Sunday Messages from Unity of Tucson: Recent Episodes
Rev. Jonathan Zenz
Welcome to Unity of Tucson a New Thought spiritual community! We provide practical tools for personal transformation to awaken humanity to its Spiritual magnificence!
Everything is love expressing itself. Love is not an emotion—it is a state of consciousness. The core of all beings is love, so forgive everything. Love is the fundamental defining factor of the creative source. Love is a synonym for God. God is the source of all flow and creation. It always works perfectly. We are not here to seek some future reward. Personalize the infinite. Seek your soul be remembering who you are.
Give over and allow: that is the nature of creativity. Life wants to happen. The tendency of everything is to grow. Our capacity to choose is a great gift. You have the power. You are the catalyst for change in your life.
What kind of world do you want to live in? What part of you believes you don’t live this ideal already? What do you believe, and is it in alignment with the world you want? Do you believe in limitless expression, or are your beliefs holding you back? We blame things outside ourselves. Ignite the divine light within you. Let this light be unconditional.
All of it is God. Why treat it any other way? We need less than we think. How will you choose to interact with the planet? The way we relate is a reflection of our own sense of self-worth. How are we treating others? I am in nature and nature is in me. Why do I believe what I believe? Is what I believe aligned with wholeness? Only erroneous ideas can prevent us from aligning with wholeness.
What would you do if you had the option to live the life of your dreams? Are you holding yourself back based on past paradigms? What are you willing to do to move forward? Things are conditional. All things are temporary, but are rooted in the infinite. So, live life to its most magnificent potential, rooted in source.
Be prepared for where the river takes you. Embrace where it goes. Everything happens for a GOOD reason. Your life was ordained for you by you, and your soul chose to have these experiences in order to achieve a higher level of consciousness. Embrace the moment. Do what is yours to do. You are never alone.
We limit our beliefs to stay safe. Our expression is divinity itself. What wants to be known, and what is the manner of knowing? Jesus’ message was love only. We are that which is—divinity. We will shed the physical body but the soul goes on. God knows only life. If you want to be happy, decide to be. Be the thing you desire. Are you willing to be authentic in every area of your life?
What if leaning into it meant letting go? Is what we hold onto serving us? God is the I AM of every person. The I AM is the cause of everything that unfolds in life. How do we take God out of the box? Practice beginner’s mind. Lean into curiosity. Choose to experience life fully. Take God out of the box and lean into the question: I know nothing, now, what can I know?
We are always in a moment of decision. Every moment is a moment of genius expressing. What is the authentic creative genius in you? Do you recognize that you are genius? In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts. Genius will abandon you if you don’t nurture it. We are the light of the divine. We do not possess genius, it is something we are. How will you express it? Never Underestimate Divine Genius Expressing. It can change your life.
New thought was founded by rebels. Spirits in rebellion. New thought provides a practical approach to God and to life. This is an invitation to action—not just contemplation. Action heals. Inaction stagnates. Powerful prayer impels action. Absent action, prayer doesn’t matter. So, what can we do? At a minimum, we can be kind.
If you don’t know what you believe look at your life. We create the meaning of our lives. Are you making determinations or are you allowing outside influences to determine your life for you? You create the curriculum of your life. You draw the map as you go. Can you let go of the map? In every single moment we are made new.
Seeing beauty is a choice. How we see it is the way the world is. You are infinite truth. We are on a pathway of eternal evolution. The awakening of intelligence to itself. Where have you made a demand on the universe? If doubt exists we are living in the relative world. How we choose to see the world is how the world is. And so it is.
Freedom is a choice. You are not bound to any one tradition. Bondage is not God-ordained. You can address the chronic thoughts and beliefs that keep you bound. LENT: Let’s Eliminate Negative Thinking.
What is God’s will? Infinite freedom. Then why is there suffering? We are love recognizing love. The truth: nothing is separate from the infinite. You as God demonstrate according to your will. Decide to be courageous and beyond bondage. Take responsibility and move forward.
What is it in your heart that says “yes”? The left brain organizes and dominates our experience. The right brain is our source of mystery and joy. We are taught to exercise the left and to ignore the right. Practice living in the mystery. Keep your ending unplanned.
How do we send doubt away? One way is to live life in gratitude. Be grateful of all that you are, your spiritual blueprint, which knows exactly how to heal. True gratitude is a feeling. Change the feeling, change your life. Recognize the gift that you are. What we focus on grows in our experience. The algorithm supports our habits. What does your mind linger on? The algorithm will provide more of the same. But we can empower ourselves to reprogram the algorithm.
There’s nothing new about New Thought. Life wants to thrive. We are here to live in, with as faith. The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. You are the creator of that which will be, that you are equal to in mind. If you have the proof it’s no longer faith. Faith precedes evidence. Our work is to take the leap.
How do you choose to see the world? We will never experience that which we are not willing to express ourselves. As we habitualize the good we experience the good. Two people will experience the same circumstances differently. It is possible to come alive. We have the capacity to change frequencies. To learn how to think is to learn how to live.
In a world full of color it’s hard to see black and white. “Word” is the agency by which God reveals itself. We’re not talking about language. The capacity for God to show up universally. The infinite must be limited to be understood, creating a paradox. There are no right words, only the right feeling tone. We make declarations into form. We write the unwritten.
To what might we dedicate ourselves? Our perspective determines how we see the light. What causes us to lose perspective and dim the light? Your light is entrusted to you. How do you choose to see and understand community? Forgiveness is the highest form of self-love. We are taught to need after a steady diet of “less than”. Step into a greater sense of knowing who you are.
If your thoughts only land on peace you can change the world. Explore what it means to embrace peace. Allow our common unity to inform your experience. Deepen into feeling. True community requires commitment and openness. Universal peace begins right where you are.
Hope is good, it is better than despair, but it is an unconscious compromise. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Unconscious faith: the things we don’t question. Cognitive bias can manifest as a distrust of others. Activate your awareness. Choose to be in the good work. Embrace conscious faith.
Are you going to decide to be happy? Or unhappy? The circumstances conform to your frame of mind. When an idea changes in mind the form always follows. Are you ready to wake up? How might we keep in circulation? By not identifying with our limitations.
God is. We are God. Your thoughts are creative. Spiritual practice. Prayer is communion between God and man. Between God and me there is no ‘between’. Prayer is not a supplication. It is a statement of authority. God is all there is. We are God. God is/we are creating. Prayer is purposeful. God is the only thing that is happening. The work of prayer is to convince ourselves.
What are you proud of? You are a divine being in physical form. You can create anything that you think up. What we think and feel defines us. We work with this question: What would I love to be, do, have, give? Learn to assume the inconceivable. Then, act, knowing things will fall in line.
Idealism and pragmatism. We seek the balance. New thought was never meant to be a religion. Reality is a mental construct. Our minds are creative. Reality is the experience in mind. We decide if life is magnificent, or if it isn’t.
The power is in the questioning. There is no destination. Are you willing to expand your image of God? God is the magnificence of who you are. No salvation or punishment. You are your own savior. God is the impulse - you express that impulse. How involved are you in your own life? Life wants to open.
The best gift you can give is your own emotional wellbeing. Work on understanding rather than forgiveness. Your goal is to have that good feeling inside. This is where God is. Your work is to heal yourself. Find God within.
Justice, not peace, is the opposite of violence. We come here seeking to understand something deeper. Spiritual self-sufficiency is personal. Tap into the inner self. Personal, Spiritual, Self-Sufficiency Technique. 1. Self-reflection. 2. Explore your beliefs. 3. Develop a practice. 4. Be willing to seek guidance. 5. Connect with others.
Who do you know yourself to be? That's where we begin today.It's Pride weekend in Tucson, and today's message was partially inspired by this quote: “Queer People don’t grow up as ourselves we grow up playing a version of ourselves that sacrifices authenticity to minimize humiliation and prejudice. The massive task of our adult lives is to unpick which parts of ourselves are truly us and and which parts were created to protect us.” -Alexander Leon, a queer writer.So... once again: Who do you know yourself to be?
What do you believe is impossible? Something has convinced you so. Nothing is impossible. Belief is an invitation to explore. In the exploration there are principles. God is the principle, the fundamental truth, the foundation. Principle is the “I am” in every person. We are the music of the divine. We have left out feeling, our heart energy. We are the warmth of God. We are the seed, the ordinary miracle. We are love.
We seek the release of discord. Sometimes we need to be reminded. The intellect is not the causative factor. We use it to get to the quality (feeling) that is driving experience. So, change your feeling to change your life. We view falling ill as a failure. We must deepen into self-perception. Sometimes the cure doesn’t look like we think it should. We get to own our own magnificence. Life could be a dream when we synthesize the relative and the absolute.
The first law of nature is order. We work hard at being at ease. We are conditioned to work hard toward something we already have. Remember who you are, and everything else flows. The choices we make today inform our tomorrow. The more we try to figure it out, the less we are in the flow of life. We complicate this process needlessly.
What is your core belief? How do you imagine your spiritual community? Core beliefs can include love, creativity, connection. At Unity we encourage and teach spiritually-based life skills. People come to spiritual communities seeking God. What they find is their authentic self. We are in a liminal space between worlds. We must co-create the next world. We are on a teeter totter between what was and what will be.
When you smile you raise your “face value”. Find your embodied joy and allow that to bring a smile to your face. It’s all an inside job. Goals are met when we live our purpose. When we answer the question: “Why do we be?” Stay rooted in the being-ness. Show up happy. You just decide. Limitations feel safe. They give us something to overcome. But what if we got rid of all of it? What does spiritual truth mean? Anything that un-limits you.
What is more important in our experience of life? The spiritual truth, or the frames and structures we build? What comes first... the truth or the frame?
No matter what, our life provides. Life can split us up. You are invited into the creation and re-creation of community. Be the wholeness right where you are. Life is an exercise in the discovery of wholeness. Is there any aspect of you that is lacking or missing? How do we encourage belonging? Active and consistent sharing, free from fear. The space between us is an illusion.
