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Chapter 18


(Sariah continued) – The presence of God – God is revealed through goodness that is done – Faith (defined) – Speak your faith, not your doubts – Discerning truth and worth – Strengthening and increasing faith – Nourish and guard well your faith – Seek the simple life – Casting pearls before swine

 

1  And Sariah, with tender words, spoke to the whole assembly, saying: “Come, my children, and I will reveal to you the presence of God; for you know yourself that there are many which believe that God is far away and filled with deep uncaring, being in the glory of Heaven unable to hear or speak with mortal men.

2  Being in both the Father and the Mother unmoved by such trials as do afflict from time to time, causing that God should appear indifferent and aloof to such lives as we must live, causing that many should feel themselves alone and abandoned of God while in the mortal life.

3  Yet is God most ever present, being found in all and through all, being both within and without, both near and far, being constant and ever watchful and filled with tender care, breathing soft upon the wind of all their love for you.

4  And those which would permit, even they do see God throughout the sum of all creation, to see in common things the eternal and divine, to become themselves as those most truly blessed through the days of all their life.

5  Becoming in their heart and mind all swallowed up by the nearness of God, which they themselves allow, seeing with an inward eye the moving of God within the life which they must live.

6  To feel in the heart and mind and spirit together, the presence of the Father and the Mother, to rest themselves upon the bosom of God, and there find to their greater joy a godly nourishment filled with love and hope and constant faith.

7  Look, therefore, well and deep into yourselves and there most clearly see if God be there within, and if it so be that you should see not the Father and the Mother within your heart, to hear their voice midst gentle sighs, then have you made yourselves devoid of faith and hope, being yourselves most miserable and without joy.

8  For you have permitted that the cares of this world should fill you up with shadows, causing that you should not see or hear, feel or touch that which is most surely revealed, becoming in yourselves filled with self-pity and self-reproach, thinking yourselves as always unworthy and unconsidered of God.

9  To make of yourself through many doubts, an easy prey to those who would mock God through subtle words and sophistries of every kind, spewing forth into the airs around you a sea of doubt filled with woe, in which sea you do but drown yourselves.

10  Hear then and be you wise, for this I tell you for your learning, that you may lay that sure foundation upon which you might build within your heart and mind a timely faith filled with great reward and much assurance.

11  For you are the reflection of God in mortal life, having in your form and likeness the presence of the Father and the Mother together, ever building through all your faith that sure and happy knowledge which does yet speak; revealing in you the touch and sound of still some greater mystery filled with wonder.

12  For God is first revealed in the things you do, and if you should act with good and kindly deeds, to touch the children of God through words of faith and hope together, then is the nearness of God quick revealed in you already.

13  Causing that the whole creation should testify before your eyes and within your heart that God is always near, and that in this life you are not alone, but that God does gently hold you in the hollow of their hand, ever breathing upon the winds a song of great assurance.

14  Through such as these does God raise forth the hand to bless, and through their eyes shall the Father and the Mother smile upon the children of men, for by our faith are we made partakers with God, to be in them as always remembered.

15  But if you should act from anger or hate towards any man or woman, or if your speech be filled with doubt and constant woe, then have you caused that God should seem as far away and filled with deep uncaring; and this because you made no place within yourselves for the Father and Mother which love you so.

16  Thus is the presence of God revealed first within ourselves and not without, being unveiled before our eyes by the good which we would do, being drawn from our hearts through faith, causing that we should see with the eyes and feel within the heart that God is always near and filled with tender care.

17  Why then will you be troubled by such doubts as unbelievers would cast within you? For even a little faith well nurtured will bring forth within you a goodly harvest filled with joy.

18  For it is your faith which causes that you should see; for faith gives birth to visions and wonders of every kind, and such visions and wonders do give rise within the heart of all our hope forever.

19  Know then and do not doubt, for every child which comes from Heaven into mortal life is given first the seed of faith, and if that seed be nurtured by such things as we do believe, then will faith grow within the heart to fill you up to overflowing.

20  For what is faith but your trust in God made manifest, causing that you should prove yourself a true believer and filled with goodness, being in your heart filled with benevolence and wisdom together mingled; for these are the things which do nurture the faith within, causing that it should grow greater and greater still.

