5/34 The following is the original mimeographed lesson SFG
Book II - Lesson 3 - GOD, THE FATHER, AND HIS MANIFESTATIONS
IN THE EARTH (Second Series), compiled by the NORFOLK STUDY
GROUP NO. 1 of the ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH AND
ENLIGHTENMENT, INC., Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until Book I
was published in 1942 and Book II in 1950, the individual
lessons were mimeographed in this form and used by each
member of the Study Groups.
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because
that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we
might live through Him." [I John 4:9]
HOW TO STUDY A LESSON
1. Read the lesson as a whole.
2. Memorize the PRAYER given.
3. Study the lesson by topics.
4. Study the lesson by questions.
5. Meditate upon it.
6. Listen in meditation for the truth you need, for it will
come to all who seek.
7. Apply that learned in everyday life.
GOD, THE FATHER, AND HIS MANIFESTATIONS IN THE EARTH
AFFIRMATION
MAY THE DESIRE OF MY HEART BE SUCH THAT I MAY BECOME MORE AND
MORE AWARE OF THE SPIRIT OF THE FATHER, THROUGH THE CHRIST,
MANIFESTING IN ME.
INTRODUCTION - There are few who recognize no God. The
question we should ask ourselves is, "Do I know God as a
loving Father?" Perhaps the most beautiful of Jesus'
teachings are built about this sustaining concept of God as a
loving Father. As we seek to understand this relationship,
there will come the awareness of being possible channels for
His manifestations in the earth, day by day.
From the study and application of this lesson, each
individual should become aware as to how, when and in what
manner he may be conscious of the spirit manifesting through
him in material things. The achievement of this purpose in a
great measure depends upon the preparation resulting from the
application of the truths set forth in previous lessons.
QUESTIONS - In beginning the study of this lesson, certain
questions arise that require explanation before the
development of the thoughts to be presented may be
undertaken. What is the difference in the concepts of God,
and God as the Father? "God is an all-wise, all-inclusive,
all-manifesting force in the experience of man. The Father
is that loving influence in the experience of THOSE THAT SEEK
HIM. God is a fact. The Father - those who seek may know."
In simple words, how may an individual come to understand and
know God as the Father? "As He has given from the beginning,
'if ye will be my children, I will be your God.' So, as
individuals, in the application of that known in their
experience as to what is the will of the Father, go about
thinking, and thinking it in such a manner that the words of
the mouth and the activity of the hand bespeak the will of
the Father; then this activity, this thought, makes the
individual the channel through which the manifestations are
in the earth. For, who may know in the earth the heart of
the mother save a mother? Who may know the will of the
Father, God, save those that put into the acts of their
hands, in the thoughts of their minds, those things that He
has given and as He shows forth in the experience of all men
from day to day? So simple, then, is it to know the Father
that all stumble in that they think of themselves more highly
than they ought to think. Be rather as a channel through
which the Father may make His love, His glory, manifest in
the earth. Listen to the voice from within. For, He is very
nigh unto each to you, if ye will but look within; and that
thou experienceth with the desire that thy self be nothing,
that the Father, the Christ, may be glorified in the earth,
brings to the experience of all the consciousness of being a
manifestation of the love of the Father to the sons of men."
What are the manifestations of the Father? The fruits of the
spirit are the manifestations of the Father in the earth -
gentleness, kindness, the loving word, patience, hope,
persistence, and, above all, consistency in thy acts and in
thy speech. Be ye glorious in thine activity. Be ye joyous
in thy words. For, happy is the man that knoweth that his
life bespeaks that the Son and the Spirit of Truth direct the
words and the activities of his body! A question which
naturally follows is, "How can we interpret some of the words
and acts of others as manifestations of God when they hurt us
so much?" Condemn not in word, in thought, or activity, that
ye be not condemned. See in every expression of activity the
attempt of that soul to express or manifest that soul's
concept to Divine reality. For, each soul, as it gives
expression in thought, in act, shows by the fruits of that
done as to what is the impelling influence in that soul's
experience. Then, not as a judge, not as a faultfinder, but
rather as He gave, be merciful to those that err, for they
know not what they do - unless they be guided by the spirit
of truth that cleanseth all from that of selfishness that
makes of them as one with the influence of the Christ
Consciousness in their lives. Let us hold these thoughts in
mind as we turn now to an expansion of our subject.
