FATHER DIVINE
In this Message of the LORD'S, very profound Truths are unfolded, and GOD our LORD makes clear the fact, that if one will uncover his sins, HE will have Mercy, and clemency in behalf of the individual who has sinned, who will confess such sins, will be extended. This is truly a worthwhile Lesson to be considered by all the people of this civilization, and especially by those of us who name the Name of the LORD, FATHER DIVINE, in His Compassion and great Condescension.
FATHER unfolds many mysteries herein; for example, the fulfillment of the promise made by the individual, even though the body may be a failure. This is also a thought of great worth. It is distinctly and clearly expounded in this particular Message.
Omnipotent LORD, we thank THEE!
(Just before the Message, a visiting Follower from the coast played a selection with variations dedicated to FATHER. It was enjoyed by all.)
SONG
'O my beautiful FATHER, how I love YOU!
YOU are so kind and true, YOU are so beautiful too;
O my beautiful FATHER, how I love YOU!'
(The foregoing statements are those of the transcriber, after which FATHER speaks
as follows:)
PEACE EVERYONE! ("Peace, FATHER Dear!" responded the assembly joyously.) Here we all are again, and there I sit and stand; while yet it may not be understood as you all should understand, nevertheless, that little song said, "How I love YOU." The Spirit of the Consciousness of the Presence of GOD was the transposer of that song. I AM not bearing record, nor AM I trying to convey to you, the person through whom the transposition came, but the Message is conveyed as a living reality for millions who are deeply convicted and convinced that GOD is actually Present with them. By this, as I say, it was not a person, neither is it a person saving as it is personified and made real by mankind bringing such an assertion into expression in person. The realization of such is made known as it is actually manifested in the hearts and in the lives of those with whom it is concerned.
Now I mentioned this because I continue to say, "Don't say it unless you mean it." The promise you make today, it may apparently be made and so it is. That which is said and done in you as a person, it is you; nevertheless, if it does not remain in you, it is not you after it leaves you. You may be accused of it and found guilty of that which has been performed through you, but with the right concept and the understanding of the Truth from a psychological point of view, I can show you conclusively, that it is not you if it is good or if it is evil. Just think of thousands and thousands of people who have been found guilty of sin and of crimes they have committed apparently. So long as that spirit was in them, they were under condemnation, but as soon as they are emancipated from the spirit of condemnation as being the expresser and the manifester of such a crime or violation, that person is no longer the expresser of such a crime, therefore, he is no longer actually guilty, for he is not the one.
May I retrace your thoughts back to an incident and an experience of Mine -- or experience of My Own, in coming in contact with two men once. I have told it over and over again, for consideration, but I may retrace your thoughts back to the fact that,
'He who covers his sins shall not prosper, but he who confesseth them and forsakes them, shall have mercy.'
These two men were in prison, each of them was charged with quite a serious crime.
One accepted of the Message which I gave, and the other one criticized it. The
one who accepted of the Message which I gave, a charge against him was made by
the grandmother of a little child only eleven years old. The other man was charged
with the same crime, but against a woman some forty-seven years or more, and
it happened to be a disrespectable woman at that; but each of them being held
in the same prison on the same charge apparently, the one who accepted of My
Message, charged with the most severe crime, he confessed his sins and forsook
them, and he told the truth concerning those things that concerned him, and when
he went before the court, why, he was obliged to wait a little while -- when
the case was called and when the star witness for the state came in, the grandmother
of this little eleven-year-old child, she spoke boastfully, or spoke boastful
language to the judge, by being late in getting to court. She was provoked. The
judge said, "I will dismiss the case, and I will give you twenty-five dollars
fine, or thirty days in jail for contempt of the court."
But while they waited for this case to be tried, why, they tried the other man whose charge against him was not so severe, it being a woman in her forties -- around forty-seven, so I was informed, and being a disrespectful woman even at that. But when he went up, as he had not confessed or forsaken his sins, to GOD, nor to man, he was condemned, found guilty of the crime and sentenced to sixteen years in the penitentiary. I AM saying that to say this: "Whoso confesseth his sins and forsakes them," he is not the person who committed the crime, who committed the sin, for he is a new creature; and a new creature indeed, for GOD has made him new. He has been regenerated and born again. That is what it is all about. On the other hand, we find you coming forth with compositions. By inspiration the Spirit of the Consciousness of the Presence of GOD, the Perfect Picture, the Impersonal One, inspires you with these songs, compositions and statements which you are making concerning your Savior, and even speaking and acting accurately and convincingly true; but when you fail to allow this Truth to express in you, that Truth is no longer you. The Truth still remains; the promise and the identical statement may be reincarnated; it may be reproduced; it may be remanifested in another body, but how about you?
The mystery of GOD is now revealed! That which is good, of which has been done in the lives of the children of men, that is not them, unless they allow it to be, and continue to express ME; but, if they refuse to continue to express ME volitionally and consciously, even as they did in the beginning, that promise is to the Impersonal. That promise is not the personal making the promise; the Impersonal is making the promise; hence, the Impersonal will fulfill it with or without a person. Therefore, when the Spirit declared, through the transposed version of that composition, and the converted state of expression of it, "O My Beautiful FATHER, how I love YOU," this is actually true, but it does not say especially it is true with you. It will be true with you, or it is true with you if you allow the Spirit of the Consciousness of the Presence of GOD to remain in you, and allow it to be in you so vividly that you will be the Truth daily in expression.
Oh, it is a privilege to observe the Truth concerning all things. You can express the positive and be the expresser of it continually, by keeping yourself into subjection to it and allowing it to express in you accurately at all times. You can and will then and there be continually that positive expression which you are making; but if you deviate in the least, or the least deviation will bring about a prohibition for you and will prohibit you from being that which you have expressed unless you continue to express it and be the same. What says the Scripture?
'As you have found HIM, walk therein.'
If you deviate from your resolve and from your determination, you can and will,
no doubt, physically appear to be the same for a little while; and yet it will
even be reflected in your physical appearance at times, that you are not the
same; nevertheless, even if your personal appearance should be the same, you
cannot be that one who is expressing the Perfect Picture, if you begin expressing
the negative. It is the same as a happy person; at one time you may be a happy
person, and at another time, you may be a mad person. Aren't you glad? Different
expressions of life can and will be manifested in you, and you will be partakers
of them as you bring your bodies into subjection and allow your bodies to be
the expressers of whatsoever may be in expression and be expressed through or
by you. That is the mystery.
So then I say, if a person makes a promise, or says anything in a song, a composition or by testimonial, especially when it is coming forth from the spirit of Truth volitionally, it may be spoken through you, or by you, but it will be detrimental for you to deviate; nevertheless, it is a glorious privilege to know the Truth concerning the mystery. You may be a failure; nevertheless, the promise which you have made apparently will be the promise still as others fulfill that which you have promised.
As I have often said, if the Truth can set you free on one point, it can set you free on all points. It can set you free on all accounts. It will lift you from worries, from sorrows and from tribulations. It will lift you from the state of delusion where you will have no longer an occasion to be deluded, for the very Spirit of GOD'S Presence will be your Comforter.
Why is it, and how is it you will not be deluded? It is because when the promise is once made in all sincerity, in the spirit of meekness, of truth and obedience, that promise cannot fail you. It must be the same now, henceforth and forever; but more perfectly expressed in the future than it has been in the past.
I recall once a party said to ME, "FATHER, I would go with YOU any place; I would be willing to go across the pond, or any place as a chauffeur for YOU." At that time I was driving My own car Personally Myself. I usually did at that time. I delight in driving. I pleasure in it; but remember, the promise was made by one individual apparently, but others are the actual fulfillers; for the promise that was made has been reincarnated in thousands. I could have said, in millions. They are all ready and willing! Although the individual as a person was a failure, (I have not seen the person that time around 1922, about fifteen years ago), nevertheless, the promise that was made stands firm. It is always incorruptible! It is eternal! It is undefiled, for it is impersonal! It is not mortal, although it is expressed through mortality at times; therefore, I say, it will live on.
