June 14, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, John.
I merely want to say that your condition is improving and that in a few nights, we will be able to continue our messages, and then you will find yourself happier in more ways than one. I mean that you will feel better spiritually. I was with you tonight at the meeting (prayer meeting of Dr. Mitchell) and it did you good, for there were many spirits present who have the Love to a more or less degree and, of course, their influence was being exercised on and felt by the worshipers.
The preacher is a man with a considerable amount of the Divine Love in his soul, and if he only had the true conception of Jesus, he would find himself possessing more of this Love; and his idea of the Holy Spirit is such that it interferes with his receiving the effect of the work of the Spirit. He thinks and believes it to be an entity; in other words, a being of substance and thought and sentient capacity, whereas as you know, it is not, but merely the evidence of the working of God's own soul in bestowing upon mortals His Love and mercy. The Spirit is God's messenger for this purpose and is not a creation of His, as is Jesus and mankind. It is merely an energy of the Soul of the Father conveying His Love.
The Spirit could have no existence without the Soul of the Father and is entirely dependent upon the powers of that Soul for its existence, and only in the sense that it conveys God's Love can it be called the Comforter. And to grieve the Spirit, as the preacher said, means only that the Love of God is grieved, which is in fact not true for this Love is never grieved, as it is so great and so intense in its desire that men shall receive it, that it never becomes grieved, though it is often disappointed, as you may say, that men will not receive it. It is always present waiting for men to receive it, and by their longings and prayers, cause their souls to be opened up to its reception. And this remember: that this Love of the Father is so very great that the Spirit which conveys it to man cannot become grieved.
Well, I did not intend to write on this subject tonight and what I have said is merely fragmentary, but sometime I will come and write in detail. You must pray more and let your faith increase and you will find what the Holy Spirit is and how it operates. Your prayers will be answered, and a great inflowing of the Love, and also your desires will be realized. Keep up your courage and you will not be disappointed. Today may look dark and dreary, but tomorrow the sun will shine, and you will enjoy the sunlight.
I will not write more now. So with my love and blessings, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
John
Showing posts with label inflowing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inflowing. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Jesus Writes on How the Soul of a Mortal Receives the Divine Love
November 10, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Jesus.
I come tonight to tell you that you are in a better condition than you were last night and, in fact, have been for some nights past. I desire to write you a message on the question of: "How the soul of a mortal receives the Divine Love, and what its effect is, even though subsequently his mind may indulge in those beliefs that may tend to prevent the growth of the soul - what is a lost soul?"
As you know, the inflowing of this Love is caused by its bestowal by the Holy Spirit in response to sincere prayer and longings. I mean prayer and longings for the Love Itself, and not prayers in general,for the material benefits that men more often and more naturally, as they believe, ask for and desire. The prayers of mortals for these things that may tend to make them successful and happy in their natural love are answered also, if it be best that they should be, but these are not the prayers that bring the Divine Love or cause the Holy Spirit to work with men.
As the prayers of the sincere, earnest soul ascend to the Father, that soul becomes opened up to the inflowing of this Love, and the soul's perceptions enlarge and come more in rapport with the conditions or influence that always accompanies the presence of this Love and, consequently, its entrance into the soul becomes easier and its reception more perceptible to the soul sense. The more earnest the prayer and sincere the longings, the sooner faith comes and with this faith, the realization that the Divine Love is permeating the soul.
When once the Divine Love finds a lodgment in the soul, it, to the extent that it receives the Love, becomes as it were a changed substance, partaking of the Essence of the Love; and as water may become colored by an ingredient foreign to itself, and which changes not only its appearance but its qualities, so this Divine Love changes the appearance and qualities of the soul, and this change of qualities continues ever thereafter. The natural qualities of the soul and the Essence of the Love become one and united and the soul is made altogether different in its constituency from what it was before the inflowing of the Love, but this only to the extent of the Love received. As this Love increases in quantity, the change and transformation becomes correspondingly greater, until at last the transformation may and will become so great, that the whole soul becomes a thing of this Divine Essence, and partakes of its very Nature and Substance, a being of Divinity.
When once this Love enters and truly possesses the soul and works the change mentioned, It, the Love, never leaves nor disassociates Itself from the soul - its character of Divine Essence never changes to that of the mere natural love, and so far as It is present, sin and error have no existence, because it is just as impossible for this Essence and sin and error to occupy the same parts of the soul at the same time as it is for two material objects to occupy the same space at the same time, as your philosophers say. Divinity never gives place to that which is not of the Divine. Man is working towards the attainment of the Divine, when he pursues the way provided for obtaining the Divine Nature, and as he advances and obtains a portion of this Divine, no matter how small, he can never retrace his steps to the extent of ridding himself of this transforming Essence, and again become without its presence.
