Being Faithful

SUN., FEB. 25, 1996, 5:23 AM
FARM, STUDY

The angel story you will tell this morning is, fundamentally, about being faithful… to Me, the Triune God. Now at the time of the story I was perceived as being only One God, in “competition”, sort of, with gods and idols of other cultures. So, as the story goes, these 3 young Jewish men, who were serving the king quite well, had their faith tested. Would they do like everyone else? Would they bow down to a huge, gold statue? They wouldn’t have to feel any worship… they could be praising their own God, Me, as they bowed, and I would hear them, certainly.

No, they decided, even under the threat of a terrible death in a fiery furnace, to be overtly faithful to Me by refusing to bow before this statue. Would you show forth this sort of faith? You want to be faithful to Me, but an act such as this doesn’t seem like an unforgiveable sin. At this point in your life you might act as they did, for you’ve enjoyed a good life, with not a lot of this physical aspect left, but as a young man?… with life ahead of you? Would I rescue you, as evidence of My power?

You have these stories, of Daniel and of his 3 friends, which say that I can and do rescue, with the help of angels, those who stand for Me rather than bowing to another “god”, or symbol thereof. Yet there also is the history of the early church, with stories of Christians standing for their faith and not being rescued from death by lions. Where were the angels then? All through history there are stories of dramatic rescues and of apparently needless deaths. Rescues are actual, but inconsistent. Is this strictly a matter of an individual’s faith? Am I more impressed with dramatic displays of faith, rather than quiet, steady faith?

You have to remember, always, that this earth life you are now in, which seems so real and actual, is only a portion of the fullness of your life as spirit. What happens to you in this portion may seem to be important, but that can only be judged when you’re in the “fullness”… and that is not likely to be until you’ve dropped the body and all of the “trappings” of this earth portion. Oh, you’re a bit closer than many of your fellow Christians, because of these Teachings, but you’re still too involved in “this life” to be realistic about that of which it is only a part.

I, the Holy Spirit, call on you to be faithful to Me in this strange, but now familiar, way. Hear Me. Write what you hear? Keep these in good order. Share them with some whom I send to you or who come because of spiritual interest. Use these Teachings as a basis for a Ruminations each 3 months (and that “deadline” will come up soon). Reread often what you have heard Me tell you. Internalize these, as interpretations of Holy Scripture, as it applies to you. As the “fleshed out” story of My 3 young friends tells you… if you won’t forget Me, I won’t forget you.

But I don’t want your motivation to be just avoiding the loss of My favor. Remember that I came to you. You didn’t seek Me. Now it is a friendship. Oh, I may test your faith from time to time, but My Presence with you is not dependent on your faithfulness. I want you to be faithful because you want to be faithful. Not to stave of some “punishment”.