In view of the effect of the law of sowing and reaping - is it necessary to pray for forgiveness of our sins? Are hard times always a result of former bad deeds?

It is true that the workings of the Law of Sowing and Reaping bring to each one what they deserve. This does not however imply that we are not to pray. We can give thanks to the Creator Who mercifully permits us through the operation of this Law to reap in multiples that which we have sown. For if we have sown goodness we receive back goodness in multiples just as we observe in nature where a single seed yields multiples of fruits at the harvest! On the other hand if we have sown that which is not good and we come to a sober realization of this in time, we can repent and reinforce this with a prayerful plea for mercy. This way, we will be forgiven but surely only to the extent of our inner change and our firm resolution to forsake our wrongdoing. The Laws will still be fulfilled but with the inner change and sustained volition for what is good, the retuning dark fruits are unable to bring harm to the person concerned because of his more luminous surroundings. The Laws therefore provide for mercy and forgiveness!

 

The so called ‘hard times’ are not always as a result of the fruits of the past. Indeed obstacles may be put in a person’s way to teach and develop the person or prepare him for a task ahead. If the person going through the difficulties shows good faith and welcomes them joyfully he will pass through and he makes progress thereby. If on the other hand such ‘hard times’ comes as a result of past debts then the hard times leads him to full payment of the past debts and he becomes free. Therefore, whatever be the case, the difficulties leads to advancement and gain for a man of goodwill. So one needs to face all circumstances courageously and consider them as beneficial gifts. With the right attitude, ‘hard times’ ultimately lead to ascent and spiritual benefits.

Why does the Almighty test us if He already knows what we shall become?

It is said, before we are born, the Almighty Creator already know what we will become. The question is this: why are we sometimes tested since He already knows the result?

The answer to this riddle lies in the fact that man is endowed with free will as a natural quality! He may think freely, speak as he desires and act in accordance with his own plans. However, the human spirit is subject to the consequences of each and every one of his thoughts, words and deeds.

The Almighty neither tests nor tempts anyone! We are the ones who judge or redeem ourselves through our attitude to His unchangeable Laws. The Almighty in His Love gave us the Commandments and the Laws to help and to guide us unto paths that lead to our welfare. Obedience to these Laws leads to our happiness and makes us to become pleasing to our Creator. The Lord has provided all that works for our salvation and setting of snares for man is definitely not a part of His Works.

Referring again to the Free-Will of man, let us picture a man holding a stone in his hand. He can decide to throw it or not to throw it. But once he throws it, he has no control over what the stone can hit or destroy. Yet the stone thrower remains responsible for any damage caused by the stone. Similarly, we freely choose what we do, but we are then bound to the consequences of our actions. These consequences are worked out in the Laws that govern the whole of Creation one of which is the Law of Sowing and Reaping which ensures that we reap what we have sown previously through our words, thoughts and deeds.

These Laws of Creation work automatically on us and all we produce and the Almighty does not need to know in advance how and what each and every one of us will decide to do. However, what can be foreseen from Above are the consequences of our decisions which are brought about through the operation of the aforementioned Laws of Creation.

To sum up, let us always be mindful that we are responsible for all of our free decisions. This immense responsibility cannot be cast on any other person. We are not just robots playing out a pre-determined script for which we have no control and for which we are therefore not responsible. Furthermore, the Almighty does not tempt us. Temptations only come out of the darkness and even then, the decision to resist or fall for such temptations lies squarely in the hands of man himself. Therefore, even in the case of temptations, man is still responsible for his subsequent actions because his freedom to make decisions always remains in full force and effect!

 

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Many have come to make it a point of duty to make New Year resolutions as one year rolls into another. The reasons behind this practise are numerous. A person might make a resolution to set clear goals for the New Year; it could be a decision to kick an undesirable habit, or a general guide as to how the next 12 months is to be spent.


If the reason behind this effort is genuine and focussed on what is noble, uplifting, pure, and not meant to harm our fellow men, then certainly it is a well meant practise and should be encouraged.


One must add quickly that in setting our goals, we need to ensure that we do not focus solely on setting earthly goals. No doubt we may not forget or disregard earthly ne­cessities with impunity but at the same time they must not become the principal aim of our thoughts and actions.


Furthermore, in setting our earthly goals let us steer clear of self aggrandisement, crass materialistic ambition and vanity. It is no gain in the true sense of it for any person just because he or she has been proclaimed by some beauty pageant judges as the most beautiful person in the world, or that he led or was part of the football team that won the world cup or that his own private jet is the most expensive one as of this year! Such “achievements” brings no blessing to humanity, no progress, and no gain for anyone’s existence in this Creation, but only encourages such goal getters to fritter away their time upon earth.


Instead, our priority should be to consider that which helps in our spiritual ascent, furthers Creation in which we are permitted to live and improves the lives of our fellow men. Thus the Grail Message says: “One goal must henceforth dominate every man – to recognise and also to fulfil the place he, as a human being, must occupy in Creation!”


