is it a perception based on the perceived dualistic reality that convinces you that it is more good than bad?
Download your copy of Overcoming by Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Have you been diagnosed with a disease or infirmity? Accepting this physical state currently is being responsible and truthful. This doesn’t mean you have to own it. Have you ever heard the commercial with the lady saying, “My Fibromyalgia”? She accepts it and owns it like it will always be there. Have you taken the time to examine why the disease or infirmity has befallen you?
It is responsible and practical to go to a doctor to either physically treat or remove the effect of the problem. But what about the source of the problem? Is it because of some accident, lack of attention to proper hygiene or stinkin’ thinkin’? After the effect is treated or removed it will more than likely return again until you remove the cause of the affliction. Don’t buy into helplessness concerning your health from anyone. Every disease or infirmity has a cause or series of causes. Treat where it comes from as well as its effect.
Doctors are no more than mechanics for the body. They are human and make mistakes just like we all do at times. Would you attempt to fix your car without the proper knowledge? No; you would take it to an auto mechanic who had the proper knowledge and tools to fix it. You wouldn’t attempt surgery on your own, would you? Not only would that be impractical but foolish as well.
But would we consult with an auto mechanic about why we abuse, misuse or ignore our vehicle? Hardly! Wouldn’t you seek out the one who knows what it takes to cure the cause of the mistreatment of our vehicle? A psychologist, perhaps? Then why on God’s earth would you ask someone whose specialty is in fixing the effects of problems about the causes of those problems?
It is wise to take the counsel of doctors on the effects of physical diseases and infirmities and consider what they determine as being the causes. To treat them as if they were God and their opinion is final is foolish at best. Consider the source, which is God. Would you make the time each and every day to spend with the One to learn what you need to do to correct the cause of your problems? Twice daily meditation allows you the opportunity to seek the advice and counsel of the Most High. It is during these times that you will be guided to the methods and processes to cure the cause of your problems.
Deifying any human being is not dealing with reality. God is within all of us but is not limited to this perceived dualistic reality in which we live and breathe. The Divine is transcendent and imminent simultaneously. We can understand this and attain it when we make the time to listen to the still small voice of God. Peace. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
PASSING THE BATON
As the old passes the baton to the new and gives way to paradigms of considerate awareness, we become aware of the older models’ ‘excuses’ for aberrant behaviors in the name of what we refer to as ‘business’. In its strictest sense, business is the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit. In order to be in business one must either have possession of the goods or services or purchase them for resale. One then must market those goods or services to others having them readily available for sale.
The expression of these actions is the attempt at making a profit. Buy at a price; sell at a higher price; the difference is the margin of profit. Those who do well at this derive an inner sense of power from it and begin to expect this process to continue if they repeat the same steps ad infinitum. However, market conditions change and fluctuate like the wind and what was once the hot item becomes passé. Becoming accustomed to this process certain individuals allow their egos to take hold and look for ways to ‘milk’ or ‘bilk’ profits out of those less aware of these processes. When you have just enough to pay your bills and not anymore to ‘enjoy’ the ‘icing’ in life, certain individuals through corporate veils find ways to take advantage of your lack of ‘disposable’ income.
Banks and their bean counters consciously and non-vociferously carry out their clandestine agendas of robbing you of your ‘disposable’ income in order to increase their bottom lines in the name of ‘business’. The greed of the ego has taken reign over the ‘fairness’ of treating customers with dignity. The banks use your money each and every day making ‘day loans’ to other banks and financial institutions and make millions that YOU never get an interest in or derive a profit from in the name of ‘business’. It is outright usury without compensation to the investors which in reality are each and every one of us! When people become aware of these activities some react violently and some react simply by withdrawing their monies from their banks.
When confronted with ‘check cashing fees’ a teller once said to me, “Why are you complaining, everyone does it!” I responded with, “Because everyone does it, doesn’t make it right.” That is what greed has done to people. It makes them justify their aberrant behaviors just because everyone else does it. We need to stop allowing the banks and corporate business from bilking our disposable income with time sensitive fees and charges. Most people reliably pay their bills and shouldn’t be punished for the fact that they are behind at times. The reasons they are behind are not always mismanagement of their funds but untimely payments to them from businesses. Not everyone receives a paycheck every Friday. Some get their monies based on the businesses receivables of 30, 60 or 90 days. In this economy it has been stretched to 120 days sometimes.
