ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

This might surprise you, but we can converse with our Creator also by our actions. After all we all must have heard that popular idiom: “actions speak louder than words”. In the same vein, a child which really loves its parents will demonstrate this love by its ways, by its actions, and not with flattering words. Only children who are popularly known as “area boys” in some parts of Nigeria and shameless men in uniforms at roadblocks expect gifts based solely on flattering words!  You and I stand no differently before God! We have to prove through our deeds what we wish to say to Him!

If we live aright in accordance with the Laws of God, our wellbeing and happiness is guaranteed and we need not beg for anything. We will then realize that the Lord’s Table is always set for us and we are only to take based on our abilities while living in a way of adherence to God’s Laws. As an analogy, a child who obeys his well to do parents will not need to beg his parents for food, clothing or a bed. He does not need to beg them to pay his school fees and all this child will be experiencing is pure joy in a home that provides him nothing but love and parental security. So shall it be for us too if we are obedient to the Laws of God, we will experience peace and joy and from within our soul there will stream forth only gratitude to Him Who in His Omniscience and Love ever again loads us with gifts every day!

GLOSSOLALIA / SPEAKING IN TONGUES

Glossolalia or speaking in tongues is a phenomenon in which people appear to speak in languages unknown to them. This phenomena has been linked by many to the signs that follow those who believe in Christ. It is also believed in many circles that a person who speaks in unknown tongues is showing the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Let it be pointed out immediately that glossolalia has also been seen in recordings of non-Christian rituals from Africa, Indonesia and Japan.

 

Many who indulge in this practice these days seek to link it with the Biblical account of the Pentecost. It is worthy of note that this account as recorded in Acts chapter 2, was that when the Apostles spoke, each person in attendance "heard their own language being spoken". The people from different places who were present said: we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. In other words, the audience heard and ‘understood’ the Apostles; and not that what was spoken was a sort of balderdash.  The explanation here could only be that the intensity of the Power from on high on that day had the effect that when the Apostles spoke, all present were able to understand them.

 

We may wish to add that there is a phenomenon called xenonalia where a person speaks in a human language which he has not previously learnt. This can be an exhibition of an alien soul speaking through an earthman. Again, some who need the experience may be permitted to hear and express human languages spoken in times past as was the case with  Therese Neumann of Konnersreuth a stigmatic who was able to hear in spirit talk about the crucifixion of Jesus which she relayed in the language of that time to the amazement of language experts.

 

If you talk to the practitioners of glossolalia today, who utter unknown words, some will honestly tell you that they started it willfully and became used to it by practice!  It is even said that classes are held these days to attain proficiency in speaking in tongues! How genuine can this be? Is that prayer?

 

Be that as it may, let us realise that living in accordance with the will of our Creator which is tantamount to living in love is more important than speaking in tongues. Therefore in 1st Corinthians 13 we find these words:  If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled.

 

May we come to a better understanding that praying to the Almighty Father need not involve drama and hocus-pocus. Instead of this, let us begin our day with truly heartfelt gratitude to God and finish it with equally heartfelt gratitude even if it be  only gratitude for the lesson we have learned on this day through experiencing.

 

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD. WHAT THEN IS THE TRINITY?

The Grail Message explains to us the Trinity of the One God. The author explains that God the Son and the Holy Spirit belong to God and are like the arms of a body which can act independently, but still belong to the body if this is to be complete.  Therefore through the Grail Message, we come to the recognition that at God’s right hand, as Part of Himself, is God the Son, Love and His name is Jesus; and on His left is God the “Holy Spirit”, Justice, Son of Man and His name is Imanuel. They have both emanated from God the Father and belong to Him as a unity. This is the Trinity of the One God! Such is God the Father, in His Omnipotence and Wisdom!                        

A WORD ON PRAYER

Please do not pray if you do not feel an inner urge to do so. If prayer is not felt deeply within, through and through, it has no value, and therefore will have no effect.

