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             %SALVATION BEING TOGETHER PRESENCE GOD 950423

     Our salvation is in being together in open and honest
fellowship in the presence of God.

     Our  difficulty  is in being alienated from  God  and
each  other because  we are trying to fix ourselves and/or
each other in order to qualify for salvation and to  judge
who is qualified for salvation.

     Our tragedies flow from our alienation;  not from our
lack of resources, technologies, opportunities, knowledge,
perfection, fixes, or fixations.

     We  do  not lack the keys to the kingdom  of  heaven;
rather  we  refuse to use the keys which are at hand in  a
timely way.

     Our  conceptions  of  the nature of  the  kingdom  of
heaven blind us to the reality of the opportunities in the
kingdom of heaven which is at hand.

     We  do  not  enjoy  being in the  kingdom  of  heaven
because we are trying too hard to get into the kingdom  of
heaven on our own terms; rather than accepting God's terms
for being in the kingdom of heaven.

     When we obscure the truth, repress the truth,  forget
the  truth;  refuse to believe the truth,  refuse to  tell
truth the truth,  refuse to hear the truth,  and refuse to
accept the truth---we are alienated and cannot enjoy being
in the kingdom of heaven.

     When  we refuse to accept the truth that we  are  not
and  cannot  be in control---we are alienated  and  cannot
enjoy being in the kingdom of heaven.

     When  we  refuse to accept the truth that we are  not
guards outside the closed gates to the kingdom of heaven--
we are alienated and cannot enjoy being in the kingdom  of
heaven.

     Truths  are  not   tools which we can  manipulate  in
order to get into the kingdom of heaven or to keep  others
out of the kingdom of heaven.

     We  cannot  get into the kingdom of heaven (from  the
outside  of it)  because  it is present within us and  our
relationships.   We  can,   however,  enjoy the kingdom of
heaven   because   it   is  present within  us   and   our
relationships.
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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