The RevJerryTroyer's Podcast

Moving To A New State

If you were with me on Sunday, you may remember my talk on forgiveness. (If you were with me, I ask for your indulgence, as some of this may be review.)

As you know, Edwene Gaines, author of The Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, will be with us this Saturday, March 24, starting at 10 a.m., for her “Prosperity Plus” Workshop. One of the four spiritual laws she highlights in the book is forgiveness, suggesting that if we are experiencing a financial challenge, the quickest way out of it may be through forgiveness.

Now, you may be thinking “I’m fine, thank you--—no one in my life needs to be forgiven.” Really? Parents, children, oil companies, ex (or current) spouses, ex (or current) employers, the church you grew up in, yourself? Any of those strike a cord?

This is big stuff, because in the Science of Mind textbook, Ernest Holmes says “from self reasons alone, if from no loftier reason, we cannot afford to find fault, to hate, or even to hold in mind anything against any living soul! The God of Love cannot hear the prayer of the one who fails to love.”

The point is that the Universe (God, Spirit, our Higher Power) works in love, joy, passion, order, and in the moment. We can miss out on the connection if we are in regret, resentment, anger--—in other words, the need to forgive.

Forgiveness is absolutely not logical. Your ego will tell you all the reasons why the person (or even yourself) doesn’t deserve forgiveness. And maybe they don’t. But withholding forgiveness is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Moving Mountains, Slaying Giants

I’m sure you remember the story of David from the Old Testament. He and the armies of Israel had a situation with the armies of the Philistines, which included a rather large gentleman named Goliath.

Just as a quick review, David’s older brothers were preparing for battle. Goliath, representing the Philistines, announced to Israel that they would serve Israel if Israel won; but if Israel lost, they would have to serve the Philistines. The battle would be won or lost by one person fighting the giant.

One day, David brought food for his older brothers. He happened on the scene as they were discussing the situation. Right about that time, word had gotten out that the King of Israel, Saul, had promised riches, land and most especially, his daughter (the princess), to anyone who could defeat Goliath.

The story in I Samuel has great value for us, because it describes David’s reaction. He basically said (paraphrased) to a group of soldiers on his left, “now wait a minute—you mean to tell me that whoever defeats the giant gets the princess?” Then he turned to his right and asked another group—“let me get this straight.  The princess?” David didn’t spend any time thinking about the process, or the "walking on fire" that would be required. Instead, he focused on what he wanted to experience—his eyes on the prize.

There is something in your life that you want to do, be or have. Do you focus on the goal, or spend time trying to figure out how it could possibly happen, or the hard work that will be involved, or?

Mother's Wisdom -- Watch Your Mouth

I don't know about you, but it was my mother who taught me how to act in polite society.  Many people call that "couth."  (I always thought that was a slang word, but Webster's Dictionary says it really exists.)  She taught me what to say when we met people in the grocery store, what was appropriate at the dinner table, etc.  When I said something inappropriate, she might have said, "watch your mouth."

There is amazing wisdom there for us, no matter our age.  What do we say about life--our money, our relationships, our health?  Do we remember that our words (especially starting with I AM) have amazing power?  And how often do we say, "I can't afford it?"

Making Space For Grace

It is a temptation to just go along. To settle for whatever the situation looks like, to just call it "our lot in life," to live in either "good luck" or "bad luck", to accept "heredity" and all the rest of it. To live by what Mary Morrissey calls default, rather than design.

But there is more to it than that. Whatever "it" is. Jesus said not to judge by appearances. When we allow ourselves to think and live at a higher level, we are living by grace. In the book Everyday Grace, Marianne Williamson says that "as we convert our thinking from identifying with the material realm to identifying with Spirit, then our spiritual wings take flight. We are lifted above the limitations of the past...We are heirs to the laws of whichever world we believe in."

Looking Back, Looking Forward

You probably remember where you were on September 11, 2001. I certainly do.

Even after the remembrance ceremonies are done, we will still be left with the constant reminders that life in the United States has changed. At the airport, you can't go to the gate with friends and family; you can't carry your water bottle through security; and the list goes on and on.

There is the invitation, and the opportunity, to live in fear. Of another attack, of the financial situation, of flu season that's coming, etc.

But there is also the opportunity to remember the truth of who we are--the beloved of God. Remember that Jesus said "my kingdom is not of this world." In the Christ consciousness that He had and we call have, we can choose to be in the world, but not of it. What that means for me is the conscious awareness that I am safe, because I never walk alone.

Living From The Inside Out

Last Sunday night, you probably had little monsters (dressed up as little monsters!--just kidding) ringing your doorbell for Halloween trick-or-treating. Even though they might have been dressed up in scary costumes, we know they were really just little Billy or Mary Ann.

Sometimes we have the appearance of monsters at our door (unemployment, illness or dis-sease, financial concerns, relationship upheaval). If we remember our oneness with Spirit, and the truth that we are always safe, we can look beyond the appearance. When we do, we are living from the inside (where God resides) out.

Living From Our Divine Identity

It was a warm and sunny day in the Garden of Eden. Adam and God were just hanging out, having a conversation. "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2 : 16 - 17)

You know the rest of the story. The serpent talked the woman into a fruit salad, who shared it with the man. Followed almost immediately by the Bible's first lesson in taking personal responsibility (or not).

But notice the words in Genesis 2: the knowledge of good and evil. What is that? A belief in separation--that there somehow could be good vs evil.

Consider how that belief (conscious or unconscious) in separation effects our lives. That Spirit (God, the Universe, or Higher Power) has to travel from some distance to zoom in and fix the situations we have created.

Byron Katie reminds us to not believe everything we know. We know it because someone told us. But what if it is not true? How would our lives look if we really recognized our Divine Nature--that we have the hearts of Divine Love, the mind of Divine Wisdom, and the lives of Divine life?

Life's Too Short -- And Life's Too Long

I love the title of this song by Daniel Nahmod.
Life is too short--and too long--to live in scarcity and lack. The truth is that we came here to have it all. But many of us have old beliefs about the evils of money, and how it is God's will that we should experience financial challenge.

That's NONSENSE.

Let It Be Easy

As you know, we celebrated Labor Day on Monday.

What does the word labor mean to you? I always think of birthing babies, and images of hard work, such as shoveling dirt and moving mountains.

Right now, as I write this, and as you read this, we are creating our day. Will there be conflict and struggle, or will we slide through in ease and grace? Will whatever we are praying for manifest for us in the twinkling of an eye, or do we assign degrees of difficulty? (The Universe can provide a parking place without breaking a sweat, but that “ordinary miracle” of an extra $1,000 is gonna be a major project.) A Course in Miracles reminds us that there is no degree of difficulty in miracles, with the miracle being any answered prayer (or manifestation or demonstration), but do we really believe that?

Let Go And Let God -- Really!

At the end of a prayer, we normally say "amen" or "and so it is." Then what? Do we really expect Spirit to bring us the good we have chosen, or do we get busy making a "Plan B" just in case it doesn't work? And do we place limits on how our good can come to us (UPS or FedEx but certainly not USPS)?