AT THE MASTER'S FEET
BY
SADHU SUNDAR SINGH
TRANSLATED FROM THE URDU BY REV. ARTHUR AND MRS. PARKER
FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, 1922
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NOTE BY THE TRANSLATORS
This little book was published in Urdu in India, where also an English
translation was issued.
In the preparation of this translation we have been fortunate in
having the co-operation of the Sadhu himself, and in concert with him
certain alterations have been made with a view to remove obscurities
and give added point and clearness wherever possible. While striving
to provide a careful translation, a certain freedom of expression has
been made use of wherever necessary, at the same time care has been
taken to preserve the true spirit and meaning of the original.
To those who, like ourselves, have had the good fortune to see the
Sadhu at his work in India, the whole atmosphere of the book is
familiar. In true Oriental fashion one has seen him seated on the
ground in the midst of a large number of eager inquirers of both sexes
and all classes. His bearing on such occasions one can never forget.
His simplicity and plain common sense often lay open the very heart of
a spiritual problem, and his quiet humour raises an occasional ripple
of amusement, which again subsides into a feeling of reverence as the
deeper significance of his answers makes itself felt.
The man himself, in his own gracious and dignified personality, makes
an indelible impression on the mind. He becomes more than a charming
memory; he remains as a compelling force in the lives of many who have
sat with him at the Master's feet.
This little book goes out as an emanation from a mind chastened and
refined by experience and prayerful meditation, and chosen by the Lord
of love and mercy to make Him known in life as well as in word.
Arthur Parker
Rebecca J. Parker
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PREFACE
The words of Christ -
"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." (John
xiii.13)
"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me . . . and ye shall find rest
unto your souls." (Matt. xi.29)
There is nothing so perfect in the world as to be quite above
objection and criticism. The very sun which gives us light and warmth
is not free from spots, yet notwithstanding these defects it does not
desist from its regular duty. It behooves us in like manner to carry
on to the best of our ability what has been entrusted to us, and
strive constantly to make our lives fruitful.
When the truths set forth in this book were revealed to me by the
Master they deeply affected my life, and some of them have been used
by me in my sermons and addresses in Europe, America, Africa,
Australia, and Asia. At the request of many friends I have now
gathered them together in this little book, and though it is possible
that there are defects in setting them forth, I am sure that those who
read them with prayer and an unprejudiced mind will benefit from them
as I have.
It would be impossible for me to set forth these truths that have been
revealed to me except in parabolic language, but by the use of
parables my task has been made comparatively easy.
It is my prayer that as God by His grace and mercy has blessed me by
these truths, so also they may be a blessing to every reader.
Your humble servant,
Sundar Singh
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INTRODUCTION
First Vision
Once on a dark night I went alone into the forest to pray, and seating
myself upon a rock I laid before God my deep necessities, and besought
His help. After a short time, seeing a poor man coming towards me I
thought he had come to ask me for some relief because he was hungry
and cold. I said to him, "I am a poor man, and except this blanket I
have nothing at all. You had better go to the village near by and ask
for help there." And lo! even whilst I was saying this he flashed
forth like lightning, and, showering drops of blessing, immediately
disappeared. Alas! Alas! it was now clear to me that this was my
beloved Master who came not to beg from a poor creature like me, but
to bless and to enrich me (2 Cor. viii.9), and so I was left weeping
and lamenting my folly and lack of insight.
Second Vision
On another day, my work being finished, I again went into the forest
to pray, and seated upon that same rock began to consider for what
blessings I should make petition. Whilst thus engaged it seemed to me
that another came and stood near me, who, judged by his bearing and
dress and manner of speech, appeared to be a revered and devoted
servant of God; but his eyes glittered with craft and cunning, and as
he spoke he seemed to breathe an odour of hell.
He thus addressed me, "Holy and Honoured Sir, pardon me for
interrupting your prayers and breaking in on your privacy; but is is
one's duty to seek to promote the advantage of others, and therefore I
have come to lay an important matter before you. Your pure and
unselfish life has made a deep impression not only on me, but upon a
great number of devout persons. But although in the Name of God you
have sacrificed yourself body and soul for others, you have never been
truly appreciated. My meaning is that being a Christian only a few
thousand Christians have come under your influence, and some even of
these distrust you. How much better would it be if you became a Hindu
or a Mussulman, and thus become a great leader indeed? They are in
search of such a spiritual head. If you accept this suggestion of
mine, then three hundred and ten millions of Hindus and Mussulmans
will become your followers, and render you reverent homage."
As soon as I heard this there rushed from my lips these words, "Thou
Satan! get thee hence. I knew at once that thou wert a wolf in sheep's
clothing! Thy one wish is that I should give up the cross and the
narrow path that leads to life, and choose the broad road of death. My
Master Himself is my lot and my portion, who Himself gave His life for
me, and it behooves me to offer as a sacrifice my life and all I have
to Him who is all in all to me. Get you gone therefore, for with you I
have nothing to do."
Hearing this he went off grumbling and growling in his rage. And I, in
tears, thus poured out my soul to God in prayer, "My Lord God, my all
in all, life of my life, and spirit of my spirit, look in mercy upon
me and so fill me with Thy Holy Spirit that my heart shall have no
room for love of aught but Thee. I seek from Thee no other gift but
Thyself, who art the Giver of life and all its blessings. From Thee I
ask not for the world or its treasures, nor yet for heaven even make
request, but Thee alone do I desire and long for, and where Thou art
there is Heaven. The hunger and the thirst of this heart of mine can
be satisfied only with Thee who hast given it birth. O Creator mine!
Thou hast created my heart for Thyself alone, and not for another,
therefore this my heart can find no rest or ease save in Thee, in Thee
who hast both created it and set in it this very longing for rest.
Take away then from my heart all that is opposed to Thee, and enter
and abide and rule for ever. Amen."
When I rose up from this prayer I beheld a glowing Being, arrayed in
light and beauty, standing before me. Though He spoke not a word, and
because my eyes were suffused with tears I saw Him not too clearly,
there poured from Him lightning-like rays of life-giving love with
such power that they entered in and bathed my very soul. At once I
knew that my dear Saviour stood before me. I rose at once from the
rock where I was seated and fell at His feet. He held in His hand the
key of my heart. Opening the inner chamber of my heart with His key of
love, He filled it with His presence, and wherever I looked, inside or
out, I saw but Him.
Then did I know that man's heart is the very throne and citadel of
God, and that when He enters there to abide, heaven begins. In these
few seconds He so filled my heart, and spoke such wonderful words,
that even if I wrote many books I could not tell them all. For these
heavenly things can be explained only in heavenly language, and
earthly tongues are not sufficient for them. Yet I will endeavour to
set down a few of these heavenly things that by way of vision came to
me from the Master. Upon the rock on which before I sat He seated
Himself, and with myself at His feet there began between Master and
disciple the conversation that now follows.
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I. THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD'S PRESENCE
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SECTION I
The Disciple,--O Master, Fountain of life! Why dost Thou hide Thyself
from those that adore Thee, and dost not rejoice the eyes of them that
long to gaze upon Thee?
