God Calling
by Two Listeners
Edited by A. J. Russell
April - 16 - 30
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
April 16 - Love Your Servants
Love, love, love. Tender Love is the secret. Love those you are training, love those who work with you, love those who serve you.
Dwell on that thought -- God is Love. Link it up with My "I and my Father are one." Dwell on My actions on earth. See in them Love in operation.
If it was God who so acted, then it was Love, Perfect Love, performed those actions, those wonders. Then you, too, must put Love (God) into action in your lives. Perfect Love means perfect forgiveness. Lo, my children, you see that where God is there can be no lack of forgiveness, for that is really lack of love.
God is Love . . . no judging.
God is Love . . . no resentment.
God is Love . . . all patience.
God is Love . . . all power.
God is Love . . . all supply.
All you need to have is love to God and man. Love to God ensures obedience to every wish, every command. Love is the fulfilling of all law.
Pray much for love.
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath
to us. God is love;
and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John
4:16
April 17 - The Two Joys
My children, I come. Hearts eager to do My Will, send out a call that ever I find irresistible. I know no barrier then.
Resignation to My Will keeps Me barred out from more Hearts than does unbelief. Can anything be such a crime against Love as being resigned? My Will should be welcomed with a glad wonder if I am to do My Work in the heart and life.
The only resignation that could possibly be acceptable to Me is when Self, ousted by My claims, accepts the inevitable and resigns the throne for Me, leaving My Disciple free to carry out My Will, to welcome My Will gladly, rapturously.
In all true discipleship, and in the true spiritual development of each disciple, there is first the wonder and the joy of first acquaintance, then comes the long plain stretch of lesson-learning and discipline, when Joy seems so much a thing of the past as never to be recaptured again.
But the constant experience of Me, the constant persistent recognition of My Work in daily happenings — the ever accumulating weight of evidence in support of My Guidance — the numberless instances in which seeming chance or wonderful coincidence can be, must be, traced back to My loving forethought -- all these gradually engender a feeling of wonder, certainty, gratitude, followed in time by Joy.
Joy is of two kinds. The Joy born of Love and Wonder, and the Joy born of Love and Knowledge, and between the experience of the two Joys lie discipline, disappointment, almost disillusion.
But combat these in My Strength, or rather cling blindly, helplessly to Me and let Me combat them, persevere in obeying My Will, accept My discipline, and the second Joy will follow .
And of this second Joy it was that I said, "Your joy no man taketh from you."
Do not regret the first, the second is the greater gift.
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make your free." John 8:31, 32
April 18 - No Dark Days
Such light, such joy flows out from this house. It affects all who come here.
Do not feel that you have to try and help them. Just love them, welcome them, shower little courtesies and love-signs on them, and they must be helped.
Love is God. Give them Love, and you give them God. Then leave Him to do His Work. Love all, even the beggars. Send no one away without a word of cheer, a feeling that you care. I may have put the impulse to come here into some despairing one's heart. Think if you failed Me!
Besides, you have no choice. You told Me it was My Home. I shall use it. Remember this. There would be no dark winter days were Love in the hearts of all My children.
Oh! My children, can you not feel the joy of knowing, loving, and companying with Me?
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Roman 13:10
April 19 - Life Is A Love Story
You need Me. I need you.
My broken world needs you. Many a weary troubled heart needs you. Many a troubled heart will be gladdened by you, drawn nearer to Me by you both.
Health -- Peace -- Joy -- Patience -- Endurance, they all come from contact with Me.
Oh! It is the glorious way, the upward way, the wonderful discoveries, the tender intimacies, the amazing, almost incomprehensible, understanding. Truly the Christian Life -- Life with Me -- is a Love story. Leave all to Me.
All you have missed you will find in Me, the Soul's Lover, the Soul's Friend, Father -- Mother -- Comrade -- Brother. Try Me.
You cannot make too many demands upon Me -- nor put too great a strain upon My Love and Forbearance.
Claim -- claim -- claim -- Healing -- Power -- Joy -- Supply -- what you will.
"He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love." Song of Solomon 2:4
April 20 - Heart's Agony
There is a Calvary-Cross on which one hangs alone, untended by even the nearest and dearest.
But beside that Cross, there stands another, and to My dear ones I say little, I hang there afresh beside each one through the hours of the heart's agony.
