Читать книгу The Spiritual Writings Of Annie Rix Militz - Annie Rix Militz - Страница 8

ONCE when the disciples of Jesus Christ were unsuccessful in healing a case that was brought to them they asked the Master what was the reason of their failure. His answer was brief, but in it lies the clue to all inability to solve the problems of life when one knows the great principles of Being, and ought to understand their application. "Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matt. 17 :20.

What is the unbelief that seems to prevent the disciples of Truth from accomplishing the works? It is unbelief in one's self, in the divine power to work through one, in the presence and power of Good, of Health, and Life, and Love. It is belief in the opposites of God, in disease, death, failure, and evil generally.

The young student beginning to learn the principles of the science of God is like one who takes up the study of mathematics or music. He believes heartily in the cause which he has espoused and applies himself with assiduity to understanding and remembering its rules, but he does not expect to do well, or to be a master in his science, but by determined, faithful practice.

Nothing is promised to half-hearted service, or to a faith that is divided between Good and evil, or between Mind and matter. "He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." Jas. 1 :6, 7 (Revised Version).

The faith that wins is that which is placed wholly in God, Spirit, Mind, as the only real substance and power. In the proportion that the student turns from believing in the reality of evil, disease, pain, and sorrow, and from believing in the power of sin, death, and materiality, he will be able to prove the healing, freeing efficacy of divine Mind.

Whoever begins to work out life's problems by divine rule is a pioneer in his own mental realm, and indeed, at the present stage of human unfoldment, he is a pioneer in the race-mind, and will need to advance with the same bravery and fidelity that distinguished those men and women who have been the first settlers and reclaimers of unknown lands in the physical sphere. The race-thoughts concerning the reality of evil are like the rocks and wild growth upon uncultivated ground the unbelieving, bigoted, malicious resistance of ignorance like the heathen Amorites and Hittites who were in possession of the fair land that was to be developed by the race obedient to God.

Steadfastness to Principle, especially in the face of the oppositions of sense and material belief, will meet the false suppositions of the race-mind, as the persistent shining of the sun upon a block of ice at last overcomes its coldness and hardness.

All your faith must be placed in God, and God alone. It will not do to have faith in the power of Good and, at the same time, believe there is some power in evil. It will not do to look to the word of God for our healing and at the same time lean upon some material aid. Continually the word of the Lord is coming to us, "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve" that is, what ye will acknowledge as the power, Good or evil, God or devil, Mind or matter, and continually we choose.

"Ye cannot serve two masters." Ye cannot serve both God and mammon. So, taking the uncompromising stand that God the Spirit is all-sufficient, the one healer, the one support and supply, the one defender and deliverer, you establish your faith, and then, no matter what comes to you, you are carried through it all-victorious.

True faith is a firm, persistent, determined belief in Almighty Good changeless, deathless, substantial Spirit as the All in All. Faith is the substance of everything that you desire. Out of your own believing is formed, that is, brought into manifestation, that which you are wishing to have. Jesus understood this law of mind, so all his teachings were to have faith, or, as he often expressed it, to believe. "Have faith in God" he said. The better translation is "Have the faith of God" Mark 11:22 (see the margin).

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." Mark 11:23.

"All things are possible to him that believeth." And what is this believing? Is it believing in the historical character, Jesus of Nazareth? Is it believing in a creed ? No. It is believing in your own divinity, even as Jesus believed in his. It is believing in your own words it is believing in God in you, just as Jesus believed in the Father, our God, in him.

He who would see the mountains move at his word, who would see loaves and fishes increase, and waters firm under his feet, and winds obey him, diseases fly away, sins dissolve, death succumb to his word, must not have one doubt in his heart of his divine power, must see himself one with God, so that when he speaks he sees that it is God speaking. Then indeed shall he believe that those things that he saith shall come to pass, because he lets God speak the word in him he does not look at the personality as himself and true indeed is it of him that he shall have whatsoever he saith.

What is God's faith? It is faith in Himself, because He knows there is none else in whom to have faith. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in God in you. God is your own true Self. God, the Son, and God, the Father, are one and the same. God in you is the only power and presence. God in all is the Reality of all. God is the only one in your neighbor. God is the only one you trust.

There are times in the on-going of the spiritual student when he is brought face to face with hard problems and strange situations. Then it may be that evil seems more real to you than usual, that here is a place where the Word does not seem to act with its customary effect, and doubts begin to creep in, and you feel that you are being forsaken. Then is the time when you show your steadfastness, then you prove yourself to yourself, then, just at such times, you show your faith in Good as the only real presence and divine Mind as the all-sufficient power. Such times in the Truthseeker's experience have been described as a clashing of Truth and error, the error trying to hold its ground while the Truth steadily and firmly establishes itself. It is the warring of the flesh against the Spirit, and the Spirit overcoming. The Truth does not fight, neither does the Spirit, but it is error apparently struggling as though it feels that its time is short, and the student must keep still and see the bloodless, silent, sure victory of the Good, of Health, of Life, of Truth.