GOD IS - There is no scientist so materialistic who does not
recognize a Force outside of self that is greater than he can
explain. This Force is certainly all-wise in that all
creation is perfectly planned. There is no hitch in any
movement of the planets or stars. The comets make their
rounds and again make their appearance on scheduled time.
The seasons come and go, carrying with them their host of
beauties, changes and experiences, all marching in and out in
perfect time, on and on forever and forever.
The Force, to the materialist, is all- inclusive. He sees
nothing else to make a perfect haven than it supplies. What
need is there that another state of consciousness be sought,
for the Force that supplies the wants of all richly rewards
those who toil and spin. It is truly all-inclusive.
Too, the Force is all manifesting. He manifests in all
things, not only for a day, but always. All nature declares
this truth. God is, in truth, to all men, a FACT.
GOD, THE FATHER - We must come to understand the concept of
God the loving Father. As has already been pointed out, this
is only for those who seek, those who truly desire a personal
relation with God. We are afraid. We are lazy. We do not
wish to give up our own desires. We are too willing to
accept and use all that is set before us in the abundance of
the earth, too anxious to enjoy the pleasures and beauties of
a divinely created world, without thought of the Great Force
behind and in all things. This daily overlooking, this
constant neglect of the real essence of life, leads us into
paths of self-indulgence and self-gratification. In the
final results we increase the misery of our fellowmen and
bring turmoil and suffering to ourselves.
"I had suffered for sometime with a malady from which I did
not seem to be able to get any permanent relief. One night I
awoke in such a condition that I was not able to call for
help from my family.
"Suddenly, this thought came to me, 'Why do you lie here and
suffer when you know that your Redeemer lives?' I
immediately stilled myself and began praying to my heavenly
Father. A mighty force swept through my body again and
again, from foot to head I was baptized, body and soul. I
knew that I had contacted the very source of Good and that
His wonderful healing spirit had filled me. There was no
more pain that night, nor has there been any since; but there
has remained with me that praise and thanksgiving within me
that had never been experienced before. There came also a
peace that passed understanding, making me happy and grateful
that I am counted worthy of the manifestation of His presence
within."
It is so simple to know God as the Father. Only self stands
in the way. In the smallest flower, in the majestic
mountain, the restless sea, the warm glow of the sun, the
vivid flash of lightning, we see the power and the might, the
love and the mercy of Him who doeth all things well, and as
children feel a great peace and understanding of the Father,
ever ready to protect us.
Our greatest example of the Father's love is before us in the
knowledge of Jesus, the Christ. He gave His Son that the
world might have an example manifested in this material plane
of the forgiveness and tender care of the Father. Through
such a plan, in the teachings presented by the Son, God has
shown an understanding of each heart, a willingness to bring
peace to each soul that will turn toward Him. There is no
problem too hard to solve, no burden too great to bear, if we
will only turn within and realize that God, the Father is
within, that He is a real and personal Father to those who
seek His face. We are His own. We must fully understand and
believe this. We show that we understand and believe by our
thoughts, words and actions, day by day, for these are our
manifestations of our God in the earth.
THE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE FATHER IN THE EARTH - We are each
as a corpuscle in the body of God, performing our individual
function. Just as the blood is the life flow in a physical
body, so is the spirit the life flow of the universe and all
that is in it.
The children of the Father seek to manifest His Spirit in the
earth by becoming as channels through which His blessings may
flow to others. This was exemplified in the life of the
Master, just so we, as we come more and more into the Christ
Consciousness, find ourselves becoming more and more aware
of the Spirit of the Father moving in and through us.
It is no unusual thing for us to class one as good, simply
because he is kind and gentle; for, during all the ages the
really great are those with the Spirit of Love, never those
who marched to power through the blood of their fellow
mortals. Compare the saint with the tyrant, the crusader
with the missionary. The one for self in glory, the other
self-less in glory.
As we study the lives of those who have expressed in their
lives the fruits of the Spirit, and note how the world has
been made better by their lives, it gives us courage and a
desire to so pattern our lives accordingly.