Have you ever thought of the Joy that the patient, gentle, loving obedience of My disciples brings to My heart? I know no Joy such as the Joy I feel at the loving trust of a dear one.
The wounds of the Hands and Feet hurt little compared with the wounds in the Heart that are the wounds, not of My enemies, but of My friends.
Little doubts, little fears, little misunderstandings. It is the tender trifles of a day that gladden My Heart. I that speak unto you, am He -- your Master.
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
Hebrews 4:15
April 21 - You Will Conquer
I am with you. My Presence is a sign of My forgiveness. I uphold you
You will conquer. Do not fear changes. You can never fear changes when I, your Lord, change not. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. I am beside you. Steadfastness, unchangingness, come to you, too, as you dwell with Me. Rest in Me.
As breathing rightly, from being a matter of careful practice, becomes a habit, unconsciously, yet rightly performed, so if you regularly practice this getting back into My Presence, when the slightest feeling of unrest disturbs your perfect calm and harmony, so this, too, will become a habit, and you will grow to live in that perfect consciousness of My Presence, and perfect calm and harmony will be yours.
Life is a training school. Remember, only the pupil giving great promise of future good work would be so singled out by the Master for strenuous and unwearied discipline, teaching and training,
You are asking both of you to be not as hundreds of My followers, nay as many, many thousands, but to be even as those who reflect Me in all they say and do and are. So, My dear children, take this training, not as harsh, but as the tender loving answer to your petition.
Life can never be the same again for either of you. Once you have drunk of the wine of My giving, the Life Eternal, all earth's attempts to quench your thirst will fail.
"I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto
the
children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14
April 22 - Complain Not -- Laugh
Trust in Me. Do as I say each moment and all indeed shall be well. Follow out My commands: Divine control, unquestioning obedience -- these are the only conditions of supply being ample for your own needs and those of others.
The tasks I set you may have seemingly no connection with supply. The commands are Mine and the supply is Mine and I make My own conditions, differing in each case -- but in the case of each disciple, adapted to the individual need.
Have no fear, go forward. Joy -- radiant Joy must be yours. Change all disappointment, even if only momentary, into Joy. Change each complaint into laughter.
Rest -- Love -- Joy -- Peace -- Work, and the most powerful of these are Love and Joy.
"Serve the Lord with gladness....be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Psalm 100:2, 4
April 23 - Too Much Talk
Guidance you are bound to have as you live more and more with Me. It follows without doubt.
But these times are not times when you ask to be shown and led, they are times of feeling and realizing My Presence. Does the branch continually ask the Vine to supply it with sap, to show it in what direction to grow? No, that comes naturally from the very union with the Vine, and I said, "I am the true vine, ye are the branches."
From the branches hand the choice grapes, giving joy and nourishment to all, but no branch could think that the fruit, the grapes, were of its shaping and making.
No! the grapes are the fruit of the Vine, the Parent-Plant.
The work of the branch is to provide a channel for the life-flow.
So, My children, union with Me is the one great overwhelming
necessity. All else follows so naturally, and union with Me may be the result of
just consciousness of My Presence. Be not too ready to speak to others.
Never make yourselves do this.
Pray always that the need may be apparent, if you are to do this, and the guidance very plain. My Spirit has been driven out by the words of men. Words, words, words. Many have called Me Lord, Lord, who have not done the things that I said.
Discourage too much talk. Deeds live, and re-echo down the ages -- words perish. As Paul: Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, . . . And have not charity, I am nothing....
Remember that rarely to the human heart do I speak in words. Man will see Me in My works done through you, meet Me in the atmosphere of Love and self-effacement. Do not feel that you have to speak
When man ceased to commune with his God simply and naturally, he
took refuge in words—words.
"And that ye study to be quiet." 1 Thessalonians 4:11
April 24 - I Go Before
You can never perish, My children, because within you is the Life of Life. The Life that down the ages has kept My servants, in peril, in adversity, in sorrow.
Once you are born of the Spirit, that is your Life's breath. You must never doubt, never worry, but step by step, the way to freedom must be trodden. See that you walk it with Me.
This means no worry, no anxiety, but it does not mean no effort. When My Disciples told Me that they had toiled all night and taken nothing, I did not fill the boat with fishes without effort on their part. No! My Command stood. "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."
Their lives were endangered, the ship nearly sank, the help of their fellows had to be summoned, and there were broken nets to mend. Any one of these troubles might have made them feel My help was not for them. And yet as they sat on the shore and mended those nets, they would see My Love and Care.