The Master,--1. My true child, true happiness depends not upon the
sight of the eyes, but comes through spiritual vision, and depends
upon the heart. In Palestine thousands looked upon Me, but all of them
did not thus obtain true happiness. By mortal eyes only those things
can be perceived that are mortal, for eyes of flesh cannot behold an
immortal God and spiritual beings. For instance, you yourself cannot
see your own spirit, therefore how can you behold its Creator? But
when the spiritual eyes are opened, then you can surely see Him who is
Spirit, (John iv.24), and that which you now see of Me you see not
with eyes of flesh, but with the eyes of the spirit.
If, as you say, thousands of people saw Me in Palestine then were all
their spiritual eyes opened, or did I Myself become mortal? The answer
is, No! I took on a mortal body so that in it I might give a ransom
for the sins of the world; and when the work of salvation was
completed for sinners (John xix.30), then that which was immortal
transfigured what was mortal into glory. Therefore after the
resurrection only those were able to see Me who had received spiritual
sight (Acts x. 40,41).
2. Many there are in this world who know about Me, but do not know Me;
that is they have no personal relationship with Me, therefore they
have no true apprehension of or faith in Me, and do not accept Me as
their Saviour and Lord.
Just as if one talks with a man born blind about different colors such
as red, blue, yellow, he remains absolutely unaware of their charm and
beauty, he cannot attach any value to them, because he only knows
about them, and is aware of their various names. But with regard to
colors he can have no true conception until his eyes are opened. In
the same manner until a man's spiritual eyes are opened, howsoever
learned he may be, he cannot know Me, he cannot behold My glory, and
he cannot understand that I am God Incarnate.
3. There are many believers who are aware of My presence in their
hearts bringing to them spiritual life and peace, but cannot plainly
see Me. Just as the eye can see many things, yet when someone drops
medicine into the eye does not see it, but the presence of the
medicine is felt cleansing the inner eye and promoting the power of
sight.
4. The true peace which is born of My presence in the hearts of true
believers they are unable to see, but, feeling its power, they become
happy in it. Nor can they see that happiness of mind or heart through
which they enjoy the peace of My presence. It is the same with the
tongue and sweetmeats. The faculty of taste which resides in the
tongue and the sweetness it perceives are both invisible. Thus also I
give My children life and joy by means of the hidden manna, which the
world with all its wisdom knows not nor can know (Rev. ii.7).
5. Sometimes during sickness the faculty of taste in the tongue is
interfered with, and during that time, however tasty the food given to
the sick person may be, it has an ill taste to him. In just the same
way sin interferes with the taste for spiritual things. Under such
circumstances My Word and service and My presence lost their
attraction to the sinner, and instead of profiting by them he begins
to argue about and to criticize them.
6. Many believers again--like the man born blind, on receiving his
sight--are able to see Jesus as a prophet and the Son of Man, but do
not regard Him as the Christ and the Son of God (John ix.17, 35-37),
until I am revealed to them a second time in power.
7. A mother once hid herself in a garden amongst some densely growing
shrubs, and her little son went in search of her here and there,
crying as he went. Through the whole garden he went, but could not
find her. A servant said to him, "Sonny, don't cry! Look at the
mangoes on this tree and all the pretty, pretty flowers in the garden.
Come, I am going to get some for you." But the child cried out, "No!
No! I want my mother. The food she gives me is nicer than all the
mangoes, and her love is sweeter far than all these flowers, and
indeed you know that all this garden is mine, for all that my mother
has is mine. No! I want my mother!" When the mother, hidden in the
bushes, heard this, she rushed out and, snatching her child to her
breast, smothered him with kisses, and that garden became a paradise
to the child. In this way My children cannot find in this great garden
of a world, so full of charming and beautiful things, any true joy
until they find Me. I am their Emmanuel, who is ever with them, and I
make Myself known to them (John xiv.21).
8. Just as the sponge lies in the water, and the water fills the
sponge, but the water is not the sponge and the sponge is not the
water, but they ever remain different things, so children abide in Me
and I in them. This is not pantheism, but it is the kingdom of God,
which is set up in the hearts of those who abide in this world; and
just as the water in the sponge, I am in every place and in
everything, but they are not I (Luke xvii.21).
9. Take a piece of charcoal, and however much you may wash it its
blackness will not disappear, but let the fire enter into it and its
dark colour vanishes. So also when the sinner receives the Holy Spirit
(who is from the Father and Myself, for the Father and I are one),
which is the baptism of fire, all the blackness of sin is driven away,
and he is made a light to the world (Matt. iii.11, v.14). As the fire
in the charcoal, so I abide in My children and they in Me, and through
them I make Myself manifest to the world.
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SECTION II
The Disciple,--Master, if Thou wouldst make a special manifestation of
Thyself to the world, men would no longer doubt the existence of God
and Thy own divinity, but all would believe and enter on the path of
righteousness.
The Master,--1. My son, the inner state of every man I know well, and
to each heart in accordance with its needs I make Myself known; and
for bringing men into the way of righteousness there is no better
means than the manifestation of Myself. For man I became man that he
might know God, not as someone terrible and foreign, but as full of
love and like to himself, for he is like Him and made in His image.
Man also has a natural desire that he should see Him in whom he
believes and who loves him. But the Father cannot be seen, for He is
by nature incomprehensible, and he who would comprehend Him must have
the same nature. But man is a comprehensible creature, and being so
cannot see God. Since, however, God is Love and He has given to man
that same faculty of love, therefore, in order that that craving for
love might be satisfied, He adopted a form of existence that man could
comprehend. Thus He became man, and His children with all the holy
angels may see Him and enjoy Him (Col. i.15, ii.9). Therefore I said
that he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father (John xiv.9-10). And
although while in the form of man I am called the Son, I am the
eternal and everlasting Father (Isa. ix.6).
2. I and the Father and the Holy Spirit are One. Just as in the sun
there are both heat and light, but the light is not heat, and the heat
is not light, but both are one, though in their manifestation they
have different forms, so I and the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the
Father, bring light and heat to the world. The Spirit, which is the
baptismal fire, burns to ashes in the hearts of believers all manner
of sin and iniquity, making them pure and holy. I who am the True
Light (John i.9, viii.12), dissipate all dark and evil desires, and
leading them in the way of righteousness bring them at last to their
eternal home. Yet We are not three but One, just as the sun is but
one.
3. Whatever worth and power and high faculty God has endowed man with
must be brought into action, otherwise they gradually decay and die.
In this way faith, if it is not truly fixed on the living God, is
shattered by the shock of sin and transformed into doubt. Often one
hears something like this, "If this or that doubt of mine be removed I
am ready to believe." That is as though one with a broken limb should
ask the doctor to take away the pain before he sets the limb. Surely
this is folly, for the pain comes from the breaking of the limb, and
when that is set the pain will of itself pass away. Thus by the act of
sin man's tie with God has been snapped, and doubts, which are
spiritual pains, have arisen. It needs must, therefore, that the union
with God be again renewed, then those doubts which have arisen
regarding My divinity and the existence of God will of themselves
disappear. Then in place of pain there will come that wonderful peace
which the world cannot give nor take away. Thus it was that I became
flesh, that between God and poor broken men there might be union, and
they might be happy with Him in heaven for evermore.
4. God is love, and in every living creature He has set this faculty
of love, but especially in man. It is therefore nothing but right that
the Lover who has given us life and reason and love itself should
receive His due tribute of love. His desire is to all He has created,
and if this love be not rightly used, and if we do not with all our
heart and soul and mind and strength love Him who has endowed us with
love, then that love falls from its high estate and becomes
selfishness. Thus arises disaster both for ourselves and for other
creatures of God. Every selfish man, strangely enough, becomes a
self-slayer.
This also I have said, "Love thy neighbour as thyself." Now although
in a sense all men are neighbours one of another, yet the reference is
especially to those who habitually live near each other, for it is an
easy matter to live at peace with one who is near at hand for a few
days only, even though he be unfriendly; but in the case of one who
has his dwelling near you, and day by day is the cause of trouble to
you, it is most difficult to bear with him, and love him as yourself.
But when you have conquered in this great struggle it will be more
easy to love all others as yourself.
When man with all his heart, mind, and soul loves God, and his
neighbour as himself there will be no room for doubts, but in him will
be established that Kingdom of God of which there should be no end,
and he, melted and moulded in the fire of love, will be made into the
image of his heavenly Father, who at the first made him like Himself.
5. Also I manifest Myself by means of My Word (the Bible) to those who
seek Me with a sincere heart. Just as for the salvation of men I took
on a human body, so My Word also, which is Spirit and Life (John
vi.63) is written in the language of men, that is, there are inspired
and human elements united in it. But just as men do not understand Me,
so they do not understand My Word. To understand it a knowledge of the
Hebrew and Greek tongues is not a necessity, but what is necessary is
the fellowship of that Holy Spirit, abiding in whom the prophets and
apostles wrote it. Without doubt the language of this Word is
spiritual, and he who is born of the Spirit is alone able fully to
understand it, whether he be acquainted with the criticism of the
world or be only a child, for that spiritual language is well
understood by him since it is his mother tongue. But remember that
those whose wisdom is only of this world cannot understand it, for
they have no share in the Holy Spirit.
6. In the book of nature, of which I also am the Author, I freely
manifest Myself. But for the reading of this book also spiritual
insight is needed, that men may find Me, otherwise there is a danger
lest instead of finding Me they go astray.
Thus the blind man uses the tips of his fingers as eyes, and by means
of touch alone reads a book, but by touch alone can form no real
estimate of its truth. The investigations of agnostics and sceptics
prove this, for in place of perfection they see only defects. Fault
finding critics ask, "If there is an Almighty Creator of the world why
are there defects in it, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, eclipses,
pain, suffering, death, and the like?" The folly of this criticism is
similar to that of an unlearned man who finds fault with an unfinished
building or an incomplete picture. After a time, when he sees them
fully finished, he is ashamed of his folly, and ends by singing their
praises. Thus too, God did not in one day give to this world its
present form, nor will it in one day reach perfection. The whole
creation moves onward to perfection, and if it were possible for the
man of this world to see from afar with the eyes of God the perfect
world in which no defect appears, he too would bow in praise before
Him and say, "All is very good" (Gen. i.31).
7. The human spirit abides in the body very much as the chicken in the
shell. If it were possible for the bird within the shell to be told
that outside of it was a great widespread world, with all kinds of
fruit and flowers, with rivers and grand mountains, that its mother
also was there, and that it would see all this when set free from its
shell, it could not understand or believe it. Even if anyone told it
that its feathers and eyes, ready now for use, would enable it to see
and to fly, it would not believe it, nor would any proof be possible
till it came out of its shell.
In the same way there are many who are uncertain about the future life
and the existence of God, because they cannot see beyond this
shell-like body of flesh, and their thoughts, like delicate wings,
cannot carry them beyond the narrow confines of the brain. Their weak
eyes cannot discover those eternal and unfading treasures which God
has prepared for those who love Him (Isa. lxiv.4, lxv.17). The
necessary condition for attaining to this eternal life is this, that
while still in this body we should receive from the Holy Spirit by
faith that life-giving warmth which the chicken receives from its
mother, otherwise there is danger of death and eternal loss.
8. Again, many say that the thing, or the life, that has a beginning
must of necessity have an end. This is not true, for is not the
Almighty who is able at His will to make from naught a thing which is,
also able by the word of His power to confer immortality on that which
He has made? If not He cannot be called Almighty. Life in this world
appears to be liable to decay and destruction, because it is in
subjection to those things which are themselves the subject of change
and decay. But if this life were set free from these changeful and
decaying influences, and brought under the care of the eternal and
unchanging God, who is the fountain and source of eternal life, it
would escape from the clutch of death and attain to eternity.
As for those who believe on Me, "I give unto them eternal life, and
they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My
hand" (John x.28). "I am the Lord God Almighty that is and was and is
to come" (Rev. i.8).
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II. SIN AND SALVATION
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SECTION I
The Disciple,--Master, it is clear to almost everyone that to disobey
God and to cease to worship Him is sin, and the deadly result is seen
in the present state of the world. But what sin really is is not
absolutely clear. In the very presence of Almighty God, and in
opposition to His will, and in His own world, how did sin come to be?
The Master,--1. Sin is to cast aside the will of God and to live
according to one's own will, deserting that which is true and lawful
in order to satisfy one's own desires, thinking thus to obtain
happiness. Yet in so doing one does not obtain real happiness or enjoy
true pleasure. Sin has no individuality, so that no one can say of it
that someone created it. It is simply the name of a state or
condition. There is only one Creator and He is good, and a good
Creator could not have created a bad thing, for to do so would be
against His very nature. And apart from the one Creator there is no
other who could have created sin. Satan can only spoil that which has
already been created, but he has not the power of creating anything.
So sin is not a part of creation, nor has it independent existence
such that it could be created. It is simply a delusive and destructive
state of being.
For instance, light is something which has real existence, but
darkness has not; it is only a state, the absence of light. Thus sin
or evil is not a self-existent thing, but simply the absence or
nonexistence of good. This dark state of evil is most terrible, for
because of it many miss the right course, and making shipwreck on the
rocks of Satan fall into the darkness of hell and are lost. For this
reason I who am the Light of the world became manifest in the flesh,
so that those who put their trust in Me should not perish, for I
rescue them from the power of darkness and bring them safe to that
desired and heavenly haven, where there is neither name nor sign of
darkness (Rev. xxi.23, xxii.5).
2. You ask how this dark state of sin came to be in the very presence
of the Lord of creation. It arose because Satan and men, of their own
motion in an unlawful and wrong way, sought to carry out their own
desires. And if you ask why God did not make man in such a way that he
could not fall into such a state, the answer is that if he had been
constructed like a machine he could never have attained to that state
of happiness which is reached only by action in accordance with one's
own choice. Adam and Eve fell into the wiles and deceit of Satan
because in their sinless state they did not know there were such
things as lies and deceit. Before this, Satan himself did not know of
the existence of that pride by reason of which he was cast out of
heaven, for before him no such thing as pride existed. And although
both in men and Satan this state of sin came to be, God by His
almighty power has given that state a new aspect, so that even from it
He has brought forth the noblest results.
First of all, the boundless love of God was made manifest in the
incarnation and redemption, which under other circumstances would have
remained hidden; and in the second place, the redeemed, after having
tasted the bitterness of sin, will more richly enjoy the happiness of
heaven, just as after a taste of bitterness the sweetness of honey
gives greater delight. For in heaven they sin no more, but in meekness
and obedient love they serve their Father God, and abide with Him in
joy for evermore.