Spirituality is the result of being full of the Spirit, and
when we are full of the Spirit we manifest the fruits of the
Spirit. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit maketh
alive. Let us be spiritually alive in what we do and say,
not minding the things that destroy the body, but those that
destroy the soul. Let our downsittings be the uprising of
our brother. When we are prevented from expressing what we
deem in our conscious mind as an expression of the will of
the Father, wait; perhaps it is our opportunity to let
another whom we would help do for themselves the thing that
would best help themselves. Let us prefer others above self.
Indeed, it is not easy to hold self constantly in line to the
highest urges from within; yet, God the Father, is the
Creator of all things, and knows what is in the heart and
pities us, His children in our struggles to manifest Him.
Just how we may reflect Him, the Father, was shown by the
Christ. "If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father
also. He that has seen me has seen the Father. I and my
Father are one." If we hear His voice, we are His sheep and
may with Him say, "I and my Father are one." "My Father
worketh hitherto and I work," and this we may manifest to
our fellow man through selfless service, and only through
selfless service.
The following experience points the way to a realization of
being a channel for God's manifestations in the earth.
"In a healing meditation, I really comprehended, it seemed in
a flash, what it means to become conscious of God manifesting
in and through me. It seemed as if the God within became
attuned with the God without and with it there came a
wonderful peace. There seemed to be a voice that spoke
within saying, 'This is the meaning of God and His
manifestations in the earth.' As we make our attunement,
God, the Father, cannot any longer be simply a fact, but
becomes the loving Father and through such channels He will
make greater and greater His manifestations."
Is it not true that we find that though the burdens of
material things may weigh heavily upon us at times, that the
manifesting of gentleness, kindliness and patience toward our
neighbors, our household, have brought and do bring those
contentments that make for the greater peace and harmony that
may be had in our experiences as a soul in the earth's
environs?
The experience of another individual shows just how much the
little thoughtful deeds mean, and what an impression the
simple kindnesses manifesting the Father's care mean to
children. "When a very young girl, my sister and I decided
to visit relatives in a distant city. We had never visited
so far from home before, so the experience was both an
exciting and fearful one. Upon arriving in a large city,
where it was necessary for us to change trains, we found no
one to meet us. We went to the telegraph office to send a
telegram and there learned that a strike was on and it would
be impossible to get a message to those who were to have met
us. A more mature mind could not conceive of the fear and
turmoil we experienced. We were about ready to return home
when a friend of the family came to our assistance. We felt
that God had really sent him. Upon arriving at our
destination, again we felt very much forsaken, when for the
second time no one was at the station to meet us. Again
friends came to our rescue and brought us to the very door of
the house we were seeking. Our loved ones were surprised to
see us, as no notice of our arrival had reached them. We
felt that this whole experience was an example of God's
goodness." God, the Father, is the tender, watchful Father
in the little cares of life as much as in the great
demonstration of His wonderful plan for the redemption of
mankind; for, we build line by line, here a little, there a
little. It is God's way for the strongest foundation.
Only those of us may "enter in" who do the will of the Father
in their lives, day by day, being ever ready and willing to
be used as a channel to manifest the love of the Christ in
the earth. Even so did the man, Jesus, come into the world,
the Christ, who thought it not robbery to make Himself equal
with God, but made Himself of no estate that He might thereby
save the more.
In righteousness, we may become more and more conscious of
those periods of probation or experience through which we may
have passed in the earth. But if that knowledge does not
make of us individuals that use the same to the benefit of
our fellow man, without any laudation for ourselves, then it
has failed.
The Master has told us He has gone to the Father, and that
what we ask in His name the Father will give unto us, that
He, the Savior, the Christ, may be glorified in the earth,
that He may be glorified in us; and while results may not
come as we expect, it is because all the trials and turmoils
we find in the earth today are from the seeking for power,
wealth, fame, fortune - these we have set up as gods. True,
they are no longer stone images; but they are just as
material, and we see these temporal things, that may at any
time take wings and fly away, being magnified in our lives.
He has not willed that any should perish, but we shall all be
tried so as by fire. The fires of the body, the fires of
desire, the fires of the flesh, the fires of the carnal
forces, must be burned up.
So, we can carry on in the ways and manners that we find
before us, day by day, doing with a might what our hands find
to do. For, the greatest thing we can do is just being kind
to the other fellow, even though he misunderstands and abuses
us in our trying. If we do it in His name, and for His
glory, His blessings will be upon us. For, in every case,
GOD giveth the increase. Man may only desire, but God can
fulfil. And we should all be willing to let Him do it in His
own way. Not by standing idle, but even as He, who "went
about doing good."