Be considerate of the other person and their financial situations. Tell the banks to stop financially raping all of us with their petty fees and charges. Stand up for the dignity of all over the excessive profit of the greedy. Be honest and diligent in your business and take a fair profit for your goods and services WITHOUT taking undue advantage of others. This is what business is about; NOT greed! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
PERCEIVING PREDATORS
I learned something truly interesting last night. On the Morgan Freeman production of “Through The Wormhole” he was discussing how plants have intelligence different from us and that they communicate through chemical scents. When certain plants ‘sense’ a predator such as a caterpillar who can feast on their substance, they will emit a certain odor that attracts wasps, which in turn will sting and eat the caterpillar. It reminded me of our human egos.
When we ‘sense’ people that appear to be predators to our way of life we emit certain thoughts and emotions (that are chemically based) that attract events, occurrences, situations, circumstances and people who will ‘sting and eat’ our perceived predators. Perhaps we emit an imperceptible ‘odor’ that others can subliminally understand?
All life, in essence, is chemically based and exists through ongoing chemical exchanges. Yes, we are ‘different’ from the plant community but we ‘react’ to what we perceive as threatening much in the same manner. Our egos promote our self-survival at all costs and will create the experiences that are necessary to bring about our safety and security. This may be the reason we have an ongoing symbiotic relationship with the plant community.
We might not understand the sub modalities of this relationship, yet most of us react on many levels from sustenance to admiration of the life and existence of the plants. This could be the basis of our gardening and nurturing desire to ‘plant’ life and marvel at its growth and expansion. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Do you get up every day and think you have a handle on life? Do you stack the deck in your mind to make your thoughts and actions appear favorable? Are you ignoring the facts by embracing the opinions of others who do the thinking for you? Have you jumped on the bandwagon without knowing where the bandwagon is going? Then, quite frankly, you are fooling yourself. The psychological definition of being delusional is maintaining a false belief that resists reason or is revealed when confronted with an actual fact. Do you still believe in things even though they have been proven to be wrong? Then you are delusional.
Let’s take for example the political rhetoric we face every day on the TV, radio and Internet. One side says one thing, the other side counters and everyone ends up confused. But what are the facts? Truth is relative and depends on one’s perspective. In a sea of reactive opinion we are treading water and not addressing the issues of humanity. But is there an absolute truth? Any action and behavior that supports life is based on an absolute truth of growth and expansion. Are you selfish about what you have earned and unwilling to share in the bounty of life? Do you reject those who haven’t benefitted from life simply because they don’t have the material bounty or the good breaks you might have?
An interpretation of Matthew 25:33-46 in the English Revised Version (ERV) is as follows: “The Son of Man will put the sheep (good people that give) on his right and the goats (bad people that are selfish) on his left. Then the king will say to those good people on his right, 'Come. My Father has given you great blessings. Come and get the kingdom God promised you. That kingdom has been prepared for you since the world was made. You can have this kingdom, because I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.' "Then the good people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our home? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.' "Then the king will say to those bad people on his left, 'Go away from me. God has already decided that you will be punished. Go into the fire that burns forever. That fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. You must go away, because I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you did not invite me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me nothing to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you did not care for me.' "Then those people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty? When did we see you alone and away from home? Or when did we see you without clothes or sick or in prison? When did we see these things and not help you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you refused to do for any of my people here, you refused to do for me.'"Then those bad people will go away. They will have punishment forever. But the good people will go and have life forever."
Are you buying into the rhetoric that says look out for number one and number one alone? If you do, you are fooling yourself. Jesus embraced the poor and downtrodden and gave them hope. He said that whatever we do to the least of these, we do to him. If someone shows up at your door in need and you slam the door in their face you have done it to Christ. His door was open to all to raise the consciousness of all mankind. In John 6:37 Jesus says, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Or, as the Good News Bible (TEV) says, “I will never turn away anyone who comes to Me.” Are you fooling yourself by thinking that you are better than others? Do you think that others who don’t have what you have are not worth helping? What has truly made this country great are neighbors helping neighbors. People go out every day and dedicate their lives to helping those who haven’t had the opportunities or blessings that they have. They don’t posture about who’s right or wrong; they act. They don’t prophesize about some end time when things are going to get worse and then better; they make it better now!
Step out of your comfort zone and extend yourself to help those in need; whether they need food, shelter, counseling or a loan. Live what Jesus taught us and give your time, money or wisdom to help those who desperately need it. In your community there are many churches, missions and organizations that reach out daily to help those in need. Visit their websites, call them, reach out to the community and give of the blessings that God has bestowed on you. He will reign down His blessings on you and your family for the love that you have given. Quit listening to the power mongers and their message of doom and gloom. Quit fooling yourself and bless yourself with the wisdom of God. Contribute to the expansion of life and the growth of your community, whether locally or globally.
