Divine Grace

Divine Grace

“Grace is because we are the propriety of God.”-Douglas Holzmeier

I agree that Grace is Amazing – but not because you are wretched. Propriety means in accordance – suitable – appropriate – congruent – fit – just – legitimate – in order – proper – recommended – and right.  You are graced by your divinity. You are the offspring of Grace! Grace is the something you are.

Grace is the foundation of inherent divinity. The gift of free will would be nothing more than a sinister trap without Grace - the assurance that you are the Beloved and God has no intention of losing you. You cannot be lost. You are innocent. You are blessed. You are Divine.

I remember being four or five years-old and hearing people talking about Original Sin. Talk about a lousy way to begin life! Here is a child – not much older than a toddler being told that his soul is born as black as coal because some dude named Adam ate an apple offered up by his old lady Eve. This is at the same time we’re being taught that an Apple a day keeps the Doctor away. Would someone please make up their mind? Apple good – or apple bad – I’m only four years-old!

I knew early on that adults were more confused than children. My soul wasn’t covered in the dust of Adam & Eve – it was as light and bright as a May morning. I didn’t need to enter a confessional like it was a car wash. Not that I was going to live a mistake free life – but to lay a heavy burden like Original Sin on a person even before their first burp – is counterproductive to living the Undeniable Life. The original sin doctrine is not found in Judaism. When I was doing the research on original sin – it was so convoluted and bizarre that it isn’t even worth sharing here. But I will – just to illustrate the point. Augustine believed that unbaptized babies went directly to hell because of Original Sin. No wonder the Middle-ages were so dark! The idea of Limbo came out of the aforementioned nonsense and Limbo itself – more nonsense. This should be a lesson to anyone who makes stuff up. What you believe - has to be true to the nth degree. If you take a position to its furthest conclusion – does it remain Truth? It is why I say that everything is born True because it is born of God. Even the Protestant reformers mistakenly clung to Augustine’s notion of Original Sin.

A belief or perception that God is distant and separate from us – leads to suffering and errors in judgment. But this is an ignorant consciousness – or a doctrinal consciousness that drives an imaginary wedge between the Creator and Its most beloved Creation. I lived that way for way too long. My work and message is to help remove the illusion of separation from God that too many live under. Institutions and organizations need dues paying members to keep the pews filled and the coffers full – what better way to do that than to create an official medium for salvation that begins with a thick coat of tar that only they can help you scrub off with their particular brand of Holy water. I know this may sound a little harsh – but it is this cloak of ignorance and purposeful dependency that does not help alleviate human suffering - it may even add to it. You are a perfect idea in the Mind of God – from the beginning – you are pure love and light right here and right now!

This chapter is not about bashing a denomination or faith. You should be aware of any organization – religious or not – that is based on need or favor. Some of these institutions and organizations need you and your money and your property and your vote and your obedience – and whatever else you may have – such as your dignity and self-respect and silence. It is the opposite of freedom. Doctrines such as Original Sin - encourage you to accept that you are the scourge of Creation.  If you knew the Truth – that you are Divine and Important – Needed and Necessary – Loved and the Beloved – that You Are God’s Best Idea!: you might not need them to relieve you of your affliction. I support the spiritual organizations I belong to because they support the idea of inherent Divinity. You came from God so you are of God. You are Beautiful – Peaceful – Faithful – Light – Power – Abundant and Love. And because you are these attributes of divinity – you are Graced.

Any parent can attest to a simple truth. Children will meet your expectations. If we tell them they are original sinners – naughty and not so nice - they’re going to come up with some original ways to show you that you are correct. They don’t want to disappoint you. If we tell them that they are unconditionally loved and the Beloved – that they are creative and smart – important and good – they will come up with lots of innovative ways to prove their parents are right. They don’t want to disappoint you. 

Some may believe that to get anyone to do anything they must be threatened in some way. No one has ever been frightened to Heaven for fear is the opposite of love and contrary to God. God has already crowned human beings with glory and honor and there's nothing more honorable than being the humble servant. You are a Master who serves, not a servant who is mastered. You are an heir to the Kingdom, not a slave to the throne. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and within. You're not a visitor or a guest; you are indigenous, family - a child of Heaven. Your suffering comes from thinking you are less than you are. There are those who want you to believe you are nothing – without them. They pretend they have your Grace in their hands and they offer it to you in exchange for conformity. Tell them – no thanks – I am One with Love.

Life is about speaking the truth until you hear it - loving the truth until you live it. It’s hard to live truth when you are being bombarded by lies. It is like we are fugitives seeking arrest. In Truth – we are under protective custody. This is the Grace that is inherent – if not always apparent. We keep seeking ourselves while the truth is insight. And it is a Beautiful and Original Truth. I watched the Werner Herzog documentary about the prehistoric drawings and paintings on the walls of the Chauvet Cave in southern France discovered in 1994. The film is called The Cave of Forgotten Dreams. These works of art – by Cro-Magnum man over 32,000 years ago no-less – are every bit as refined as anything drawn since. They are spectacular – exhibiting a divine consciousness. The drawings of the horses alone are awe-inspiring.  Drawn by beings that drew from something within.

Use the eyes and common sense God gave you. He who swallows whatever is prepared before him finds truth and lies equally satisfying. You’ll never find the Kingdom in debasement! The lie and the liar have no place or power until you relinquish your sovereignty. 

"With every new truth comes an old lie; familiar as a dear friend and just as hard to part with."

It’s hard to hear the Truth – when it is so glorious. I know that sounds strange – let me explain. Being told you are beautiful after years of being hailed as ugly – makes for a certain level of confusion. I’m sure you are aware of how elephants are trained. When they are baby elephants – they are securely tied to posts. In time – the ropes are not even tied to posts – and the elephants do what they were indoctrinated to do - obey. If you grew up in traditional religions – you may have been intellectually and spiritually fastened to dogma and doctrine that – ironically - never were attached to Truth. 

"Shame is a lie adopted by the bastard kin of doubt - rejected by

the divine child of God."

On the Consciousness Scale developed by David Hawkins – shame is the lowest emotion on the scale. Shame – at 20 on the 1000 point scale – is the emotion that most experience when they murder. All kinds of groups have used fear and shame to weaken people or – temporarily – empower them to kill others. Doubt shouts the small truth in the big lie that destroys lives. You're larger than any lie!

The laundered truth is as soiled as the white lie. Neither is worthy to wear. You were born adorned with the robe of divinity. You are a priority of God – the propriety of God – full of Grace. You are Amazing!