Man rises by effort
The man who reaches the mountain height by the help of train or car has learned no climber's lesson. But remember this does not mean no Guide -- this does not mean that My Spirit is not supplying wisdom and strength. How often, when sometimes you little know it, do I go before you to prepare the way, to soften the heart here, to overrule there.
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish." John 10:28
April 25 - Bless Your Enemies
Say often, "God bless . . . ," of any whom you find in disharmony with you, or whom you desire to help. Say it, willing that showers of blessings and joy and success may fall upon them.
Leave to Me that necessary correcting or training; you must only desire joy and blessing for them. At present your prayers are that they should be taught and corrected.
Oh! If My children would leave My work to Me and occupy themselves with the task I give them. Love, love, love. Love will break down all your difficulties. Love will build up all your successes.
God the destroyer of evil, God the creator of good -- is Love. To Love one another is to use God in your life. To use God in your life is to bring into manifestation all harmony, beauty, joy, and happiness.
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:44
April 26 - I Make The Opportunities
Never doubt. Have no fear. Watch the faintest tremor of fear, and stop all work, everything, and rest before Me until you are joyful and strong again
Deal in the same way with all tired feelings. I was weary too, when on earth, and I separated Myself from My Disciples, and sat and rested on the well. Rested -- and then it was that the Samaritan woman was helped.
Times of withdrawal for rest always precede fresh miracle-working. Learn of Me. To accept the limitations of human flesh is to be subject, except as far as sin is concerned, to the same conditions as man.
I had to teach renewal of Spirit -- force rest of body to My Disciples. Then, as your Example, I lay with My Head on a pillow, asleep in the boat. It was not, as they thought, indifference. They cried, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" and I had to teach them that ceaseless activity was no part of My Father's plan.
When Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me," he did not mean that he was to do all things and then rely on Me to find strength. He meant that for all I told him to do he could rely on My supplying the strength.
My Work in the world has been hindered by work, work, work. Many a tireless nervous body has driven a spirit. The spirit should be the master always, and just simply and naturally use the body as need should arise. Rest in Me.
Do not seek to work for Me. Never make opportunities. Live with Me and for Me. I do the work and I make the opportunities.
"I can of mine own self do nothing." John 5:30
April 27 - Seeing Christ
I am beside you. Can you not feel My Presence?
Contact with Me is not gained by the senses. Spirit-consciousness replaces sight.
When man sees Me with his human sight it does not mean of necessity that his spiritual perception is greater. Nay, rather that for that soul I have to span the physical and the spiritual with a spiritual vision clear to human eyes.
Remember this to cheer My disciples who have never seen Me, and yet have had a clear spiritual consciousness of Me.
"And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Exodus 33:14
April 28 - The Roundabout Way
Through briers, through waste places, through glades, up mountain heights, down into valleys, I lead. But ever with the Leadership goes the Helping Hand.
Glorious to follow where your Master goes. But remember that the varied path does not always mean that you need the varied training.
We are seeking lost sheep -- we are bringing the Kingdom into places where it has not been known before. So realize that you are joining Me on My quest -- My undying quest, tracking down the souls.
I am not choosing ways that will fret and tire -- just to fret and tire; we are out to save. You may not always see the soul we seek. I know.
"Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." Luke 15:6
April 29 - Disharmony
Seek and ye shall find. Shall find that inner knowledge that makes the problems of life plain.
The difficulties of life are caused by disharmony in the individual. There is no discord in My Kingdom, only a something unconquered in My disciples. The rule of My Kingdom is perfect order, perfect harmony, perfect supply, perfect love, perfect honesty, perfect obedience -- all power, all conquest, all success,
But so often My servants lack power, conquest, success, supply, harmony, and think I fail in My promises because these are not manifested in their lives.
These are but the outward manifestations that result from the obedience, honesty, order, love -- and they come, not in answer to urgent prayer, but naturally as light results from a lighted candle.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Luke 11:9
April 30 - Springtime
Rejoice in the Springtime of the year. Let there be Springtime in your hearts. The full time of fruit is not yet but there is the promise of the blossom.
Know surely that your lives too are full of glad promise. Such blessings are to be yours. Such joys, such wonders.
All is indeed well. Live in My Sunshine and My Love.
"Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in
the
time that their corn and their wine increased." Psalm 4:7
-
Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25
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