Who Have You Come Here To Be – 09

Namaste

The vision of Unity Church of Oklahoma City is to transform the consciousness of Oklahoma City one moment, and one life, at a time as we build our community together through love.

Our mission is healing lives, realizing dreams, experiencing Spirit.

Jesus and Satan were having this ongoing argument about who was better at using the computer.   They had been really bickering about it.    Finally, God said, "Cool it!!   I am going to set up a test which will take two hours and it will judge who does the better job!"

So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away. They moused,

did spreadsheets, typed reports, sent faxes, sent e-mail, sent out e-mail with attachments, they downloaded, they sent thank you letters. They did every known job.

Then Suddenly... without warning...ten minutes before the time was up, lightning flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, the rain poured, and of course, the electricity went off.     Satan stared at his blank screen screaming every curse word known in the underworld.

Jesus just sighed.

The electricity finally flickered back on, and each restarted their computers.    Satan started searching frantically screaming, "It's gone!     It's all gone!    I lost everything when the power went out!"

Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all his files from the past two hours.    Satan observed this and became even more irate.    "Wait!    This isn't fair, Jesus cheated!    How did he do it??!!"

God shrugged and said, "Jesus Saves."

Jesus Saves! Two Thousand years after He lived on this physical plane, many groups will tell you that is why he came here, too “Save You” from the eternal fires of Hell! They’ll knock on your door and ask if have you been saved; is Lord Jesus your personal lord and Savior. As those groups look back it seems all to clear that he was so clearly focused on his mission, that he knew from the time of his birth “Who he had come here to be!” But is that True?

We all have struggled with that question; haven’t we? Why was I born? What’s my soul’s purpose? It’s a question to sit with for a while, “Who have I come here to be? Some might answer quickly, “I’m “here” to be a better person, to help turn my life around, to help find forgiveness, or peace, or love, or wisdom.” But this is a much larger question than that, and asks us to awaken to what stirs in our soul and to call it forth. Perhaps it is something that has flashed through your mind; something that seemed to be dream; a vision of your higher self that you believe is out of reach. “Who have you come here to be?”

Allow the question to stir within you, just as I believe it stirred within Jesus. Then he saw his cousin John, Baptizing people along the river’s edge and something moved in him.

Intrigued, Jesus walked into the water and was baptized by John. When Jesus arose from the water he looked up into the sky and he was filled with the awe and wonder of the Holy Spirit. It is said that he heard a voice, saying, “You are my son, the beloved, with you I am well pleased (Mark 1:9 – 12).” The Spirit of the Lord moved in him; overwhelmed by it all he fled into the wilderness to sort the experience out.

You’ve probably heard of how individuals moved by Spirit get lost in the wilderness of their temptation, never to achieve their inspiration! They see, or feel, the ability of Spirit to transform their life, but are persuaded by the illusions of the physical and desire of the ego mind to achieve success, power and control. However, I believe after his time prayer, reflection and temptation in the wilderness, Jesus’ had become very clear about how he intended to spend the rest of his life, and he wanted to share this news with his family and friends.

So, when Jesus emerged from the wilderness he returned home to Nazareth and went to the synagogue, as was his custom on the morning of Sabbath. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him; he found his place and said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. The Holy Spirit has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and to recover the sight of the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." He rolled up the scroll and with all eyes fixed on him, he said, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

When Jesus stood along the river he felt Spirit’s promptings and was guided into the wilderness where he sat in the question, “Who have I come here to be?” How can I share this feeling that I have? How can I bring it to life? As he read the words of Isaiah he knew, in that moment, the work he was to do, and then he stepped into that role. Was his purpose to save all of mankind from their “sins and the eternal fires of hell?”

Well not exactly, at least not according to this verse; his role was to be bring the Good News to the poor – and what was that good news? – He was to help release those in bondage, to help the blind to see, to let the oppressed to go free and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And yet in a way His purpose was, and is, saving mankind from their sins and from the fires of hell, a hell that we create here and now as results of our error thinking, which produces the dramas we so willing take part in, which help us to feel important and alive.

