Father Divine’s message at the banquet table 20 west 115th street New York City Sunday, February 21, 1937 at 2:50 pm
PART I
The remark is so often heard in the Orthodox Christian Churches, and even among the followers of Truth, “I cannot understand how GOD could have permitted so-and-so to die . . . she was as good a woman as ever lived,” or “he was as good a man as ever lived, and here am I, a sinner all my days, alive and healthy.”
However, in every case of physical death there is a mental and spiritual first cause, and always when the truth is known it will be found that the individual violated some of GOD’S Laws. There is a well-known saying, “Appearances are deceiving,” and the Gospel declares, “He who confesseth his sins and forsaketh them shall have mercy but he who covers his sins shall not prosper.”
Dealing with this matter, F A T H E R spoke stressfully from the depths of HIS Omniscience in the presence of thousands at HIS New York City Headquarters, Sunday, February 21st. The most essential listener among the many visitors could recognize HIS Words as Spirit and as Life, as FATHER instructed HIS followers in the Way of Life, but to the true believers they were the Words of GOD Almighty HIMSELF in HIS Beautiful Bodily Form, that were heard as follows.
Thank you, Father!
FATHER speaks as follows:
PEACE, EVERYONEI Good Health, Good Will, and a Good Appetite; a heart full of Merriness, your bodies filled with enthusiasm, and your minds with the understanding of the Infinite one.
While sitting, I thought a little while ago how marvelous it is to get out of the world of the mortal versions of things. In the mortal versions you will find your enemies, and those enemies are of your own household. It has long since been said, and I AM here to verify the same, “The worst enemy you have is that one of your own household.”
While sitting I thought how marvelous it is you all can rejoice and be filled with the Spirit of Enthusiasm over and above every mortal version, and shout in the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of GOD. But on the other hand, there are those who are unified together with the mortal mind and mortal connections, for selfishness, selfish fancies and selfish pleasures, for graft and greed and for other such selfish expressions — they cannot be in this place where we stand, above the mortal versions of the children of men, in that place where trials and tribulations cannot come.
Hovered Under GOD’S Protection
While thinking from that angle I thought of all of MY real followers, not one of them would be on the welfare. Not one of MY real followers would belong to an insurance, neither would they belong to a fraternity, lodge or anything of that sort for the purpose of self-protection in the time of trials and tribulations, in the time of accidents, disappointments and failures, for all of these different expressions are paving out the way for trials and tribulations, and if you pave the way for them they must needs come. So I was thinking how marvelous it is for you to be hovered as GOD declared through Jesus, “as a hen hovers her brood.”
At the time of Jesus as a Person, the children of Jerusalem—in other words, those in and around Jerusalem — would not allow Christ in the Name of Jesus to hover them as a hen hovers her brood, but I AM pleased to say at this time there are millions and millions being hovered “as a hen hovers her brood,” coming under the Personal Jurisdiction of Him Who liveth forever, where they can find their refuge, their strength and their protection, and “Where GOD the Son forever reigns and scatters night away.” By thus being hovered, and as one under the sheltering of a mighty rock, the floods and storms may come, the trials and tribulations of every kind, but those of you who are founded upon this Rock you cannot and will not be shaken, and if you are hid in the Rock you cannot be disturbed by the storms that may arise.
Let GOD Be True
You are undisturbed regardless to what may come, where you may go, for you do remember the Scripture, as was the experience of one whom we may call your attention to,Lot. As he left the city of destruction, his wife looked back for those of her relatives, her friends and her kin, and she turned to a pillar of salt. It is life to press on, it is death to look back. “Choose you this day whom you shall serve.” Will you serve GOD or man? Relatives and kin, they are not your friends, but to the extreme reverse according to MY Version — that which is substantiated in MY Mentality — they are your worst enemies. But what says the Scripture in the name of GOD?
“Let all men be liars but let God be true.”
Every person among you — all your relatives and kin — that will pass out and pass on after the manner of the mortal versions of men, they will tell you in words, deeds or in actions, that GOD is a liar and they are truthful. They will attempt in words, deeds and actions to prove to you conclusively that they are truthful, and still they will go on to the grave as they have been going, ignoring completely what Jesus said.