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou
disquieted in me? Hope thou in God."
When conditions and circumstances have brought to us
experiences that try our souls from within and from without,
and we have the desire to cry out in anguish to our souls in
an endeavor to find out the reason for all, as did the
Psalmist, then it is we should stop, turn within and affirm
to ourselves, "Be still and know I am God," realizing that
Jesus, the Christ, is the same yesterday, today and forever
in His manifestations in the earth, and that He can still the
tempest and bring peace and comfort to our souls.
That pain in the heart which was so hard to bear will be
melted away, and in its place will come the sensation of a
deep and abiding joy which will radiate from our countenance,
shining forth like a light in a darkened world, cheering
those about us and bringing out the best in those we contact.
PERFECT MANIFESTATION REQUIRES A PERFECT CLEANSING - When
there are those activities in a material world that bring
about the forces or influences wherein there may be the
action of a soul in its development, that which is often
counted as sin or error is for the mercy to a soul from an
all-wise and beneficent Father that is directing, planning,
giving the soul an opportunity for the use of that which may
come into the experience of that soul in the material plane.
And what the soul, through its body and mind and attributes
of same, does about the knowledge and consciousness of the
indwelling of the spirit of life through the Christ in the
earth is the opportunity for the soul to develop.
For, when a soul, a body-mind, a consciousness, condemns, it
is but a selfish manifestation - and is the attempt, as of
the first errors, to BLAME that self has to do upon another.
But if the soul will but know the love of the Father (that
has been manifested through His Son, who overcame sin, error,
dis-ease, DISEASE and even death itself in the material
plane), it may bring healing in His wings - through the
consciousness of that life of the Christ awakening within us,
as the consciousness of His indwelling presence; and that
which had apparently been a hindrance may come to be the
measure through which others may come to have the greater
knowledge, the greater understanding of the Christ
Consciousness, the Christ Life, in the own experience.
And, rather than shutting self away from associates or
companionship, if the consciousness will but make for the
fruits of the Spirit of the Christ being manifest, there will
be the seeking on the part of others to BE NEAR, to be in the
light of that which may be shed abroad by such a soul, in
such a body making manifest in this mundane sphere that love,
that life, that graciousness of the Christ spirit in the
life.
Hence, as we would find, if the body will thus find in self
and in self's experience, there may come that CLEANSING
within the physical forces of the body that will MAKE the
body-SOUL whole indeed!
Hence, SEEK to know HIS ways with thee. Not alone by denying
that sin or error exists. TRUE, sin and error are not of
GOD - save through His sons that BROUGHT error, through
selfishness, into the experience of the souls of men, the
body by which angels and archangels are separate from the
fullness of the Father. For, in His mercy He has given to
all that which is the desire of every heart in a material
plane - to seek companionship in a manner that there may be
the exchange of experiences in whatsoever sphere the body-
soul may find self. And in so doing, if there is the
manifestation of greed, avarice, hate, selfishness,
unkindliness, ungodliness, it makes for the harkenings that
bring their fruit - contention, strife, hate, avarice, and
separation from the light. For, those that have turned their
face FROM the light of God can only see shadow or darkness
- and that light is only for those far away. Yet, if the
soul will but turn to the Father of love as manifested in
the earth through the Christ, in this life also may there
be seen the light and the glory of a NEW birth.
That all have been conceived in sin, is only a partial truth;
hence often makes a whole lie to those that in the physical
body find that which to their own consciousness they can
condemn in another. But to condemn - even as the Master
taught when the moral laws, or when the physical laws or
spiritual laws were being broken, and were presented to Him
as examples whereunto they would question Him, He always
answered: "Thou hast no power over me save it be given thee
from the Father, who has not left His children alone, but
ever seeks that they should know that the Redeemer liveth.
And His light, His life, His love, CLEANSETH every WHIT! As
He said unto the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee, but sin
no more." He did not set for her any moral law, but that
which was conscious within her own soul as to the acts in the
physical that would tend to separate or to turn the light
into darkness in the life of that soul. And as she came to
be known among those that had sought the light, her life
became that which led many to an understanding - and still
will bring life, light and comprehension to many.
