This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the Edmonds' home on Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, Va., this 26th day of May, 1935, in accordance with request made by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Florence & Edith Edmonds, Frances Y. Morrow, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Helen Storey, Helen Ellington and Ruth LeNoir.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Study Group #1, members of which are present here, and their work on the lesson Destiny. You will continue at this time the discourse on the section pertaining to the Destiny of the Body, and answer questions.
2. EC: We have the group as gathered here; as individuals - as a group - and their work upon the lesson Destiny.
3. In continuing with what has been given, it would be WELL that they each put into practice or application in their own experience that which has been outlined. For, as given, thus will their expression find that which will answer in the experience of others in THEIR various phases of development.
4. For, as outlined in that portion of the lesson relative to the Destiny of the Body, their individual activity is destined much from the varied experiences in the earth.
5. Have ye not read as He gave, that he who is guilty of one jot or tittle is guilty of it all? Have ye not read that ye shall pay to the uttermost farthing? Yet it is not the same as considered by some, that ye have builded thine own karma - and that the blood, the debt, the law of grace is of none effect. But as He has given, if thine activity is made that ye may be seen of men, or if thine purpose, thine aim, thine desire is for self-glorification, then ye are none of His. Then, the meeting of the deeds done in the body is by relying upon, the faith in, Him; the activity that makes for an exemplification in the flesh of that faith, of that mercy. If ye would have mercy, be ye merciful. If ye would be faithful, show thyself by thy acts that ye trust in Him. How readest thou? "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Hast thou put on the Christ, then, in thine activity with thy neighbor, with thy brother, with those of thine own house? Know ye within thyself. Hast thou met with Him in thine inner chamber of thine own temple? Ye BELIEVE that your body is the temple of the living God. Do ye act like that? Then begin to put same into practice, making practical application of that thou hast gained, LEAVING the results with thy God.
6. Thou believest He is able to keep that thou committest unto Him. Dost thou live like that? Dost thou cherish the thought, "I AM IN THY HANDS. IN THEE, O GOD, DO WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING IN THE FLESH: AND WE AS THY CHILDREN WILL ACT JUST THAT"? Speakest thou evil of thy friend, thy foe; or as thou wouldst speak if thou wert in the presence of thy God? Ye are continually in that presence, within thine self. He with the Father, He in thee. Will ye keep the faith that is accounted to thee for righteousness, that thy body in its purging through the varied experiences in the earth - may EVER be a channel that points to the LIVING God?
7. What will ye do about same?
8. Ready for questions.
9. (Q) [993]: Explain, "He hath not allowed those to be tempted beyond that (in the body) they are able to bear." [262-81, Par. 13-A]
   (A) As an illustration: When the earth came to be the dwelling place of sin, there came the Son - that the earth and all therein might see, might know, might experience, that the Son, the love of the Father, the glory of the Son might be manifested in flesh. This is an illustration of how that ye are not tempted beyond that ye are able to bear. It hath been said again, "GOD hath at no time tempted man." But again as the Master hath said, "Had I not come ye would not have KNOWN sin." Hence man in his awareness of sin, of the Christ Spirit, of that which makes him in all the phases of his experience awakened to that, may become aware of God's destiny for the soul. Shall it return empty-handed or bearing THY name? As it has already been given, the Destiny of the Soul is to return to the Giver, the Maker. To man, in the body, does there remain the destiny of whether it, that soul, shall return (as of the creation) empty, or bearing the name. For hath He not said, "I have called ye by name"? If GOD hath called thee, and THOU hast harkened, then thou KNOWEST Him. He that hath not heard, he that hath preferred what man terms being tempted, has given in to same and preferred the filth of the carnal experience to that GLORIOUS association and oneness with the Way, the Life, the Light, the Water of Life. Hence, as given, He hath prepared the Way. The WILL of man is either to become one with that Way or cast from it.
   But ye would come, bearing WHAT name? In the name of Him that hath given Himself in the world as a ransom for the world, that we in that name may stand justified before the throne of mercy or peace and light.
   Then how precious should be that Cross, that Name, to EVERY soul; that it should stand instead of thy shortcomings, that it shall stand instead of thine own selfish ways! But ye MUST make the attempt. The attempt is righteousness. He will bear thee up; for as He has given, He hath given his angels charge concerning thee. And He, thy brother, standeth before the face of God to make intercession. How great is the mercy! How great is that, "He hath not allowed me to be tempted beyond that I am ABLE to bear!" in that Name.
10. (Q) [379]: Please explain what is meant by Jesus being tempted in all points like we, yet without sin. Does this refer to more than one incarnation?
    (A) That as the Son entered into the earth throughout the ages, as man counts time, there was the growth; the growth that made for that purposefulness that the world, the earth and the fullness thereof might be a LIVING example of the GLORY of the Son. And as man counteth shortcomings MANY there were, yet tempted in all - even in that experience when "yet without sin" He presented His body before the Throne of grace and mercy (as is the promise of every man) and offered it up - without question; offered up the blood of that body, in same becoming pure. So does every soul that offers its body, its mind for a cleansing, become pure in that thing. He, through all, grew to where, "This is my beloved son; hear ye him," for He hath the words of life.
11. (Q) [341]: Please explain heredity in relation to the Destiny of the Body. Do we draw to our bodies the same atomic structures used in other bodies?
    (A) This is rather confusing in its questioning.
    There is a compliance with those things, ever, set as immutable laws. LIKE BEGETS LIKE! Heredity, then, is the association of that within the minds, the bodies, the atomical structural forces of a union which hath drawn for its OWN development as well as for that which comes AS an activity of a unison of purpose. Hence we have a choice, yet the CHOICE of that as we have built; for as the tree falleth so shall it lie. If the blind lead the blind BOTH shall fall into the ditch. But He, the Lord, the Master, the Maker, maketh the paths straight to those, for those, that seek to have HIM lead the way.
12. (Q) [303]: Is there a message for me?
    (A) Let His strength sustain thee. Thou hath grown in grace and in knowledge and in understanding. Be not overcome by those things that rise that would make thee afraid; for He will bear thee up as He hath promised. Put thy trust WHOLLY in Him. KNOW that He will do thee good. TO ALL: Let thy daily associations, the words of thy mouth, the activities of thy hands and of thy bodies, be in accord with that thou wouldst give thy brother to live by.
13. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-82 - "Study Group #1."

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation