What is prayer, you ask?
My beloved, prayer is the reaching out of your hand to find that divine contact of power with Me.
Your prayers may be blundering, harmful, selfish petitions, which, if fulfilled according to your asking would hold you back in your progress for many years, or even centuries. Nevertheless prayers are always answered. If, however, they are tinctured, even slightly with the thought, "Of Thy Will Be Done," they can return to you with blessings pure and undefiled.
Prayers can be meaningless, lifeless, habitual mutterings which go no higher than your ceilings and from that level they will be answered. They may be very selfish and harmful and for your injury, or even the injury of others. For instance, like the prayer of an individual praying for the love of someone who does not belong to him, or her. Whereas, if the desire was relinquished to the Will of God that individual might find his, or her own mate within a short time and perfect happiness would follow. Yea, beloved, the harm of all selfish prayers could be healed if you would but relinquish your wills to the Will of God.
There are many prayers that shriek out in anguished despair, praying that two and two will not make four. These prayers that beg for God's laws to be set aside or changed for the gratification of one's lusts, greeds or wicked ways of selfishness are vain and childish prayers. But even then, such prayers are heard. And they are answered, but always in His way.
Know this, my children, "God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance." When you pray for your sins to be made beautiful and for God to change His laws to suit your lusts and glorify your sins, you are actually mocking God and His divine laws which were all given for your own glory and progress. When prayers are offered in order to glorify sin they are in vain. Yea, you are taking His Name in Vain, and will not be held guiltless.
Again I repeat, "God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance." And now I shall explain why. Every law, every divine suggestion, every precious command of our Father was made to map your road to glory. It is your own pathway back into His presence, crowned with the complete perfection of your own divine fulfillment. None of these sacred commandments are for God's glory. They are for yours. God does not even need your devotion, nor your tribute, nor your love. But you need to give such offerings to open up your souls to His divine love and Light. Yea, you are the ones who need to give such tribute as he has asked, such love, such devotion as is required that in such giving your soul might be purified. If you wish your road to be made easy give all that is required and then double it, if possible. When you have fulfilled ALL the laws -- and kept all the commandments, then you will reach the point where the First and Second Great and Wonderful Commandments will have to be fulfilled in you, or vice-versa. If you love God with all your heart you automatically will obey His every command, with pleasure, for they will be a joy unto you and not a burden. The laws He gave are your own glory.
For this reason no sin is allowed for it is but a block to your own path and will not allow you to proceed in your journey back into the Light. As long as you desire your sin more than you desire to fulfill the laws of God, which are the eternal laws of your own progress, just so long will your own progress and happiness be stopped.
For this reason God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, for it is not allowed on the highway that leads into the great Light. You cannot go and stay at the same time any more than you can serve both God and mammon. The choice is yours and no others. When you desire to serve God more than anything else, when you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength then sin becomes easy to leave behind. It becomes abhorrent to you and you want no part of it. It is no longer a struggle to overcome it, but a glorious, triumphant letting-go.
God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance for it is not allowed upon the pathway that leads back into His presence. He may look upon the sinner with compassion and when that individual sees the error of his ways and seeks forgiveness, and help to overcome, then he can be again enfolded in His healing mercy. Nevertheless the time lost while sin blocked the way may never be regained.
Earnest prayer, tinctured with "Thy Will Be Done" helps to open the door to His very throne. But prayers must be sincere, not groveling petitions to influence God to obey man's will, or to alter His laws, to change His ways or to accept sin and stamp it with His divine approval. And though He may look upon the sinner with compassion the sin remains a sin and all the praying possible will not change the sin. The praying must change the sinner, not the sin.
When the sinner can offer up his broken heart of failures and mistakes and learn obedience by his suffering, and when his spirit becomes contrite and teachable, then will the great healing come. But even then, the healing can only come to the one who committed the sin. The transgression cannot be healed. The sin, and every desire for it must be overcome and cast out. This is true repentance, which is the everlasting, glorious, divine gift of God. And were it not for this gift none could ever return back into His presence, for all have sinned.
For every prayer there is a level. The caliber of the prayer decides the level on which it will be heard, and answered. "His prayers went no higher than the ceiling," is a true saying. And from that level will be sent the answer to the petition which was not filled with enough faith, love or Light to go higher. Such a prayer is not clothed in glory. It went out empty and of low quality. It will return, but its return will not hold the power of the Celestial realms.
No man is greater than his power of prayer. This does not mean his ability to give great prayers to be heard of men, sent out in deep, sanctimonious tones. Great prayers measure the depth of a man's feeling, the fibre of his soul, the unselfishness of heart, his love for God. The power of prayer is in accordance with the individual's contact with that inner Source of Love and Light in the very depth of his own being.
Yea, from every level your prayers ascend, and on the level of their release will their answer return.