But this does not mean that a man may not lose the consciousness of the existence of this Essence within his soul, for he frequently does. The indulgence of his carnal appetites and evil desires will place him in the condition that he may cease to have a consciousness of the existence of the Divine Love in his soul, and to himself, he will be as if he had never had any experience of the change that I speak of.
And while this Love can never be eradicated by the evils that man may indulge in or by the mental beliefs that he may acquire, yet the progress of this Love in his soul may be checked and become stagnant, as if the Love were not, and sin and error may appear to be the only dominant elements of his life and being. But yet, when once possessed, the Love cannot be crowded out of his soul by sin and error, no matter, how deep and intense they may be. I know that this may seem strange and impossible to man's intellectual thinking, and that it is not in accordance with what has been attributed to me as teaching that a soul may be lost, nevertheless, a soul that has once received this Divine Essence cannot be lost, though its want of realization of the presence of this Love and its awakening from its dormant condition caused by sin and error and its misdirected beliefs may delay its manifestation of life and existence for a long time, and much suffering and darkness may have to be endured by the soul that is in such condition. And I must not be understood by this, as meaning that a soul cannot be lost, for it can, and many have been and will be, and many will realize the fact when too late.
Now, what is a lost soul? Not one that a man may actually lose in the sense of being deprived of it, separated from it actually, or even as regards his consciousness of not having a soul, for while, at times, he may believe that he has lost his soul in the sense of not having any, yet he is mistaken, for the soul, which is the man, can never be separated from himself, and as long as he lives in the physical body or in the spiritual body, his soul will be with him. And yet he may have a soul, consciously or not, and at the same time have lost it. This may seem a paradox to the mortal intellect or to the intellect of spirit, but it is true.
Then what is a lost soul? When God gave to man a soul, that soul was made in the image but not in the Substance of its Maker, and at the same time there was bestowed on him the privilege of having that soul become of the Substance of the Father, and to an extent, Divine, and entitled to and capable of living in the Celestial Kingdom of the Father, where everything is of the Divine Essence and Nature. When the first parents by their act of disobedience forfeited that privilege their souls lost the possibility of becoming of the Divine Nature and at-one with the Father in His Kingdom, and they thereby lost not the natural soul, which was a part of their creation, but the soul having the possibility of obtaining the Essence of Divinity and Immortality as the Father has Immortality.
As I have said, heretofore, with my coming this great privilege was restored to mankind, and the lost soul became again the object of man's recovery, and now he has that privilege as did the first parents before the fall; but also men may lose it as did they. As with them their souls were lost until they received into it the Divine Essence of the Father, so with men now, their souls are lost until and unless they receive this Divine Essence therein. As the first parents by their disobedience and refusal, forfeited their privilege of having their souls become a living, Divine Substance, so now, men by their disobedience and refusal will forfeit their privilege to save their souls from separation from the Divine Unity with the Father. The lost soul is as real as the verities of the Father's immutable laws, and only by the operation of the Divine Love can the soul lost, become the soul found.
Men may believe and teach that within them is a part of the Divine that will cause their souls to progress and develop until it reaches the condition of Divinity that will make it a part of the Divinity of the Father. But in this they are all wrong, for, while man was the highest creation of God, and the most perfect, and made in his image, yet in man is no part of the Divine, and having no part of the Divine, it is wholly impossible for him to progress to the possession of the Divine. He, of himself, no matter what his development may be, can never become greater or more perfect or of a higher nature, than he was at his creation.
The Divine comes from above and when once planted in a man's soul, there can be no limit to its expansion and development, even in the Celestial Heavens. Let all men seek this Love and there will be no lost souls; but, alas, many will not do so, and the Spiritual Heavens will be filled with lost souls not having the Divine Essence of the Father.
I have written enough for tonight, and I am pleased at the way in which you received my message. Continue to pray to the Father for more and more of His Divine Love, and your prayers will be answered, and you will realize with the certainty of conscious possession of the Divine Essence, that your soul is not lost and never will be. So with my love and blessings, I will say good night and God bless you.
Your brother and friend,
Jesus
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Jesus.
