THE GIFTS OF GOD — Sondra Ray and Markus Ray on A Course in Miracles

The Light and the Strength of our holy SELF transcends the body's eyes and brain. There is a Sight and a Strength that is connected with the Christ Self that we share. But we have to be willing to let go of what we thought before with the brain's stored "knowledge” that was highly conditioned. We were conditioned to "hate" and to "love" according to what the body's eyes could "see." This was not true sight at all. It kept us wrongly blind in our separation. This Lesson helps us to forgive and let go of our misperceptions based on the body's eyes and brain that created division and false beliefs. We can use the Light of Truth in which to see with spiritual sight that unifies us with Creation—including all our brothers and sisters. In this Christ's Vision are we all One.

We have to see differently, without the filter of the body's eyes. Can we see beyond the body, and all the judgments that this limited form of vision gives us? Rise above the doubt and see through the Self God Created whole and complete, not separated from awareness of its Source. This is the Light beyond the body that gives us the vision of miracles. Strength is in this vision of holiness.

This is Lesson #80. The Problem is Separation which manifests in the form of grievances. Grevances divide us from one another and from the Energy of Life itself. In the absence of Peace and Joy and Gratitude toward this very Life we have, we would wallow in separation—and in this separation arise problems. It is devoid of Joy. Immersed in pain, we can end the illusion of suffering today when we end the Separation we feel between ourselves and our Source. Peace and Joy are the attributes of my Source. We can be in the Oneness with our Source. In that Oneness are our problems solved.

Our cause and effects of the ego have no meaning to the True Self. This Lesson #77 makes it clear we are entitled to miracles. The miracles can erase all consequences that would come from our mistakes. Even death can be transmuted. We are entitled to miracles.

God has laws of Love that created us, and these are the only real laws under which we abide. There are worldly rules that govern and maintain a more orderly world, but the real Laws are those which God, our Creator, bestows on us. These are the "laws" of giving. When we give like God gives, unconditionally, then we can truly say we are under no laws but God's.

Have we forgiven the world totally? For the Light to be here, we have to forgive everything. There is nothing outside of our forgiveness. The Light has come becaseu of this forgiveness. Forgiveness is our function as the light of the world. The Light has come whne we forgive. It is just that simple.

What is God's Will? Would it include war, conflict, the infliction of pain and suffering, massive destruction of life? ACIM would say NO. God's Will is only Peace, Love, Joy and Perfect Happiness. This is the Will that brings forth the LIGHT. How do we align with God's Will that is the Light. God creates Love. Immortality. Life. Love. By definition this would not include war. Reality that is Divine, which is the only Reality, is Peace, free of all conflict. Are we committed to manifesting this Divine Reality? If we desire to end pain and suffering in ourselves and in the world we have to make these inner corrections.

Do we think with God? Do we want what God wants? The basic question in this Lesson is "Are we in touch with God's Will in which there is NO CONFLICT?" This is the whole truth that sets us free. Can we make this our one and only goal today—to join our will with God's Will and come to absolute inner peace? This would be the END of all war. War is never justified. The engagement with conflict is a sure sign that we are siding with the ego's rule, not God's Will. And there is no Will but God's in truth. Love and conflict cannot co-exist. Either we are with one or the other.

Light and Peace and Joy go together. Do we WILL this in ourselves? We are causing our own suffering and we are free to change our minds to align with the Light of Peace and Joy of God. We can forgive ourselves for all of our former mistakes in perception. Suffering is not happiness. Happiness is the Light. And we are using our will to JOIN with God's Will. This joining is salvation. This is the end of suffering and the Awareness of Perfect Happiness. This is our movement toward the good life.

Our grievances keep us in hell. Do we really want to be in hell? Grievances are an attack on our heavenly state of being, that is our original state. Why would we want to stay in hell? Are we able to let go of this need to hold grievances? This Lesson in ACIM, #72, makes it clear that holding grievances is an attack on God's plan for us to be in heaven. In order to accept heaven, to "make the decision for heaven," we must give up our "need to be right," and our need to hold grievances.