Prayer is not necessarily a thing of words, though words may clothe it with added power.
True prayer is: "The soul's sincere desire, uttered, or unexpressed."
Prayer is not just a petition of the lips. For if "One draws near to Him with his lips, while his heart is far from Him, it is accounted as wickedness. Nor is prayer just a selfish wish of the mind. Any prayer that is offered without feeling has no value whatsoever. And it is true that "The prayers of the Saints come up as incense before the Lord." It is their power of prayer that makes them Saints, for he who can pray with all the energy of heart, or "ask in the spirit" asketh according to the will of God and it will ascend as incense. But incense is but a dead lifeless substance until lighted by the living flames of fire which releases its essence and its power. So is prayer but a lifeless waste unless it is released through the great forces contained within the very depths of your own soul.
Such prayers released by that inner flame of devotion ascend and with their ascension they lift the sender and in his praying the self is forgotten and his soul finds it way to the very throne of God. To such all gates are opened and the powers of heaven hasten to give ear, and to fulfill. Such prayers rise above the selfish little personal desires of one's petty life. Yea, they take on immortality.
Yea, beloved, give heed unto my words that you may learn to reach the very ear of God. All prayers are answered. But all prayers are not noble, nor great, nor filled with good.
During World War One the German soldiers continually prayed, "Gott Mit Us!" It was a vain prayer for the power of God is never with the aggressor who wishes to subdue others for personal, selfish or greedy gains, nor for power. Nevertheless for those who offered this prayer sincerely and with deep devotion there was succor and help for them whether they lived or died. Or lost.
Every prayer that is offered from that innermost center of one's being is filled with ineffable power and ascends on the very wings of Light. Such prayers outgrow all selfish aims and personal lust and within them is contained the power to lift not only the individual, but a world. Such prayers can fulfill your complete surrender to the Will of God wherein all power and glory lies, even the perfection of your own precious fulfillment.
And now, I speak new words to you, words that hold meanings as yet unknown. Prayers, when released from the center of your soul is not an anguished cry of listed wants and petty yearnings, nor of hopeless despair, nor moanings and weepings, nor of desperate pleadings. Prayer, which rises from the center of your soul is a song of praise and ecstasy and thanksgiving. When you pray from the very center of your soul the powers of heaven are contacted and their joy and power released to vibrate in that great dynamic song of glory upon the very stars. Thus all power is released to blend with the perfect will of God, which is the complete fulfillment of all perfection, or will lead to it that it might be fulfilled in you.
When singing gratitude and thanks and love and praise become the burden of your prayers then will your power mingle with the powers of heaven to help redeem a world.
"And it shall come to pass that he that asketh in Spirit shall receive in Spirit.
"He that asketh in Spirit asketh according to the will of God, wherefore it is done even as he asketh.
"And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit.
"And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessings ye are blessed with."
Let you prayers of thanks become symphonies of selfless gratitude and praise and they will reach the HIGHEST without delay and from the highest realm will come the fulfillment of thy joy.
Devoted prayers of selflessness have been needed since time began. There have been so few who have ever reached this height of love and understanding so as to become one with the very mind and Will of God and with eyes completely single to His glory. Those who have attained this height are they whom I have reserved unto myself, and they have become clothed in Light, literally.
Many times in days and years gone by, Holy Angels have been sent to comb the earth in search of earnest, unselfish prayer, and finding none, have returned to weep before the throne of God. There have been many anguished prayers, pleading for loved ones, for personal friends, personal desires and wants and they have been answered, or will be in due time. But prayers which concern just oneself or one's loved ones and personal friends is not enough to help purify the earth and produce the balance of power necessary to save it from the forces of evil and of darkness.
Yea, "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Sometimes but one person has been found upon the earth with the power of prayer purified to such an extent it could avert the destruction of the world.
During the Spanish Inquisition such powers were released by twelve-year old Johan Pajares, who stood bound to the stake with the flames of fire consuming his body. His father stood beside the boy also giving his life to the flames for having dared to read the Bible. But the grief of the father over the sacrifice of his young son was so mingled with anguish, despair and bitterness over the burning of Johan that it did not ascend in its purity and power. It was small Johan who lifted his eyes to heaven and thanked God that he could give his life, with his father's, that he could give his life for God, and these words rose to his lips and reached out beyond the flames, beyond the world, beyond the skies: "Dear God, in the name of Jesus, let our lives open up the way for all men to be permitted to read Thy Holy Word, from now on and forever." It was the power of Johan's prayers that was used to end the darkness behind the Inquisition.
Again, such a one kneeled alone in his dungeon during the French Revolution, when France was reaping the retribution of evil and darkness for having slain my Saint, Joan of Arc. And in that retribution blood ran in rivers, and love was not as hate and fear roared forth in screaming waves to overwhelm and submerge the race of men.