Now every time one can convince you subconsciously or consciously that they are good, and yet they die, they are proving to you in your version that Christ is a liar. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep MY Saying he shall never see death.” Jot these thoughts down in your vocabularies, for those of your teachers, and leaders, and preachers, and readers, will lead you in the way of destruction and cause your bodies to see corruption unnecessarily and erroneously because of the lack of the understanding of the Truth and because of selfishness they have inculcated In their hearts and in their lives, and transmitted the same to you.
These thoughts are well worth considering. Lift up your heads that hang down and look out on the field, for the field truly is white, “The harvest is ripe but the laborers are few.” All men in the mortal version, those of their respective connections, so long as they live in mortal consciousness they are enemies to the cause of Christ and will cause you to say in words, deeds or in actions that GOD is a liar and you and yours are truthful. But what says the Scripture?
“Let all men be liars but let God be true.”
Prove the Gospel truth even in, opposition to your own personal feelings, your own personal fancies, tendencies and pleasures, and recognize GOD as the only Truth and as the only truthful Person.
Build upon this Foundation, be substantiated in faith and unshaken in confidence. When trials and tribulations come by the mortal versions of men and by the “other fellow” using bodies of flesh to condemn, you will stand firm and make your declaration known, “GOD alone shall reign,” and I do not mean maybe! Let your declaration be made known, GOD alone shall reign in your heart and in your mind, and GOD alone shall be supreme as Lord of lords and King of kings in your heart and in your mind and in your understanding. This is the Reign of Christ. It is not necessary to say, “I believe GOD and I know HE shall reign,” unless HE can reign supremely in your hearts and in your minds, and in you and in your affairs, as Lord of lords and King of kings, there as well as here.
When this shall have been established in you once, you need not fret nor worry. You will see and know conclusively, all other grounds are sinking sand. You will not build upon a foundation that can be shaken, but you will be substantiated in faith and unshaken in confidence and you will let all of the preachers. and the teachers, and let all of the metaphysicians and the practitioners and leaders, and everybody that is in mortal consciousness, be liars, but to you GOD will be true. Now isn’t that Wonderful!
Upon this foundation if you will stand, you will be the fulfillers of the Scripture as it has quoted this especial quotation, “God in one man is the majority.” GOD in one man is the majority. Therefore you will allow GOD to overbalance everything else in your consciousness. When you allow GOD to rise and reign supremely on the throne of your mind, you will dethrone everything else in your mentality saving that which is in perfect harmony with HIM.
Your Worst Enemy Is Own Household
I mention this because the Bible declares the worst enemy you have is that of your own household — “The arms of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own.” The “other fellow” will inculcate and reincarnate himself in bodies of flesh for you to lean upon those bodies of flesh, that they might fail you and undermine you of righteousness, joy and Peace, and health, and prohibit you from inheriting Eternal Life, the Gift of GOD to you I AM bringing.
Oh, it is a privilege to observe the truth concerning the mystery. The worst enemy is that of your own household. Those who call themselves your friends, when one is a failure by some misunderstanding or ignorance or ignorant act whichever, you can see there are those who are called your friends will attempt to substantiate you in the faith in that one that has been a failure, as an expression for a mental and spiritual conception to express a doubt within yourself when you reconceive such an idea that has gone out from someone else. Now isn’t that Wonderful! They will rob you out of joy, they will rob you out of happiness, they will rob you out of your Peace and hence rob you out of your pleasure, because they will rob you out of your success and rob you out of your prosperity, and cause you to become to be a real failure. Therefore, no longer can you be successful when you indulge in the mortal versions.
Why is it men we failures? It is because of the mortal versions. If you are filled with the Spirit of enthusiasm and recognize GOD’S real Presence, and deny the reality of another who is not in perfect harmony with you, you will find yourselves filled with enthusiasm, and joy, and peace and happiness even as David declared it,
“Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I shall fear no
evil for thou art with me; thy rod and
thy staff, they comfort me.”
You can see, those who have walked through the valley, those who are walking through this land, if you will allow ME to be with you I will comfort you, I will keep you and naught will be able to harm you for “Lo, I am with you.” These are the Words of GOD as inspired and given through David by inspiration. As it was given to him and through him it has been transmitted and imparted to others, that they might be partakers of the Promise and enjoy the blessings GOD had for them.
