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LESSON 240 AUGUST 28 FRIDAY
Daily Quote
What is Salvation?
Daily Lesson 240
Sarah's Reflections
TEXT CH 21 VIII 70-84
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Course in Miracles Society (CIMS) is an international group of Course students and teachers organized to discover, authenticate and propagate the Divine Teachings of A Course in Miracles.

 

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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 21 "THE INNER PICTURE"
VIII. "PERCEPTION AND WISHES"

   Do I desire a world I rule instead of one which rules me?
   Do I desire a world where I am powerful instead of helpless? 
   Do I desire a world in which I have no enemies and cannot sin?
 
   And do I want to see what I denied because it is the truth?  

WHAT IS SALVATION?    
What is Salvation  
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  Salvation is a promise, made by God,
   that you would find your way to Him at last.
   It cannot but be kept. It guarantees
   that time will have an end, and all the thoughts
   that have been born in time will end as well.
   God's Word is given every mind that thinks
   that it has separate thoughts, and will replace
   these thoughts of conflict with the Thought of peace.
 
   The Thought of peace was given to God's Son
   the instant that his mind had thought of war.
   There was no need for such a Thought before,
   for peace was given without opposite,
   and merely was. But when the mind is split,
   there is a need of healing. So the Thought
   Which has the power to heal the split became
   a part of every fragment of the mind
   which still was one, but failed to recognize
   its oneness. Now it did not know itself,
   and thought its own identity was lost.
 
   Salvation is undoing in the sense
   that it does nothing, failing to support
   the world of dreams and malice. Thus it lets
   illusions go. By not supporting them,
   it merely lets them quietly go down
   to dust. And what they hid is now revealed;
   an altar to the holy Name of God,
   whereon His Word is written, with the gifts
   of your forgiveness laid before It, and
   the memory of God not far behind.
 
   Let us come daily to this holy place,
   and spend a while together. Here we share
   our final dream. It is a dream in which
   there is no sorrow, for it holds a hint
   of all the glory given us by God.
   The grass is pushing through the soil, the trees
   are budding now, and birds have come to live
   within their branches. Earth is being born
   again in new perception. Night has gone,
   and we have come together in the light.
 
   From here we give salvation to the world,
   for it is here salvation was received.
   The song of our rejoicing is the call
   to all the world that freedom is returned,
   that time is almost over, and God's Son
   has but an instant more to wait until
   his Father is remembered, dreams are done,
   eternity has shined away the world,
   and only Heaven now exists at all.
 
    ~ Original Hand Script October 1, 1970
 
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 L e s s o n 240
Fear is not justified in any form.   
   
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   Fear is deception. It attests that you
   have seen yourself as you could never be, 
   and therefore look upon a world which is 
   impossible. Not one thing in that world 
   is true. It does not matter what the form 
   in which it may appear. It witnesses 
   but to your own illusions of yourself.
   Let us not be deceived today. We are
   the Son of God. There is no fear in us,
   for we are each a part of Love Itself. 
 
   How foolish are our fears! Would You allow 
   Your Son to suffer? Give us faith today  
   to recognize Your Son and set him free.
   Let us forgive him in Your Name, that we
   may understand his holiness, and free.
   Let us forgive him in Your Name, that we
   may understand his holiness, and feel
   the love for him that is Your own as well.
     
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LESSON 240
Fear is not justified in any form. 

Sarah's Commentary:


To us who identify with this body and this world, fear certainly does seem to be justified. There are many dangers we have learned to protect ourselves from. We fear being hurt by others and of getting sick. We are afraid of germs, of pollution, of insects. We fear losing our material goods, our friends and those we are attached to, and ultimately we fear death. I could go on and on but you get the point. We have thousands of fear thoughts. In fact, our lives here are all about fear. Fear is the content of the ego mind. It is deception because, although we have bought into it, it is not real. And now, "It attests that you have seen yourself as you could never be, and therefore look upon a world which is impossible." (W.240.1.2)
 
In Lesson 153, Jesus tells us this sense of threat we live with is much deeper than we even realize, but we cover it up with our many distractions. The ego needs to keep us from seeing how much fear we are in. If we were more aware of this deep level of threat, we may be even more motivated to learn the truth about ourselves. All of our fear comes from our belief in guilt, that we have done something wrong for which we deserve to be punished.