I remember calling an acquaintance on phone and he answered saying: I am praying now and I will call you back later! I am also sure many have seen people who say they are praying and at the same time are able to reprimand an unruly child and switch back to their prayers! Such attitudes just shows superficiality and spiritless prayers. These should be avoided.

Also to be avoided is the habit of engaging in prayers to be rattled off at certain times. This is a misuse of God’s Name. Such formulated prayers and sometimes these are very long, are rattled off without any inner intuitive response and therefore are an offence against the Holi­ness and Greatness of God! On this I will like to refer to Matthew 6 v 7-8: where it is written: “And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.… Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.…”

Let us bear it in mind that in joy or need, an ardent intuitive perceiving without words remains far more valuable than a thousand spoken prayers even if this intuitive perceiving lasts only a fraction of a second.

ANGER

Do you still get angry and throw all caution to the wind because you think someone has wronged you? Because they have acted stupidly you too must talk rashly and raise your voice. You too must spew venom! You are only displaying your lack of humility. You are also indulging yourself in your weaknesses, for it indeed takes more effort and maturity and humility to maintain your calm no matter the provocation. As children we were told: so if someone tells you to put your fingers in the fire will you? Same here. Their bad behavior is not an excuse for you to become a terrorist! If you call a fool a bloody fool, it does not make him more of a fool but it reveals that you have a lot to do about your own manners! Ralph Waldo Emerson was quoted to have said: “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

Harmony alone furthers us. May we resolve from now on to embrace refinement and that great simplicity which lies in the naturalness of perpetual self-control.

HOW ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT JESUS?

Jesus proclaimed the Truth! He simply showed us the true path and these are contained in the Bible and even in the scripture of other religions. For this reason, the teaching of Christ at times accords with the religions already existing. Of course Jesus did not take these truths out of them but, as He brought the Truth, It must necessarily contain all that was true in the other religions.

So also if a person does not know the words of Jesus personally but seriously strives for the Truth and to be a better human being, he will often live completely in harmony with the sense of these words and will attain to pure faith. Take the case of our forefathers (many of whom had not learnt about Jesus) and yet they will pay the right price for goods left on the road side just because the seller has made a sign that indicates the price of the items. These simple human beings strive not to harm their neighbours.

Jesus is Love and he who lets love guide all his actions will be pleasing to Him!

KINDNESS ATTRACTS KINDNESS!

Just like we can see in nature that pineapples will only grow from planted pineapple seeds, same applies to our thoughts, words and deeds.  Each one of these constitutes seeds that we sow every minute and are bound to produce a harvest of a similar kind. When we utter words of kindness we reap kindness in return. I wish to pause here and give proofs from my own experiences that point to the efficacy of the Natural Laws. I have experienced it many times when someone who normally is difficult will say to me: well- because of the humble way you have made your request, speaking to me kindly, I will assist you. Then at work in Scotland years ago, we were told to buy a gift not exceeding GBP 1 for the person seating next to us. Even in the course of looking for the gift one already felt some happiness and when eventually the gift was joyfully received by the colleague one’s happiness further increased. We can see acts of kindness attracting happiness and joy. One day I told a colleague at work that my siblings have always been so loving and nice to me. She asked me whether I have ever told them this and I said no. She advised me to tell them. I then sent text messages to my sister and brother in this regard. Soon after, I got back text messages from them saying similar things about me. See the working there of the law of sowing and reaping. Beautiful!

CAN WE FIND THE TRUTH OUTSIDE OF THE BIBLE?

The answer is YES!

The emphasis should be on recognising the truth. It is best to assess a matter or a teaching according to what it brings, not according to whether the Bible is cited to corroborate what is said.

Gold is gold, whether a prince or a beggar holds it in his hand. The same as saying the truth remains the truth wherever it may be found! A truly earnest seeker is one who seriously weighs and examines what he reads and hears with his God given gift of the intuition and this will recognise the truth unfailingly.

Blessed are those who are awake and truly alive in the wonderful Creation of our God!