I come tonight to tell you that you are in a better condition than you were last night and, in fact, have been for some nights past. I desire to write you a message on the question of: "How the soul of a mortal receives the Divine Love, and what its effect is, even though subsequently his mind may indulge in those beliefs that may tend to prevent the growth of the soul - what is a lost soul?"
As you know, the inflowing of this Love is caused by its bestowal by the Holy Spirit in response to sincere prayer and longings. I mean prayer and longings for the Love Itself, and not prayers in general,for the material benefits that men more often and more naturally, as they believe, ask for and desire. The prayers of mortals for these things that may tend to make them successful and happy in their natural love are answered also, if it be best that they should be, but these are not the prayers that bring the Divine Love or cause the Holy Spirit to work with men.
As the prayers of the sincere, earnest soul ascend to the Father, that soul becomes opened up to the inflowing of this Love, and the soul's perceptions enlarge and come more in rapport with the conditions or influence that always accompanies the presence of this Love and, consequently, its entrance into the soul becomes easier and its reception more perceptible to the soul sense. The more earnest the prayer and sincere the longings, the sooner faith comes and with this faith, the realization that the Divine Love is permeating the soul.
When once the Divine Love finds a lodgment in the soul, it, to the extent that it receives the Love, becomes as it were a changed substance, partaking of the Essence of the Love; and as water may become colored by an ingredient foreign to itself, and which changes not only its appearance but its qualities, so this Divine Love changes the appearance and qualities of the soul, and this change of qualities continues ever thereafter. The natural qualities of the soul and the Essence of the Love become one and united and the soul is made altogether different in its constituency from what it was before the inflowing of the Love, but this only to the extent of the Love received. As this Love increases in quantity, the change and transformation becomes correspondingly greater, until at last the transformation may and will become so great, that the whole soul becomes a thing of this Divine Essence, and partakes of its very Nature and Substance, a being of Divinity.
When once this Love enters and truly possesses the soul and works the change mentioned, It, the Love, never leaves nor disassociates Itself from the soul - its character of Divine Essence never changes to that of the mere natural love, and so far as It is present, sin and error have no existence, because it is just as impossible for this Essence and sin and error to occupy the same parts of the soul at the same time as it is for two material objects to occupy the same space at the same time, as your philosophers say. Divinity never gives place to that which is not of the Divine. Man is working towards the attainment of the Divine, when he pursues the way provided for obtaining the Divine Nature, and as he advances and obtains a portion of this Divine, no matter how small, he can never retrace his steps to the extent of ridding himself of this transforming Essence, and again become without its presence.
But this does not mean that a man may not lose the consciousness of the existence of this Essence within his soul, for he frequently does. The indulgence of his carnal appetites and evil desires will place him in the condition that he may cease to have a consciousness of the existence of the Divine Love in his soul, and to himself, he will be as if he had never had any experience of the change that I speak of.
And while this Love can never be eradicated by the evils that man may indulge in or by the mental beliefs that he may acquire, yet the progress of this Love in his soul may be checked and become stagnant, as if the Love were not, and sin and error may appear to be the only dominant elements of his life and being. But yet, when once possessed, the Love cannot be crowded out of his soul by sin and error, no matter, how deep and intense they may be. I know that this may seem strange and impossible to man's intellectual thinking, and that it is not in accordance with what has been attributed to me as teaching that a soul may be lost, nevertheless, a soul that has once received this Divine Essence cannot be lost, though its want of realization of the presence of this Love and its awakening from its dormant condition caused by sin and error and its misdirected beliefs may delay its manifestation of life and existence for a long time, and much suffering and darkness may have to be endured by the soul that is in such condition. And I must not be understood by this, as meaning that a soul cannot be lost, for it can, and many have been and will be, and many will realize the fact when too late.
Now, what is a lost soul? Not one that a man may actually lose in the sense of being deprived of it, separated from it actually, or even as regards his consciousness of not having a soul, for while, at times, he may believe that he has lost his soul in the sense of not having any, yet he is mistaken, for the soul, which is the man, can never be separated from himself, and as long as he lives in the physical body or in the spiritual body, his soul will be with him. And yet he may have a soul, consciously or not, and at the same time have lost it. This may seem a paradox to the mortal intellect or to the intellect of spirit, but it is true.
Then what is a lost soul? When God gave to man a soul, that soul was made in the image but not in the Substance of its Maker, and at the same time there was bestowed on him the privilege of having that soul become of the Substance of the Father, and to an extent, Divine, and entitled to and capable of living in the Celestial Kingdom of the Father, where everything is of the Divine Essence and Nature. When the first parents by their act of disobedience forfeited that privilege their souls lost the possibility of becoming of the Divine Nature and at-one with the Father in His Kingdom, and they thereby lost not the natural soul, which was a part of their creation, but the soul having the possibility of obtaining the Essence of Divinity and Immortality as the Father has Immortality.