3. Men are keen on discovering faults in the sun and moon, such as
spots and eclipses, but to the spots and eclipses of sin they give no
heed. From this you may measure how great that darkness in men is,
when the very light they have is darkness (Matt. vi.23). Just as the
body of the leper by reason of his disease becomes numb and
insensible, so the heart and mind of man by reason of sin become dull
and insensate, and bring to him no sense of disgust or pain. But the
time will come when he will awake to its terrible ravages, and then
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
4. Many who are immersed in sin are unaware of its load, just as one
who dives into the water may have tons of water upon him, but is
wholly unaware of its weight until he is choked in death. But he who
emerges from the water and seeks to carry some away soon finds its
weight, however little he takes up; and he who, finding the burden of
his sin, comes to Me in penitence will freely receive true rest, for
it is such I come to seek and to save (Matt. xi.28, Luke xix.10).
5. It is not necessary that every single member of the body should
become useless and weak before death occurs. A weakness of, or a blow
upon, the heart or the brain will suffice to bring an end to life,
however strong and healthy other parts of the body may be. Thus one
sin by its poisonous effect on the mind and heart is sufficient to
ruin the spiritual life not of one only, but of a whole family or
nation, even of the whole race. Such was the sin of Adam. But as one
word from Me could bring Lazarus from the tomb, even so it is
sufficient to give eternal life to all.
6. Sometimes it happens that an animal or bird after long association
with man returns to its own kind, but they, instead of welcoming it,
set upon it and do it to death, the reason being that by its long
residence and familiarity with man, its habits and manner of life have
entirely changed. In the same way as animals do not admit to their
society those of their kind that have come under man's influence, how
can the saint and angels in heaven welcome those sinners who have
lived in intimate relations with wicked men? This does not mean that
saints and angels have no love for sinful men, but the holy atmosphere
of heaven will itself be distasteful to such men. For clearly, when in
this world sinners dislike the company of good men, how can they be
happy in their company throughout eternity? To them a heaven of that
sort would be as distasteful as hell itself.
Do not suppose that God or His people will turn sinners out of heaven
and cast them into hell, for God who is Love, never cast anyone into
hell, nor ever will do so. It is the foul life of the sinner that will
bring him to hell. Long before the end of life brings heaven and hell
near to us, there has been set up in every man's heart, according to
his good or evil nature, his own heaven or hell. Therefore whosoever
longs to be saved from that eternal torment, let him truly repent of
his sins and give his heart to Me, that by My presence with him and
the Holy Spirit's influence, he may become for ever a child of the
kingdom of God.
7. A rebel against a king or government in this world may save himself
by taking refuge in another country, but where shall a rebel against
God flee for safety? Wherever he goes, even in heaven or hell, he will
find God ever present. (Psa. cxxxix.7,8). He will find his safety only
in repentance and submission to his Lord.
8. For Adam and Eve the fig leaves were too scanty a covering, so God
gave them coats of skin. In this way, too, man's good deeds are as
useless as the fig leaves to save him from the wrath to come. Nothing
will suffice save My robe of righteousness.
9. The moth thinks not of the burning and destructive power of the
flame, but fascinated by its brilliancy rushes into it and perishes.
So man, regardless of the destructive and poisonous power of sin, and
feeling only its allurement, rushes in to his eternal destruction. But
My light rescues the sinner from death, and bestows upon him life and
enduring happiness. Man was so made as to be capable of appropriating
the precious gift of My true light.
10. Sin is not an illusion or a thing of the imagination, but in this
state of spiritual darkness, by the exercise of the evil will of man,
such living seeds of evil have come into existence as will for ever
infect his spirit and finally destroy it--just as smallpox in quite a
short time will destroy the beauty of a man for all time, turning it
to repulsive ugliness. As God did not create wickedness, so also He
did not create disease and bodily pains. They are simply the natural
issue of man's disobedience. Pain and disease also are not things of
the imagination, but are the outward and visible fruits of the hidden
unseen disease of sin, whether it be one's own sin or that of the
family of which one is a member. When all these members repent and are
united with Me, My health-giving blood circulates through all, healing
all their internal and unseen diseases and giving to them health for
all eternity. For such a state of health man was created, that he
might for ever dwell in happiness with his Lord and Master.
_________________________________________________________________
SECTION II
The Disciple,--Master, in these days some learned men and their
followers regard Thy atonement and the redemption by blood as
meaningless and futile, and say that Christ was only a great teacher
and example for our spiritual life, and that salvation and eternal
happiness depend on our own efforts and good deeds.
The Master,--1. Never forget that spiritual and religious ideas are
connected less with the head than with the heart, which is the temple
of God, and when the heart is filled with the presence of God the head
also is enlightened. For the mind and the eyes of the understanding
are useless without the true light, as the natural eyes are without
daylight. In the dark one may mistake a rope for a snake, just as the
wise of this world pervert spiritual truth and lead astray simple
minds. So Satan when beguiling Eve made use not of the sheep or the
dove but of the serpent, the most crafty of all the animals. So he
takes the wisdom of the wise and the skill of the learned, and of them
makes instruments suited to his purpose. But it is not enough to be
learned and clever; one must also have the innocence of the dove,
therefore I have said, "Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves"
(Matt. x.16).
2. My cross and atonement do the same for believers as the serpent of
brass did for the Israelites, for whoever looked up to that with the
eyes of faith was saved (Num. xxi.9, John iii.14,15). There were some,
however, who, instead of believing, thought of it as brass only and
began to criticize and say, "If Moses had provided an antidote, or
were to give us some powerful drug or special medicine for these
venomous serpents, that would be a proper object of faith, but what
power has this pole over poisonous venom?" They all died. In these
days too, those who cavil about the method of salvation which God has
appointed will perish in the poison of their own sin.
3. A young man fell down a precipice and was so much injured, and lost
so much blood that he was at the point of death. When his father took
him to the doctor he said, "The life is the blood, and the supply of
this young man's blood is exhausted; but if anyone is prepared to
sacrifice his own life he may recover, otherwise he will die." The
father, whose heart was overflowing with love for his son, offered his
own blood, and this being injected into the young man's veins he
recovered. Man has fallen from the mount of holiness and lies broken
and wounded by his sins, and by reason of those wounds his spiritual
life has ebbed away and he is near to death. But for those who believe
in Me I pour forth my own everlasting and spiritual blood, that they
may be saved from death and obtain eternal life. For this purpose have
I come that they might have life and have it more abundantly (John
x.10), and thus live for evermore.
4. In ancient times men were forbidden to drink the blood of animals,
or to eat certain foods, in the belief that they would thus escape
certain diseases; and also lest, as a man has an animal body, his
animal propensities might be strengthened by eating flesh and drinking
blood. But now "My flesh is meat indeed and My blood is drink indeed"
(John vi.55), for they give spiritual life, and by them perfect health
and heavenly happiness and joy are received.
5. The forgiveness of sins does not mean full salvation, for that can
only come with perfect freedom from sin. For it is possible that a man
should die from the disease of his sin, though he has received full
pardon for it. For instance, a man had his brain affected owing to an
illness of long standing, and whilst thus affected he made an attack
upon another man and killed him. When sentence of death was pronounced
upon him, his relatives explained the circumstances and appealed for
mercy for him, and he was granted pardon for the sin of murder. But
before his friends could reach him with the good news, indeed while
they were on the way, he had died of the sickness by reason of which
he had committed the murder.
