By Rev. Bil Holton, Ph.D.

Most of us have home alarm systems. We set them when we’re at home or away and feel safer for doing so. And if it ever goes off in a real emergency the dispatcher’s voice chimes in asking for the password. Because homeowners are the only ones who know the password, intruders know they only have minutes to leave before the police come.

How many of you have ever set your alarm off by accident? After your initial surprise and irritation with yourself for having set the alarm off, don’t you feel a sense of relief knowing that an end to the noise – is just a password away?

Remember when you were children and you had your first nightmare? Wasn’t it comforting when one of your parents came rushing into your bedroom and said, “It’s okay. I’m here.” The sound of a parent’s voice and a parent’s presence were all you needed to feel safe again.

Remember a time more recently when you were in a panic, or lost, or going through a difficult time.  Remember how it felt when you called a friend. The sound of his or her voice on the other end of the line was all you needed to regain your composure.

We’ve all been in situations like that. The voice I want to talk about in this article is another voice: the world’s greatest alarm system. It is an alarm we WANT to hear! It is the  ‘still small voice’ – which allows us to see things from the Christ perspective. And we hear that voice in three ways:

• when we’re relaxed,
• when we meditate, and
• when we pray.

If our consciousness is Christ–centered, we will hear the ‘still small voice.’ We cannot go astray if we get really good at hearing the voice. When we meditate, or just relax, we receive intuitions. These intuitive flashes are the ‘still small voice’ saying: “Here’s the answer. Do this. Don’t do that. Wait. Don’t wait.

Intuitions are cosmic emails from the Christ Presence within us. They are our Christness talking to us. Because we are the Christ expressing as us, we are already pre-wired to recognize the voice. It’s in our spiritual DNA. We are password protected because we have immediate assess to the greatest security system in the world: the still small voice. And the password is: Peace be still.

You and I are the Christ expressing as us and so we can claim perfect health and wholeness.

We are the Christ expressing as us and so we have the power and the wisdom to handle any situation.

We are the Christ expressing as us and so we have all of the finances we need to do the work we have come here to do.

We are the Christ expressing as us and so the answers to our most pressing questions can come to us with speed, ease, comfort, and joy.

We are the Christ expressing as us and so we can enjoy a life filled with happiness and prosperity.

When we listen to the ‘still small voice,’ an intuitive flash, an aha , a cosmic email, we will always stay in integrity. The ‘still small voice’ comes when we are peaceful, when we are composed, when we are prayerful.

We will master the art of living when we master the art of prayer.

We will master the art of living when we master the art of meditation.

We will master the art of living when we master the art of relaxation.

We will master the art of living when we master the arts of forgiveness, and kindness, and compassion, and service.

The really neat thing about it is we all have the same password. The password is: Peace be still.

Whatever you’ve got facing you this week – a health challenge, more month left than money, an anorexic checking account, unemployment, uncertainty… Listen to your intuition, the ‘still small voice.’ And remember: You are password protected!

Where there is an appearance of disorder in our lives – where it seems like the Principles are not working – this is when we most need to focus on Spiritual Alphabetical Order! So what does that mean? Did you realize there are all kinds of “alphabetical orders,” when you think of it in terms of creating the proper sequence of things? Cooking alphabetical order would be the sequence of how you combine ingredients to create the final dish you are making. For example, you don’t mix the cream cheese icing of a carrot cake in with the cake batter! When I recently indulged in a morning of self care at a Day Spa, I noticed that my technician had a very specific order in which she did things. That would be Pedicure Alphabetical Order. So let’s talk about Spiritual Alphabetical Order.

Spiritual Alphabetical Order, put quite simply, might look like this:

A. Be Prayed Up! (Time in the Silence, at Headquarters)

B. Follow Your Intuitive Guidance (which comes from being prayed up!)

C. Affirm the Truth of Who You Really Are (which you know that you know because you are prayed up.)

When we approach life in this order, the Divine Ideas we recognize will always be grounded in the strength of our awareness of our Oneness, and we will have the guidance of Spirit to direct our out-picturing Online of those ideas. That way, we end up with Divine Order instead of diddlysquat order – and we can affirm with confidence: I AM mastering the art of living as I walk the Spiritual Path on Practical feet.

network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny.”