So, in thine own self, know that THEREIN lies the Spirit of
God, the SOUL of thine self. The Spirit will quicken, if the
soul will but acknowledge His power, His divine right within
thee!
Then, let the acts of thine body, the temple of thine soul,
be kept clean in thine own consciousness - even as the
presence of the Master cleansed every body that sought aid
from physical disease or corruption and made for the
manifesting of the fruits of the Spirit, or truth in their
lives. Not that it saved the body from the grave, not that
it saved a body from its transition from one sphere to
another, but quickened rather the soul and its mind to such a
degree that it would ever cry as did the Master in His
message of old to His peoples that had been led through the
trials and tribulations, "Others may do as they may, but as
for me, I - my soul, my body, my mind - will serve the LIVING
God!"
Blessed is he whom the Lord chasteneth, for He loveth every
one - and will quicken those that call on His name and act in
accordance with the directions that are given every soul to
know to do good and to do it not becomes sin, but to know
that He - the Christ - will stand within thy stead and will
cleanse the soul-body every whit, that it may stand before
the throne of grace every whit CLEAN!
Then, make thy prayers unto Him, giving glory, power and
praise unto Him - and in this manner may that which has
SEEMED to be to thee a hindrance become a stepping-stone to
the glory of thine own soul!
THE RESULT OF BEING MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD
How long has been the cry of those that have manifested in
the earth the glory of the Father through the Son, "Hasten,
O Lord, the day of thy kingdom in the earth!" How have the
promises read that the Son has given? "I go to prepare a
place that where I am there ye may be also. I will come
again and receive you unto myself." Then, as the individual
heart attunes its mind and its body-activity into that
consciousness, the desire hastens that day. Yet the merciful
kindness of the Father has, in the eyes of many, delayed the
coming, and many have cried even as the parable He gave, "We
know not what has become of this man. Show us other gods
that may lead us in this day." Yet the cry in the heart and
the soul of those that seek His way is to hasten that day.
As He has given, in patience, in listening, in being still,
may ye know that that the Lord doeth all things well. Be not
weary that He, apparently, prolongs His time, for - as the
Master has given, "As to the day, no man knoweth, not even
the Son, but the Father and they to whom the Father may
reveal it. The Son prepareth the way that all men may know
the love of the Father in the earth. For, into thy keeping,
and to His children and to His sons, has He committed the
keeping of the saving of, the world, of the souls of men.
"I leave thee, but I will come again and receive as many as
ye have quickened through the manifesting in thy life the
will of the Father in the earth." Hence, know that, as thine
mind, thine activities, long more and more for the glorifying
of the Son in the earth for the coming of the day of the
Lord, He draws very nigh unto thee."
"LEAD ME, O FATHER, JUST FOR TODAY, THAT I MAY BE USED AS
A CHANNEL OF BLESSING, THAT I MAY TODAY MANIFEST THY LOVE
THROUGH MY ASSOCIATION WITH THOSE I CONTACT: FOR, AS I SHOW
FORTH THY LOVE IN THE EARTH TO MY FELLOW MAN, THE PROMISE
COMES TO ME THAT THOU WILT GUIDE, GUARD, PROTECT, AND COMFORT
ME IN THE WAYS THAT I GO."
"KEEP YE ALL IN THE WAY. BE HAPPY. BE JOYOUS. AND MAY LOVE
AND MERCY AND PEACE, THAT COMETH FROM THE FATHER TO THOSE WHO
USE THEMSELVES IN HIS SERVICE IN HIS SERVICE, BE WITH THEE.
AMEN."
QUESTIONS [Test ques. by Esther Wynne]
1. Compare the concept of God held by Adam, Noah, Abraham,
Joseph, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Johan and Malachi,
with Jesus, John, Paul.
2. What alone may bring into the experience of all the
consciousness of being a manifestations of the Father?
3. Explain the statement, "God is."
4. How may we come to an understanding of the truth that
God is a loving Father?
5. Discuss, "We are the manifestations of God in the earth."
6. Show how Christ was the perfect manifestation of the
Father.
7. What constitutes a perfect cleansing?
8. Explain, "I go to prepare a place for you, that where I
am, there ye may be also."
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation