In our last message, we talked about how man-made religion can have negative effects on people. Today, I want to talk about the important ideas, the sayings, the Universal Teachings, that Jesus brought to humanity, which can bring deep emotions and meaning to our lives.
Jesus was a great teacher who said, "The Kingdom of God is within you." Yet man says, you cannot get there without going through the church, temple, house of worship, etc.
This beautiful message of the kingdom within has a powerful impact on our hearts and souls. It means that as we go through life and strengthen our working faith, we become more confident and better able to face challenges.
On the other hand, we can see the sad truth when we see homeless people and beggars on the street. These individuals, who are often forgotten or overlooked, show us the opposite side of a working faith in Self. They have lost faith in themselves and feel trapped in a cycle of despair and hopelessness.
Developing a strong working faith is a journey that happens gradually, built by our own life experiences and how we handle them. Each obstacle we overcome becomes a building block, helping us grow and giving us more confidence. Our minds are like a complex tapestry of memories, and we can learn from the past, looking back to see ahead, a Universal Teaching, to guide us through similar situations.
Our patterns of behavior, created by our subconscious concepts, “tell” us how to deal with situations. In looking back you can see how you dealt with the current one in the past. However, you may not want the same outcome as before. That is why looking back allows you to make changes in your approach, your attitude, on dealing with the current situation.
Even though your present circumstances may seem different, you can often find similarities in the underlying energy, people, and events. This is why the saying "history repeats itself" is so true. By looking back at the past, we can gain wisdom and insight to help us move forward. Life has its own cycles and patterns, and by recognizing these recurring themes, we can better understand our own lives. And become the person we really want to be, not the one we are expected to be. (The book Becoming the New You... the You You Want to Be is created to assist in this effort of getting control and mastering the yourself.)
In the book of Ecclesiastes 3:15, we find a reflection of this idea of history repeating itself. "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."Let me share with you an understanding of this verse that touches the depths of your soul.
This is saying that all patterns of behavior flow in cycles. This is why history does repeat itself, including yours. However, when you develop eyes that see and ears that hear, and become aware of how your mind is communicating with you, telling you where in the flow of the pattern you are, that gives you the opportunity to change the outcome.
The last part, “...and God requireth that which is past.” Tells you that karma is true. There is a Universal Teaching “you reap what you sow.” That may not manifest in this life, but will in the next.
In our next message, we will explore how embracing these profound ideas can bring great benefits to your life's journey.
Together, we will discover the timeless wisdom found in the teachings of the great masters including Jesus, guiding us to a more fulfilling life.
Instead of relying solely on an external source like God or other divine beings to fix our problems, we can take a more proactive approach. We can have a dynamic faith, what we call a “working faith”, that motivates us to take action and make positive changes in our lives.