As I have said, heretofore, with my coming this great privilege was restored to mankind, and the lost soul became again the object of man's recovery, and now he has that privilege as did the first parents before the fall; but also men may lose it as did they. As with them their souls were lost until they received into it the Divine Essence of the Father, so with men now, their souls are lost until and unless they receive this Divine Essence therein. As the first parents by their disobedience and refusal, forfeited their privilege of having their souls become a living, Divine Substance, so now, men by their disobedience and refusal will forfeit their privilege to save their souls from separation from the Divine Unity with the Father. The lost soul is as real as the verities of the Father's immutable laws, and only by the operation of the Divine Love can the soul lost, become the soul found.
Men may believe and teach that within them is a part of the Divine that will cause their souls to progress and develop until it reaches the condition of Divinity that will make it a part of the Divinity of the Father. But in this they are all wrong, for, while man was the highest creation of God, and the most perfect, and made in his image, yet in man is no part of the Divine, and having no part of the Divine, it is wholly impossible for him to progress to the possession of the Divine. He, of himself, no matter what his development may be, can never become greater or more perfect or of a higher nature, than he was at his creation.
The Divine comes from above and when once planted in a man's soul, there can be no limit to its expansion and development, even in the Celestial Heavens. Let all men seek this Love and there will be no lost souls; but, alas, many will not do so, and the Spiritual Heavens will be filled with lost souls not having the Divine Essence of the Father.
I have written enough for tonight, and I am pleased at the way in which you received my message. Continue to pray to the Father for more and more of His Divine Love, and your prayers will be answered, and you will realize with the certainty of conscious possession of the Divine Essence, that your soul is not lost and never will be. So with my love and blessings, I will say good night and God bless you.
Your brother and friend,
Jesus
Monday, June 3, 2013
John G. Carlisle Writes that His Old Ideas Cling to Him and Hold Him in Darkness and Sufferings
March 7, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, John G. Carlisle.
I am the spirit who wrote you once before and I merely want to say tonight that I am better than I was then and am not in so much darkness; but yet I suffer and am paying the penalty for my sins.
The advice that you gave me and also the help that I received from Mr. Riddle have benefited me a great deal, and I am hoping that sometime I may get into the light and be free from my sufferings.
If I could only have faith in what he and other good spirits tell me, I believe that I would soon be in a much better condition, but somehow I don't seem to be able to have this faith. My old ideas stick to me, and although I realize that many of them were wrong, yet they cling to me and hold me in the darkness and sufferings. This may seem strange to you, but it is a fact. Beliefs are wonderful things of substance and strength when they have become fixed in a man's mind by long years acquiescence and fostering, and that was my case.
As you may know, my animal appetites were strong and I gave free vent to them, and to ease my conscience I embraced certain beliefs, which as I lived and fostered them, came to be realities to me, and now they stand before me, as it were, like a wall of brass and rarely give me an opening to get beyond or out of them. My friends that you brought to me are trying to help me, and at times I feel that what they tell me must be true. But then comes in the old long years of belief, and I lose the benefit of what influence I may have received from these spirits who I see are so beautiful and happy.
I do not understand this enigma, and because I do not, I sometimes think, that what I think, I see in these others are mere hallucinations of my own mind. And then again these influences come to me with such force that I think I must break away from these band of belief and see the light as they see it. But the struggle is hard and the progress is slow. I tell you that if I could only come again into my earth life, I know that my life, or rather the way I lived it, would be very different, but it is too late now and I must make my fight here, and it is a hard one.
The thing that gives me greatest hope is that while Riddle may not have been so bad a man as I was on earth, yet he was a mere man with no special pretensions to goodness, and now I see him a beautiful and happy spirit, and he says it is not on account of any inherent goodness in himself, but because he has received to some degree what he calls the Divine Love; and he urges me to try to believe in this Love and open up my soul to its inflowing. It may be right, but I don't seem to be able to understand what he means, or to find the way to open up my soul as he advises.
