Changes

<center>'''Light and joy and peace abide in me.'''</center>

<center>'''Light and joy and peace abide in me.'''</center>

These are beliefs so firmly fixed that it is difficult to help you see that they are based on nothing. That you have made mistakes is obvious. That you have sought salvation in strange ways; have been deceived, deceiving and afraid of foolish fantasies and savage dreams; and have bowed down to idols made of dust,--all this is true by what you now believe.

[[Light]] and [[joy]] and [[peace]] abide in me.

Today we question this, not from the point of view of what you think, but from a very different reference point, from which such idle thoughts are meaningless. These thoughts are not according to God's Will. These weird beliefs He does not share with you. This is enough to prove that they are wrong, but you do not perceive that this is so.

You think you are the [[home]] of [[evil]], [[darkness]] and [[sin]]. You think if anyone could see the [[truth]] about you he would be repelled, recoiling from you as if from a poisonous snake. You think if what is true about you were [[revealed]] to you, you would be struck with [[horror]] so [[intense]] that you would rush to [[death]] by your own hand, living on after seeing this being impossible.

Why would you not be overjoyed to be assured that all the evil that you think you did was never done, that all your sins are nothing, that you are as pure and holy as you were created, and that light and joy and peace abide in you? Your image of yourself cannot withstand the Will of God. You think that this is death, but it is life. You think you are destroyed, but you are saved.

These are [[beliefs]] so firmly fixed that it is difficult to help you see that they are based on nothing. That you have made [[mistakes]] is obvious. That you have sought [[salvation]] in [[strange]] ways; have been [[deceived]], deceiving and afraid of foolish [[fantasies]] and savage [[dreams]]; and have bowed down to [[idols]] made of dust,--all this is true by what you now believe.

The self you made is not the Son of God. Therefore, this self does not exist at all. And anything it seems to do and think means nothing. It is neither bad nor good. It is unreal, and nothing more than that. It does not battle with the Son of God. It does not hurt him, nor attack his peace. It has not changed creation, nor reduced eternal sinlessness to sin, and love to hate. What power can this self you made possess, when it would contradict the Will of God?

Today we question this, not from the [[point of view]] of what you think, but from a very different reference [[point]], from which such idle thoughts are meaningless. These thoughts are not according to [[God's Will]]. These [[weird]] beliefs He does not [[share]] with you. This is enough to prove that they are wrong, but you do not [[perceive]] that this is so.

Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God. Over and over this must be repeated, until it is accepted. It is true. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God. Nothing can touch it, or change what God created as eternal. The self you made, evil and full of sin, is meaningless. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God, and light and joy and peace abide in you.

Why would you not be overjoyed to be [[assured]] that all the [[evil]] that you think you did was never done, that all your sins are nothing, that you are as [[pure]] and [[holy]] as you were created, and that light and joy and peace abide in you? Your image of yourself cannot withstand the [[Will of God]]. You think that this is death, but it is [[life]]. You think you are destroyed, but you are saved.

Salvation requires the acceptance of but one thought;--you are as God created you, not what you made of yourself. Whatever evil you may think you did, you are as God created you. Whatever mistakes you made, the truth about you is unchanged. Creation is eternal and unalterable. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God. You are and will forever be exactly as you were created. Light and joy and peace abide in you because God put them there.

[[The self]] you made is not the Son of God. Therefore, this [[self]] does not exist at all. And anything it seems to do and think means nothing. It is neither bad nor good. It is unreal, and nothing more than that. It does not [[battle]] with the Son of God. It does not hurt him, nor attack his [[peace]]. It has not changed [[creation]], nor reduced eternal sinlessness to sin, and [[love]] to [[hate]]. What power can this self you made possess, when it would [[contradict]] the Will of God?

In our longer exercise periods today, which would be most profitable if done for the first five minutes of every waking hour, begin by stating the truth about your creation:

Your sinlessness is guaranteed by [[God]]. Over and over this must be [[repeated]], until it is [[accepted]]. It is true. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God. Nothing can [[touch]] it, or [[change]] what God created as [[eternal]]. The [[self]] you made, evil and full of sin, is meaningless. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God, and light and joy and peace abide in you.

<center>Light and joy and peace abide in me.</center>

[[Salvation]] requires the [[acceptance]] of but one [[thought]];--you are as God created you, not what you made of yourself. Whatever [[evil]] you may think you did, you are as God created you. Whatever mistakes you made, the [[truth]] about you is unchanged. [[Creation]] is eternal and unalterable. Your sinlessness is guaranteed by God. You are and will forever be exactly as you were created. Light and joy and peace abide in you because God put them there.

<center>My sinlessness is guaranteed by God.</center>

Then put away your foolish self-images, and spend the rest of the practice period in trying to experience what God has given you, in place of what you have decreed for yourself.

In our longer [[exercise]] periods today, which would be most profitable if done for the first five minutes of every [[waking]] hour, begin by stating the truth about your creation:

You are what God created or what you made. One Self is true; the other is not there. Try to experience the unity of your one Self. Try to appreciate Its Holiness and the love from which It was created. Try not to interfere with the Self which God created as you, by hiding Its majesty behind the tiny idols of evil and sinfulness you have made to replace It. Let It come into Its Own. Here you are; This is You. And light and joy and peace abide in you because this is so.

<center>''[[Light]] and [[joy]] and [[peace]] abide in me.''</center>

<center>''My sinlessness is guaranteed by God.''</center>

You may not be willing or even able to use the first five minutes of each hour for these exercises. Try, however, to do so when you can. At least remember to repeat these thoughts each hour:

Then put away your [[foolish]] self-[[images]], and spend the rest of the practice period in trying to [[experience]] what God has given you, in place of what you have [[decreed]] for yourself.

<center>Light and joy and peace abide in me.</center>

You are what God created or what you made. One Self is true; the other is not there. Try to experience the [[unity]] of your one Self. Try to appreciate Its [[Holiness]] and the love from which It was created. Try not to [[interfere]] with [[the Self]] which God created as you, by hiding Its [[majesty]] behind the tiny [[idols]] of evil and sinfulness you have made to replace It. Let It come into Its Own. Here you are; This is You. And light and joy and peace abide in you because this is so.

<center>My sinlessness is guaranteed by God.</center>

Then try to devote at least a minute or so to closing your eyes and realizing that this is a statement of the truth about you.

You may not be willing or even able to use the first five minutes of each hour for these exercises. Try, however, to do so when you can. At least remember to [[repeat]] these thoughts each hour:

If a situation arises that seems to be disturbing, quickly dispel the illusion of fear by repeating these thoughts again. Should you be tempted to become angry with someone, tell him silently:

<center>''My sinlessness is guaranteed by God.''</center>

<center>Light and joy and peace abide in you.</center>

Then try to [[devote]] at least a minute or so to closing your eyes and realizing that this is a statement of the [[truth]] about you.

You can do much for the world's salvation today. You can do much today to bring you closer to the part in salvation that God has assigned to you. And you can do much today to bring the conviction to your mind that the idea for the day is true indeed.

 

 

You can do much for the world's [[salvation]] today. You can do much today to bring you closer to the [[Role|part]] in salvation that God has assigned to you. And you can do much today to bring the [[conviction]] to [[your mind]] that the idea for the day is true indeed.

[[Category: Workbook I]]

[[Category: Workbook I]]