In what ways are you infinite? True healing is the revelation of wholeness. The fundamental truth is wholeness. we are all mystics. Transformation is work, but it need not be difficult. It depends on your beliefs. Our realization takes the time it takes. It can be instantaneous—or not. How might you realize your wholeness? One tissue, or the whole box?
Where do you seek God? There is one unseen cause. We are finding God always and it is a decision to recognize it. We inhabit a tiny, pale blue dot in a vast universe. The whole would be lacking without you. Are you limited or infinite? If the universe could not exist without you, what would you do? Why do we allow suffering? We could decide to end this erroneous belief.
How do we move from intellect to embodiment? You are an extension of the power that created this whole universe. The field of infinite possibility. We begin to do things differently based on who we are being. We are invited to be love, not do love. You can be spiritual and challenged. Accept and grow through challenge.
How do you see the world? Are you in awe of what you see? You get to choose how you experience the world. If you’re not in awe, you’re not paying attention. Why try to fit in when you can stand out? Be FOR something and against nothing. We can only change our relationship to the conditions, not the conditions themselves. Create space, free from judgement, and choose to be FOR something.
Is God descriptive or prescriptive? Do you live in a prescribed fear of God? If we are God, we are describing ourselves. Do you acknowledge God as you? Are the positive attributes of God yours to live fully in your own life. Language limits us. How do you describe your own wholeness, limited only by our own self expression. That which we seek is doing the seeking. The more authentic and free we are the more can actively express our truth.
How might you experience God, the essence of your being? If you are waiting for life, it’s passing you by. What path will you take? What is your camino? Be where your feet are. Your pace may be the most important thing. It will determine who you encounter on the way.
What am I ready to heal today? Ask yourself: What’s mine to do? Life will open doors for your haling. Your job is to walk through them. One of the worst things we can do in our spiritual growth is sit on the fence. When confronted with an opportunity, ask yourself: Is it a calling? Does it feel good? Are doors opening?
How do we know how to be a spiritual being having a spiritual experience? A tomato seed won’t grow into a pumpkin. There is intelligence at work. You are an expression of this intelligent mystery. Step into your “discomfort zone”. Instead of living in the mystery, we live in our stories. What if we brought more awe and wonder into our lives? Commit to change, then align your attitudes. It takes courage to let go and let God.
What is spiritual power and how do we bring it forth? Our ability to change and build consciousness. To heal, change your environment, and draw your good. We find our power in the silence. We embody and demonstrate in our lives. Sometimes we force things. Sometimes we experience self-doubt. When we come from the center we achieve balance. Enter into the silence, then, the power of purpose drops in.
We seldom know when the last time will be. Treat each interaction with others as if this is the last opportunity you will see them. Also, treat these interactions as if this is the first time you have done so: with the enthusiasm of something new. Similarly, treat yourself as if this is your last day, but also the first day, of the rest of your life. Ask yourself: what is mine to do? Tomorrow may be too late.
We are divine energy stepped down into physical form. When someone is in your corner you become unstoppable in your creativity. Dig deeper into the divine feminine to access HER energy. We mother ourselves into divine expression. Stack the evidence that we are surrounded by love.
You are a possibility creating machine. But what gets in the way? The stories we tell ourselves keep us limited. You are the artist in your life. You may ask, why am I here? What am I doing with this precious gift of life? The answer is to love always. It is as simple as that.
Be at peace with yourself. Let others be who they are. Make requests, not demands. Do not make others responsible for your happiness. Be unconditionally concerned with the well-being of those in your life.
We renew our thoughts and beliefs without even knowing it. Many of our conditions are below our level of awareness. Once we become aware of them, we can let go; we can renew. This is a choice. Are you willing to believe that you can choose?
What do we do when our hopes and dreams have been destroyed? Sometimes we want to quit, give up. We label ourselves a failure. Other times, a great success comes, and we decide to rest on our laurels. In both situations, we should meditate, and listen to the silence, for it is within the silence that we will hear the answer we are seeking. In times of failure—and success—we must start again.
What happened in between the birth and death of Jesus? Isn’t this of greater meaning than the beginning and ending? What wants to be known, and what is the manner of knowing? The meaning of life is this: live it. How can we fear that which we truly are? Live in the dash, the in-between moments.
What are you willing to throw yourself into? The universe is ready to receive. You are here to rediscover who you are. Joy is your dharma purpose in life. Don’t get caught up in the “stuff” of the circumstantial world. You are perfect as your are. Your good is here to be expressed. Step boldly into your own perfect expression.
We are fundamentally creative expressions of God. How are you choosing to show up creatively? Do you consider yourself an artist? You are discovering and “painting” the picture of your life. The nature of the divine is creation. God is a verb, not a noun. The verb of God is to create. Do you have the courage to remember that? Take the time to engage in nature. Don’t sit on that which is yours to do in this world.
Sometimes we let the law dominate without regard for love. We can become rigid and unquestioning. But we need not fear the journey of discovery. Our intuitive connection to wholeness helps to expose the hidden truth. The divine spark initiates the journey. Along the way we may discover WISDOM, LOVE, and COURAGE we didn’t know we had. We think something out there will deliver us, when really we had the answers inside us all along.