But this I know, he has given me hope and I, at times, make the effort to follow his advice, and I even pray, but I am afraid that my faith is not very strong, though I observe that when he is with me I seem to have more power to make this effort than when I am alone. And he is kind to me, for he comes quite frequently, and at times, there comes with him a wonderfully beautiful spirit who he says is your wife, and she seems to have so much love with her. I say she comes with him, and when she does, her influence is wonderful and I feel nearer leaving my old evil thoughts and getting into light than at any other time. And she talks to me in such words of love and encouragement, that it makes me believe that there must be a better place and a better condition for me.
So you see from all this what thoughts and beliefs cemented to a man's soul by an evil life on earth will do for him when he becomes a spirit and all these evil things come before him like a panorama as they do in my case. But I sowed and I am now reaping, a saying which I often heard on earth, but which to me was meaningless as it is, I have no doubt, to many others who are living such lives as I lived.
Well, my friend, I must not write more, but I feel better for I realize that it does me good to come in contact in the way of exchanging thoughts with a mortal for notwithstanding I have no mortal body, yet in thought and desires I am still a mortal.
So, thanking you for your kindness to me I will say good night.
Your friend,
J.G.C.
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, John G. Carlisle.
I am the spirit who wrote you once before and I merely want to say tonight that I am better than I was then and am not in so much darkness; but yet I suffer and am paying the penalty for my sins.
The advice that you gave me and also the help that I received from Mr. Riddle have benefited me a great deal, and I am hoping that sometime I may get into the light and be free from my sufferings.
If I could only have faith in what he and other good spirits tell me, I believe that I would soon be in a much better condition, but somehow I don't seem to be able to have this faith. My old ideas stick to me, and although I realize that many of them were wrong, yet they cling to me and hold me in the darkness and sufferings. This may seem strange to you, but it is a fact. Beliefs are wonderful things of substance and strength when they have become fixed in a man's mind by long years acquiescence and fostering, and that was my case.
As you may know, my animal appetites were strong and I gave free vent to them, and to ease my conscience I embraced certain beliefs, which as I lived and fostered them, came to be realities to me, and now they stand before me, as it were, like a wall of brass and rarely give me an opening to get beyond or out of them. My friends that you brought to me are trying to help me, and at times I feel that what they tell me must be true. But then comes in the old long years of belief, and I lose the benefit of what influence I may have received from these spirits who I see are so beautiful and happy.
I do not understand this enigma, and because I do not, I sometimes think, that what I think, I see in these others are mere hallucinations of my own mind. And then again these influences come to me with such force that I think I must break away from these band of belief and see the light as they see it. But the struggle is hard and the progress is slow. I tell you that if I could only come again into my earth life, I know that my life, or rather the way I lived it, would be very different, but it is too late now and I must make my fight here, and it is a hard one.
The thing that gives me greatest hope is that while Riddle may not have been so bad a man as I was on earth, yet he was a mere man with no special pretensions to goodness, and now I see him a beautiful and happy spirit, and he says it is not on account of any inherent goodness in himself, but because he has received to some degree what he calls the Divine Love; and he urges me to try to believe in this Love and open up my soul to its inflowing. It may be right, but I don't seem to be able to understand what he means, or to find the way to open up my soul as he advises.
But this I know, he has given me hope and I, at times, make the effort to follow his advice, and I even pray, but I am afraid that my faith is not very strong, though I observe that when he is with me I seem to have more power to make this effort than when I am alone. And he is kind to me, for he comes quite frequently, and at times, there comes with him a wonderfully beautiful spirit who he says is your wife, and she seems to have so much love with her. I say she comes with him, and when she does, her influence is wonderful and I feel nearer leaving my old evil thoughts and getting into light than at any other time. And she talks to me in such words of love and encouragement, that it makes me believe that there must be a better place and a better condition for me.
So you see from all this what thoughts and beliefs cemented to a man's soul by an evil life on earth will do for him when he becomes a spirit and all these evil things come before him like a panorama as they do in my case. But I sowed and I am now reaping, a saying which I often heard on earth, but which to me was meaningless as it is, I have no doubt, to many others who are living such lives as I lived.
Well, my friend, I must not write more, but I feel better for I realize that it does me good to come in contact in the way of exchanging thoughts with a mortal for notwithstanding I have no mortal body, yet in thought and desires I am still a mortal.
So, thanking you for your kindness to me I will say good night.
Your friend,
J.G.C.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
John Carroll, a Spirit in the Fifth Sphere, Writes to Encourage James E. Padgett to Go to the Lord for the Inflowing of Divine Love
October 8, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
Go to the Lord and your strength will be renewed and your soul will receive a wonderful inflowing of the Divine Love, so that you will be able to throw aside all worries and earthly cares and be in condition to receive the great truths that are awaiting you, for you have as your helper and friend the greatest spirit in all God's universe. This I tell you because you need to be sustained and will be as long as you live the life of a mortal.