The core of our learning today is, "Not one thing in this world is true." (W.240.1.3) If that is truly so, what would we be afraid of? All of our fears would truly be foolish because if there is nothing true in this world or about this world and all the forms of this world (including our bodies) are just our falsely held beliefs, our fears would all be about nothing. In fact, the ego is nothing but a falsely held belief about ourselves, and we can choose not to listen to it. It is all about the decision we make in each moment, as we read in the Lesson yesterday. Our decision not to listen to the ego is the same as surrender. We do this when we become aware we are not the victim of our ego. We are not trapped in its grasp. Our experiences in the world are there because we have chosen to listen to it, but we can make another choice.
 
The Course has been summed up by the words, "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." (T.IN.2.2)(ACIM OE T.IN.4) That is it in a nutshell and all there is for us to learn. No more than that. Jesus tells us this in any number of ways in the Course. Yet it does take some effort for us to get to the determination of no longer choosing to listen to the ego's seeming dictates, because we no longer wish to experience the effects of making the choice for the ego.
 
The world of form is all an illusion, but it is valuable for our learning because, " It witnesses but to your own illusions of yourself." (W.240.1.5) In other words, we can see our own guilt by what is reflected back at us. Everything starts in our own minds and all effects are a result of our own thoughts. The guilt in our minds is projected out onto the world. Now the world delivers us the punishment we think we have coming to us. The punishment that seems to be delivered by the world simply reinforces the belief that we are a body, guilty of having killed God in order to experience our individual will, we have caused pain to others, and there is a real world that has real effects on us. It all witnesses to the thought system of the ego we hold.
 
However, since our experiences here are all a witness to our illusions, we can use these experiences as learning opportunities to look at our fears and to release them to the Holy Spirit. Increasingly we recognize, "How foolish are our fears!" (W.240.2.1) We then gain faith in our true reality as the Son of God, unlimited, eternal and "a part of Love Itself." (W.240.1.8) What can we fear if we accept this as the truth? The truth is we are holy, innocent and nothing we think we have done has actually happened in reality. As we start to accept this reality for ourselves, our sense of safety and security is enhanced. We feel safe and protected, but this must be tested in order for us to gain faith in the strength and power in us.
 
When I am afraid, I don't think I am deceiving or fooling myself. I think there is something real threatening my well-being so my defenses go up and I try to protect myself. When we really look at our experiences here, we are afraid all of the time. Oh we might have moments of peace and release from fear in a holy instant, but mostly we are reminded daily of our fears. We look out at a world we think has the power to hurt us. By valuing anything outside of ourselves, we give it power. We feel manipulated and controlled by forces seemingly outside of our own minds, and we build defenses against them. Thus, we keep reinforcing our fears. Yet Jesus reminds us, through forgiveness, our fears will be released because our guilt is released. He assures us when we accept our total innocence, we will know nothing can harm us because we will no longer identify with the body. When we awaken to the truth of who we are, we will no longer be controlled by anything outside of the mind.

Recently I picked up some stinging nettles out of my garden. Unfortunately for me, I did not wear gloves. My immediate reaction was to look to magic for relief. I checked on the internet for remedies and went through any number of options, only to find continued pain. It was only after the remedies had no effect that I remembered I could turn to the power of my own mind to address the pain. I started by recognizing I did not have to see this situation as painful, but could withdraw from my association with pain by calling the experience in the body as tingling sensations. Then I reminded myself I was not this body and the pain was being projected by my mind. I connected it to guilt where I had judged a friend and the punishment seemed to be deserved. I worked on the forgiveness of myself and the pain eased significantly. Perhaps if I had started here right away, I would not have experienced so much of my day in pain.

We do think our bodies and our personalities define us, but as we progress on this journey and continue to apply these Lessons to the situations in our lives, our hold on these beliefs loosens. We no longer put our trust in things that are nothing but elusive, changeable and temporary in this world. We neither have to stop enjoying the things of this world nor give them up. We simply stop believing they could ever bring us happiness or we could be threatened by anything in this world. To withdraw our beliefs is to question the truth of them. To go within is to ask for another way of seeing the situation.