Those Living In the Flesh Are Liars
“Let all men be liars, but let God be true.” Make out every man a liar if he is not in perfect harmony with you. That is, if you are in harmony with GOD. Now isn’t that Wonderful! Make them out a liar and a big liar! Oh, it is something to consider! The biggest lie a person can tell is that one everybody else is telling, It is so big it covers the universe and fills the mortal minds of the children of men, each and all of them who are living in the flesh. That is such a big lie. Therefore that big lie getting in a person and causing that person to tell such a big lie and express it so vividly, you know that he’s a big liar because he is expressing the biggest lie that has ever been told. “Let all men be liars but let God be true.” The mortal version will rob you out of your houses and your homes, will rob you out of your comfort and your convenience, by robbing you firstly mentally and by causing you to become to be doubters of what the Almighty has declared to you.
Then I say cast every mortal version out of your concepts. Purge yourselves of all filthiness of the flesh, every mortal versionated idea and opinion and substantiate yourselves in the Spirit of the Consciousness of GOD’S Presence, and the Spirit of GOD’S Presence will be with you convincingly and others may be convinced by HIS Presence in you, that GOD is a Living Factor and a Savior and Redeemer among them.
How do these conditions come? Little by little. The mortal version will tell you one thing and then it will tell you another. It will tell you, “Why, it is no harm to belong to an insurance, because you have a right to protect yourself.” You have a right to lean on the arms of flesh, and you have a right to be a failure. Every one of you who will lean on the arms of flesh, you will all be failures. I have declared it!
Free From Undesirable Conditions
My real followers will not play numbers. They will not play horse races. They will not bet, nor gamble, or any such expression, for they will Praise GOD wholeheartedly and rely on the Fundamental regardless to the oppositions. Oh, it is a privilege to be free from these undesirable conditions; free from these undesirable conditions by relying on the Fundamental and being persistent in your ambition, and trusting GOD wholeheartedly.
The Lord is your Shepherd. I have brought HIM all the way down from David to you. Firstly I showed you conclusively, David declared the Lord was his Shepherd and he should not or shall not want, said he. But I have brought HIM all the way down from you to ME and from ME to you, that I might declare to you, the Lord is your Shepherd and you shall not want. I believe the majority of the people who have heard and read of ME are convinced at this juncture that the majority of MY followers are above wants and lacks and limitations. You do not see them wanting, for the Lord is their Shepherd and they shall not want. So long as they walk in the Light I have given, and be subject to the Spirit of MY Leading, and be governed by their highest intuition, the Lord is your Shepherd and is their Shepherd, and you shall not want.
Oh, it is a privilege to be under the Banner of God as being termed by the Christian Religion, under the Banner of Jesus — under the Banner of the Free where Christ has brought your realLibertythrough this great Emancipation. Isn’t that a privilege, dear ones? The word Peace as a salutation, is an outward expression of our declaring our real emancipation. Mankind shall realize, those of you who say Peace and say it sincerely, you can and will express your freedom, for I have brought your real emancipation, and as the Emancipator came and manifested HIMSELF as the Emancipator from sin, from vices, and from crimes, and from debauchery of every kind, HE also brought you to the conscious realization that HE was not only the Emancipator but truly, GOD your FATHER is the Universal Educator, bringing all illiterate people and those who are not altogether illiterate, to the schools to train your mental conscious mentality that you might be humanly intelligent to meet the issues of life.
Not Confined to Religious World
Because your real Emancipator is also your Educator and gave you freedom from the sins and the vices of men, then HE comes forth into expression giving you your social advancement in the Kingdom of Heaven, that mankind might realize GOD is not bound nor confined to that which is termed the religious world alone, but as GOD is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent HE came to meet all men on whatsoever grounds they may be found. Meeting them on their respective grounds, speaking to them in their respective languages, therefore through HIS condescension HE speaks in your emotional, and social, and expressible, and professional language, that all mankind collectively might understand HIM. Oh, it is a privilege to be under the Banner of the Free and be the Children of the King, where your real Emancipator has truly come and your Emancipator is your Educator, Who shall give you a real education.
Rise above the mortal versions of men! Revel into the gloriousLibertyof the Sons of GOD! Relax your conscious mentality, your conscious concepts concerning material things and the mental limited concept of the children of men! Even though you may be least among them it has long since been declared and I verify the same, “The least among you the same shall be great.” “Has not GOD taken the dumb things of this world to confound the wise?” I shall not be discouraged neither shall I be confusingly nor antagonistically disturbed until I shall have brought all things into subjection and cause all mankind to realize and to recognize GOD’S Actual Presence as the confounder of all human intelligence.