We personalize divine love by choosing who to love and who not to love. The infinite is impersonal. An ultimate goal is a complete emancipation from all discord. Are we truly safe in this world? We are safe when we remember who we are. Victims seek perpetrators to validate their victimhood. We are taught fear, competition, and discord. Rise up. Live openly and courageously.
Divine love is impersonal, it loves for the sake of loving. We create from love even when it appears to be the opposite. There is always room to experience more of the infinite. Set down the weight of ideas and embrace love. Learn to love yourself. It’s okay if this feels difficult. Love ultimately is the awareness of oneness. Our only problem is our perception of separation.
You may feel broken, but that isn’t the truth of who you are. Deepen into a sense of integrity. God is in us. There is no separation. Consciousness is awareness of who we are. You are creative just by being you. Inspiration is a function of the spirit, not the intellect. Wholeness is dependent on self-awareness. The thing we seek is the thing doing the seeking. Start speaking your truth as God and see how your life changes.
Every single day everything is different and new. We love our comfort zones but on the other side is where we expand and grow. We all have good and bad boundaries. We are here to deepen into compassion which is unconditional love. LENT: Let’s Eliminate Negative Thinking. Forgiving is about being for giving of love and kindness. Set down the past and step into resilience. When we change ourselves the world changes.
Is our approach to life and others always LOVING? It's fundamental, if we want love experience… we must first be loving. Develop a pattern of loving kindness rooted in love, the foundation of infinite creative expression.
You are infinite. Deepen into that. Patience is knowing who you are and being fully aware with that. We can get lost in “all the stuff” of life. This become the call to deepen into presence and simplicity. If we let go of the past, what does life become? Be “for-giving”. You can become for giving of your love to all humanity.
God is inherent truth. We are not separate from God. When we put God “out there” we miss that God is “right here”. In Unity we teach that presence is in-dwelling. It lives as each and every one of us. It is what we are, not something we possess. We eliminate discord when we know who we are. Learn to be present in the presence. God is only found and felt in this moment. Be present and you will “present presence”.
We are inherently beautiful, but do we affirm this? Celebrate who you are. Know your inherent value and truth. Do you believe the limiting ideas you have been taught? Your beliefs are your choice. Are your beliefs stronger than your statements of belief, and do they match? Expand your awareness so your beliefs take up less space in your life.
We want to manipulate what is out there. Instead, learn to be in infinite expectation. We are constantly trying to wake up. True awakening is in expectation of the good. This is how we elevate our lives. But many of us live in expectation that things will go wrong. Sorrow and regret are easy. We get sympathy when we tell our sad stories. But what are you expecting to gain from your pain? Are you maintaining a practice of expectancy of the good? What are you waiting for? You are 100 percent in charge of your life unless you give your life away.
You belong simply because you exist. You belong here just because of who you are. But sometimes it’s hard to be ourselves. Your life was entrusted to you. Are you fulfilling that trust? Break the chain of seeming separation from God. Don’t let anyone reduce you to one aspect of your being. Stay weird. Stay different. The path ahead has limitless potential. Let go of the past and step into yourself.
“In the beginning was the word…” What is your Word? The Word is the energetic agency by which the God/Source reveals itself in terms of creation… and you are that revelation! Enjoy the experience of the white stone ceremony and let your Word be your new name for 2023.
We are spiritual beings having a spiritual experience. If this experience is rooted in joy then this is what you can expect from life. We get to decide how we describe it. Don’t give your power away. You get to decide what to hold onto, and what to let go of.
Where do you set the limit on what you are willing to do to bring people together in love? Love is both a feeling and an intention. Don’t seek to derive love from out there. Discomfort is self-imposed limitation. Unconditional love is not always comfortable. Strive to acknowledge and connect to others.
You are in charge of everything in your life. You have the responsibility. What are you living in expectation of? We all have ignorance to contend with. We are immersed in the collective consciousness, but not subject to it if we remain conscious of it. Our unconscious beliefs must meet our conscious thoughts for experience to manifest as desired. What is your contribution to the collective good? The divine principle always says “yes” no matter our intentions.
The Law will always meet us where we are. We can work with the law or counter to it. There is really only one law, the law of creation. We cannot stop creating. The question is: what are we creating? The purpose of a spiritual path is to guide us to a deeper understanding. Focusing on that which is within unburdens that which is without. We cannot stop the unfoldment but we can obey its energy. Changing a thought is easy, but it is much more important to change the energy behind the thought. Doubt becomes the limitation. Don’t try to make success happen. Trust the process of inevitable evolution.
We are in a place of choice in each moment. Forgiveness clears the consciousness of anything that blocks our good. We have great power but if we don’t know it we may misuse it. Forgiveness is about discovery, use, and change. Accept and acknowledge the truth of your being. Forgiveness is an inside job. All else is performance, and misses the shift of consciousness that happens within. What is it in us that requires sacrifice? Any detrimental thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. You are pure love. That is who you are. That is all you are. So let go of the million things out there. Let go of Self Inflicted Nonsense—SIN.