We are constantly advised in the Message to have goals which are high, noble, good and ideal. We are to have a spiritual aim, high goals for eternity, to look upwards and ascend. Also, an ideal aim and prayer is to plead for strength finally to pull ourselves together for permanent improve­ment, humbly strive to throw off all former stubbornness, and joyfully greet the Word of Truth from the Light as redemption!


Our resolution or firm decision will be well directed therefore if it is focussed on the observance of the Laws of God. Our lives and the years ahead will be blissful provided that we think upon God and His Will at all times!

CHRISTMAS- December 25, 2013

 It is Christmas! My thoughts dwell on the Love that made it possible for Jesus to come unto this lowly earth from His Home Above. The Love I speak of here is the Love of the Most High which is incomprehensible to man.

Ever since the advent of man on earth, the Almighty has been sending helpers to inform him on what he has to do in order to attain maturity. The attainment of spiritual maturity through experiencing is the real purpose of life on earth. Man has his origin in the Spiritual Part of Creation and he has been permitted to descend here so as to learn the Laws of God, experience their workings, align himself with these Laws and through this become mature. However, man wilfully turned against this plan and chose to go his own way which in one word is an attempt to make this earth his permanent home or acting as if everything starts and ends here. For this man can do just about anything to gain material wealth, fame and fortune. All entreaties by prophets and other helpers fell on deaf ears. The prophets had little or no effect!

The way man was going can only lead to one destination: eternal damnation. However, a few still carried within them the love for the Lord and a willingness to follow His Will. So that these ones will not fall to perdition along with the rest, the Love of God made it possible for a Part of Himself to be severed and incarnated here on earth in flesh and blood as Jesus of Nazareth!

He came to show man the way back to God, to remind us of the purpose of living on earth, to repent from our stupid wilfulness and turn to God and thereby be redeemed unto salvation. He came to proclaim the Truth which is encapsulated in the Commandments of God. He proclaimed the Word of His Father the acceptance of which is the way to salvation and redemption. He did not come however for the scornful, the arrogant and those who think they already are on the right road. He also did not come as a slave of humanity to carry their load of sin. But He came to set free all who will walk faithfully on the Way that He has proclaimed because He is the Way the Truth and the Life!

My Christmas wish is that we all make a firm decision to live solely in accordance with the Will of God which Christ has brought to us in Love and at a very great price!

WHO IS A SERVANT OF GOD?

Many think that only the leaders of the various religious groups are servants of the Most High. On a closer look however, there is no justification for this assumption!

No one can claim that he has not come across the scandalous behaviour of many a religious leader. Some of them shamelessly take advantage of their blind followers at times relieving such careless followers of their earthly wealth and goods, leaving them in the  delusion that what they do for the so called servant of God is also done for God!

What is sure however is that only those who live in accordance with the Will of God are His true servants. They must necessarily know of the Laws of the Lord and strive with all they have in order to live their lives accordingly. They stand bright and alert in this world and they understand with their delicate intuition the mechanisms of Creation and how to live in harmony with it. They are happy thereby and can navigate their way through life without harming other people in the pursuance of their own desires. They rather live by contributing to the joy and welfare of their neighbours.

Such persons are the servants of God and it does not matter what they do on earth to sustain themselves in the material sense. It is the nature of their activity that marks them out as God’s children and servants.

EARTHLY LAWS AND THE NATURAL LAWS

The Living Laws of God in Creation work quite independently on their own, uninfluenced by earthly-human laws and conceptions. If we think about it carefully we will realise that real guilt cannot be redeemed through a paid penalty worked out and dictated by the machinations of men and their laws. 

 

For example, the earthly laws will not punish anyone for thinking in a particular way so far as they have not carried out such intentions in visible actions. However before the Natural Laws, our thoughts are recognised as reality, as having a form for which we bear responsibility.

So if you are in the corner of your room indulging in evil thoughts and you feel comfortable that no policeman can arrest you for this, be rest assured that unseen servants of the Most High are recording everything and you will be answerable before the Natural Laws.

 

IS THERE SIN THAT HAS NO FORGIVENESS?

Yes there is a sin that has no forgiveness. It is the sin of refusing to accept the Gift brought by the Holy Spirit in the Word of Salvation. He who refuses to accept the Word of God as salvation will be cast out for all eternity.

 

When Christ saw how He was being treated with scorn and rejection, He started proclaiming the coming of Another who will reprove the world of sin and righteousness, Who will remind men of Him. He also said that this occurrence comes hand in hand with the Judgment. So we see that this Special One comes with the Gift of the Word of God to men and all those who refuse to accept shall themselves be rejected in the ensuing Judgement. On the other hand, all those who accept this Messenger sent by God are like the wise virgins who will enter with the Bridegroom while those who reject the Word of God are like the foolish virgins who will be rejected.