It has always been in the history of the world that whenever a great truth has been given to it, the world fights it; but those who do not let themselves be influenced by fear or doubt, but have the courage of their convictions and stand by their principles, no matter who wars against them, finally find themselves upon the victorious side.

Even in what are called material truths there is seldom any great discovery given to the world that it will accept at once. How Galileo was fought! How Columbus was laughed at and talked to to discourage him! And how he held out! The last days of his voyage, just before the discovery, when the sailors were very desperate and threatening mutiny if Columbus would not turn back, are a good example of those days that sometimes seem to come to the student of Truth when he is urged by circumstances, by doubts, by his senses, by personality, to give up his stand and throw aside his principles ; then is he to have faith in his God, even as Columbus had in himself and his expedition, and God who promises all things to them that trust Him will never fail him.

If one says he has no faith, he is mistaken. All have faith, for Faith is God.

The only question is, what have you been having faith in? Has it been in disease, that it is strong and persistent, and will require years to heal, or else is incurable ?

When seeking satisfaction, what have you put your faith in? Whisky? When looking for power, what have you believed in? Money? Our faith has been scattered and dissipated amongst a thousand false gods, and all that we have been putting into evils and into material things must be gathered and concentrated in God.

There is no unbelief

Whoever plants a seed beneath the sod,

And waits to see it push away the clod,

Trusts he in God.

There is no unbelief

The heart that looks on when the eyelids close,

And dares to live when life has only woes,

God's comfort knows.

There is no unbelief,

And still by day and night, unconsciously,

The heart lives by that faith the lips deny

God knoweth why.

Lizzie York Case.

Your faith is your life. If one's faith is in a power that is limited then the life seems limited, and why place your faith in anything less than omnipotence?

All that the Truth teaches is to put your faith in the Supreme and not in any thing or any power less than God. You take the faith which you have placed in medicines, opiates, liniments, canes and crutches, eye-glasses, trusses, tonics, and so forth ("gods of wood and stone"), and give it to Spirit alone, believing God supports you, God invigorates you, God is your seeing power and health; and then you do not compromise in any way. To try to serve two masters, trusting the Spirit to heal you, and looking to the smallest particle of matter, even to a glass of water, for your healing is that mistake which is called in the Scripture "idolatry." And the result is only partial healing, or being healed only to get sick again.

Now we wish absolute healing; we desire only chat healing which is of God, the Highest, that healing that is everlasting. Looking to powers that are unreliable and changeable brings results that are unreliable and changeable. That is the reason why the practice of medicine can never be a science. It is largely theoretical and experimental "empiricism" they call it.

There is but One Physician that never fails when we trust Him completely. We place all our trust in the unlimited Healer, and the result to us is unlimited Health.

If any look to a limited power for healing, such as materia medica, substance less than the divine Substance, material which is not God; or mesmerism, a will-power less than the divine Will, and even contrary to it ; or magnetism, an emanation said to be from the human body, but limited, often evil in other words, an emanation less than the divine Essence ; or to mediumship, a control by what are called spirits, said to be inferior to the Most High, the One Spirit, these will be but slightly healed. 'They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly" (Jer. 6:14), because they look to other gods than the One God.

"And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great : yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign." 2 Chron. 16:12, 13.

"He sent his word and healed them." Ps. 107:20. The Word of God is the one healing power, the universal panacea, the elixir of life, the fountain of youth, that men have been searching for all these years. And that the Word of God may heal every time we must trust in it, and it alone. It will not do to trust in the Word of God one moment and in aconite the next, to look to the Will of God-one day and to the personal will another. Let that will which says it can be weakened and grow exhausted be utterly nothing, and let the Will of God be the only acknowledged power.

Look not to personality for healing, whether in the flesh or out of the flesh. Look to no magnetism, mesmerism, or mediumship for your healing, but "Look unto me, and be ye saved [healed], all the ends of the earth : for I am God, and there is none else." Is. 45:22.

"But," you may say, "are not these things the means by which health comes? Does not God use means?" Yes, God uses means, but His means are spiritual like Himself divine Mind and its ideas. And though it seems as if it is the material medicine that heals, yet it is the spiritual idea of which the drug is a symbol that really does the healing. Every material thing is the shadow or reflection of some divine thought, and we who know can take the thought direct without the interference of symbol, and we must do so in order to receive the full blessing of perfect health.