What advantage was this pardon to the murderer? His real safety would
have been to be cured of his disease, and then he would have had real
happiness in his pardon. For this reason I became manifest in the
flesh that I might deliver penitent believers from the disease of sin,
from its punishment and from death; thus taking away both cause and
effect. They will not die in their sins, for I will save them (Matt.
i.21), and they shall pass from death to becomes heirs of eternal
life.
6. To many people life is full of peril, and they are like that hunter
who caught sight of a honeycomb on the branch of a tree overhanging a
stream. Climbing up, he began to enjoy the honey, quite unaware of the
fact that he was in peril of death, for in the stream beneath him lay
an alligator with open jaws waiting to devour him, while around the
foot of the tree a pack of wolves had gathered waiting for him to
descend. Worse still, the tree on which he sat had been eaten away at
the roots by an insect and it was ready to fall. In a short time it
did fall, and the unwary hunter became the prey of the alligator.
Thus, too, the human spirit, ensconced in the body, enjoys for a short
time the false and fleeting pleasures of sin gathered in the honeycomb
of the brain, without a thought that it is in the midst of this
fearsome jungle of the world. There Satan sits ready to tear it to
pieces, and hell like an alligator waits with open mouth to gulp it
down, while, worst of all, the tiny unseen insect of sin has eaten
away the very roots of the body and life. Soon the soul falls and
becomes an everlasting prey to hell. But the sinner who comes to Me I
will deliver from sin, from Satan, and from hell, and will give him
eternal joy "which none shall take away from him" (John xvi.22).
7. Satan with crafty speech and enticements draws men to him and
swallows them down just as a snake fascinates little birds by the
magnetism of its glittering eye, and makes a prey of them. But to
those who believe on Me I give deliverance from that old serpent and
from the seductions of this soul-destroying world. I set them free so
that, as a bird, easily resisting the force of gravity which is in the
earth, flies freely through the open heaven, they mount on the wings
of prayer and reach at last the abode of safety and their hearts dear
home, drawn by the sweet attractions of My love.
8. Just as a man with jaundice sees everything yellow, so to the
sinner and the philosopher truth itself takes on the form and fashion
of his sin or his theories, and it is not a matter of much surprise if
such people go a step further and count Me a sinner like themselves.
But My work, which is the salvation of sinners, does not depend on the
good opinion of the world, but for ever moves on its undisturbed way
in the lives of believers. Just as Levi, being still in the loins of
Abraham, paid tithe to Me though he was not yet born, so all
generations of believers have in Me, offered upon the cross, the
atonement and ransom for their sins, though they were not at that time
even born; for this salvation is for all races of men in the world.
9. This saying, that a man can by his own effort and good works
acquire salvation, is foolish and absurd so long as the man is not
born again. World-rulers and teachers of morality say, "Become good by
doing good," but this is what I say, "Become good yourself before
doing good works." When that new and good life has been entered upon,
good deeds will be the natural result.
It is only a fool that will say that a bitter tree by constantly
bearing fruit will at last become sweet. As a matter of fact a bitter
tree can become sweet by being grafted on a sweet tree, so that the
life and qualities peculiar to the sweet tree will pass into the
bitter one and its natural bitterness will pass away. This is what we
call a new creation. So too the sinner may have the desire to do what
is right, and yet the only result is sin; but when he repents and by
faith is grafted into Me the old man in him dies, and he becomes a new
creature. Then from this new life which has its origin in salvation
good deeds come forth as fruit, and this fruit abides for ever.
10. There are many who have learnt from experience that man's natural
goodness cannot give true peace of heart, nor can it give him a
certainty of salvation or eternal life. The young man who came to Me
seeking eternal life is a case in point. His first thought with regard
to Me was wrong, as is that of some worldly-wise men and their
followers at the present day. He thought Me to be one of those
teachers who are like whited sepulchres, and in whose lives there is
not a particle of true goodness. Therefore I said to him, "Why do you
ask Me about goodness? There is none good but One." But he failed to
see in Me the one giver of goodness and life; and when I sought to
admit him to My companionship and make him a truly good man, and
bestow life upon him, he became sad and left Me. His life, however,
makes one thing perfectly clear, and that is that his keeping the
commandments and his goodness did not satisfy him or give him the
assurance of eternal life. If his good works had given him peace he
would not have come to inquire of Me, or had he come he would not have
left Me in sorrow, but, believing My words, would have gone away
rejoicing.
Not long afterwards the young man Paul recognized Me, and the desire
of his heart was completely fulfilled. Instead of turning away in
sadness he gave up all that he had and followed Me (Phil. iii.6-15).
So everyone who ceases to trust in his own righteousness and follows
Me shall receive from Me true peace and everlasting life.
_________________________________________________________________
III. PRAYER
_________________________________________________________________
SECTION I
The Disciple,--Sometimes this question is asked, "Since God is fully
aware of our needs, and knows how to supply them in the best way, not
for the good only but for the evil, how should we pray to Him about
them? Whether our necessities be temporal or spiritual, can we by our
prayers alter the will of God?"
The Master,--1. Those who ask such a question show clearly that they
do not know what prayer is. They have not lived a prayerful life, or
they would know that prayer to God is not a form of begging. Prayer
does not consist in an effort to obtain from God the things which are
necessary for this life. Prayer is an effort to lay hold of God
Himself, the Author of life, and when we have found Him who is the
source of life and have entered into communion with Him, then the
whole of life is ours and with Him all that will make life is perfect.
To evildoers God, out of love for them, gives what is necessary for
their life in this world, but their spiritual necessities He does not
even show to them, as they have no spiritual life.
Were He to bestow such spiritual blessings upon them, they would not
be able to appreciate them. But on those who believe gifts of both
kinds are bestowed, especially spiritual blessings, with the result
that very soon they pay little regard to temporal blessings, but fix
their love on the unseen and spiritual. We cannot alter the will of
God, but the man of prayer can discover the will of God with regard to
himself. For to men of this kind God makes Himself manifest in the
hidden chamber of the heart, and holds communion with them; and when
His gracious purposes are shown to be for their good, then the doubts
and difficulties of which they complain pass away for ever.
2. Prayer is, as it were, a breathing in of the Holy Spirit, and God
so pours His Holy Spirit into the life of the prayerful that they
become "living souls" (Gen. ii.7; John xx.22). They will never die,
for the Holy Spirit pours Himself by means of prayer into their
spiritual lungs, and fills their spirits with health and vigour and
everlasting life.
God, who is Love, has freely bestowed on all men those things which
are necessary for both the spiritual and temporal life, but since He
offers salvation and His Holy Spirit to all as freely, they are
lightly esteemed. But prayer teaches us to value them, because they
are as necessary as air and water, heat and light, without which life
is impossible. The things for our spiritual life God has freely
provided, but men so lightly regard them that they offer no thanks to
their Creator; but on the other hand, His gifts of gold, silver, and
precious jewels, which are scarce and obtained with great difficulty,
they highly esteem, though with such things the hunger and thirst of
the body cannot be assuaged, nor the longings of the heart be
satisfied. With such folly do men of the world act with regard to
spiritual things, but to the man of prayer are given true wisdom and
eternal life.