What do you contemplate yourself being? Your contemplation, thoughts, and beliefs are your spiritual investment. You are deserving of magnificent abundance, but do you believe it? Our life experience is limited only to the mental equivalent in our minds. Your contemplation informs how you see the world. There is no need to compete for your good. Let gratitude be at the core of all experience. Keep your focus there.
A typical person has 70,000 thoughts per day. 90 percent of our thinking is unconscious but 100 percent creates our reality. The work is to become aware. Change your thinking, change your life. There is magnificence at the core of life, but are we willing to receive it? We must give to get. You get what you are equal to, not what you think or what you want. Life changes with a shift in belief. Crowd out erroneous beliefs with better ones. You are the believer, not the belief. You cannot influence God in the slightest; you can only influence yourself.
When you pray, pray already believing. If we want to know what we truly believe, look in the land of our results. We can have everything that we are in harmony with. Our power to think is inexhaustible, yet we hardly know how powerful we are. Start with the ask. It is useless to have a desire unless you expect it to be fulfilled. The universe wants us to ask. Are we giving ourselves permission?
People do everything but pray. Prayer activates our consciousness to create. You can go no further than your own doubt. Our work is to expand our conceptions. All perceived failures in life are due to taking sides with the finite. If you want more live, peace, joy, then be more those things.
Zeal is a form of enthusiasm. To sizzle or fizzle, that’s the question. We all get to choose. But sometimes our thoughts—the six inches between our ears—get in the way. Can you tap into your “zealing”, the feeling of enthusiasm you have for life? It can be as simple as asking “what am I grateful for?” Be too grateful, to be hateful, too blessed, to be stressed. What we appreciate, appreciates.
The content of our life is the curriculum of our evolution. There’s a different way of living, being, relating. Walk out of the “basement” of yourself into a technicolor world. God’s not done with any of us. When we really get who we are we are charged with the next evolutionary challenge. Think of the impossible. That is where you’ve gotta reach for God. We’re tapping into deep soul desire. We are powerful beyond measure. See it, be it, get it, celebrate it. The more you acknowledge your small successes, the more you move forward.
Love is an action. Community is a sacred container. The “I” becomes the “we”. We are all collectively one. Christ is radical inclusive unconditional love. In this society, we are straight until proven otherwise. When we exclude anyone, including ourselves, we are missing the mark of love. We try “fitting in” rather than “belonging”. Belonging is being seen, safe, and celebrated. Coming out is “risking relationship for authenticity”. Faith is sitting in the discomfort of the unknown and choosing to love anyway.
Are you looking for short cuts to enlightenment? Where are you right now? To awaken the world we must first be awake. Awakening is the art of living. Being a maker begins with being awake. So, slow down, become awake, and remember who you are.
Order will be established in your life when you proceed from a place of love. In every interaction we need to treat each other with dignity and respect. By doing this, we disarm the enemy. We realize that we are all evolving in consciousness, and that people at lower levels of consciousness believe they are doing the right thing, when to us they appear not to be. We all get to continue the work of raising our own consciousness, so that we may become closer to God.
What if you could never make a wrong decision? Stop looking outside yourself for proof of your value. Start living as the example of your value. Be where you are, in your heart. Clear out the passive chaos, the accumulation in your mind, the status quo of your experience. You are always at choice. You can always make a new decision. So, LYOTH. It’s time to Let Yourself Off The Hook.
How are you using love? In constructive or destructive ways? Love and Law work in tandem. Love points the way; the Law makes the way possible. What appears to be chaos has order at its center. If you lead with love, the universe will create loving order. Order can be unexpected, it can manifest in unpredictable ways. You cannot get the “yes” unless you ask.
To what degree do you believe you are separate from God? This is where disharmony comes from. In detachment lies the wisdom of uncertainty. By practicing detachment we let go of the things that keep us separated from source. If there is a desire in you, it can be fulfilled by tapping into our Infinite Source Provider (ISP) which is always working on our behalf. But like an internet search engine, sometimes we put in the wrong information, causing unfulfillment. By remembering who we are, we create new, clear thoughts that communicate to our ISP, allowing us to fulfill our desires.
We’re not praying TO anything. The power to change your life is in here, not out there. A lot of people contemplate themselves into “less than”. Better to put energy into what you wish to become. Don’t get caught up in the relative. Instead, contemplate yourself in the absolute. There are miracles when you believe. Your word is the most powerful force in your life. Your word is your agency, your power to act. Take ownership of what you create in the relative. Avoid self-inflicted nonsense. Are you looking toward the shadow, or toward the light?
Who would you be if you didn’t have anyone else to compare yourself to? Sameness is always rooted in comparison. The mind thrives on patterns, including foolish ones. What isn’t working in your life? Are you willing to accept the positive? We create our experience and we can re-create it. We are in the driver’s seat. Who you are destined to be is rooted in the choices you make every moment. Can you step into what is for you instead of what is against you?
