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.