3. This world is like a widespread ocean in which men sink and are
drowned, but marine animals carry on their life in the deepest water,
because they occasionally come to the surface and, opening their
mouths, take in a certain amount of air, which enables them to live in
the depths. So they who rise to the surface of this life-ocean, by
means of private prayer breathe in the life-giving Spirit of God, and
find even in this world life and safety.
4. Although fish spend their whole life in the salt water of the sea,
yet they do not themselves become salty, because they have life in
them; so the man of prayer, though he has to live in this sin-defiled
world, remains free of the sinful taint, because by means of prayer
his life is maintained.
5. Just as the salt water of the sea is drawn upwards by the hot rays
of the sun, and gradually takes on the form of clouds, and, turned
thus into sweet and refreshing water, falls in showers on the earth
(for the sea water as it rises upwards leaves behind it its salt and
bitterness), so when the thoughts and desires of the man of prayer
rise aloft like misty emanations of the soul, the rays of the Sun of
Righteousness purify them of all sinful taint, and his prayers become
a great cloud which descends from heaven in a shower of blessing,
bringing refreshment to many on the earth.
6. Just as the waterfowl spends its life swimming in the water, yet
when in flight its feathers are perfectly dry, so men of prayer have
their abode in this world, but when the time comes for them to fly
aloft they pass from this sin-polluted world and arrive without spot
or stain at their everlasting home of rest.
7. The ship, quite properly, has its place in the water, but for the
water to flow into the ship is both unsuitable and dangerous. So for a
man to have his abode in this world is right and good for himself and
others, for, keeping himself afloat, he will be able to help them to
arrive along with himself at the haven of life. But for the world to
find its way into his heart means death and destruction. Therefore the
man of prayer ever reserves his heart for Him who formed it to be His
temple, and thus both in this world and that which is to come he rests
in peace and safely.
8. We all know that without water it is impossible to live; but if we
sink beneath it we choke and die. While we need to make use of and
drink water, we ought not to fall into and sink beneath it. Therefore
the world and worldly things must be used with discretion, for without
them life is not only difficult but impossible. For this very purpose
God created the world that men might make use of it, but men should
not drown themselves in it, for thus the breath of prayer is stopped
and they perish.
9. If by ceasing to live the life of prayer the life of the spirit
begins to fail, then those worldly things which are intended to be
useful become hurtful and destructive. The sun by its light and heat
makes all vegetable things to live and flourish, and also causes them
to wither and die. The air also gives life and vigour to all living
beings, but itself is the cause of their decomposition. Therefore
"Watch and Pray."
10. We ought so to live in this world that though we are in it we are
not of it, and then the things of this world instead of being hurtful
will be useful, and will help the growth of the spiritual life; but
only on this condition, that the spirit ever keeps its face turned
towards the Sun of Righteousness. Thus it sometimes happens that in a
plot of unclean and filthy ground flowers spring up and flourish, and
the sweet scent of the flowers overpowers the evil smell of the place.
The plants, turning towards the sun, receive from it light and heat,
and the filth instead of being hurtful to the plants fertilizes them
and helps them to grow and flourish. So, too, the man of prayer as he
prays turns his heart to Me, and receives from Me light and warmth,
and amidst the ill odours of this evil world the sweet scent of his
new and holy life glorifies Me, and there is produced in him not sweet
odours only, but also fruit which shall abide for ever.
_________________________________________________________________
SECTION II
1. To pray does not imply that without prayer God would not give us
anything or that He would be unaware of our needs, but it has this
great advantage, that in the attitude of prayer the soul is best
fitted to receive the Giver of blessing as well as those blessings He
desires to bestow. Thus it was that the fullness of the Spirit was not
poured out upon the Apostles on the first day, but after ten days of
special preparation.
If a blessing were conferred upon one without a special readiness for
it, he would neither value it sufficiently nor long retain it. For
instance, because Saul obtained the Holy Spirit and the kingship
without seeking for them he very soon lost them both, for he had set
out from home not to obtain the Holy Spirit but to look for his lost
asses (1 Sam. ix.3; x.11; v.13-14; xxxi.4).
2. The man of prayer alone can worship God in spirit and truth. Others
are like the sensitive plant; during worship, affected by the teaching
and presence of the Holy Spirit, they shrivel up, as it were, and
bowing their heads become serious, but scarcely have they left the
church before they brighten up and go on as before.
3. If we do not take care of a tree or a shrub which bears good fruit
or flowers, it will degenerate and go back to its wild state. In the
same way, if the believer, through the neglect of prayer and the
spiritual life, ceases to abide in Me, he will, because of this
carelessness, fall from that state of blessedness, and sinking again
into his old sinful ways be lost.
4. When we see a crane standing motionless on the side of a tank or
lake, we may suppose from his attitude that he is musing on the glory
of God or the excellent quality of the water. But no such thing! He
stand there motionless for hours, but the moment he catches sight of a
frog or small fish he springs upon it and gulps it down. Just such is
the attitude and method of many with regard to prayer and religious
meditation. Seated by the shore of the boundless ocean of God, they
give no thought to His majesty and love, or to His divine nature that
cleanses from sin and satisfies the hungry soul, but are wrapped up in
the thought of acquiring some specially desired object, by means of
which they may more fully indulge in the delights of this fleeting
world. Thus they turn away from the fountain of true peace, and,
immersing themselves in the fading joys of this world, with them also
die and pass away.
5. Water and petrol both come from the earth, and though they seem to
be alike and even the same, they are in nature and purpose exact
opposites, for the one extinguishes fire and the other adds fuel to
it. So also the world and its treasures, the heart and its thirst for
God are alike His creation. Now the result of the attempt to satisfy
the heart with the wealth and pride and honours of this world is the
same as if one tried to put out a fire with petrol, for the heart can
only find ease and satisfaction in Him who created both it and the
longing desire of which it is conscious (Ps. xlii.1,2). Therefore
whoever now comes to Me I will give to him that living water so that
he will never again thirst, but it shall be in him a well of water
springing up into eternal life (John iv.14).
6. Men try in vain to find peace in the world and the things of the
world, for experience plainly shows that true peace and satisfaction
are not to be found in them. They are like the boy who found an onion
and began peeling off its skins in the hope of finding something
inside it, just as one finds in a box on taking the lid off. But his
was an altogether futile expectation, since he found nothing but the
last skin, for an onion is nothing but a collection of skins. And this
world and all that belongs to it has been proved to be vanity of
vanities (Eccles. xii.8), until men discover the true fountain of
peace (Isa. lv.1; Jer. ii.13; Rev. xxii.17).
7. The world is like a mirage, and the truth seeker, hoping to find
something to satisfy his thirsty spirit, starts off in search of it
but meets with nothing but disappointment and despair. The water of
life cannot be found in man-made tanks or cracked cisterns; but those
who approach Me in prayer with a pure heart will find in Me, who am
the source of the living water, that from which they may obtain
satisfaction, invigoration, and eternal life (Isa. lv.1; Jer. ii.13;
Rev. xxii.17).