I am not one who is known in the annals of the church or in the lives of the saints, for I never was a saint on earth and neither am I here, but only a lowly follower of the Master, who to me, is the most wonderful of all God's creatures. So you must believe that he is your friend and saviour, for he is and you need not believe in his blood, or his vicarious atonement, or his self sacrifice either. Only believe in the Divine Love and in the further fact that Jesus is the wayshower to all who may seek this great salvation.
I must not write more, for I am not one of the high Celestial Spirits, as I live in the Fifth Sphere only, but nevertheless, I have a very great deal of that Love and a happiness which I cannot tell you of.
So with all my love, I will say goodnight.
Your friend,
John B. Carroll,
a one time resident of Baltimore, Maryland
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
Go to the Lord and your strength will be renewed and your soul will receive a wonderful inflowing of the Divine Love, so that you will be able to throw aside all worries and earthly cares and be in condition to receive the great truths that are awaiting you, for you have as your helper and friend the greatest spirit in all God's universe. This I tell you because you need to be sustained and will be as long as you live the life of a mortal.
I am not one who is known in the annals of the church or in the lives of the saints, for I never was a saint on earth and neither am I here, but only a lowly follower of the Master, who to me, is the most wonderful of all God's creatures. So you must believe that he is your friend and saviour, for he is and you need not believe in his blood, or his vicarious atonement, or his self sacrifice either. Only believe in the Divine Love and in the further fact that Jesus is the wayshower to all who may seek this great salvation.
I must not write more, for I am not one of the high Celestial Spirits, as I live in the Fifth Sphere only, but nevertheless, I have a very great deal of that Love and a happiness which I cannot tell you of.
So with all my love, I will say goodnight.
Your friend,
John B. Carroll,
a one time resident of Baltimore, Maryland
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Jesus Writes About The Real Truth of Life on Earth and What It Means to Mortals
May 25, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Jesus.
You are better tonight in your spiritual condition and I will write a formal message. I desire to write on the subject of, "The real truth of the life on earth, and what it means to mortals."
When men come to the knowledge that they are children of the Father and under His care and protection, they will see that they must lead such lives as will fit them to become in union with the Father and be able to partake of His Love which makes them, as it were, a part of Himself. I mean that there is in all men the potentiality of becoming a part of the Divine Essence. But in order for them to partake of this Divinity, they must let the Love of the Father, in its highest nature, enter into their souls and make them at-one with Him.
No mere love that they had bestowed upon them as creatures of the Father's handiwork will enable them to attain to this exalted condition.The natural love, of itself, is not sufficient, because when that love was bestowed upon them it was merely intended to enable them to live in a good and harmonious way with their fellowmen. It was not the Real Love that formed a part of the Divine nature of the Father, and was not intended to make men a part of that nature. So, in order for men to receive this Higher Love, they must do the Will of the Father while on earth, or they will have a more difficult work after they become spirits in receiving the wonderful inflowing of this Divine Love.
The earth is the great plane of probation, and the development of the souls of men depends upon their correct living in accordance with those principles, which the Father has established as the means whereby they may receive this condition of Love, which alone can make them at-one with Him.
Merely good deeds are not sufficient. Back of all deeds must be the soul's development, which results only from the possession of this Love. I do not mean by this that deeds do not form a part of this development, for they do; but deeds without the possession of this Love will never make a man the possessor of the one thing needful to ensure his entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom.
Men must love one another and must, of course, "do unto each other as they would be done by." If this rule of conduct was observed, men would be much happier on earth, even if they do not possess the Divine Love that I speak of.
No man can of himself become filled with this Love, for in only one way will it come into his soul and that is: by prayer to the Father for its inflowing and faith that He will give it to him who asks earnestly and humbly. I know that some men think that prayer is nothing more than an appeal to their own better selves, but I tell you that this is a wrong belief; and when they realize the truth that prayer ascends to the Father, and is heard by Him and answered, they will understand the great mission and benefit of prayer.
Let men live the most exemplary lives and, yet, they will not necessarily become partners of this Great Love and have the qualities that are necessary to enable them to receive the great gift of unison with the Father. I urge all men to live a good moral life, because it has its own reward in the spirit world, and makes them happier as spirit beings in a condition of mere natural love, and will fit them for a life in the spirit world, which will bring to them happiness; but not the happiness of those who fit themselves for a greater happiness in the Celestial Kingdom.