Symbolic or material means are only for the minds that do not take the whole Truth and are not seeking the Highest. There is no virtue in material things themselves, but the power is in the mentalities that have concentrated their thought upon them, thus endowing them with a reflected potency.

The question rises, why did Jesus once use the clay and spittle (John 9:6), and Elisha tell the leper to bathe in Jordan (2 Kings 5:10)? If one understands the symbolism of material things, then he uses them without falsely ascribing power to them. Thus Jesus used the clay and spittle symbolically, knowing that the mixture had no power in itself. It was his mind that did the work, even while resorting to symbolism to assist the feeble faith of the man born blind. So also when Naaman was told to bathe in Jordan, Elisha knew that Jordan water of itself could heal no one, but the meek and obedient act of Naaman would effect his healing when backed by the mighty faith of the man of God.

Until our minds become thoroughly imbued with the understanding that Mind is the only causative power, and that there is no causation in matter, let us not use symbols, but put all our trust in the Word of Truth. We have faith in God's Word because we understand its nature and unlimited power. This is the secret of true faith to know in whom we believe.

"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick." Jas. 5:15. True prayer is believing that all things are now yours ; all good is now come to pass not looking into the future for the answer to your prayer, not saying, "To-morrow (or next week) I shall be well," but holding fast to the thought: "Now I am well; now I am free; now all is accomplished." For this is the truth concerning real Being. God is your health. Now you live, move, and have your being in the health that is God. Realize this. You breathe health. Health attends your every step. Health is omnipresent. This is the believing which is the substance of your prayer. "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive," Matt. 21:19.

Do not think it may not be the will of God to give you that good thing you desire. Honor God. Trust the divine Love. If an earthly father who had the power would give you that gift you wish, will not your Heavenly Father give it to you (Matt. 7:11) ?

If you ask God for life and healing, will He send death and disease? Do you think it is His will that evil should be your portion? What a misunderstanding of God that would be! Jesus did the will of his Father, and we see how that will worked, in healing and giving more life and blessing every way.

The will of God done in Heaven produces happiness only, therefore when it is done on the earth, as it is in Heaven, it will never bring forth misery, sickness, or any other evil.

Trust the will of God that it works you good and good only. Then you will not be paralyzed in your prayers you will not stop in your praying you will pray and not faint, just as Jesus gave directions (Luke 18:1).

Persistency in prayer is prevailing with God. Speak the word of God the word of believing that ye have received in season and out of season. Let no doubt rebuff you. Let no word of Scripture, of the Angel of the Lord, yea, the very Christ himself, discourage you or cause you to move away from your faith that God is with you and Good is for you. Remember how Jacob would not let the Angel of the Lord go from him until he blessed him (Gen. 32:26). Remember how the Syro-Phoenician woman would not take "No" to her prayers, though it would seem as though Jesus himself wrestled with her (Mark 7:26; Matt. 15:21-28).

God loves you to trust in His goodness. "Prove me now," He says continually. "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Mal. 3:10.

We trust God not only as our physician, but as our banker, our defender, as our husband, our father, cur all in all; therefore we do not acknowledge anything or anyone as our support but God. Wherever we have said "healing" and "health," we know it to mean the same as saving and salvation, or redemption these are all one in God.

This is the prayer of faith that heals the sick: to know God, to trust the goodness of God, to believe in the mercy, the indulgence of God, who gives good always and forever, and never withholds any good that his child asks. And then we must be constant in this knowledge and not let our senses argue us off our base, or circumstances move us to doubt the presence of God, but to believe despite everything to the contrary. According to your faith it shall be done unto you. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7.

Practice concentrating all your faith in God, Good, Health, Life, Prosperity.

When doubts, or fears, or discouragement creep into the mind, remember it is a trial of faith. Stand firm. Declare the power of God. Assert your divine nature, that there is no fear in you. There is no cause for doubt and discouragement, ever, in God's world. Your mind is fixed and centered upon the Almighty Good whose changeless will is to establish the Kingdom of Heaven in man's heart and upon the earth. It is the will of your God that you shall manifest health, long life, prosperity, and perfect happiness through living a sinless, loving, unselfish life.

Trust God to the uttermost, as you would an earthly lover who would move Heaven and earth to bless you and set you free from pain and misery.

Practice the constant silent prayer of thanksgiving and acknowledgment that all the good your heart is desiring is now come to pass.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Affirmed as one prays who believes that already he has received.

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed is Thy name;

Thy kingdom is come,

Thy will is done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Thou dost give us this day, our daily bread ;

Thou dost forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors;

Thou dost lead us, not into temptation, but dost deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

IT is so.