PAYING ATTENTION
What does it mean to pay attention? In definition, this idiom means “taking heed; giving close and thoughtful attention to something {that you value in regard to safety, security, advancement}; paying particular notice” [dictionary.com]. Where does your predominant attention lie? In whatever crosses your mind or whatever tugs at your heart? Or, do you make the time to ‘know’ where it needs to lie as opposed to where you believe it must lie?
Attention is inextricably tied with choices when you are aware enough to understand this; most people aren’t because they have never been trained in how the mind and heart works; just in how you must listen to what they say because they are always right. WTF? How many times have your mind and heart been dead wrong? You might not admit it, but I’m sure it’s more than the amount of digits and limbs you have!
The mind and heart are born of spirit and are ‘extensions’ of that spirit! The mind is your consciousness of logic and reason and the heart is your consciousness of feeling and motivation. When both are working in tandem they become the individual ‘seat’ of Divine love. It is when there is a ‘disconnect’ or ‘dysfunction’ between your mind and heart that problems in your life arise.
When you operate too much from your mind you minimize or even lose the inner feelings of ‘emotional’ guidance. When you operate too much from your heart you minimize or even lose the inner thoughts of ‘mental’ guidance. It is in the balance between what you think and feel that we attain a greater understanding of self in relation to SELF.
When the ego allows the Spirit of God to provide and LISTEN to the guidance of Divine order, it begins to realize that it cannot observe all of the factors that are present in life. It ‘seeks’ wisdom by going within in meditation, listening to thoughts that arise from God’s voice of silence and feeling the emotions that arise from being deeply immersed in God’s presence.
Everything that exists comes from the Spirit of God; from the all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful and all-creative power of the Infinite Spirit Creator. When we pay attention to what that spirit reveals in a peaceful inner state (and NOT a chaotic outer state), we align ourselves with Divine order. When we follow that guidance by completely trusting the Spirit of God to guide us, we are manifesting our Divine purposes in accordance with Divine will.
The Divine has a view from the mountaintop while our view is in the valley. Wouldn’t you rather pay attention to the Divine perspective than rumble around in the valley of perception never knowing that there are other mountains and valleys to observe and traverse?
Focus on what the Divine reveals to you within and walk the walk that you have been guided to by paying attention to what understanding peace brings, and not what derision that chaos imbues. Be ye therefore perfect! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
Is your life in a perpetual state of chaos? Do you have caustic relationships with most people due to your attitude and judgments toward them? Does it seem that situations, occurrences, events, circumstances and people are always impeding your progress? Are you frequently asking why are these experiences happening to you? Could it be that it’s your own tunnel vision that is causing the problem? Or is it genuinely others that are continually against your forward motion?
It’s true that some people are just so frustrated with their lives that they ‘have’ to interfere in the lives of others to feel good about themselves. However, looking for and ‘expecting’ confrontation and chaos is focusing your attention on the unfolding of ongoing challenging experiences. In some things we need to be challenged in order to grow and expand; but NOT in everything! When we expect friction we are setting the tone for our ‘reactive’ minds to respond. It is our egos that are looking for the challenge of ‘overcoming’ so they can pat themselves on the back for their ingenuity. That is NOT allowing the Spirit of God to guide us ‘through’ these experiences; it is a consciousness of resisting and not allowing.
Instead of feeding the beast of ongoing challenges it is better for us to ‘allow’ any challenges to flow through us ‘trusting’ in the Divine to unfold them in Divine order. It doesn’t mean that we have to agree or align ourselves with what is passing through us; we could just be validating it as being aberrant without judging its ‘possible’ effect on us. This ‘passive resistance’ means that we don’t react negatively to these challenges but we delineate their ‘effect’ upon us into oblivion. In other words, we don’t ‘absorb’ their negative energy and make it our own; we discharge it by releasing its ‘effect’ upon us.
The ego takes up any challenge by ‘actively resisting’ any possible negative effect on us by judging the perceived results from prior experiences. It is up to us to ‘choose’ to live in peace by allowing it to occur within us each and every moment. We sublimate the emotional urges and surges of the ego by circumventing the up swell of negative response with the allowance of Divine love. When negative ‘challenging’ experiences befall us the only question we need to ask is NOT why me, but what is it that I am NOT paying attention to in this moment that needs to be addressed?
Challenges are ‘reminders’ for us to acknowledge in order to 're-affirm' our focus on unfolding our Divine purposes in Divine order. There are too many distractions that could steal our attention and cause us to eventually waste away our lives. Don’t refold into the cycle of the omniverse without writing, singing and performing your individual Divine song. We are all here to experience our songs in the chorus of life. Mold it, shape it and actualize it to reveal the inner beauty that is the real YOU! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE
I remember from my days in elementary school that we started our day pledging allegiance to our flag. We didn’t know what it meant but had to do it anyway. Each and every day we recited these words without meaning until they became a part of whom and what we are. Some took it to heart and others just said it by rote.