Willpower, or willingness. What is your approach to spiritual practice? Adopt love and joy as your central focus. The feeling is the thing. Creation through coercion never lasts. Cooperate with the center of your being. Be in the flow. You get what you are equal to in mind and in heart. What will it take for you to say “yes” to life? What will you cooperate into being today?
Sometimes we forget the “jolly”. How do we find it again? There is no other purpose in life than to experience and express joy. We teach a sense of “worth-ship” not worship. We do this by remembering who we are. The kingdom of heaven is here and now, not someplace in the future. There is no time for hate, so love your perceived enemies. You and you alone can shift your beliefs. How are you utilizing your mind, rooted in your heart-space? You can’t get the “yes” unless you ask, so ask for it!
Everything must be in balance. How is your spiritual balance sheet doing? The relationship between your spiritual assets and liabilities determines your sense of self worth. By focusing on our spiritual assets (and not focusing on our perceived liabilities) we increase our self worth. So, live the life of the possible. Invest in your spiritual assets, and let the past take care of itself.
What reality do you see? What we see is a choice. We can choose to feel part of something big, or we can choose to feel insignificant. What limits us? Our erroneous beliefs. Perception is the problem. We perceive limitation. Instead, create new habits not tied to limitation. Learn to see it all through a lens of wonder. If we look at life through a lens of wonder, what might we see?
We were taught as children not to take up space, to be seen, and not heard. We’ve carried this into adulthood. But what if we had been told that just our presence had value and is valuable? To grow up we may need to pull ourselves out of our well-worn rut, then do the work to establish a new path. It’s work until it isn’t. So, give up what was, and be here in the present moment. It’s time to live in “proaction” not reaction. Be prepared to sacrifice anything that isn’t in alignment with who and what we are becoming.
Through understanding our true nature we eliminate all that is contrary to our personal freedom (and the belief in the limitations of others).
Are you seeing life through the lens of your bias? The answer is always “yes”. Imagination allows us to let go. We can imagine a different, better story for ourselves. Sometimes we put ourselves and others into boxes, limiting ourselves and others in the process. It’s time to let your god show. Be a point of light. Imagine a world where each of us shows love to all people—then go there.
Can we move past conformity? Can we avoid contraction? We tend to treasure the past and in so doing hold on to sameness. Maybe it’s time to let go of what we treasure. Admit when something isn’t working and commit to changing it. We can untether ourselves through the use of our imagination. Honor what you treasure by letting it go.
What possibilities are you willing to imagine for yourself? Heaven is right here, right now. It is up to us to create heaven right here and now, using our imagination. Find what is true in your heart and express that from a place of love. Through authenticity we learn from one another. You can remake your reality all the time. What are you going to believe into experience today?
What happens when we go back to the “soup”? Do we disappear into it? We are like letters in alphabet soup. Our identity transcends this physical reality. When confronted with difficult situations, our tendency is to ask “Where is God in this?” Instead, ask “Where am I in this?” It is always God interacting with God. Agreeing to separation creates discord. We can cease discord by remembering who we are. Love exists at the core. The more we allow it to express, the more fear dissipates. It is up to us, and now one else, to change the world.
Don’t attack the conditions. Instead, be FOR something. Do the work that leads you back to your own heart. Figure out what you think because that is how your life will unfold.
Power is an aspect of our being-ness, but what is power? None other than the power of creation itself. Things are thoughts. Through intention, expectation, and action we create our reality and the things within it. Are you expecting love to manifest in your life, or something else? Force is not required, nor is it effective in creating the life we desire. Learn to flow with creative expectation and watch your life change for the better.
How do you perceive life? How we perceive is how we show up in the world. Power is the capacity to stand firm in the truth of being. There is more power in being than in doing. The degree to which we accept fear into our lives, our lives will manifest experiences equal to that fear. It is never too late to express unconditional love in our lives. You are the mother to your mind. Nurture your mind in the same way you might nurture a child.
What is the authentic self? Are you willing to go on a journey of self discovery? Choose to move beyond the world of conformity—of who and what people think you are. Be true to your heart and soul, and allow the wisdom of your true self to guide you. Ask yourself “What wants to happen here?” The answer may surprise you.
Do not be swayed from spiritual truth. We often take missteps against those who come bearing spiritual truth. We must open ourselves up to the inner meaning of Easter. We must go beyond limitation by saving ourselves from our own erroneous thinking. Roll away your stone, and rise!
The degree to which we feel separated from the divine, we feel broken hearted. What would it take for all the broken hearted people to agree, then let it be? We need to “enter in” by consciously surrendering to our innate divinity. We do this by remembering who we are. Then, we need to “drive out” those ideas that are contrary to our divine nature. Finally, we need to do what is ours to do, what we are equal to. Are you willing to express your greatness?
Wisdom is inner spiritual knowing. It is the aspect of knowing, and knowing what we know. Our ability to know sets the limit to demonstration—to what shows up in our reality. You are worthy of greater wisdom, but are you choosing to practice it?
Sometimes we get in the way of our own best development. When this happens we must let go and stand firm in our strength. To do this we affirm the truth of who we are but don't try to coerce circumstances to change. This is true strength, the strength of remembering who we are.