'O My Beautiful FATHER, how I love YOU.'
You need not think within yourself, "I composed or transposed that song
into the converted state of expression in the Name of GOD, My FATHER -- and Religion,
and yet I will not fulfill it."
The promise that is made and the words that have been said, they are firm, incorruptible,
undefiled and they fadeth not away! They fade not away, because they are incorruptible,
because they are Spirit and they are life, with or without a Bodily Form. That
is the mystery, and that is your consolation, for every promise I or any other
individual may make you, if the promise has been made in the spirit of sincerity,
you may know that promise is incorruptible; that promise cannot fail you, even
though the person or persons may apparently fail you, for GOD is Impersonal as
well as HE is Personal; hence if GOD Himself makes a Personal promise apparently,
the promise is firm and stands firm forever and HE will fulfill all of My endeavors
with or without My Person.
'O My Beautiful FATHER, how I love YOU!'
Take these thoughts to consideration! Many of you may use it in words as a reiteration
and as a formula for consideration or merely as a song, as a composition, as
a melody because the music sounds sweet; nevertheless, when you make this assertion,
you should speak with the spirit of sincerity. If you do and express unselfishly,
you will make that impersonal expression personal, for it will come in your personality,
and you will be the expresser of it, and thus by living it and expressing it
continually, you will become to be the personification of it, not only the mere
reflector and the manifester of it, but you will become to be the personification
of it. If you get it so confirmed in your system until nothing can sever it from
you, then and there it will be you and you will be it.
Just think of this glorious Work as it is going on! How happens it to be manifested in the outer on the material plane? It is because the conscious consideration of those things have been established in the hearts and lives of the true and the faithful; because of their endeavors to fulfill the Plan and the Purpose personally; therefore, we have the outward expression of it materially manifested. That is the mystery! So let us live continually in whatsoever your highest inspiration or highest intuition will lead you or tell you; be governed by your highest intuition.
When you shall have relaxed your conscious mentality from a selfish point of view, and shall have stilled yourself firstly, such an expression will lead you on to victory. By being governed by your highest intuition, your highest intuition will be the Spirit of the CHRIST within you, and you being the expresser of it, you will become to be the manifester and the materializer of that which you are expressing. That is why your health and your happiness result in that which you have spoken into consideration.
You may speak words as though affirmations, but when they are brought through the confirming process of GOD, your Savior, GOD confirms them by the majesty of His Presence. You can see in reality, that which you have spoken as an affirmation has been made real, tangible and practical for you and others are the visible and physical fulfillers of it.
I need not say more along that line. I believe I have said enough to stir up your pure minds. In the meantime I wish to say, as you continue in this Faith and Love and Devotion, with your mind and attention concentrated on the FUNDAMENTAL, you will find all success and all prosperity put forth into expression. You will find people coming to the Light of this Understanding, for in your daily actions you are telling people the truth concerning the mystery more than you can tell them by speaking to them.
I have been apparently away for a couple, or a few days, yet I have not been away. Since you all realize GOD is Ever Present, your fondest and most significant conviction of GOD'S Ever Presence; no longer merely believing in the Omnipresence of GOD, for it is not so far-reaching and convincing as it is to be convinced GOD is Ever Present with you and just as operative when HE is apparently absent as HE is when HE is Personally Present, so long as you recognize HIS Ever Presence and HIS Personal Presence the same.
Then I say, when I was apparently absent, I did not find MYSELF idle. I have not been on a vacation, for wheresoever I go, there will I find the very appearance of you, your expressions and your emotions put forth into expression, even if they must needs come through and by those who may not understand ME. Those who do not know ME, those who have not heretofore believed ME, they are the reflection of MY Message wheresoever I AM, and they are the reproducers of your expressions and of your actions.