I will not discourage men from seeking the life of a moralist, or of one who tries to follow the truths of conduct which the golden rule imposes, but on the contrary, emphasize the necessity for such a life. A good man approaches nearer to the image of the Father than any other being can possibly attain to, and his reward in the future life will be that which comes only from living the life of such a man. So I say, the more a man lives in accordance with these moral precepts, the nearer he will approach the image in which he was created.
But why should men be satisfied with the image when the Real Substance may be theirs by obeying the invitation of the Father? The image may satisfy some who are content with small things, but the aspiring soul wants the Real Substance, which the Father offers freely to those who will accept His invitation.
No man can really live a good moral life unless he has as his guide the Love that I have mentioned. I do not believe that any man who knows the difference between the image and the Substance will be satisfied with the former for, if so, he is rejecting the greatest happiness that even the Father can bestow upon him.
So let not men be content with trying to live good moral lives, but seek with all their hearts the Love that makes them truly Angels of God; and such Angels as can feel and realize (by reason of the Divinity which such Love brings to them) the certainty that they are immortal.
Immortality is only of God, and anything less than God, or His Divine Essence, which makes the creature a part of that Divinity, is not immortal.
Adam and Eve (as they are called) were mortals, free from sin and obedient to the Father, and thought that they were immortal; but when the temptation came and they yielded, they realized to their great sorrow that they were not immortal. And so will every spirit of mortal be in the future life where the Divine Love of the Father has not become a part of its existence.
Life on earth is an important part of the great eternity of living, and men should realize this to its fullest meaning, and not think the earth a mere stopping place where the spirit is enfolded in flesh only for the pleasures and gratification of its carnal appetites. This earth life is a fleeting shadow of the spirit life, but an important shadow to the happiness which man may enjoy in the future. It is the most important period of man's whole existence, and the way that such life is lived may determine the whole future life of the man. I don't mean that there is no redemption beyond the grave, for the mercy of the Father continues into the spirit life; but when man fails to accept this mercy - I mean the way in which he may become a Divine child of the Father while in the earth life, he may never accept it in the spirit life.
So many spirits are contented to remain in the happiness of their natural love, and refuse to be convinced that there is a greater Love and happiness awaiting them in the Father's Kingdom, which may be theirs if they will only believe and seek. This I say from my knowledge of the real condition of spirits in the spirit world, and the difficulty, which the redeemed spirits have found in their endeavors to convince these spirits who are enjoying the happiness of their natural love, that there is a happier and better sphere in which they may live, if they will seek for the Divine Love of the Father.
As I said when on earth, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads to life eternal and few there be who enter therein."* And this saying applies to the spirit world as well as to the material world. So let me urge upon all men to seek the strait and narrow way, for only by it can men come to the full enjoyment of what the Father has provided for them.
I will now stop, but in closing will say, with all the love and knowledge which I possess: Let men seek this great Divine Love, and in faith they will find it, and forever be one with the Father - immortal as He is immortal and happy beyond all conception.
So I will say with all my love and blessings, and the blessings of the Father, "Seek and ye shall find."
Goodnight. Your loving brother and friend,
Jesus
________________________________
* Matthew 7:14
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Jesus.
You are better tonight in your spiritual condition and I will write a formal message. I desire to write on the subject of, "The real truth of the life on earth, and what it means to mortals."
When men come to the knowledge that they are children of the Father and under His care and protection, they will see that they must lead such lives as will fit them to become in union with the Father and be able to partake of His Love which makes them, as it were, a part of Himself. I mean that there is in all men the potentiality of becoming a part of the Divine Essence. But in order for them to partake of this Divinity, they must let the Love of the Father, in its highest nature, enter into their souls and make them at-one with Him.
No mere love that they had bestowed upon them as creatures of the Father's handiwork will enable them to attain to this exalted condition.The natural love, of itself, is not sufficient, because when that love was bestowed upon them it was merely intended to enable them to live in a good and harmonious way with their fellowmen. It was not the Real Love that formed a part of the Divine nature of the Father, and was not intended to make men a part of that nature. So, in order for men to receive this Higher Love, they must do the Will of the Father while on earth, or they will have a more difficult work after they become spirits in receiving the wonderful inflowing of this Divine Love.
The earth is the great plane of probation, and the development of the souls of men depends upon their correct living in accordance with those principles, which the Father has established as the means whereby they may receive this condition of Love, which alone can make them at-one with Him.