As I often say to MY Students when they turn in their cards for MY Signature — I say at times, and the most of the time I say it, I say, “Now, you want ME to bother with some more foolishness.” Whensoever they get their diplomas they desire to have MY Signature, and if I give them MY Signature, why, they feel happy to realize they have MY endorsement, as well as the principal’s of the school. Now isn’t that Wonderful!. Nevertheless I do say, in accord with the quotation of the Scripture, “here I AM” you are calling MY attention to some more foolishness. It has long since been declared, and I verity the same, the wisdom of this world is foolishness to GOD, and the Foolishness of GOD is wiser than men. So be not weary nor be annoyed at MY Foolishness if I express folly at times, for the Spirit of MY Presence is actually meeting the conscious mentality of the children of men that I might harness them and bring them Into subjection to HIM Who Liveth forever and forever, that I might teach them Wisdom they have not received — such Wisdom as they are not getting in the mortal version of the human teaching.
Oh, it is a privilege to be able to speak in all languages — to speak in the language of those who are in folly as an expresser, that they might understand it. ‘Truly might have one declared — once again I AM verifying the Identical expression that had been declared by another — “I become as all men that I might gain the more.” It is a privilege, dear ones, to observe it, and as you observe the unfoldment of the mystery within ME, I AM a Sample and as an Example for you that you might copy after this Fashion I AM showing you daily, and you will advance scientifically, inventionally, and intellectually until you will be able to compete with all persons and people.
How to Advance Spiritually
But remember, if you desire to advance scientifically, intellectually, socially, and especially spiritually, such an advancement as the average person does not get through human intellect, if you desire to advance spiritually you must relax your conscious mentality, still yourselves individually, socially, professionally, and from every limited mortal angle of expression, and refuse to be subject to the mortal versions of men, to orthodoxy and to their teachings and theories and doctrines, that you might enter into this Light of Understanding, the Spirit of GOD’S Actual Presence, into this Heaven where I AM dwelling.
So long as you are depending on insurances and other mortal tendencies and failing to trust ME wholeheartedly, it is a matter of impossibility for you to receive all of the desired results, especially when the expression of opposition comes, When that expression of opposition commonly known as the “last enemy” comes, it takes all of your concentrated thought and your wholehearted sacrifice to GOD to bring you your real deliverance, by trusting GOD wholeheartedly and relying on the Fundamental.
There are many more things I could say, but I believe I have said enough to cause you to think, and to look out on the field, for the field is white, the harvest truly is ripe, but the laborers are few. I have already thrust in MY sickle and I have begun to reap. I shall reap on the right, I shall continue to reap on the left as well as the right. I shall reap your bodies and I shall reap your minds, but unless you allow ME to reap them from you in consciousness, if you wait until you are unconsciousness it may be too late. These thoughts are well worth considering. Your conscious consideration is the great essential, if you will consciously consider and no longer live in the valley of decision but recognize GOD’S Presence and consciously consider immediately by bringing your bodies into subjection and denying your mortal version, and denying everybody else’s.
Mind and Attention is Your Heart!
Then I say, it is essential for you to give ME your mind and your attention, your love and your devotion, all of your ideas and your opinions, and to concentrate them on the Fundamental continuously, that you might have victory in the time of trials, that you might overcome every difficulty when trials shall come. That is the only way you can overcome. It has often been thought, “Why is it FATHER stresses the significance of your mind and your attention, and your ideas and your opinions so vividly?” It is because your mind and your attention, and all of your mentality, consists of your heart. If you do not give ME your mind and your attention completely, your love and devotion, your ideas and your opinions, and all of your mentality, you have not given ME your heart. In other words, unless you do this you cannot give ME your heart. In other words, unless you have done it you have not given ME your heart.
You cannot give GOD your heart or anyone else, unless you give them your mind and your attention, your love and your devotion, your ideas and your opinions, all concentrated or centered on the Fundamental. When you shall have done this, then and there you shall have given that on whatsoever you are concentrating wholeheartedly from a mental point of view — you shall have given both it and them that may be actually the ones, your heart. Oh, it is a privilege.
It has long since been declared, and it is to be verified again — this I AM verifying daily as 1 AM stressing the mystery of MY Presence —
“In perfect peace I’ll keep thee whose mind is staid on ME.”
If your mind is stayed on the Fundamental, on the Name of GOD, the Perfect Picture namely, you will be keeping your mind so charged with the magnetic current of GOD’S Infiniteness, you will be filled with enthusiasm and you will be in Perfect Peace. I thank you.