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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 2
The Festival of Joy :: A life and faith that’s undivided – A life without meaning
leads to no great purpose – Many benefit from one bright life – The four great festivals
of God – The Festival of Joy: summer solstice – Beware the somberness of others –
“What would God like most to see from those who are their children?” – Proving yourself
a happy vessel which God would seek to fill – Festival of Joy: the first and greatest
festival – Celebrating the Song of God – A gift deserves a gift – Gaining strength
through joy – Three great powers: Joy, Fellowship, Song of God – Revealing the mind
of God – Three reasons for jubilation
1 How then shall we dress your life, to fill it up with blessings? How secure the heart and mind to make your faith prove strong? How pass on this light of God which burns within you brightly, to establish well the generations which would follow in your steps?
2 What means shall prove the best in keeping joy alive? What way shall prove the surest way to fill your life with meaning, building deep within your heart a far more greater purpose, firmly fixed and strongly fashioned and filled with celebration?
3 Let us then prove most resolved both you and I together, and weave with care your life and faith to make them be as one; to prove yourself as undivided, a child of greater worth, earning through this life you live a far more noble birth.
4 Consider then the years ahead, the years which you must live: Would you fill them up with joy? Would light and sunshine glow? Would you open wide your arms and dance with God above, counting your life a joyful song and filled with Heaven’s love?
5 Do you yearn for great abundance, of treasures worth the having; of friends and families drawn together within the fold of God; each one filled with simple treasures, like pearls upon a string, brightly glowing pearls of love which make you want to sing?
6 Would you choose to celebrate the joy you find in God, with anthems ringing through the air filled with hallelujah? Would you draw your family close and in God’s bosom rest, tender moments filled with joy which make your life seem blest?
7 For this I tell you for your learning, that a life without meaning leads to no great purpose; becoming itself dull and shallow and filled with tediums of every kind, possessing of itself neither height nor breadth nor depth, becoming in all its varied parts a small and petty thing.
8 How then shall you and I together rescue the life you live, to make it glow and outward shine, to fill your days with light; to lift you up beyond yourself, becoming yourself as one made free from such smallness as others would impose?
9 Let us then, both you and I, reason well what we shall do; for even as you would enrich the living of your life, even so would many others prove likewise benefited; for you are not alone in the living of your life, becoming yourself an influence which touches the lives of others.
10 For no one is alone, though they themselves might think so, becoming themselves the very nexus at which other lives do meet, mingling here and going there, rushing to and fro, becoming themselves through daily living a part of someone’s life.
11 Thus in making bright the life you live, even then shall the light touch those who move about you to fill them up with wonder, causing that they should see in you a life of greater purpose than they have ever known, causing that they should desire it for themselves.
12 Come then and let us reason as a Mother to a child, and I will open before your eyes a life of celebration; for there is given to each and every year, four points around the sun, which points are oft proclaimed the seasons of the year.
13 Thus at the turning of the seasons shall I now appoint the days of celebration and remembrance, to be for you and the generations after you the four great festivals of God; causing that those which live the mortal life might participate with God in a spirit of great rejoicing, to be at rest from all their labors while dancing in the light;
14 Receiving to themselves an abundance of godly things, to sing and dance in Maranatha, becoming themselves through holy fellowship a reflection of Heaven’s glory in this world of mortal life; showing forth midst shouts of hallelujah and great hosanna their gratitude unto God who, for the sake of all their children, made Heaven seem most real.
15 Listen then, most noble child and I will reveal the festivals of God which would fill your life with jubilation; creating through the joy of song and dance, through prayer and study, the wonder of spiritual wisdom and sweet communion with God the Mother and the Father and all their children together in the midst of great rejoicing.
16 For in spiritual jubilation do you let go your lesser self, to stand as one made free in God, to fill your heart with angel wings and be no longer fettered; letting go the heavy burden which makes your life seem dull; becoming instead through great rejoicing the very light of God which would chase away the darkness.
17 Let this then be the first and foremost celebration of all your years to come. For it is appointed that on the nineteenth day of June shall you establish the Festival of Joy in commemoration of that day when God and Heaven did reveal themselves to Azrael whereby he might set at liberty the children of God.
18 Making bright what once was dark, making real what once was vague and filled with shadows; for in coming forth to Azrael did God make known the realness of themselves, opening wide the gates of knowledge to fill you up with knowing; for you are no longer ignorant and uncertain regarding the things of God, but are instead most deeply certain, having been filled to overflowing with revelations and mysteries of every kind.
