Holiness… And Convention

SUN., OCT. 24, 1993, 6:20 AM
BUSH’S, HAYWARD

The trip here was as planned and without a hitch. You are poised for the big convention experience, one you haven’t had for several years. Yet it is important that this “paised day” be commenced with a Teaching, some Bible study, and a worship service. This is one of the good reasons why your earlier plan for this day couldn’t work, and this alternative, with more attention to Me, came to be. Never be surprised at how I influence your life and activities.

You shall miss a sermon on Holiness in your home church. You should have noted, and pre-read the Scriptural passages, just as if the discussion of the sermon would follow. It isn’t necessary to take notes today, but see if your attention to the sermon can carry over to this experience.

Holiness is bestowed, in reality… and earned, as is commonly accepted. When a person behaves much like I did, as Jesus, the Christ, in what she does as well as what she abstains from, this person can be called holy or full of holiness… though usually with some reservations. But I tell you that holiness is bestowed. As you are hearing and writing this you are a holy man, not because of your actions, but just because your attention is given to Me. As you sing hymns, hear Scripture read and preached, and as you pray, even expected prayers, holiness is upon you. As you put Me aside for the actions of the day your holiness will fade, but as My Presence reasserts itself, the holiness also brightens.

This sounds as though you earn it by your attention. Wrong. It is like unto emerging into the warm sunlight from a light but shady place, as on a recent morning as you walked down to get your morning paper. You emerged from the tree-shaded portion of the road and felt the warmth of the full sun. You didn’t earn this. You just moved to the place where it was. Turn your attention to Me, and you have Holiness bestowed upon you.

I realize you can’t proclaim this to others. In your culture it would be considered presumptuous to affirm that you are in a state of Holiness, bestowed by Me, on you, just as you are. Yet I want you to have My assurance that this is how it is, and you can be “bestowed upon” as often and for as long as you wish.

Greetings shall come your way in considerable numbers as this convention commences, and you shall be doing much greeting. Be at least somewhat aware that those who receive and read Our Ruminations usually see you in a different light than those who are not in this “company.” It shall be much easier to move a conversation to matters of the spirit as you talk with “one of Our own” than with “unenlightened” colleagues. As at the reunion a challenge will be that of deciding how much time to spend with any individual versus time spent with more persons. My preference, of course, is to spend most of your time with those interested in spirit as an aspect of health, those you know, those who just are attracted to you, and, most especially, those whom I send to become part of this “people.”

Take some time to go over the convention program, looking for names of colleagues you should see and talk with… and for any evidence of spirit as a part of presentations. This is a major task and will take time, but it will help prevent your missing someone or some evidence of My Presence at this mostly secular event… even melee.