But what does it truly mean? Is it necessary to vocally pledge our loyalty to our country? What good are the words if we don’t know their meaning and we don’t even care why we are saying it? Besides, it isn’t the flag we are pledging allegiance to, it is what it represents.
Following is The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Are we truly a United States? Hardly. Are we a Republic? Definitely. Are we one nation under God? Whose God? The Christian God? Are we indivisible? Ask the secessionists. Do we have liberty and justice for all? Or just the lily white land owners?
The Bill of Rights protects us from being ‘forcibly’ told to comply with ANY nationalistic agenda. When it was originally written it only applied to white male land owners; not African Americans and women! It was a way of ensuring their dominion over anyone else.
Forcing students to say the Pledge of Allegiance is violating our individual rights that we all now claim in the Bill of Rights. There's nothing wrong with 'offering' students the CHOICE to say TPOA. Forcing this upon them violates the very Bill of Rights that prevents this kind of nationalistic HORSESHIT!
In regard to the nationalistic push of the Right against the patriotism of the Left, one of my Facebook readers made this statement: “The Right may remain ignorant, but it is the Left which appears blind.” Appearances are deceptive; since when does respecting others and helping out your neighbor to assert their Constitutional rights become a left-right issue?
When we all pledge allegiance to the Spirit of God within each and every one of us, our world will become the Kingdom of God here on the Earth. Perhaps we should rewrite The Pledge of Allegiance to include EVERYONE on this planet and live according to its principles?
Following is a rewrite that seems more appropriate than a nationalistic agenda: “I pledge allegiance to the Divine Infinite Spirit within, and to the Divine love that the Divine expresses into all of life, one People expressing Divine love, indivisible in Divine Oneness, with peace, understanding, joy and Divine love for all!” ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS
As Victor Hugo once said, “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. “ Mr. Hugo was a great 19th century French poet, novelist and playwright whose works were incorporated by such greats as Verdi. Exposed to a variety of experiences he spoke about the qualities of life from a unique perspective (his father was a general under Napoleon). From success as a writer to banishment and ultimately public service, he maintained a decorum of steadfastness. His crowning work, Les Misérables (1862) speaks about the poor and social injustice. He was a human rights activist and a staunch believer in Republicanism. Through his writings a deep understanding is apparent about people and their pre-conceived notions. A pre-conceived notion is an opinion formed prior to an event or experiment without adequate evidence to back it up. It is what science calls tainting the experiment.
Courage is a quality of your spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing any fear. He suggests that we have courage when we face the great sorrows of life and to have patience for the lesser sorrows. Patience is a good-natured tolerance of the delays in life or the incompetence of someone’s behavior. In other words, not reacting with anger and fear but with confidence and strength. Every day we all have our various chores to do. We go to work, we maintain our homes and we raise our children. Hopefully we make the time for personal edification on our journey through life. At the end of our day Mr. Hugo tells us to go to sleep in peace; confident in the wisdom that God is awake and minding the store. Do you believe that God is alive and awake? Have you felt His presence within you lately? Do you feel the loss or pain that other human beings feel due to their circumstances? Or do you just whisk your way by and look at them with disdain?
We are all living and breathing creatures that exist in a world of interdependence. We need each other to build a society where the understanding of the lesser of us is just as valid as the greater. All people should have access to education, health care and a level playing field. We are all created equal. We lose our equality when we don’t diligently strive to be the best we can be. Opportunities for all create a level playing field. When prejudice and cronyism rear their ugly heads segregation creeps in. No one has the right to make their decisions about the playing field based on race, religion, creed or national origin. But yet, every day we see the results of such prejudices disguised as issues. In order to see the truth you have to see into the hearts of people.
How do you do this? It’s simple. What fruits do they bear? Are they surrounded by lack and limitation? Are they a loner or do they have great friends? Do they give of themselves to others or do they hoard for themselves? Just as Jesus cursed the fig tree for not bearing fruit, we should remove ourselves from those who don’t bear fruit. We need to have courage in dealing with people who only look out for themselves. We need to have patience with those who quietly support them or those who can’t make up their minds.
We must end our day in peace and let go of any pre-conceived notions we have accumulated during the course of the day. These notions become our reality when we think about them often and develop a belief that they are real. Let go of these notions and go to sleep in peace, knowing that God is awake within you and outside of you as well. Trust in Him to guide and direct your life to become the best that you can be. As the saying goes, “It’s all good.” Release the burdens of the day knowing that God is operating in your life whether you feel it or not. God is awake! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
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