A woman was traveling along a mountain track, carrying her child in
her arms, when the child, catching sight of a pretty flower, made such
a spring out of its mother's arms that it fell headlong down the
mountain side, struck its head upon a rock, and died on the spot. Now
it is perfectly clear that the safety and sustenance of the child were
to be found in its mother's bosom, and not in those fascinating
flowers which were the cause of its death. So acts the believer whose
life is not a life of prayer. When he catches sight of the fleeting
and fascinating pleasures of the world he forgets My love and care
which are far greater than those of the mother, and, neglecting that
spiritual milk which I provide for him, leaps out of My arms and is
lost.
9. The sustenance which the mother provides is so arranged that it
cannot be obtained without some effort on the part of the infant. So
also My children whom I bear in My bosom cannot obtain without
seeking, the spiritual milk which is able to save their souls. And as
the child does not need to be taught, but knows by instinct where and
how to obtain its food, so those who are born of the Spirit know by a
spiritual instinct, and not from worldly philosophy or wisdom, how to
pray and to obtain from Me, their spiritual Mother, the milk of
eternal life.
10. I have infused into man's nature hunger and thirst, that he may
not in sheer heedlessness regard himself as God, but that day by day
he may be reminded of his needs and that his life is bound up with the
life and existence of Someone who created him. Thus being made aware
of his defects and necessities, he may abide in Me and I in him, and
then he will ever find in Me his happiness and joy.
_________________________________________________________________
SECTION III
1. To pray is as it were to be on speaking terms with Me, and so by
being in communion with and abiding in Me to become like Me. There is
a kind of insect which feeds upon and lives among grass and green
leaves and becomes like them in colour. Also the polar bear dwelling
among the white snows has the same snowy whiteness, and the tiger of
Bengal bears upon its skin the marks of the reeds among which it
lives. So those, who by means of prayer abide in communion with Me
partake, with the saints and angels, of My Nature, and being formed in
My image become like Me.
2. When for but a short time I drew Peter, James, and John into
communion with Me upon the Mount, I showed them somewhat of My glory,
and of all the saints two only, Moses and Elias, appeared to them;
they were so captivated with that brief glimpse of heavenly glory that
they wished to erect three tabernacles in order to live there (Matt.
xvii.1-5). How wonderful, then, will be the happiness of those who
abide in Me, and with saints and angels innumerable enter into their
longed-for heaven, and share with Me My full glory which knows no loss
nor shadow of change (John xvii.24; James i.17). The man of prayer
shall never be alone, but he shall abide with Me and My holy ones for
ever (Matt. xxviii.20; Zach. iii.7-8).
3. It is not a great thing to control and make use of wild animals,
lightning, the wind, and light, and other powers of nature, but to
gain the mastery over the world and Satan and self, with all its
passions, is of a truth a most momentous and necessary thing. Upon
those only who live a life of prayer do I bestow the power to overcome
all the might of the enemy (Luke x.17,20), so that even while they
live in this world they abide with Me in the heavenly places (Eph.
ii.6), and Satan being below and they above he is never able to reach
them, but they abide for ever with Me in safety and without a tremor
of fear.
Although men have now obtained control over the powers of nature they
are not to travel beyond the bounds of the air, while the man of
prayer, having mastered Satan and self, can range at will the
everlasting heavens.
4. Just as the bee collects the sweet juice of the flowers and turns
it into honey without injuring their colour or fragrance, so the man
of prayer gathers happiness and profit from all God's creation without
doing any violence to it. As bees also gather their honey from flowers
in all sorts of different places and store it in the honeycomb, so the
man of God gathers sweet thoughts and feelings from every part of
creation, and in communion with his Creator collects in his heart the
honey of truth, and in enduring peace with Him at all times and in all
places, tastes with delight the sweet honey of God.
5. Now is the time to obtain and keep in the vessels of our hearts the
oil of the Holy Spirit, as the five wise virgins did (Matt. xxv.1-13);
otherwise like the five foolish ones we shall meet with nothing but
grief and despair. Now also you must collect the manna for the true
Sabbath, otherwise there will be nothing left you but sorrow and woe
(Ex. xvi.15,27). "Pray, therefore, that your flight may not be in the
winter," that is, in time of great distress or the last days, "or on
the Sabbath day," that is, the reign of a thousand years of eternal
rest, for such an opportunity will never occur again (Matt. xxiv.20).
In the same way as climate produces a change in form, colour, and the
habits of growth in plants and flowers, so those who maintain
communion with Me undergo a development of their spiritual nature in
habit, appearance, and disposition; and putting off the old man they
are transformed into My own glorious and incorruptible image.
With my finger I wrote upon the ground the sinful state of each of
those who, regardless of their inner vileness, brought the woman taken
in adultery for condemnation, so that they left her one by one and
went away abashed and ashamed. With My finger, too, I point out in
secret to My servants their wounds of sin, and when they repent, with
a touch of the same finger I heal them; and in the same way as a child
grasps his father's finger and by it help walks along with him, so I
with My finger lead My children along the road from this world to
their home of rest and everlasting peace (John xiv.2,3).
7. Oftentimes men pray to the Father in My name, but do not abide in
Me, that is, they take My name into their mouths and on their lips,
but not into their hearts and lives. That is the reason why they do
not obtain what they pray for. But when I abide in them and they in
Me, then whatever they ask from the Father they receive, because they
pray under the direction of the Holy Spirit in that condition. The
Holy Spirit shows them what will glorify the Father and be best for
themselves and for others. Otherwise they will get such an answer as a
bad son got from a governor whom his father had served with great
courage and honour. When the son presented a petition in his father's
name and asked for some employment and favour, the governor pointed
out to him his evil life and habits, and said, "Do not petition me in
your father's name, but first go and act according to his example. Let
his high worth be not on your lips only, but carry it into your life,
and then your petition will be accepted."
8. Between the prayers of those who worship and praise Me with their
lips only and of those who do so from their heart there is a very
great difference. For instance, one who was a true worshipper was
constantly praying for another that his eyes might be opened and that
he might accept the truth, while the other was a worshipper in name
only often prayed in his enmity against My true worshipper that he
might be struck blind. Finally the prayers of the true worshipper were
heard by the loving will of God, and he who was formerly only a
hypocrite received spiritual sight. With his heart full of joy this
man became a true believer, and a sincere and lasting brother of My
true servant.
9. Prayer makes things possible for men which they find impossible by
other means, and they experience such wonderful things in life as are
not only opposed to the rules and opinions of worldly wisdom, but are
held to be impossible altogether. Scientific men do not recognize that
He who set all created things in order and made laws for them, cannot
be imprisoned behind the bars of his own laws. The ways of the great
Lawgiver are inscrutable, because His eternal will and purpose is the
blessing and prosperity of all His creatures, and the reason the
natural man cannot grasp this fact is because spiritual things are
spiritually discerned (1 Cor. ii.14).
The greatest of all miracles is the new birth in man, and to the man
who has experienced this miracle all others become possible. Now in
very cold countries a bridge of water is a common sight, because when
the surface of a river is frozen hard the water beneath still flows
freely on, but men cross over the icy bridge with ease and safety. But
if one were to speak of a bridge of water spanning a flowing river to
people who are constantly perspiring in the heat of a tropical clime,
they would at once say that such a thing was impossible and against
the laws of nature. There is the same great difference between those
who have been born again and by prayer maintain their spiritual life,
and those who live worldly lives and value only material things, and
so are utterly ignorant of the life of the soul.