21  If, therefore, you would speak of God and heavenly things, speak then your faith and not your doubts; for the words you speak are breath, which breath gives life and force to such words as would flow out from the very midst of you.

22  And if it so be that you would speak your faith, then shall the breath of all your words take living form to walk upon the earth, causing that there should spring up within your heart and in the airs round about you a constant hope filled with joy and happy light.

23  For reality is not what the eyes alone should see, but what is spoken from the heart; for the words you speak do shape such realities as you would permit yourselves to see and hear and deeply feel.

24  But if instead you speak your doubts, to cast them into the airs round about you, then shall they take living form to chase you all about; driving from the very midst of you all tranquility and joy, to leave instead a broken ruin filled with an endless debate.

25  Neither hide away your faith through silence, for it is in the speaking and doing of all your faith which does entice that all your faith grow stronger still; causing that it should lift you nigh to the very heart of God, even till you receive a fullness of heavenly things.

26  For even a little faith well nurtured will bring a rich reward, building in you by sure degrees, a strong defense which would guard forever well, such joys as do stir within you.

27  Thus by the words you speak do you, yourselves, cast into your life either light or darkness, faith or despair, joy or sorrow; becoming yourselves the creator of such a life as you would live; and to no other is this power given whereby they might shape your life as they might choose, but to you alone is it given.

28  Beware, therefore, the subtle speaker who would mock the things of God; for there are many who, for a pretense, would proclaim aloud their love for God, but in their subtleties would they steal away the faith you have, to give you doubts instead.

29  For they do not know God within their hearts, neither would they permit that you should know God either, being themselves filled with bitterness and envy and constant sorrow, in which darkness they would entice that you should likewise live.

30  Come then and I will make known to you the beginnings of faith, and the means by which you might create from so small a seed, a living faith which would fill up even the whole world with God.

31  Causing that you should become one in God and God in you, becoming yourselves transformed before the very eyes of all who see, to stand yourself in the likeness of your Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, even while you are yet in the mortal life.

32  Being yourselves changed from that which is corruptible and filled with death, to that which is eternal and filled with life abundant through the renewing of your mind; to become yourself as an angel of God while yet you live; to touch the life of every man and every woman, causing that their faith should likewise grow.

33  Decide yourselves, therefore, the things which are worthy of belief, and in your hand weigh most carefully such things as would stand as true and acceptable within your heart.

34  For there is given by God a means by which you might discern for yourself the things which are true and worthy of belief; for those things which come from the Father and the Mother are clothed in light and beauty and joy abundant.

35  If then you would know what is true and worthy of acceptance, then look for that which is beautiful and filled with rich delight, and in its shadow shall you find the truth which is born of God.

36  For it is in beauty that God would reveal the joy and mystery of heavenly things, causing that when you should hear and see and touch with the heart, even then does your spirit leap within at the sound of it.

37  Revealing in your very mind the presence of truth and beauty together mingled as lovers midst kiss and fiery breath, being made as one in the mansions of your soul, to draw you even closer to the heart of God whereby you might find some sweet communion which would lead you on.

38  Be you wise then, and fully knowing, for whatsoever thing which you believe, even that is worthy of acceptance if it so be that you should find therein both reason and joy, and beauty also, which very things would fill the sum of all your days with a rich and happy purpose.

39  Causing that you yourself should prove converted in the living of your life; for you know yourself how that many will say that they believe, yet in the living of their life do they prove themselves as unconverted still, becoming themselves deceived and filled with shadows and burdens of every kind.

40  If then you would make strong that seed of faith which is born in you already, whereby it might grow in joy to bear much fruit, then be you wise and most attentive, and I will make known the things which you must do.

41  For in making strong the faith within, you do guard well the house of joy which in the spirit lies, believing in yourselves with a steadfast heart that the things of God are wise and good and filled with blessing, showing yourselves as true converted by the things you say and do.

42  If, then, you would increase beyond measure the faith within, then let your heart trust in God always; for by such trust as you do give shall you stretch the boundaries of the faith within, causing that it should grow, giving place within yourselves of some great confidence filled with hope.