19 For this cause shall you gather midst great rejoicing and celebrate the coming forth of God, and even as Azrael was made to walk with God for four days and three nights, even so shall you do likewise; revealing through your jubilation your gratitude unto God for all the gifts received.
20 Gather therefore your family and friends from out of the Fellowship and in wild and open places, in high meadows beside lakes and streams, reveal to God through jubilation a good and joyful gratitude; for once you were as children lost, confused and filled with constant fear.
21 But now are you made full in God, possessing in your mind a sure and holy knowledge of things which are eternal; becoming yourself through constant faith, even as one found and rescued from such fear and uncertainty as once did hold you bound.
22 Let then your commemoration be filled with great rejoicing, being each and every one bound together in celebration; being in your studies and meditations filled with inward joy; reflecting through the things you do the light which glows within.
23 Yet of this I would forewarn you. Beware of those who would proclaim the need for being somber, for somberness is the cloak which hides a great hypocrisy; for there are those who would proclaim that somberness is the showing forth of reverence before the face of God.
24 Be not deceived therefore by the somberness of others, for out of such somberness does there come forth the words of condemnation and of wrath, reflecting from those who would be somber an intolerant and disdainful spirit, being filled with constant disapproval towards those who would be joyful and filled with song and dance.
25 If then you would be wise then of my counsel take, for those which would proclaim the need for somber reverence, even they are empty of joy themselves, becoming themselves most resentful towards those who would be joyful; being themselves embarrassed and filled with shame that they should find no joy within them concerning the things of God.
26 For this cause are the somber minded made resentful of those who would be joyful, causing that they should press upon you a grave and austere worship; and by this means would steal away the joy that is yours by right.
27 How then shall you comport yourself before the face of God? What tokens would you give which would reveal your deepest heart? What would God like most to see from those who are their children? What would move the heart of God to brightly bring us forth, to prove ourselves most happy eager to touch the child we love?
28 Shall we desire the mumbled prayer dressed in somber reverence, or songs of joy midst great hosannas born of jubilation? Which to you would seem the best, which would you desire: somber words from solemn faces or dancing in the light?
29 Consider then and deeply ponder, for there has been given you already a great many gifts from God. By what means then shall you draw to yourself the greater portion which in our heart resides? What would make us prove most eager to give the greater gift?
30 Shall such gifts as come from God be given to those of somber minds and solemn faces, or shall such gifts find quick their home midst songs of joy and light? For in the beginning was the law decreed that kind should cleave to kind.
31 Resist with firmness the stern reverence which others would impose, but choose instead to celebrate the joy you find in God; proving yourself a happy vessel which God would seek to fill, giving into your keeping Light for light and Joy for joy; adding to your many treasures an abundance of goodly things.
32 Thus shall you celebrate the festivals which I appoint being for your good; to assign to you that happy moment when you shall sing and dance in the midst of all your worship; creating from your joy the light which shines and in the darkness beckons, becoming yourself that point of light where God is surely found.
33 Remember then, do not forget, that it is appointed that the first and greatest festival of all your years to come shall be that of the Festival of Joy, in commemoration of the coming forth of God and Heaven to the man called Azrael.
34 Bring therefore unto the wild places wherein you choose to celebrate, the tents for camping beneath the sky; for even as Azrael was made to dwell in a tent within the mountains deep, even so shall you in like fashion do, that you may prove yourself as one with the very Friend of God.
35 And even as you would celebrate the coming forth of God, still is it appointed that on the day of the summer solstice, from the rising of the sun to the setting, even on this day shall you celebrate the coming forth of the Song of God; for even as the sun gives forth an abundance of light on the longest day of the year, even so shall the Song of God give light throughout all the generations of mankind upon this world whereon you stand.
36 For the Song of God is made the gift which we from Heaven give, to be for you a place of learning filled with sacred wisdom; a place where you and God might meet and there but sweet embrace, a place of refuge from the storm where you might find deliverance.
37 Yet in Heaven is there found the custom where a gift deserves a gift. What gift therefore would you give for the sake of so great a gift? What is the gift which we would seek from the children that we love?
38 Only one gift shall prove most worthy, only one gift do we desire, to see in you the gift of joy and happy jubilation; proving yourselves as those most grateful and filled with song and dance; holding up for all the world this book which God did give; proclaiming aloud its many riches to those which do not have, reclaiming through the Song of God this world so far away.
39 For this I tell you for your learning, that you might prove yourself most wise: for in the joy of jubilation is strength increased within you, both of body and in spirit, causing that you should prove indomitable in the midst of all your faith.
