“Love and pity and wish well to every soul in the world; dwell in love, and then you dwell in God.”

– William Law

 Source: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/william_law_158260

     Prayer can be something very personal or something shared as a group.  In either case, clear your mind and let joy and appreciation enter your heart.  Speak with God as often as you like, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing.  About big things or small things, happy things or sad things—whatever it is that brings you joy or trouble.  Be open to whatever ways God may answer you.  Have patience and faith—God will never let you down.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 49)

 

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

     Another word for thankfulness is appreciation, and the best way to show appreciation for any gift is to take care of it.  This applies to spiritual gifts as well.

     If we let our spiritual gifts fall into ruin through abuse or neglect, then we aren’t appreciating how fortunate we are to have them.  Therefore, take some time every day to thank God for your many gifts.  Use them as often as you can and to the best of your abilities.  A spirit of appreciation is always accompanied by a great sense of joy and unity with God and those around you.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 49)

 

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

     “The seed of God is in us.  Given an intelligent and hard working farmer, it will thrive and grow up to God, whose seed it is; and accordingly, its fruits will be God-nature.  Pear seeds grow into pear trees, nut seeds into nut trees, and a God seed into God.”

– Meister Eckhart

Source: https://izquotes.com/quote/327244

     None of us are perfect.  We all have that in us which we are ashamed to look at in the mirror, which we’ve strived to conquer yet still fallen short.

     The beauty comes in trying … trying each and every day to rid ourselves of that which we despise.

     In trying, there is some victory.  And every victory adds another brick to the foundation we’re trying to build.  Until one day, without realizing it, our house is built and we’re able to live in peace and joy.

     And we’ll soon discover that as we work hard to change ourselves, the world around us is changing as well.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 48)

 

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

     We all, each of us, have been given certain gifts by God.  We must look within ourselves and pray to God to help us develop these gifts so that we may, indeed, become the salt of the earth, enriching the lives of those we encounter, in ways in which we all become closer to God and everyone around us.

— Excerpted from The Truth as I See It: A Collection of Spiritual Writings by Adam Soto (p. 48)

 

Copyright 2018 Golden Rule Independent Publications

     During the wedding rehearsal, the groom approached the pastor with an unusual offer: “Look, I’ll give you $100 if you’ll change the wedding vows. When you get to the part where I’m supposed to promise to ‘love, honor and obey’ and ‘be faithful to her forever,’ well, I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave that out.” He passed the minister a $100 bill and walked away satisfied.

     On the day of the wedding, when it came time for the groom’s vows, the pastor looked the young man in the eye and said: “Will you promise to prostrate yourself before her, obey her every command and wish, serve her breakfast in bed every morning of your life, and swear eternally before God and your lovely wife that you will not ever even look at another woman, as long as you both shall live?” The groom gulped and looked around, and said in a tiny voice, “Yes,” then leaned toward the pastor and hissed: “I thought we had a deal.” The pastor put a $100 bill into the groom’s hand and whispered: “She made me a better offer.”

Source: http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Spiritual_Humor.html

     The Master became a legend in his lifetime. It was said that God once sought his advice: “I want to play a game of hide-and-seek with humankind. I’ve asked my angels what the best place is to hide in. Some say the depth of the ocean. Others the top of the highest mountain. Others still the far side of the moon or a distant star. What do you suggest?”

     Said the Master, “Hide in the human heart. That’s the last place they will think of!”

– Anthony de Mello, One Minute Wisdom

Source: https://www.facebook.com/tonydemellocalltolove/posts/595886603782450

Matthew 5:43-48 (NLT)

 Teaching about Love for Enemies

     ⁴³ “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies!

     “Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who persecute you! ⁴⁵ In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. ⁴⁶ If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. ⁴⁷ If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. ⁴⁸ But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Question: Do you think a human today can be/become a Perfected Being? If so, how?

Answer: I think that we can (do) have moments of perfection.  When we love someone without any thought of self, or exhibit any other kind of Godly virtue in relation to those around us, I believe that these are moments of perfection.  I’m not sure if any of us will ever be able to live completely unselfishly while on this earth.  I think that we are all susceptible to moments of weakness, where we know the right thing but fail to act on it.  I think following the Zoroastrian mantra of, “Good thoughts, good words, good deeds,” is the best approach to living.  Trying to be good, to love, to seek unity in all that we do … I believe that is the goal and purpose of life.

     There is an old Catholic monk from centuries ago named Brother Lawrence who is famous for a collection of letters called, “The Practice of the Presence of God.”  The idea is that we willfully include God in everything that we do.  Our first thought in any situation should always be to God, and we should view God as a constant companion.

     Practicing this, I believe, puts one in close contact with God, a kind of contact which feels stronger and more intimate as time goes on.  I’ve been practicing this since I was a teenager, and it is the foundation in which all of my spiritual joy is built.  I don’t think that it has made me a perfected being, but I do believe that it has helped me to feel closer to God and build a more Godly character.

     Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong, but that’s The Truth as I See It.