God Calling

by Two Listeners

Edited by A. J. Russell

August 16 - 31

16    17    18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31

August 16 - No Tired Work

Rest. It is wrong to force work. Rest until Life, Eternal Life, flowing through your veins and hearts and minds, bids you bestir yourselves, and work, glad work, will follow.

Tired work never tells.

Rest. Remember I am your Physician, Healer of mind and body.

Look to Me for cure, for rest, for Peace.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, ... healing all manner of sickness
 and all manner of disease among the people.  Matthew 4:23

August 17 - Nature Laughs

I come, I come. You need Me. Live much out here. My sunshine, My glorious air, My Presence, My teaching.

Would they not make holiday anywhere for you. Sunshine helps to make glad the heart of man. It is the laughter of Nature.

Live much outside. My medicines are sun and air, trust and faith. Trust is the spirit sun, your being enwrapped by the Divine Spirit.

Faith is the soul's breathing in of the Divine Spirit.  Mind, soul, and body need helping. Welcome My treatment for you both. Drawing near to Me.

Nature is often My nurse for tired souls and weary bodies. Let her have her way with you both.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: 
the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, 
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  Isaiah 55:12

August 18 - Stones of the Way

I am here. No distance separates Me. In the Spirit-Kingdom we measure not by earth's miles. A false word, a fear-inspired failure, a harsh criticism, these are the distances between a soul and Me. Your training must be severe, that your work for Me be unhindered.

You seek My Presence and they who seek shall find. It is not a question of human searching, so much as human consciousness, unconditional surrender to My Will in the small, as in the big things of life. This it is that makes My Guidance possible.

You know the difference between taking a glad, loving, joy-springing child with you along a way, when the child anticipates each direction, accepts naturally each decision as to each turning - and the child who resists, and rebellious, has to be forced, even though in its quieter moments it may say, "Yes.  I do want to go with you.  I cannot be left alone, but I hate this way."

It is not the way, but the loving rejoicing in the way and the guidance, that matters with My disciples.  You are ready for the guidance but you do not rejoice as you should, both of you, in the little daily stones of the way.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made
 me free from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:2

August 19 - A Human Temple

Lord, we Love Thee, we worship Thee.

Bow low before Me. Worship is not supplication though both express man's varying needs of Me. Bow low in worship, conscious not only of My humanity but of My Divine Majesty.

As you kneel in humble adoration I will tell you that when I took upon Me your humanity it was with the desire of raising that humanity to My Divinity.

Earth gave Me her best -- a human temple to enclose My Divinity, and I brought to her the possession of Divine Power, Divine Love, Divine Strength, to be forever expressed in those of her children who accepted Me, opened their hearts to Me, and sought to live My Life.

So, kneeling in a spirit of humility, turn your eyes Heavenward and realize the majesty, the Power, the Beauty that may be yours. Remember there are no limits to My giving -- there may be to your accepting.

Oh! rejoice at the wonders to which you are called and, seeing them in prayer, rise in My Strength, filled with the longing to attain them.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  John 4:24

August 20 - Shame and Remorse

My children! Yes! "Shield from the scorn and cover from the chiding." Often I have to shield My disciples from their own scorn and chiding.

My poor Peter could never have done My work, never have had the courage to live on, or the daring to live for Me, but for the tender love with which I enwrapped him. Not from the anger of My Father, who is all Love, did I need to protect him -- not from the scorn of My enemies, nor from the resentment of My friends. No! But from the hatred of Peter himself.

And so to My followers today, as then, there come the shame and remorse and contempt of themselves, of the weak selves. They meant to be so strong and brave for Me. And then I have to protect them with a shield of love, or never could they have the courage to fight and conquer. But this facing of the real self has to be -- shame and remorse must come.

That is a stage in development, but only a stage. What use the glad wings of a butterfly if it remained Earth bound, weighed down with the thought of its contemptible past? And so now today I say to you both, that you are not to dwell for one moment on your sins, and mistakes, and faults, and bad habits of the past.

You must be as one who runs a race, stumbles and falls, rises and presses on to the goal. What avails it if he stays to examine the spot where he fell, to weep over the delay, over the shortsightedness that prevented his anticipating and avoiding the obstacles?

So with you, and I lay it on you as a command -- no looking back. Give yourself, and all you have ever met a fresh start from today. Remember no more their sins and failures, or your own. The remembrance is a current of disappointment that hinders the swimmer.

When I sent My Disciples out, two by two, no scrip,  no two coats, no money, it was an injunction to be carried out literally, but figuratively too. On Life's journey throw away all that is not important. Cast aside all the hindrances, the past imperfections of others - - the failure-sense.

Travel unladen, with a light heart, and a light heart means a weight of influence.

My children, I love you.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing 
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.  Acts 5:41

August 21 - Broken Voices

Behold, I make all things new. It is only the earthbound spirit that cannot soar. Every blessing I send you, every joy, every freedom achieved from poverty and worry will loosen a strand that ties you to earth.