Merely good deeds are not sufficient. Back of all deeds must be the soul's development, which results only from the possession of this Love. I do not mean by this that deeds do not form a part of this development, for they do; but deeds without the possession of this Love will never make a man the possessor of the one thing needful to ensure his entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom.
Men must love one another and must, of course, "do unto each other as they would be done by." If this rule of conduct was observed, men would be much happier on earth, even if they do not possess the Divine Love that I speak of.
No man can of himself become filled with this Love, for in only one way will it come into his soul and that is: by prayer to the Father for its inflowing and faith that He will give it to him who asks earnestly and humbly. I know that some men think that prayer is nothing more than an appeal to their own better selves, but I tell you that this is a wrong belief; and when they realize the truth that prayer ascends to the Father, and is heard by Him and answered, they will understand the great mission and benefit of prayer.
Let men live the most exemplary lives and, yet, they will not necessarily become partners of this Great Love and have the qualities that are necessary to enable them to receive the great gift of unison with the Father. I urge all men to live a good moral life, because it has its own reward in the spirit world, and makes them happier as spirit beings in a condition of mere natural love, and will fit them for a life in the spirit world, which will bring to them happiness; but not the happiness of those who fit themselves for a greater happiness in the Celestial Kingdom.
I will not discourage men from seeking the life of a moralist, or of one who tries to follow the truths of conduct which the golden rule imposes, but on the contrary, emphasize the necessity for such a life. A good man approaches nearer to the image of the Father than any other being can possibly attain to, and his reward in the future life will be that which comes only from living the life of such a man. So I say, the more a man lives in accordance with these moral precepts, the nearer he will approach the image in which he was created.
But why should men be satisfied with the image when the Real Substance may be theirs by obeying the invitation of the Father? The image may satisfy some who are content with small things, but the aspiring soul wants the Real Substance, which the Father offers freely to those who will accept His invitation.
No man can really live a good moral life unless he has as his guide the Love that I have mentioned. I do not believe that any man who knows the difference between the image and the Substance will be satisfied with the former for, if so, he is rejecting the greatest happiness that even the Father can bestow upon him.
So let not men be content with trying to live good moral lives, but seek with all their hearts the Love that makes them truly Angels of God; and such Angels as can feel and realize (by reason of the Divinity which such Love brings to them) the certainty that they are immortal.
Immortality is only of God, and anything less than God, or His Divine Essence, which makes the creature a part of that Divinity, is not immortal.
Adam and Eve (as they are called) were mortals, free from sin and obedient to the Father, and thought that they were immortal; but when the temptation came and they yielded, they realized to their great sorrow that they were not immortal. And so will every spirit of mortal be in the future life where the Divine Love of the Father has not become a part of its existence.
Life on earth is an important part of the great eternity of living, and men should realize this to its fullest meaning, and not think the earth a mere stopping place where the spirit is enfolded in flesh only for the pleasures and gratification of its carnal appetites. This earth life is a fleeting shadow of the spirit life, but an important shadow to the happiness which man may enjoy in the future. It is the most important period of man's whole existence, and the way that such life is lived may determine the whole future life of the man. I don't mean that there is no redemption beyond the grave, for the mercy of the Father continues into the spirit life; but when man fails to accept this mercy - I mean the way in which he may become a Divine child of the Father while in the earth life, he may never accept it in the spirit life.
So many spirits are contented to remain in the happiness of their natural love, and refuse to be convinced that there is a greater Love and happiness awaiting them in the Father's Kingdom, which may be theirs if they will only believe and seek. This I say from my knowledge of the real condition of spirits in the spirit world, and the difficulty, which the redeemed spirits have found in their endeavors to convince these spirits who are enjoying the happiness of their natural love, that there is a happier and better sphere in which they may live, if they will seek for the Divine Love of the Father.
As I said when on earth, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads to life eternal and few there be who enter therein."* And this saying applies to the spirit world as well as to the material world. So let me urge upon all men to seek the strait and narrow way, for only by it can men come to the full enjoyment of what the Father has provided for them.
I will now stop, but in closing will say, with all the love and knowledge which I possess: Let men seek this great Divine Love, and in faith they will find it, and forever be one with the Father - immortal as He is immortal and happy beyond all conception.
So I will say with all my love and blessings, and the blessings of the Father, "Seek and ye shall find."
Goodnight. Your loving brother and friend,
Jesus
________________________________
* Matthew 7:14
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