How is Divine Love Acquired?


HOW IS THE DIVINE LOVE ACQUIRED?

There is only one way-that through the gate of prayer and sincere longing."

­                                                                                      --Jesus of Nazareth

 

As Luke writes: "NOW JESUS NOT ONLY TAUGHT THE NECESSITY FOR THE NEW BIRTH, BUT HE ALSO TAUGHT THE WAY IN WHICH IT COULD BE OBTAINED, AND THAT WAY IS JUST AS SIMPLE AND EASILY UNDERSTOOD AS THE NEW BIRTH ITSELF. HE TAUGHT, AND IS NOW TEACHING, THAT THROUGH EARNEST PRAYER TO THE FATHER, AND FAITH, WHICH MAKES ALL ASPIRATIONS AND SOUL LONGINGS THINGS OF REAL EXISTENCE, AND BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS THE FATHER'S MESSENGER OF LOVE--OR TO CARRY HIS DIVINE LOVE--THIS LOVE WILL FLOW INTO THE SOULS OF MEN IN RESPONSE TO SUCH PRAYERS; AND BY SUCH FAITH MEN WILL REALIZE ITS PRESENCE, AND IN THIS WAY, AND THIS WAY ONLY, MEN WILL RECEIVE THE NEW BIRTH." (Vol. I, True Gospel Revealed Anew by Jesus, p. 147)

 

Jesus teaches: "This Divine Love was never conferred upon man as a perfect and completed gift, either at the time of his creation, or since my coming to earth, but as a gift which is waiting for man's own efforts and aspirations to obtain, and without which it can never become his, although it is always close to him, waiting to answer his call." (Vol. I, pp. 130-131)

 

"MAN DOES NOT HAVE TO WAIT TO BECOME A SPIRIT, IN ORDER TO SEEK FOR AND OBTAIN THIS LOVE, FOR THE SOUL ON EARTH IS THE SAME SOUL AS WHEN IN THE SPIRIT WORLD, AND ITS CAPACITY FOR RECEIVING THIS LOVE IS JUST AS GREAT IN ONE PLACE AS IN THE OTHER. (Vol. I, p. 133)

 

"Whosoever will pray in sincerity for the inflowing of this Divine Love will receive it. It is not a respecter of persons, and the sincere aspirations of the soul of any man, be he prince or peasant, rich or poor, will invariably cause this Love to come into his soul and change his nature, so that he will become a new creature, and one not subject to death forever more." (Vol. II, pp. 295-296)

 
"ONLY THE PURE, HONEST, SINCERE ASPIRATIONS OF THE SOUL OF A MAN FOR THIS GREAT LOVE OF THE FATHER CAN POSSIBLY BRING ABOUT THIS ATONEMENT THAT IS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THAT MAN TO BECOME A PART OF GOD'S DIVINITY AND PARTAKE OF HIS DIVINE NATURE. (Vol. I, p. 150)
 

 "IT IS THE RESULT OF INDIVIDUAL ACQUIREMENT, AND NOT THE OBJECT OF UNIVERSAL POSSESSION. IT MAY BE POSSESSED BY ALL; IT CAN BE POSSESSED BY ONLY A FEW; AND EACH MAN MUST DETERMINE FOR HIMSELF WHETHER IT SHALL BE HIS. WITH GOD THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS; NEITHER IS THERE ANY ROYAL ROAD TO THE OBTAINING OF THIS LOVE. ALL MUST PURSUE THE SAME WAY AND THAT WAY IS THE ONE THAT JESUS TAUGHT: THE OPENING UP OF THE SOUL TO THIS LOVE FINDING A LODGMENT THEREIN, WHICH CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT ONLY BY SINCERE PRAYER AND LONGING FOR ITS INFLOWING." (Vol. I, p. 135)

 
Jesus elaborates on how the Love comes into the soul and what we must do to induce its inflowing:  
 
"There is only one way, and that is by the opening up of the soul in such a manner that this Love, when it comes in response to sincere seeking, may find an entrance and a condition of development that will cause it to find lodgment and abiding place, harmonious and satisfactory to the qualities of its own existence. Of course, man cannot of himself open up his soul to this inflowing, for, while he has great power, yet the will is not sufficient; nor has he any other inherent qualities that will enable him to place his soul in such condition as to make possible the work of the Holy Spirit in causing the love to flow into the soul. 
"The only means by which this can be accomplished are prayer and faith. When a man in true earnestness and sincere aspirations, prays to the Father for this Divine Love, such prayer not only brings Love, but causes those portions of the soul which are capable of receiving this Love to open up to its coming and to work in such a way as to attract the Love." (Vol. II, p. 294) 
 
"As I said when on earth, there is no other way to get into the sheepfold but through the gateway provided--he that attempts to climb over the fence is a thief and a robber. But this should be modified to fit the exact fact, for there is no possibility of getting into this fold by climbing the fence. There is only one way--that through the gate of prayer and sincere longing." (Vol. II, p. 295) 
 

Helen Padgett, already an inhabitant of the spirit world and writing from her own experience in seeking and receiving God's Love, conveyed the following important truth to her husband: "Believe me when I say that even though you may be a great sinner, yet the Father's Love is sufficient to remove all those sins just as soon as you can receive it. Such is the Law of this Great Love." (Vol. II, p. 29)

 

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