40 Thus if you would prove strong in the living of your life and not as someone weak, then be you quick and unreserved in the expression of that sacred joy which flows from the heart of God, even as a mighty river which would wash away all weariness from both heart and mind together.
41 For you are more than you suppose or even in your dreams perceived, having elected even your own selves to stand before the very Heavens as warriors of light and grace, having chosen of your own accord to become the sons and daughters of this Azrael who walks in life beside you; to stand yourself against the darkness as a light which never fails.
42 What then shall prove effective in withstanding dread Jehovah? What powers shall prove most worthy for warriors of light and grace? How win the battle of light and darkness, to set the children free, causing that even all who witness shall see in you the hope of their deliverance?
43 Hear then and I will answer, to give you good instruction, for these three powers shall prove most useful, being in their nature most desired by even all the children of God who are made to dwell so far away.
44 Thus would I reveal in you the first power which would awaken the children of God as if from sleep. For this power is the power of joy, which joy is the greatest of all testimonies concerning the things of God, and against this joy would only the foolish speak.
45 For in the heart of every man and every woman is there found the need for joy, causing that every man and every woman should prove most eager to take it to themselves; ever seeking, always striving to dance within the light.
46 For the joy of God is made the light which beckons from afar, shining brightly in the Deep to fill the heart with hope; reaching out with open arms to lift you higher still, until at last we are as one, you in me and I in you, forever and anon.
47 Thus in worship and in celebration let all your joy leap forth, singing, dancing with arms wide open to receive that child of God which today is lost midst great confusions, but in you is found the light which would guide them safely home.
48 And this shall prove the second power which would set free the child of God, for this power is the power of fellowship, which fellowship is born of joy and light together, revealing quick for all to see the family of God on earth.
49 For it is also born most deep within, the need to belong and be a part of something greater than yourself, hoping that in the doing you might find some greater purpose; for it is the greater purpose which leads to the greater self.
50 How then shall the true Fellowship of God reveal itself unto those who yearn to find themselves a home? In what manner shall you comport yourself towards those who believe as you do?
51 For in the true Fellowship of God are even all made as one through covenant, which covenant would forge together a single heart and mind, reflecting through good fellowship the family of God on earth.
52 Hear me then and I will tell you, to set before you a good example worthy of emulation; for in the meeting of a brother or a sister within the Fellowship of God, let it be the custom to embrace each other and to give to each a holy kiss upon the cheek, being each to each filled with joyful greetings.
53 Be you then most happy eager in seeking each the other, establishing well through daily doings the fellowship that you owe; becoming yourself as one most constant, a light within the fold filled with joy and grace.
54 For this I tell you for your learning, that in fellowship is there found the beginnings of godly grace, being itself pure and undefiled, having as its only aim the care of those you meet; creating deep within the heart the bond of true affection, which affection would bind together even all who would come seeking, to make you one with God.
55 Thus in fellowship is there revealed the second power of your faith, reflecting from your true affections a home that’s worth the having; becoming itself a place of refuge, a port within the storm, enticing through most joyful grace even all who inward yearn, to find again the God of Heaven and find at last a home.
56 Yet above the first and second power is there found a greater power, being itself the Song of God, this book of holy scriptures, becoming itself in every part a source of many powers. Thus in the Song of God is the mind of God revealed, answering well the many questions which men and women ask; containing within its many pages still far more greater mysteries.
57 For it is in the nature of man to seek the mind of God, being themselves most hopeful in touching the great eternal, causing that they should strive and struggle through many religions to embrace what cannot be seen, but which is felt only within the heart.
58 Yet are the religions of man filled with great confusions born of fear, having been perverted through the many minions of Jehovah, who in the name of many gods did mislead and misdirect the children which were born of God, being themselves most anxious to steal away the children that we love.
59 By this means did Jehovah place before the minds of men, the teachings of lesser men which were not of God, but which sought instead to appease their dreadful master lest they themselves should perish in a hell of their devising.
60 Hold up therefore the Song of God and from its pages read, becoming yourselves as good ambassadors, teaching and preaching with joyful hearts that God did not forget; letting shine the light of joy which reveals the prize they seek, to know at last the mind of God and to touch the great eternal.
61 And so it is given that in the Festival of Joy are you given three reasons for jubilation, which reasons are: the coming forth of God and Heaven, the appointment of Azrael to be for you a teacher, and the coming forth of the Song of God to be for you a light.
62 This then be the first and foremost of all your festivals, to be for you a source of joy, filling the Heavens above the earth with shouts of hallelujah.