Every time we pledge our time, our talents, and our money to this church we are going back to the future. Back to the pioneering contributors who made Unity Village a reality. The penny that began what we know as Unity Village made it possible for us to meet there today because this church is an extension of that mustard seed of faith.

The Unity Spiritual Life Center is here by divine right! We open these doors because Charles and Myrtle Fillmore opened doors. We pray to the God of our understanding because our co-founders prayed to the God of their understanding. We let our light shine because the Fillmore’s let their light shine. We have the privilege and responsibility of helping people understand that the Kingdom of God is within. The Fillmore’s believed it, and they believed it because Jesus the Christ taught it. And He taught it because it is true.

Inscribed on today’s pennies are the words: “In God We Trust” and trusting in God is a fundamental aspect of our truth walks. Whether it’s common sense or our sixth sense, it just makes perfect sense to trust the Omnipresence, Omnipotence, and Omniscience of a loving God. That insight will keep us on the right path.

Drs. Bil & Cher Holton are Spiritual Leaders at Unity Spiritual Life Center in Durham, NC, where they practice positive, practical, progressive Christianity. Visit their website at Unity Spiritual Life Center and sign up to receive a complimentary 4-week e-course.

It’s a whole new phenomenon in our culture ~ the cell phone dance! You’re talking to someone, and suddenly realize they aren’t hearing you. So you move around to another place and say, “Can you hear me now?” If that doesn’t work, you move again, higher, lower, near a window, walk outside, repeating, “Can you hear me now?”

We’ve found ourselves in some really weird positions, trying to complete an important call. We’ve all felt the frustration of dropped calls, as well as unanswered prayers. We’ve noticed that the secret to answered prayers is similar to the marketing messages used to sell cell phones!

1. Free Ring tones

Who doesn’t want perfect music for their ring tone? And no matter where you are, you will hear someone’s phone go off – and sometimes people say, “Oh, I like that ring!”

Do you realize that everyone has a very special spiritual ring tone? It is a vibration that comes when we pray from our Christ Center. From a Unity perspective, we invite you to NEVER pray TO God! We believe that’s “praying amiss.” When we pray TO God, it signifies a belief in a separation ~ someone “out there” who decides what and how much good we deserve, and who, on a whim, determines whether or not to respond. We believe God is within, and when we pray, we pray FROM a consciousness of our oneness with God. So be sure you are vibrating at a high, spiritual ring tone send plenty of knee-mail (prayer) to your Indwelling Christ everyday.

2. Extended Calling Area

We recently switched cell phone service, and one of the things we paid attention to was the calling area available with our new server. We have certain places we travel, and we wanted to be sure our phone would work there. No matter how wide the coverage, it seems there are always ‘abyss’ areas that no cell phone company can cover. There just aren’t cell towers near enough to pick calls up.

With God, we have unlimited calling areas! There is no geography in Spirit. No matter how deeply embedded we may feel in lack consciousness, God is there. No matter how much we are perceiving separation, God is there. No matter how depressed or sick or angry we feel, God is there. Wherever we are, God is ~ and all is well. We are only a “Can you hear me now?” away. The moment we acknowledge our oneness there are no dropped calls!

3. Circle of Friends

Anyone who Takes a quick peek at television has seen the ad about the telecom guy who puts the geeky guys from the other companies on his circle of friends.

In a recent article in Mobile Insider, author Steve Smith describes the value of the Circle of Friends concept as a strategy that filters the world down to the people and things we value most highly and with whom we have the deepest connections. He postulates that one of the important psychological functions of the phone for many people is that it brings a feeling of intimacy and connectedness into an otherwise anonymous mass market of the street.

From a Unity perspective, we have a pretty amazing Circle of Friends: We have five basic spiritual Principles that are always there to guide us in our journey. We have our church family comprised of those with like Consciousness, who we know we can count on to be there when we need them! And we have our oneness with each other, knowing we are all one in Spirit. There is no limit to our Circle of Friends! The only thing that stands between us and answered prayer is when we are holding someone outside that circle … when we need to practice forgiveness … making sure we have nothing standing between us and Spirit. Once we have released the bonds of anger, hatred, fear, envy ~ whatever it is we need to forgive (and it may be ourselves!) ~ we suddenly realize we are standing in the open, and our reception is crystal clear!