43  Study diligently with eager heart the words which come from God, that you might live them and by your speech and godly deeds reveal to others that even God is constant present in the things you do and say.

44  Be you likewise constant in prayer and meditation always, for by your reaching unto God is faith made to live and move and breathe within you, causing that there should stand within the very soul a firm resolve to reach higher still, even till you should embrace the heart of God, and thereby live forever.

45  For the strength of a man or a woman is not found in the muscles of the flesh, neither is it found in bone and sinew, but in the heart and soul and mind instead; and if there should rule within you a good and joyful faith, then are you made strong in God because of it, and there shall be no power or weighty sorrow which shall, by any means, overcome you in the living of your life.

46  Fear not, therefore, such trials and hardships as would come upon you, for by your faith are you given power over them, to turn them to your good.

47  Neither fear such sacrifices as you are called to bear from time to time, for by such sacrifices as you do make, do you cause that your own soul should fly and sing, being made yourself as one with God, to become yourselves as angels upon the earth.

48  All these things must you do with diligence if you would cause that faith should grow within you; and if you will not do these things, then shall such faith as you have already become itself but thinly pale, and like the rose in the heat of day, being itself without water to drink, even it shall wither away to be no more.

49  For what is a woman without her faith, or even a man also, becoming yourselves as always afflicted by endless woe, having no joy for you have no hope, having no greater purpose for you have no faith, becoming in your life overwhelmed and overburdened, becoming yourself as one chased and harried by endless doubts filled with gloom.

50  Seeking through things which have no life to fill the void within, taking such diamonds as God would give to purchase dust instead, becoming yourself as one alone and filled with constant dread.

51  Nourish your faith, therefore, that you might prove yourself constant in season and out of season, being yourself firmly rooted in the joy which comes from God, proving yourself a doer of the word and not a hearer only, deceiving your own self in the midst of many sorrows.

52  Guard well the faith within and watch with care such emotions as move and stir within you; let love and benevolence dwell richly in you to chase away all fear.

53  For fear gives way to anger, and anger gives way to hate, and if your heart be filled by these, then is your faith made weak and filled with gasping breath, to become yourself as all consumed within the fires of your own making.

54  For what is faith without your love to touch and gently guide, causing that you should further deepen the wisdom of your heart, to fill it up with God?

55  And busy not yourself overmuch in the laboring of your life, lest you forget the faith which in you dwells; becoming yourself always anxious in gathering to yourself the cares of this life only, to be yourself imprisoned by the fires of endless wanting.

56  But seek instead the simple life, setting aside such distractions as would hide up the soul within you, avoiding with utmost care such complexities as do creep about and lie in wait to entangle you.

57  For simplicity is that good and fertile ground where faith is given room to grow and flourish, being itself uncrowded and unharried by the things which have no life.

58  And why will you seek the company of those who would themselves turn you away from God, being in their hearts filled with scorn and ridicule, seeking through hurtful words to diminish the faith which in you dwells?

59  Therefore, if you would be happy in the midst of all your faith, then seek not the company of fools, neither go you into the way of those which are ever grasping, but who are themselves unable to lay hold.

60  Cast not, therefore, the pearls of your faith before unbelievers, neither take that which is holy to give it to those who mock with open scorn the things which come from God; for such as these are filled with many hurts, and would themselves that you should likewise hurt, to become yourself devoid of faith and filled with darkness.

61  For faith is the light which in you burns, to shine as brightly forth through the living of your day, being itself fashioned of trust and hope and joy together; ever guiding through the dark, to take you home again to dwell in the bosom of God forever.”

62  Thus spoke Sariah, and the whole assembly was filled with stillness, and there stood before her a teacher who did most humbly bow, and he spoke to her, saying:

63  “Good Mother, speak to us of the silence of God, and from your wisdom teach us that we might know the means by which the Father and the Mother would speak to us while yet they dwell in Heaven.”

64  And Sariah, being filled with love for the children of God, did again lift up her voice to speak, and immediately there fell from Heaven a great light, causing that Sariah should appear enraptured and aflame, and in the voice of an angel she began to teach.

 

 

4TH ENDOWMENT 18