10. He who desires by prayer to obtain from God the blessing of a
spiritual life must believe and obey without questioning. The man who
came to Me with a withered hand, when I commanded him to stretch out
his hand instantly obeyed, and so his hand became whole as the other
(Matt. xii.10-13). But suppose instead of that instant obedience he
had begun to argue and say, "How can I stretch out my hand? If I had
been able to do that, why should I have come to Thee? First of all
heal my hand, and then I shall be able to stretch it out." All this
would have been considered very reasonable and to the point, but his
hand would never have been healed.
He who prays must believe and be obedient, and stretch out to Me in
prayer his weak and withered hands, and then it will be for Me to give
him spiritual life, and according to his need it shall be granted to
him (Matt. xxi.22).
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IV. SERVICE
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SECTION I
The Disciple,--Master, what is the real meaning of service? Is it that
we serve the Creator and then His creatures for His sake? Is the help
of man, who is after all but a mere worm, of any value to God in
caring for His great family, or does God stand in need of the help of
man in protecting or preserving any of His creatures?
The Master,--1. Service means the activity of the spiritual life and
is the natural offering prompted by love. God, who is Love, is ever
active in the care of His creation, and His desire is that His
creatures and especially man, whom He formed in His own image and
likeness, should never be idle. In the care and preservation of His
creatures God needs the help of none, for He created them in such a
way that without His help they could not continue to exist, and He it
is who has provided all that is required to satisfy their desires. In
true service of others there is this great advantage that it helps him
who serves--just as it happened to you in Tibet. When you were in fear
of death on account of the bitter cold, you saw one lying buried in
the snow and at the point of death, you went to him and lifting him on
to your shoulders carried him forward, and the efforts you made
produced heat in your body which also passed into his, and both he and
you were saved, so that in rescuing him you saved your own life. This
is the true end of service. No one can live alone and deprived of the
help of others. Should anyone receive help from another, and be
unwilling to return such assistance as he can, such an ungrateful
fellow would have no right to expect any help from any one at all.
2. Until a man brings into the service of God and man faculties and
powers with which God has endowed him, he will not receive from God
the help He alone can bestow. As soon as man does his part God will
complete it. For instance, the removal of the stone from the grave of
Lazarus was man's work, and it was not necessary for God to put forth
His power to do that; but when the people had rolled away the stone,
then God, that is Myself, did that which was beyond the power and
skill of man, for I gave life to the dead. Even after that there was
work for man to do in releasing Lazarus from the grave-clothes that he
might be perfectly free (John xi.39,41,44).
So with regard to those who are dead in sin. It is the work of My
disciples to roll away the gravestones of hindrance and difficulty,
but to bestow life is My work. Often, too, some who have received
spiritual life still remain in bondage to their old bad habits and
evil associations, and it is the duty of My children to lead them into
perfect freedom; and to render this great service they should ever be
alert in heart and soul.
3. A certain king on his deathbed spoke to a faithful servant of his
as follows: "It has been my custom when setting out on a journey to
send you before me to announce me and make preparations for my
reception. I am going to the land of the dead. Go, therefore, and
inform them that I am about to join them." At first the honest servant
did not understand what his lord meant, but as soon as he saw that his
meaning was that he should die and thus precede him to the land of the
dead, the faithful fellow, without a moment's hesitation or doubt,
plunged a sword into his heart, and thus entered the country of the
dead, there to await his lord. Thus it is the duty of those who serve
Me, who am the Lord of Life and the King of kings (Acts iii.15; Rev.
xix.16), to carry the gospel of salvation to those who are dead in
sin, and to be ready even to give their lives for Me, who came to
earth for their salvation and will come yet once more (Rev. ii.10).
4. A rebellious son once left his father's house and joined a band of
robbers and became in time as bold and ruthless as the rest. The
father called his servants and ordered them to go to his son and tell
him that if he would repent and return home all would be forgiven, and
he would receive him into his home. But the servants, in dread of the
wild country and fierce robbers, refused to go. Then the elder brother
of the young man, who loved him as his father did, set off to carry
the message of forgiveness. But soon after he had entered the jungle a
band of robbers set upon him and mortally wounded him. The younger
brother was one of the band, and when he recognized his elder brother
he was filled with grief and remorse. The elder brother managed to
give the message of forgiveness and then, saying that the purpose of
his life was fulfilled and love's duty done, he gave up the ghost.
This sacrifice of the elder brother made so deep an impression on the
rebellious youth that he went back in penitence to his father and from
that day forward lived a new life. Is it not right, therefore, that My
sons should be prepared to sacrifice their lives in order to bring the
message of mercy to those of their brethren who have gone astray and
are ruined in sin, just as I also gave My life for the salvation of
all?
5. My children are like salt in the world (Matt. v.13). If the salt
crystals are not dissolved they cannot transmit their flavour. So with
My children. If they are not melted in the fire of love and the Holy
Spirit, and made into a living sacrifice, they will not be able to
bring a single soul that spiritual and heavenly life by which they may
be saved. They will be no better than Lot's wife who became a pillar
of salt (Gen. xix.26). But just as for your sakes I was melted in
Gethesemane (Luke xxii.44), and on the cross gave up My life that I
might save the lives of men, for life must be paid for with life, so
you also are called upon to give up your lives and thus bring the
savour of spiritual life to others and deliver them from death.
6. A certain murderer, instead of being hanged, was sent into battle,
and there he fought for his king and country with such dauntless
courage that although he was severely wounded he came back a
conqueror. After the victory he was brought into the court again to be
sentenced. The king, seeing on his body the marks of his wounds,
cancelled the sentence of death, and not only forgave his crime, but
also highly rewarded him and raised him to a post of honour. So those
who on My side fight in the Holy War against Satan with courage and
boldness that they may save their brethren and sisters, shall not only
receive from Me the forgiveness of their sins, but in the kingdom of
God I will bestow on them a crown and a kingdom (James v.20; Rev.
iii.21).
7. As the pipe that is used to convey clean water is itself kept clean
by the water which passes through it, so those, who through the Holy
Spirit carry the Water of Life to others, are themselves purified and
become heirs to the kingdom of God.
8. The best way for the believer to be fitted for the reception of the
Holy Spirit and for service is to be obedient to the heavenly voice
and immediately, as far as ability goes, to begin to serve. As to
become a good swimmer it is useless to receive instruction unless one
enters the water and strikes out for oneself, and only by constantly
practising, first in shallow water and then in deep, can one become an
adept in the art, so, in order to learn how to save the souls of those
who are sinking in the dark waters of sin, the best way is to enter
the only real and practical school of divinity, which is union with
Myself (Acts iv.13).
9. There are some who are kept back from serving by the thought of
their lack of ability, and do not remember that My strength gives
power in weakness (2 Cor. xii.9). They are like invalids who, though
they have recovered from their disease and are taking nourishing food,
yet remain weak because they do no work and take no proper exercise.
What such believers need is that they should put their trust in Me and
set out to save sinners from destruction.
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SECTION II
1. Love is the touchstone by which the reality of truth is perceived,
and by it shall all men know that ye are My disciples (John xiii.35).
I also make use of the sword of justice, so that at first sight some
are inclined to think that, like Solomon, I intend to finish My work
without mercy (1 Kings iii.16-28), but My object, like his, is to
apply th
Apostles