In the Manual for Teachers, Section 16 "How should the teacher of God spend his day?" we are reminded, "There is one thought in particular that should be remembered throughout the day. It is a thought of pure joy; a thought of peace, a thought of limitless release, limitless because all things are freed within it. You think you made a place of safety for yourself. You think you made a power that can save you from all the fearful things you see in dreams. It is not so. Your safety lies not there. What you give up is merely the illusion of protecting illusions. And it is this you fear, and only this. How foolish to be afraid of nothing! Nothing at all! Your defenses will not work, but you are not in danger. You have no need of them. Recognize this, and they will disappear. And only then will you accept your real protection." (M.16.6.1-14)
 
We are not asked to give up the things that remind us of our fear, such as locking our doors and taking medicine when we are sick, if we are still too fearful to put our faith in God. Nor should we increase our guilt by deriding ourselves for not being further along in our healing. As a friend and teacher reminded me, "The slow way is the fast way." In other words, we may wish to be further along in our undoing process than we are, but this is not helpful because it is a self-judgment. It is better to be in the acceptance of where we are, which will allow us to stop and look more deeply at the roadblocks we are setting up. It is not unlike the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady will get us to our goal. We simply continue to use each situation that arises where our fear comes up, and bring it forward for healing. "By not supporting them, it [salvation] merely lets them quietly go down to dust." (W.PII.Q2.3.3)
 
When we do this kind of healing of our own minds, we give healing to the world. "The song of our rejoicing is the call to all the world that freedom is returned, that time is almost over, and God's Son has but an instant more to wait until his Father is remembered, dreams are done, eternity has shined away the world, and only Heaven now exists at all." (W.PII.Q2.5.2)
 
Remember to be content with your learning and not to be impatient with yourselves, which is just another attack on the mind. We have guilt and fear as a result of our belief in separation from God and we have now made a choice for healing. The entire Course is one of making this choice over and over with each problem, with each difficulty, with each fear that comes up, and with all of our grievances. This choice seems to be spread over a long period of time, yet the moment we are ready, we will awaken to the truth of who we really are.

To remember God is to reflect His Oneness in each brother. Every attack we make reinforces our guilt and keeps us unaware of our Oneness. That is what the ego would have us do in order to keep us locked into this cycle of guilt and fear, but we have a way out. Jesus is the way-shower. He tells us in giving up grievances and attack thoughts, we can return to the truth of who we are, and thus fear dissipates because there is no longer any justification for it.
 
Love and blessings, Sarah
   
 
Chapter Twenty One 

VIII. Perception and Wishes            

70 Do you not see that all your misery comes from the strange belief that you are powerless? Being helpless is the cost of sin. Helplessness is sin's condition-the one requirement that it demands to be believed. Only the helpless could believe in it. Enormity has no appeal save to the little. And only those who first believe that they are little could see attraction there. Treachery to the Son of God is the defense of those who do not identify with him. And you are for him or against him; either you love him or attack him, protect his unity or see him shattered and slain by your attack.
 
71 No one believes the Son of God is powerless. And those who see themselves as helpless must believe that they are not the Son of God. What can they be except his enemy? And what can they do but envy him his power and by their envy make themselves afraid of it? These are the dark ones, silent and afraid, alone and not communicating, fearful the power of the Son of God will strike them dead and raising up their helplessness against him. They join the army of the powerless, to wage their war of vengeance, bitterness, and spite on him to make him one with them. Because they do not know that they are one with him, they know not whom they hate. They are indeed a sorry army, each one as likely to attack his brother or turn upon himself as to remember they thought they had a common cause.
 
72 Frantic and loud and strong the dark ones seem to be. Yet they know not their enemy, except they hate him. In hatred they have come together but have not joined each other. For had they done so, hatred would be impossible. The army of the powerless must be disbanded in the presence of strength. Those who are strong are never treacherous because they have no need to dream of power and to act out their dream. How would an army act in dreams? Any way at all. It could be seen attacking anyone with anything. Dreams have no reason in them. A flower turns into a poisoned spear, a child becomes a giant, and a mouse roars like a lion. And love is turned to hate as easily. This is no army, but a madhouse. What seems to be a planned attack is bedlam.
 