It is only those strands that bind you. Therefore your freedom will mean your rising into the realm of Joy and Appreciation.

Clipped wings can grow again. Broken voices regain a strength and beauty unknown before. Your power to help other lives will soon bring its delight, even when, at first, the help to yourselves may seem too late to bring you Joy.

Worn-out and tired as you may seem, and pain-weary, I say unto you, "Behold, I make all things new." That promise shall be fulfilled. Tenderly across the years, yet tenderly close and near to your tired noise-weary ears, I speak to you, My loved ones, today.

"Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest."

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  
old things are passed away; behold, all things are 
become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17

August 22 - Gleams of Sunlight

Because you have both longed to save My World I let you have that training that shall fit you to save.

Take your pains and sufferings, difficulties and hardships -- each day, both of you, and offer them up for one troubled soul, or for some prayer specially needed to be answered.

So the beauty of each day will live on after the trouble and distress, difficulty and pain of the day have passed.

Learn from My Life of the suffering that saves others. So, you will sing in your pain. Across the grayest days there are the gleams of Sunlight.

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his 
glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  1 Peter 4:13

August 23 - The Summit

See not the small trials and vexations of each hour of the day. See the one purpose and plan to which all are leading. If in climbing a mountain you keep your eyes on each stony or difficult place, as you ascend, seeing only that, how weary and profitless your climb!

But if you think of each step as leading to the summit of achievement, from which glories and beauties will open out before you, then your climb will be so different.

The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' 
feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.  Habakkuk 3:19

August 24 - Sublime Heights

Our Lord, we know that Thou art great and able to deliver us.

I am your deliverer. Trust in Me absolutely. Know that I will do the very best for you. Be ready and willing for My Will to be done.

Know that with Me all things are possible. Cling joyfully to that truth.

Say many times, "All things are possible with My Master, My Lord, My Friend."

This truth, accepted and firmly believed in, is the ladder up which a soul can climb from the lowest of pits to the sublimest of heights.

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from
 the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out 
of thine hand, O king.  Daniel 3:17

August 25 - Exhaustion

We seek Thee as Thou hast told us.

And seeking you shall find. None ever sought My Presence in vain. None ever sought My Help in vain.

A breath of desire and My Spirit is there -- to replenish and renew. Sometimes weariness and exhaustion are not signs of lack of spirit but of the guiding of the Spirit.

Many wonderful things would not have happened but for the physical weariness, the mind-weariness of My servants, which made the resting apart, the giving up of work, a necessity...

Though My Way may seem a narrow way it yet leads to Life, abundant Life. Follow it. It is not so narrow but that I can tread it beside you.

Never too lonely with such companionship. A comrade infinitely tender, infinitely strong, will tread the way with you.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Matthew 7:14

August 26 - Accept Trials

Trials and troubles may seem to overwhelm you. They cannot do more than work My Will, and that Will you have said is your Will.

Do you not see that you cannot be destroyed?  From now a new Life is opening out before you. Yours to enter into the Kingdom I have prepared for you.

The sunlight of My Presence is on your paths. Trust and go forward unafraid. My Grace is sufficient for all your needs.

In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.  Psalm 56:11

August 27 - Tangled Skeins

In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. -- Isaiah 30:15

Feel that . . . trust Me. Am I not leading you safely, faithfully? Will you believe Me, your Master, that all this is really to bring the answer to your prayers?

Remember that I am the Supreme Being who knows all and can control all.

Directly you put your affairs, their confusion, their difficulties, into My Hands I began to effect a cure of all the disharmony and disorder.

You must know that I shall cause you no more pain in the doing of it than a physician, who plans and knows he can effect a cure, would cause his patient. I will do all as tenderly as possible.

Tell Me that you trust Me in this.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters ... he
 leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Psalm 23:2, 3

August 28 - Continuous Service

Service is the Law of Heaven. My angels do always obey. "They serve Him continually" can be said of all who love Me.

With Love there is continuous service in every action, and also even in rest.

Take this not as the end but as the beginning of a New Life consecrated to My Service.

A Life of Power and Joy.

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my
 servant be; if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.  John 12:26

August 29 - Breathe My Name

Just breathe My Name.

It is like the pressure of a child's hand that calls forth an answering pressure, strengthens the child's confidence and banishes fear.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.  Proverbs 18:10

August 30 - Give, Give, Give

Give abundantly. Feel that you are rich. Have no mean thought in your heart.

Of Love, of thought, of all you have, give, give, give.

You are followers of the World's Greatest Giver. Give of time, of personal ease and comfort, of rest, of fame, of healing, of power, of sympathy, of all these and many more.

Learn this lesson, and you will become a great power to help others and to do mighty things.

Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, 
and shaken together and running over, shall 
men give unto your bosom.  Luke 6:38

August 31 - Pray and Deny

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. -- Matthew 17: 21.

You must live a life of communion and prayer if you are to save others.

Take My words as a command to you. "By prayer and fasting."

Pray and deny yourself, and you will be used marvelously to save and help others.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.  Luke 5:11

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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