Above the tumult and the thunder and the cry of hate and suffering arose the prayer of a gray-haired man who had seen his family slaughtered en masse, and knew his own time was near at hand. And kneeling in his dungeon cell, he prayed a prayer that could be used to end the strife, the slaughter and the madness. It was a prayer of infinite love of divine forgiveness and of selflessness and complete surrender.
"Into your arms, Almighty father, I give my family, and my every friend, for they have all been slain. They have been killed, Holy Father, for no sin save the desire to live true to their nobility, which all men are endowed with, yet know it not. And now, Oh God, I kneel upon the altar of Thy guillotine to give my life, that from my offering peace might come. Yea, as I give my life freely, and with infinite love I pray that it might be used to end this flood of madness.
"Dear God, let those whose hands are drenched with the blood of the innocent see the horror of their acts, that this endless slaughter might be stayed. And then, Dear God, forgive them and hold them not accountable for their sins. Forgive them, God, and let my blood help atone for the carnage that has covered this beautiful land. Yea, let not the taking of my life be in vain, nor held to their charge. But Father, in the name of Jesus, let it be for thy eternal glory. Let it help to lift the curse from this benighted land that Thy healing might descend and sanity reign once more -- Amen."
Two days later, as Louis Beauvais kneeled with his head bowed to receive that final stoke that would sever life, there was a song of glory singing in his soul as the Holy Spirit of Promise bore witness to his soul that this prayer would be fulfilled and his offering accepted.
Within a week the great slaughter of France subsided and the healing commenced. It was the strength of Louis Beauvais' prayer that gave the power to turn the tide of destruction and brought sanity out of the chaos and slaughter. Again, a few years hence, so close it was but yesterday the earth was combed to find the power of a true prayer, a prayer with strength to stem the tide of war and bring a temporary peace upon this anguished world. This time it was found in the heart of a little girl who lay crushed and half-buried beneath a mass of stone which, but a few hours before had been the housing place of pride and arrogance.
Captain Yerma and his soldiers were working frantically to release the body of his little sister, Naneia, whom all loved. As they worked, Naneia's ear, pressed against the earth, heard the tread of marching feet.
"Go! Go, my brother! Take your men and hide in these ruined buildings, that you might survive, to fight again for I hear the marching of many feet!"
"And leave you here to die, my little Naneia? Oh, No!"
"If you do not go you will all die in vain. Then there will be none to fight. Let me die for the rest of you. God wants it so! Please, my brother, grant that I do not die in vain. Nor the rest of you. I will surely die anyway but it will be in vain unless it spare you and your soldiers."
Her pleading was so ardent and so sincere that the small army hid themselves according to her urging. Then she bit her lips to hold back the cry of pain so that the invaders would pass her by unseen. Then from her heart arose a prayer so intense she forgot her pain and suffering as she pleaded for God to end the war and spare those whom she loved, and the whole world. It was a prayer that completely detached Naneia from her pain and from the hurt -- and from her body. It was the power needed to turn the tide of battle and evict the enemies of her native land, the prayer that paved the way for peace.
Today is the first time in many, many years when the Spirit of true prayer is beginning to ascend from the earth with enough power and unselfishness to reach out and convert and transmute the very forces of darkness.
Oh, my dearly beloved, forget your personal desires, forget the self, forget your own individual misfortunes and wants, and kneel with me, that in your offering there might be the power to bring the great healing, yea the fullness of the great Light. Offer yourselves and your prayers upon the altar of compete surrender. And if you can find the greatness within to offer your very souls, if necessary, for the redemption of the world, it will not be in vain. Yea, offer up your will to Me. Give me your all. If you can be big enough, in your complete surrender, it will help to bring the rending of the veil of darkness by transmuting it into Light.
I tell you this, beloved, that you might comprehend the complete surrender of the "self" and become a messenger of Light and have the power to help rend the veil of darkness from the earth. And with this glorified prayer I must suggest that you give up every personal desire and concern for yourself, your own perfection, even your desires of fulfilling. Give the self, your life, your mind in a joy of loving, singing devotion that will banish the darkness. Yea, "Turn unto me in every thought." Only in this way can you work with me to bring to pass that which is to come.
Prayer is the greatest power in existence. Prayers are always heard, and answered. "Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you; for such is the eternal promise of heaven." But beyond the asking, the seeking and the knocking is the prayer of power that will reveal the very throne of God. This is the prayer of joyous thanksgiving, of loving devotion, of eternal praise. Yea, let your prayers of praise and glory and gratitude and singing ecstasy ascend unto the throne of God and e'er long you will ascend with them to praise before His throne day and night, which is the promise of a fulness of joy which is to sing forever in every cell of your beings in the New Song of praising glory.