We have excellent theories about the nature of the universe and spiritual reality. But theory is not enough. Our work is to live our spiritual understanding, and keep on until we catch on. Then, do it all over again. Our job is to live our truth, but first, remember who you are.
We walk around unplugged, not knowing the true nature of our spiritual reality. Our responsibility is to recognize others as ourselves. When we do this, we are able to speak our truth grounded in the true energy of the divine. Recognize the divine essence in others and there can be no conflict. We create peace in the world by remembering who we are (plugging in) and allowing our strength to flow forth (powering on).
How might I be of service? This month we celebrate the power of our spiritual strength. Circumstances change but spiritual strength never changes. One way to show strength is through giving. Life is what is happening on the other side of your comfort zone. So, find a way to give that goes beyond your circumstances. Then, watch your spiritual strength flow.
How do we see past illusion? There is only one way to combat an unhealthy consciousness, and that is to adopt a new consciousness, one grounded in unconditional love. Look at the way you care for yourself. How you choose to care for yourself is the way you show up in the world. Stop creating illusions centered around fear and self-denial, and begin to create a better world.
What is ours to do? Often we place our focus on the external when we already have a GPS, God Providing System within us. Our work is to realize and allow ourselves to move to the place of inner conviction. Be the change you wish to see in the world, and above all, remember who you are.
What if we modeled right action rather than preaching what we believe? Love can overcome any conflict. We beautify our neighborhood through unconditional love. Love always, forgive everything, remember who you are—no matter what—and watch the world change.
Have you ever encountered someone who places God outside themselves, and in so doing, cuts themself off from God? In Unity, we teach that there is no separation from God. We are an expression, the “clothing” of the divine. Our expression of the divine manifests in whichever “outfit” we choose to put on. With that in mind, our work is to embody the divine, and wear it well.
How have you been conditioned to see the world? How much does the past keep you bound to fear, rather than faith? Find the space to let go of past conditions, which are always rooted in fear. We are not afraid of the unknown. We are afraid of letting go of the known. Take a risk. Live life like nobody’s watching. And above all, remember who you are.
Sometimes we lose our way. We look outside ourselves for spiritual healing, or some action to bring us closer to God. In these moments, faith can feel elusive. But what might happen if we looked within? Don’t try to coerce the world of form. Instead, stand firm in your faith. Healing is the revealing of the greatness at the core of your being. Let your faith heal you. Deepen into that feeling space that is God for you. Shine your light, and above all, remember who you are.
What can be done when we just aren’t feeling connected to our spiritual truth? Through separation, we give our power away. We become disconnected from our own felt experience of truth, which is oneness with all that is. When we get this way, when we feel a bit lost, we need to reach out for support. Connect with someone of high consciousness who can help you remember who you are.
You can never be more spiritual than you are right at this very moment. We do not teach separation in UNITY. But separation, or a sense of separation, is one condition of living in a world of physical “stuff”. Let go of every little thing that may be keeping you separated from the your spiritual truth. Let go of the “stuff” of life. Don’t overthink it. Then, watch what happens.
What is the purpose of prayer? How do you put prayer to use in your own life, and how do you feel when you pray? Substance is the idea behind the physical, a quality we address through prayer. Allow the divine to become personal. Approach prayer with conviction and feeling. There is no separation between who we are and the transformative substance of the universe.
What is your relationship to regret? Are you carrying the past around with you? Regrets are heavy. God always says “yes” and this includes any regrets we may be carrying. So, lose the regret. Let your inner joy guide you. And remember: all is well, no matter what.
What if we allowed a childlike sense of wonder to guide us? How would it feel to rediscover our inner wholeness, the part that shines most brightly? Joy is an inherent aspect of our being, our felt oneness with God. External circumstances and possessions may reflect our inner experience, but cannot create or sustain it. Joy is an inside job. So, unburden your thinking and rediscover your blithe spirit—the childlike joy inherent within.
How can I help? How can I be of service, not out of obligation, but out of love? In this undiscovered moment, lift your head above the crowd. Find new ways to serve that challenge you. Engage actively in the circulation of life. Love yourself, love your community, and your actions will shake the world.
How do we end the conflict we perceive in the world? What would it take for peace to reign across the land? By shifting our experience of the “other” we begin to shift out of duality, toward a greater whole. There are no sides to wholeness. Remember who you are and accept this truth for everyone you meet. Let us leave no man’s land behind so we may arrive at “every man’s land” together.
Who would you be if you didn’t have anyone else to compare yourself to? To see change in the static, we must move beyond fear. We must change our relationship to the circumstances outside ourselves. Feel your way toward a more authentic YOU, trust the light you shine, and remember who you are.
What is the doubt dance you are doing? How does this impact your understanding of giving and receiving? Remember who you are, and eliminate doubt in all aspects of your life.
Form is good! It is the construction of the Spiritual. Our decisions about the experience of the form of the world translate into ideas of good and bad. Keep in the flow through giving and receiving and the flood gates open for you!