As you move through the weeks ahead, when you find yourself looking up to the heavens and shouting, “Can you hear me now?” realize that those words are coming from the wrong direction! Remind yourself to:

• ensure you are vibrating at the ring tone of Spirit;
• affirm you are connected to an endless calling area; and
• expand your Circle of Friends through practicing forgiveness ~

When you do you will hear Spirit softly whispering, “Dear one, I have the answer! Can you hear me now?”

You are probably familiar with the phone commercial on TV which shows a techie testing the phone reception as he stops and says, “Can you hear me now?” Then he takes a few more steps, stops again, and repeats his question, “Can you hear me now?”

Commercially it’s about clarity of reception and dropped calls. Spiritually it’s the age old question about unanswered prayer. The Bible is full of unanswered prayers. The Koran is full of unanswered prayers. The Torah is full of unanswered prayers. The Bagavad Gita is full of … you get the picture.

You may even have your share of unanswered prayers. If so, you’re not alone. As a matter of fact you’re in good company:

Moses prays to enter the Promised Land, but his request is refused, and he dies on Mt. Nebo. Jeremiah laments national calamity when he cries, “You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.” (Lamentations 3:44). The prophet Habakkuk exclaims in despondency, “Oh God, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear me?” (Habakkuk1:2). Job says, “I cry to Thee, and You do not answer me!” (Job 30:20). King David laments, “…God does not hear me!” (Psalm 66:18)

You may even have asked out of frustration, hurt, or anger, “God, can you hear me now? Are you listening?” Many a grieving parent has asked, “God where are you?” Millions of widows and widowers have asked, “Why did God take him away from me?” – “Why did God take her. Doesn’t He know I need her?”

On Sept. 11th 2001 three hundred million Americans asked, “How could you let this happen God? Where were you? Where are you now?”

Unanswered knee-mails (prayers) have one thing in common. And we have known what it is for over 2,000 years. James, the brother of Jesus reports Jesus as saying, “You ask, and receive not because … you ask amiss!” (James 4:3)

What does he mean by ‘amiss’ ? What causes our prayers to go unanswered? Here’s the answer! Are you ready? Jesus the Christ said, … are you sure you’re ready? … He said, “If we do not forgive others, our prayers will not be answered.” (Matt.6:15)

He didn’t say – If we fail to forgive others, it will be difficult to get our prayers answered, or that it may take a little longer to get them answered, or that our prayers will be answered anyway because were nice people.

He said if we don’t forgive others, our own prayers will not be answered. Seems pretty harsh doesn’t it? He’s giving us absolutely no wiggle room.

Unity’s founder, Charles Fillmore says, “The mind must let go of every unforgiving thought.” “The refusal to forgive is the linchpin of unanswered prayer,” says Richard Smoley in his bestseller, Inner Christianity. Harry Fosdick, in his classic book, The Meaning of Prayer, says, “We are not ready to receive answered prayer until we forgive.”

Seems pretty clear doesn’t it? We pray amiss if we don’t forgive. And until we forgive, our prayers will not be answered.

So, we invite you to look into your own heart and forgive anyone and everyone who has ever upset you, disappointed you, wronged you, or harmed you in any way. That may be a tall order for some of you. You may have been significantly wronged, or harmed, or upset by someone. You may feel forgiveness is out of the question.

But if you want your prayers answered, you’ve got to learn to forgive. You must go from bitter to better.

From a metaphysical perspective, forgiveness is a necessary condition for answered prayer. Metaphysically, forgiveness means giving up the false for the true. It means living from our Christ Consciousness instead of our coma consciousness.

We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can walk the spiritual path on unforgiving feet. Unanswered prayers are the products of an unforgiving heart. When we tighten our connection to Spirit by unloosening our attachment to an unforgiving spirit, we won’t have to ask, “Can you hear me now?”

When we eliminate the static of unforgiveness, the reception will be crystal clear.