73 The army of the powerless is weak indeed. It has no weapons, and it has no enemy. Yes, it can overrun the world and seek an enemy. But it can never find what is not there. Yes, it can dream it found an enemy, but this will shift even as it attacks, so that it runs at once to find another and never comes to rest in victory. And as it runs, it turns against itself, thinking it caught a glimpse of the great enemy which always eludes its murderous attack by turning into something else. How treacherous does this enemy appear, who changes so it is impossible even to recognize him!
 
74 Yet hate must have a target. There can be no faith in sin without an enemy. Who that believes in sin would dare believe he has no enemy? Could he admit that no one made him powerless? Reason would surely bid him seek no longer what is not there to find. Yet first he must be willing to perceive a world where it is not. It is not necessary that he understand how he can see it. Nor should he try. For if he focuses on what he cannot understand, he will but emphasize his helplessness and let sin tell him that his enemy must be himself. But let him only ask himself these questions, which he must decide to have it done for him:
 
75 Do I desire a world I rule instead of one which rules me?
   Do I desire a world where I am powerful instead of helpless?
   Do I desire a world in which I have no enemies and cannot sin?

   And do I want to see what I denied because it is the truth? 
 
76 You have already answered the first three questions but not yet the last. For this one still seems fearful and unlike the others. Yet reason would assure you they are all the same. We said this year would emphasize the sameness of things that are the same. This final question, which is indeed the last you need decide, still seems to hold a threat the rest have lost for you. And this imagined difference attests to your belief that truth may be the enemy you yet may find. Here, then, would seem to be the last remaining hope of finding sin and not accepting power.
 
77 Forget not that the choice of truth or sin, power or helplessness, is the choice of whether to attack or heal. For healing comes of power and attack of helplessness. Whom you attack you cannot want to heal. And whom you would have healed must be the one you chose to be protected from attack. And what is this decision but the choice whether to see him through the body's eyes or let him be revealed to you through vision? How this decision leads to its effects is not your problem. But what you want to see must be your choice. This is a course in cause and not effect.
 
78 Consider carefully your answer to the last question you have left unanswered still. And let your reason tell you that it must be answered and is answered in the other three. And then it will be clear to you that, as you look on the effects of sin in any form, all you need do is simply ask yourself,
 
79 Is this what I would see? Do I want this?
 
80 This is your one decision; this the condition for what occurs. It is irrelevant to how it happens but not to why. You have control of this. And if you choose to see a world without an enemy in which you are not helpless, the means to see it will be given you.
 
81 Why is the final question so important? Reason will tell you why. It is the same as are the other three except in time. The others are decisions which can be made and then unmade and made again. But truth is constant and implies a state where vacillations are impossible. You can desire a world you rule which rules you not, and change your mind. You can desire to exchange your helplessness for power, and lose this same desire as a little glint of sin attracts you. And you can want to see a sinless world and let an "enemy" tempt you to use the body's eyes and change what you desire.
 
82 In content, all the questions are the same. For each one asks if you are willing to exchange the world of sin for what the Holy Spirit sees, since it is this the world of sin denies. And therefore those who look on sin are seeing the denial of the real world. Yet the last question adds the wish for constancy in your desire to see the real world, so the desire becomes the only one you have. By answering the final question "yes," you add sincerity to the decisions you have already made to all the rest. For only then have you renounced the option to change your mind again. When it is this you do not want, the rest are wholly answered.
 
83 Why do you think you are unsure the others have been answered? Could it be necessary they be asked so often, if they had? Until the last decision has been made, the answer is both "yes" and "no." For you have answered "yes" without perceiving that "yes" must mean "not no." No one decides against his happiness, but he may do so if he does not see he does it. And if he sees his happiness as ever changing, now this, now that, and now an elusive shadow attached to nothing, he does decide against it.
 
84 Elusive happiness, or happiness in changing form that shifts with time and place, is an illusion which has no meaning. Happiness must be constant because it is attained by giving up the wish for the inconstant. Joy cannot be perceived except through constant vision. And constant vision can be given only those who wish for constancy. The power of the Son of God's desire remains the proof that he is wrong who sees himself as helpless. Desire what you will, and you will look on it and think it real. No thought but has the power to release or kill. And none can leave the thinker's mind or leave him unaffected.
 
   

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