Remember, you have promised to be with ME always. How can any other fill your place unless they reproduce your Spirit, your expressions, your emotions, your ideas and your opinions? That is the mystery. When one walks alone and in mind following ME, that person is the reproduction of one of your minds, or one of your Spirits, one of your characteristics. They must do so, for it has power over all flesh. Truly might have Jesus said:
'I thank THEE, FATHER, for THOU hast given Me power over all flesh.'
The Spiritual concept of all things has power over all flesh! I say the Spiritual
concept of all things has power over all flesh and the Spiritual concept is the
Spiritual, Impersonal Presence of you having power over others. It will cause
them to do just as you would do if you are present; will cause them to do physically
just as you would do personally if you were present.
I thank THEE, FATHER," said He, "that THOU hast given Me power over all flesh.'
GOD did give Jesus power over all flesh. It was a mystery to be revealed. The
same Spirit is speaking today. Your impersonality has power over all flesh, and
it will reincarnate or reflect and influence the minds and the bodies of others,
that they might do what they should do for you, willingly or unwillingly, either
way. You may be mortal-minded and be jealous of someone else doing what you should
do, and you will not do it; nevertheless, the promise is made, if you get mad.
While I was apparently away, even strangers would follow ME day by day just the same as you do here. I cause the impersonal presence of you to be reincarnated and to be reiterated in them; the reiteration of your personal actions, your personal emotions and your personal love and devotion to be reiterated, for the promise is not personal neither is it a personal presence especially, saving as you present your personal presence. The promise is a living reality; it must be fulfilled personally or impersonally.
While I was apparently away, I could see you with ME. I would try to get away from you at times (It is wonderful!) but I would see you running behind ME. The Scripture is actually fulfilled with you as it was declared with Paul: "When I AM absent in Body, I AM present in Spirit." The very thing concerning those things is as true to you as it was with him. Aren't you glad? So then I cannot be alone. Truly might have one said, "I will not leave you comfortless, I will come again." So when you are apparently absent, your impersonal presence will present itself and at times and in most instances, it will take on other bodies as the reiterators of your expression, of your emotions and of your actions, of your love and of your devotion, of your mind and of your attention. Aren't you glad?
I AM never alone! I AM never comfortless! "Lo, I AM with you always," said He, of whom I declare to be you. Oh, it is a privilege to realize it. Build upon this Foundation, and you will not have an occasion to fret not worry, but as reiterated expression of David, you can say:
'The LORD is my Shepherd, and I shall not want, for THOU Art with me.'
I will not be comfortless,
'for Thy Rod and Thy Staff they comfort me.'
It does not have to be in the same appearance or expression as it was in David's
version, as David was among the shepherds of this day.
Professionally, he was a shepherd. It was necessary for him to observe the LORD as a Shepherd from that degree of expression, and it was necessary for him to observe his protection as a rod and as a staff, such as the shepherds carry. Aren't you glad? But to you, I will speak in your own actuated language, that you might understand it.
In whatsoever profession or mission you may be following, I can see others reiterating in expression as the fulfillers of that which you have iterated, that you might not leave ME comfortless, but that you might be with ME.
Oh, it is a privilege to live in the Actual Presence of GOD, and to know your GOD! It is a privilege I say! Just think of it! "At the Name of JESUS CHRIST, of Whom you say I AM, every knee must bow and every tongue must confess," for GOD, through HIS condescension, has sacrificed HIS Life in the Flesh, that HE might save all men from a sinner's death.
I can see your very emotions and expressions. Now suppose we transpose this version and look on the other end of the incident and experience; you can see as you look back and retrace your thoughts, I have been present with you when I was apparently Absent. I have been here in these different audiences and in these dining rooms, at the Banquet Tables. My Spirit and My Presence have been as expressive and as operative and will continue to be when I AM Personally Present and when I AM Personally absent throughout all eternity. I thank you.
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