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

TGOG: COT; #1 MIND—SPIRIT.

We are given clarification of the MIND of GOD which is in constant contact with Spiritual Truth. This is the realm of Pure Love, Joy, Happiness, Wellness; and True Being. What could be turned away from that awareness is also the mind, but one in need of inner correction and guidance. We are always given the opportunity to transcend all limitations, rise above the physical level of constraints, and be in the stillness of the Peace of God—the place of our real MIND with GOD.

29. AS FOR THE REST...

We can give over our problems to the TEACHER Who is always right. We refer decisions now over to the Holy Spirit. We are absolved of all guilt now. And we can be free of fear and anger as well, and allow the memory of Love to return to us.

28. WHAT IS THE RESURRECTION?

"Very simply, the resurrection is the overcoming or surmounting of death. It is a re-awakening or a rebirth; a change of mind about the meaning of the world. It is the acceptance of the Holy Spirit's interpretation of the world's purpose; the acceptance of the Atonement for oneself. It is the end of dreams of misery, and the glad awareness of the Holy Spirit's final dream. It is the recognition of the gifts of God. It is the dream in which the body functions perfectly, having no function except communication. It is the lesson in which learning ends, for it is consummated and surpassed with this. It is the invitation to God to take His final step. It is the relinquishment of all other purposes, all other interests, all other wishes and all other concerns. It is the single desire of the Son for the Father."

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27. WHAT IS DEATH?

Death is the central dream from which all illusions stem. Is it not madness to think of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, and dying in the end? We have asked this question before, but now we need to consider it more carefully. It is the one fixed, unchangeable belief of the world that all things in it are born only to die. This is regarded as "the way of nature," not to be raised to question, but to be accepted as the "natural" law of life. The cyclical, the changing and unsure; the undependable and the unsteady, waxing and waning in a certain way upon a certain path,-all this is taken as the Will of God. And no one asks if a benign Creator could will this.

CAN GOD BE REACHED DIRECTLY?

We have a Divine Connection that is in us, but we can block our contact with it if we maintain doubt, fear, anger, guilt, and general unwillingness. We have to forgive all of this. Responsibility is in seeing we are never a victim of anything, and we have attracted all negative experiences. We can forgive ourselves and return to GRACE. In this open mind we can cross the threshold of our Divine Connection, and have the help of the Spiritual Masters to redirect our course in life to fulfill our holy destiny. We are meant to have an active contact with our Divine Creator, starting NOW.

ARE PSYCHIC POWERS DESIRABLE?

Awakening into our God Consciousness is the main goal ACIM puts forth. Can we do this in using all of the powers given to us in the Mind? There is nothing special about it, but it may expand the powers of the Mind activated through our study of A Course in Miracles.

24. IS REINCARNATION SO?

The concept of "Past Lives," so prominent in the belief in reincarnation, is not necessary to make the decision for Heaven now. In fact, it can distract us from that decision, especially if we are enmeshed in the beliefs that prevented us for making this decision in the past. Whatever we are suffering now we have always suffered until we decide to end our self-inflicted suffering. "Past lives" may present a picture of similar dynamics in our relationships and circustances, but forgiveness is still the means to clean everything up. And this does not require a belief, or a fucus, on reincarnation.

23. DOES JESUS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN HEALING?

A spiritual Master is essential to our own process of inner evolution. We "awaken" through the grace of these "Teachers of God." They help us to "undo" lower order concerns and rise to the height of our True Self in God. Without them, we would waste time and flounder around in life's "problems." Jesus, in this case of studying ACIM, is the Master Teacher who played His part in the ATONEMENT perfectly. Therefore, He can lift us out of the doldrums we might be stuck in, and place us at the gates of Heaven through which He leads us through. What could be better. —MARKUS

22. HOW ARE HEALING AND ATONEMENT RELATED?

"Healing and Atonement are not related; they are identical. There is no order of difficulty in miracles because there are no degrees of Atonement."

The responsibility to "accept the Atonement" for ourselves remains. Can we. It is a total action. Without it, how can there be real healing? The decision is ours. Sickness....or Healing. Conflict...or Peace. Is there anything really, to block our one decision?

21. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF WORDS IN HEALING?

The Energy of our pure intent, with our certainty of Divine Connection, lends great power to our healing process. We have to know in our bones that God's Will for us is perfect happiness, which would include total healing. We can LET GO. We can be in a new vibration of the Heaven State, pain-free, conflict-free, disease-free, and yes, even "death-free." We need only the Prayer of the Heart for this to be given.