You have been told to end all prayer upon a note of praise. That note of praise is not only faith rising up through difficulties to greet me. It is more.
It is the echo in the heart of the sound borne on Spirit waves — of that Help upon the way. It is given to those who love and trust Me to sense this approach. So rejoice for truly your redemption draweth nigh.
You grieve that you have failed Me. Remember it was for the failures that I hung on Calvary’s Cross. It was a failure I greeted first in the Easter Garden.
It was to one of the failures I entrusted My Church, My Lambs, My Sheep.
It was to one who had thwarted and despised Me, who had tortured and murdered My followers that I gave My great world Mission to the Gentiles.
But each had first to learn to know Me as Savior and Lord by a bitter consciousness of having failed Me.
If you would work for Me, then you must be ready for the valley of humiliation through which all My followers have to pass.
Not so much on what you say as on your willingness to let My Influence flow through you, will your power to help others depend.
The Power of My Father is summoned by you to the aid of those whom you desire to help.
Live in the consciousness of My Presence, and your thoughts of Love, anxiety, and even interest will let loose a flood of Power to save.
You are Mine. Mine to control, to lead, to cherish. Trust Me for all.
In thinking of and dealing with others realize that whatever their sin, you would be as they are but for My protection, but for My tender forgiveness.
Remember, too, that My Command of “Judge not” was as explicit as that of “Thou shalt do no murder,” “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Obey Me in all.
You are blessed, very richly blessed. Never forget that you have My Love and Protection. No Treasures of the world can mean to you what that can.
Never forget, too, that you are guided. Every word, every letter, every meeting, God-planned and God-blessed. Just feel that, know that.
You are not a stray and uncared for. You belong to the Secret Service of Heaven. There are privileges and protections for you all along the way.
You are being led forth. You have crossed the Red Sea. Your wilderness wanderings are nearly over. Behold I make all things new.
A new birth, a new heart, a new life, a new song.
Let this time be to you a time of renewal.
Cast away all that is dead. Truly live the Risen Life. In mind and spirit turn out all that offends.
Yield to My demands.
Obey My Will, that is God’s Will, for My MEAT was ever to do the Will of Him that sent Me. Obeying that Will, making it yours, all you will must be granted.
That Will is creative, secures perfect achievement, and, being of God (One and indivisible), secures all that is of God — Love, Peace, Joy, Power, in the measure that one of His creatures can absorb them.
It is not in the crowd that lovers learn to know and cherish each other. Is in the quiet times alone.
So with My own and Me. It is in the tender alone-times that they learn all that I can be to each.
Shut out the world with its all too-insistent claims. Then, because of the power and the peace and the joy that come to you, you will crave to be alone with Me.
“Whom do men say that I am?” That is the first question I put to each man. My Claim, and the world’s interpretation of My Mission and its culmination must be a matter of consideration.
Then comes My second question, and upon the answer to this depends the man’s whole future. Here we have left the realm of the mind. Conviction must be of the heart. “Whom do you say that I am?”
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” was Simon’s answer. Then, and not till then, was it possible, without infringement of man’s right of Free Will, to add to that profession of faith, the confirmation of My Father, “This is My Beloved Son.”
I had lived My Life naturally, as a man among men. But always with the Longing that those I had chosen might have the eyes to see, the faith to penetrate the Mystery of Incarnation, and to see Me, the God revealed.
The faith of a personal conviction is always cemented by the assurance of My Father. It is that which makes the faith of My true followers so unshakable.
In performing the simple duty, and in the restraint you achieve in doing it, and not in the feverish looking for the answer to your prayer for the big thing — maybe you learn the one thing needful before I entrust you with what you desire.
With Me, and in obedience to My Will, you have now become suited for that answer.
These are learning-times, rather than testing-times.