What is your greatest asset? Rev. Jonathan suggests that we begin looking at our capacity to choose as our greatest asset. And when we know that is our greatest asset... use it to choose greater expressions of magnificence in our circumstances!
Believing is seeing. It's week 2 of the Fall Spiritual Renewal series... and today we discuss the limits of our creative selves! The only limit? Belief!!
Week 1 of 6 in this year's Fall Spiritual Renewal. We begin with the first two chapters of "Spiritual Economics" by Eric Butterworth. How does a tree and a rock fit in? Listen and find out!
A call to each of us to release conformity. In this week's message Rev. Jonathan offers this as homework: Rewrite the Prayer for Protection. Keep in mind the notion that we should release dualistic language, and keep the entire prayer in the present tense. You can email your suggestions to revjonathan@unitytucson.com
Let’s begin to realize we are one with each other, with all existence, with and as GOD. That's who's running the show... each of us AS God.
What is a miracle? Miracles are just ordinary occurrences for those who are rooted in the mystical understanding of God. From that perspective, everything is a miracle!
We are all threads that make up an infinite tapestry of life. If any thread is missing or compromised the integrity of the whole is compromised. You matter. You are necessary to the full expression of life.
Gravity is the universal force of attraction between all matter. Love is the universal force of attraction between all consciousness expressions. “God does not love anybody or anything. God is the love in everybody and everything. God is love; man becomes loving by permitting that which God IS to find expression in word and act.” - Charles Fillmore
Seeing beyond the periphery opens up our divine circuits. How will you choose to view the world? How will you view your inner world? How will you view your outer world? How will you view the world beyond your limitations?
Four steps to Get Infinite Truth Together: 1. Recognize Simplicity, 2. Appreciate Clarity, 3. Redefine Your Desires, 4. Reduce Your Posessions
It's Christmas in July! Why celebrate the Christ Consciousness only in December? The awareness of our own Divinity is in a state of being born all year long.
What are the motivations and intentions for each beat of your life? How are they being lived, and do you know that you are in total control of them? You are!
The conditions of our life and world are reflections of our consciousness. To make change we must be "metaconditional," -- that is "beyond conditions."
All answers are rooted in our inner knowing, and forgiveness can be a key in activating the SOUL-ution.
Who you are intrinsically is a matter of significance. Lay down those things which don't support your experience of "mattering."
Who am I? I am an animated inner changeless Truth that has the ability to acquire and APPLY knowledge.
"I alone am the most noble: I embrace the cosmos. What an incredible, subtle existence I am!” - Akegarasu Haya
Are you ready to turn "one day" into "day one?" Your job is to be authentically you! Have at it!
In a world that has us all cooped up it can feel limiting. The great metaphysical understanding of the religious and historical parts of our world point us in a similar direction: when we remember who we are we are unlimited.
It's Rev. Jonathan's first Sunday as Senior Minister of Unity of Tucson. It's also Palm Sunday. It's also a period in our world where there is a virus pandemic, so his first Sunday is presented virtually online, with no congregation present in the room. So what is the message? Simple: Love only. Forgive everything. Remember who you are.
Our work during this time of global pandemic is to deepen into what it is this has to teach us... and act accordingly.
Learn the origin of the world 'pandemic' and take note of how it connects with New Thought.
If we are in charge... now is the time to prove it.
In an unprecedented time of our lives, as we experience the need to distance physically from each other due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, it is a reminder that our Spiritual nature is not confined to a building. Let us recognize the power and presence of the Divine in and as our lives... and take it beyond the walls of the building on a Sunday.
Are we experiencing life from a prescriptive point of view or a descriptive point of view? Let’s get real, the deepest realness that resonates in our heart center… and then act accordingly.
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Thank you for joining us today. To make a one time donation please click here: https://bit.ly/2KXrTWc
“The resurrection is the death of the belief that we are separated from God. To practice the presence of God is to awaken within us the Christ Consciousness. Christ is the soul of God in man.” - Ernest Holmes
Thank you for joining us today. To make a one time donation please click here: https://bit.ly/2KXrTWc
"Love is a cosmic force whose sweep is irresistible." - Ernest Holmes
Upon completion of the service on this date, we realized there was the buzz throughout the recording. We are looking to have this unfortunate noise eliminated for the next and future recordings.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
This week's lessons on:
We believe in the control of conditions through the power of this Mind.
We believe in the eternal goodness, the eternal loving-kindness, and eternal givingness of Life to all.
We believe in our own soul, our own spirit and our own destiny, for we understand that the life of all is God.
This week's lessons on:
We believe in the direct revelation of truth through the spiritual and intuitive nature of each person and that anyone may become a revealer of truth who lives in close contact with the indwelling God.
We believe that the Universal Spirit, which is God, operates through a Universal Mind, which is the Law of God; and that we are surrounded by this Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thought and acts upon it.
We believe in the healing of the sick through the power of this Mind.
We believe the ultimate goal of life to be a complete emancipation from all discord of every nature and that this goal is to be attained by all. We believe in the Unity of all life, and that the highest God and the innermost God is one God. We believe that God is personal to all who feel this indwelling Presence.