Jesus is the living symbol of awakened spiritual consciousness, and when we choose to follow his teachings and live the Truth he left us we are, we saved the Self Inflicted Nonsense we once would impose upon ourselves. When we lift our consciousness to be the light we are transformed. Just as Jesus watched John baptizing along the river, saw the peak he was to ascend and that morning in the Synagogue stepped into that role.

But enough about Jesus, “Who have you come here to be? What is your life’s purpose?

You see, we are each on a journey, a continually unfolding adventure of awakening to the fullness of Life. This physical realm is a school for our soul to learn, to understand, and to realize our potential and our true nature as spiritual beings. Our journey began at birth, and our quest it to understand and express of our true nature, always evolving in Spirit, increasing the intensity of our light.

I believe that each soul that chooses to come into the world picks roles and lessons to learn while it is in this life experience. These choices set our life experiences. However, as we are learn the ways of the physical world, we become mesmerized by the illusions the mortal mind creates and we forget the roles we have chosen. We unknowingly put on a mask that hides our true divine nature. We forget our spiritual identity and our purpose, which is our first and only true sin.

In time, we have what I would call a few special events, our own unique experiences, which cracks the shell of our worldly understanding, then the answers to life’s mysterious that once seemed so compete, no longer work. Despite our accomplishments and achievements, we begin to question the meaning and the purpose of our life. We begin to feel this restlessness, this inner longing, and we begin to search for what seems missing. This inner longing is our souls’ desire to experience the awe and the wonder of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus experienced it on the banks of the Jordan River so many years ago. It would be my guess that this inner longing is what brought most, if not all of us, to Unity.

So today, I am going to re-commit myself to discovering my soul’s purpose. And I invite you to join me. Because that purpose, our souls’ purpose, is always changing and evolving as grow and evolve. This longing to know my spirit and to live in Oneness with it has been stirring since the Gary Simmons’ Workshop last month. It was really an awesome workshop, and I know that 19 the members of our church that had the opportunity to attend were equally inspired. I have just been wanting to talk and talk about the insights that I gained from it, but we had all these other wonderful learning opportunities since than. Laura Lane Power, Rocco Errico, Mother’s Day, the movie Spiritual Liberation.

For me the most important realization I gained from the Workshop was what I said just a few moments ago, that we are all on a journey to discover our soul’s purpose and to reveal who we have come here to be, and then stepping into that role and expressing it.

I am sure that this is not a new idea to anyone here. I know I have talked about it from time to time. But what I commit myself to doing, and I believe our board is in agreement with me, is taking the idea of the Spiritual journey and making it a corner stone of our ministry; just as our Vision Statement would seem to indicate. Now I am not saying that this idea has not been part of our ministry, because it has been, but in a more subliminal way.

The Spiritual Journey, and who we have come here to be, is going to be one of our focuses and will be incorporated into different aspect of our ministry. I am quite sure the details will be revealed as we develop various future programs. How do we achieve this? That’s going to be the focus of our ministry and what we as a Spiritual Community need to be about; to be the light of the world and expressing it, just as Jesus realized his role and stepped into it.

But what does that mean, we first have to understand who we’ve come here to be. So I am going to invite you to do an exercise with me. It an exercise I have done a half dozen times, and our board members have done a time or two, but never fear, you won’t be bored cause each time you do it, it changes, cause you change. However, today we are going to change this up a bit by doing our meditation now. Cause I am one with my Spirit, and I also follow my promptings. That’s our affirmation for today by the way. I am one with my spirit, will you affirm that with me. I am one with my Spirit.

