Faith and How It Can Be Obtained
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Faith and How It Can Be Obtained.
(JESUS)
(October 10th, 1915 | Received by James Padgett)
I AM HERE. Jesus.
I came tonight to tell you that you are nearer the Kingdom than you have been for a long time. If you pray to the Father in more earnestness, you will soon realize the inflowing of the Divine Love. This will make you free, indeed, and fit you to enjoy that close communion with the Father that will enable you to forget all your worries and disappointments, and to see the great Truths with your soul perceptions which I and my followers may endeavor to teach you.
I know that, at times, it seems difficult to grasp the full meaning of faith in the Father and His Love. But if you will earnestly seek for His Love, you will find that there will come to you such a belief in His Wonderful Love, and in the nearness of His Presence, that you will be free from all doubt.
YOU HAVE ASKED ME, “WHAT IS FAITH?”, AND I WILL ANSWER: FAITH IS THAT WHICH, WHEN POSSESSED IN ITS REAL AND TRUE MEANING, MAKES THE ASPIRATIONS AND LONGINGS OF THE SOUL A REAL, LIVING EXISTENCE, AND ONE SO CERTAIN AND PALPABLE THAT NO DOUBT WILL ARISE AS TO ITS REALITY.
THIS FAITH IS NOT THE BELIEF THAT ARISES FROM THE MERE OPERATION OF THE MIND, BUT THAT WHICH COMES FROM THE OPENING OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE SOUL, AND WHICH ENABLES ITS POSSESSOR TO SEE GOD IN ALL HIS BEAUTY AND LOVE. I DO NOT MEAN THAT THE POSSESSOR OF THIS FAITH WILL ACTUALLY SEE GOD IN FORM OR FEATURE, FOR HE HAS NONE SUCH, BUT HIS SOUL PERCEPTIONS WILL BE IN SUCH CONDITION THAT ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE FATHER WILL APPEAR SO PLAINLY TO HIM THAT THEY WILL BE AS REAL AS ANYTHING THAT HE CAN SEE WITH THE EYES OF THE SPIRIT FORM. SUCH FAITH COMES ONLY WITH CONSTANT PRAYER AND THE RECEPTION OF THE DIVINE LOVE INTO THE SOUL.
NO MAN CAN BE SAID TO HAVE FAITH WHO HAS NOT THIS DIVINE LOVE. OF COURSE, FAITH IS A PROGRESSIVE QUALITY, OR ESSENCE, OF THE SOUL, AND IT INCREASES AS POSSESSION OF THIS DIVINE LOVE INCREASES. IT IS NOT DEPENDENT ON ANYTHING ELSE. YOUR PRAYERS CALL FROM THE FATHER A RESPONSE THAT BRINGS WITH IT FAITH. AND WITH THIS FAITH COMES A KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THIS LOVE IN YOUR OWN SOUL.
MANY PERSONS, I KNOW, UNDERSTAND THIS FAITH TO BE A MERE BELIEF, BUT IT IS GREATER THAN BELIEF, AND EXISTS, IN ITS TRUE SENSE, ONLY IN THE SOUL. BELIEF MAY ARISE FROM A CONVICTION OF THE MIND, BUT FAITH NEVER CAN. ITS PLACE OF BEING IS IN THE SOUL. AND NO ONE CAN POSSESS IT UNLESS HIS SOUL IS AWAKENED BY THE INFLOWING OF THIS LOVE.
SO, WHEN WE PRAY TO THE FATHER TO INCREASE OUR FAITH, IT IS A PRAYER FOR THE INCREASE OF LOVE. FAITH IS BASED ON THE POSSESSION OF THIS LOVE. THERE CAN BE NO FAITH WITHOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE SOUL TO EXERCISE ITS FUNCTION WHEN LOVE IS ABSENT FROM IT.
Sometime, as you progress in these writings, you will be in a soul condition to understand just what faith is; but, until that time, your faith will be limited by your possession of this Love.
Well, in my healing of the sick and the blind and the others of earth who needed a cure, when I said: “As your faith, so be it unto you,” I meant that they must believe that the Father had Power to bring about the cure. I did not mean that if their minds merely had the belief that I might cure them that then they would be cured. Belief was not sufficient of itself; faith was required.
Faith is not a thing that can be obtained by a mere exercise of the mind, but has to be sought for with the soul perceptions. And, when obtained, it will be enjoyed by the soul perceptions.
I am with you in all my love and power. I love you, as I told you, and I desire that you shall become free and happy so that you can do my work. With all my love and blessings, I will say good night.
Your brother and friend, JESUS.
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