Miracle Principles 4-15

January 6, 2021

Today we continue with instructions on what miracles are. These can seem cryptic and difficult to follow and it is important to take what Jesus says about review seriously. He has just spent time, during the dictation of the first 3 principles, firmly telling Helen to review them, he even told her that she would not be asking some of her questions if she had re-read them. Here as well, in principle 15 he tells us “Notes on this course should be read only under good learning conditions. They should also be reviewed with the same rule applying to the review periods.” (15.3:1-2)

It makes sense when we understand that miracles are naturally occurring expressions of love that they should also then be involuntary. Natural and controlled are opposite. Therefore, because we are not qualified to evaluate love, the expression of love should not be controlled by us. This would introduce an inequality and would ruin the ability of the natural expression to occur.

With this in mind we can accept that when miracles do not occur it is because something is interfering with the process, “something has gone wrong.” (5.1:2)

It seems that our way of expressing ourselves needs to be purified. Our expressions are generated by our thoughts. In principle 12 Jesus says that “miracles are the effects of thought.” (12.1:1) Our thoughts can interfere with or distort the miracle process. Our thoughts can make the lower/physical order or they can create the higher/spiritual order. It is what we make or create that generates our belief system. Therefore, it must be our thoughts that need purification in order not to distort the process of this natural expression of love.

In some way this process of giving miracles reverses the physical laws. Since we live in a physical world and believe in physical laws, this must mean that what they do is reverse our thinking and consequently our beliefs. Principal 9 tells us that this happens because miracles bring “more love to the giver and the receiver.”  (9.1) How is this a reversal of what we normally understand about giving?

Jesus tells us that this expression of love is the natural exchange through prayer between God and His Creations. We receive God’s love through prayer and we give His love to others through miracles.

Therefore, we should be developing the habit of devoting each day to miracles, and because we do not understand them, we also need to ask for help in performing them.

Questions for Reflection:

1.       How can we use what we are learning in these first few miracle principles to allow our thoughts to be purified?

2.       How can we use what we have been taught so far about miracles to help us understand the principle that they are misunderstood when regarded as spectacles?

3.       What does Jesus mean when he says we should use time constructively?

4.       As well as asking Jesus to help us perform miracles, what else does he want us to ask him about?

Suggested Practice:

Help me to perform the miracles you want of me today. Supporting me are the everlasting arms and I would devote my time to accepting that miracles demonstrate the truth.