Will our prayer chaplains stand and take their corners, I have a guided meditation for you today. It is built around an experience that Abraham had as he searched to understand who he had come here to be. It occurs after Abraham traveled on foot from Ur – the land of light – which is near present day Kuwait, to the dry mountains of eastern Turkey to Egypt and then to hill overlooking the Jordan River in present day Israel. It was a very long journey and Abraham was at his wits end. He didn’t understand how he had been land to this very pretty but very ordinary spot, he done every thing that Spirit had directed to do, but none of the promise that had been made had come to be. And he was ready to give up his search, so the lord came to him in a dream

Relax and become comfortable within your seat and mind. Breathe in gentle, God is. Breathe out I am. Allow your breathing to be easy and rhythmic. Experience the peace, the harmony, and energy, which is present within you, as you drift with the music. In the calm and peace of the mind, I invite you to allow my words to become the voice your heart and mind, of the Spirit within you.

Sweet Spirit, I know that you are here with me, walking beside me, guiding my way. As I let go of my concerns, I know your wisdom; your love and your understanding rushes in to show me the way. So dear lord move in me, stir in me, awaken my heart and mind to your presence and your life.

I feel your sweet Spirit, dear Lord, moving within my mind and it pulled into inner recess of my heart and soul. Back in time to place many years ago to a hill on a star lit night, where a man named Abram sleeps. Listen, as the voice of Spirit whispers to him from the depth of being.

“Do not be afraid dear one, I am your shield; follow my ways and listen to my callings and your reward shall be very great. Still your doubts and look past the appearance of lack and limitation; feel My Presence stirring within you. Be still my child, for all the thoughts that come to you in quiet of this moment are your inheritance. Come walk with me into the stillness of the night. As you stand and walk toward the door of the tent, the Infinite One, the Sacred Energy of life put’s its arm around you and walks outside into the night, to spot on the hill that over looks a great valley.

As you look out at the night sky, the Infinite One invites you, “Breathe in the breath of life and Look up at the heavens and count the stars, can perceive their number, their vastness. So shall your descendants be, your imagination will be filled with the many dreams and possibilities that I have for you. Allow them to come forth in this moment now and take root in your soul and you shall feel more Presence stirring deeply within you.”

Spirit whispers, “I am the Lord who brought you, out the realm of light, and splendor; so that, your understanding and intelligence, which is active within you, can experience and possess this dream. The one true light shines forth from you.”

Perceive the love that I have for you, the abundance and the wealth that lies within your mind. My child trust in me, and surrender your human strength, surrender you will to me, allow my peace to fill your being and allow me to work through your heart and mind and your thoughts will take flight your bringing you the sweet fulfillment of Spirit. Rest now, rest under the night sky and allow your imagination to soar as a bird in flight, allow your dreams to unfold in this sacred place as you rest within the stillness.”

I am the flaming torch that burns deep within your heart, and the desire the fires your imagination, I am here, turn to me my child, allow me to live within your heart and mind and I will watch over you, protect you, bless with abundance, this is my word.

Sweet Spirit, Search in me, know me, illumine my mind, and my faith. For My imagination soars, and I long to awaken within your abiding love. Amen and amen.

As you return to this time and bring with you the joy, peace, allow the vision the dream you hold with in your heart and mind to come forth. Return easily and gentle.

“Who have you come here to be?” Now pick up the exercise sheet in your bulletin. List your hero’s…

I invite you to look at your card one more time and to see yourself in the role, see yourself as an emissary of the light and to let your light so shine. If you are feeling resistant to your new-found purpose, and hear yourself saying to how can I ever be this. Then listen to these inspired words of Spirit.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous. Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Beautiful, radiant child of God, you are worthy and deserving of all of Gods good. Remember Who You Are; step into your spiritual role. Claim your birth right, and live a life enriched by the understanding and wonder of your spiritual self. Who have you come here to be? Only you know for sure! So shine your light into the darkness and the darkness about you will be no more.

To transform the consciousness of Oklahoma City - one life, one moment at a time, as we build our community together.

Resources for this tallk:

www.positivechristianity.org, Christopher Chenoweth founder

The “I” of the Storm by Gary Simmons, Unity Books, Unity Village MO

Thriving Ministries Model, Gary Simmons, Unity Books, Unity Village MO

The Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, Charles Fillmore, Unity Village MO

The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version