PRAYER FOR DIVINE LOVE

Prayer for Divine Love

December 2nd, 1916

I am here, Jesus.

I merely want to say a word for the benefit of you and your friend. That is; that I have listened to your conversation tonight, and find that it is in accord with the Truth. The Influence of the Holy Spirit is with you both. Continue in your line of thought, and in prayer to the Father. Also, in your making known to others, whenever the opportunity arises, the importance of seeking for, and getting, the Divine Love.

As your friend (Dr. Leslie R. Stone) said, the only prayer that is necessary is the prayer for the inflowing of this Divine Love. All other forms, or real aspirations, of prayer are secondary, of themselves, will not tend to produce this Divine Love in the souls of humans. Let your prayer be as follows:

Our Father, who art in Heaven, we recognize:
That Thou Art--art All Holy and Loving and Merciful, and that we are the Children of Thy Care, and not the subservient, sinful and depraved creatures that our false teachers would have us believe.

That we are the Greatest of Thy Creations, and the most Wonderful of all Thy Handiworks, and that we are the objects of Thy Great Soul's Love and Tenderest Care.

That Thy Will is that we become At-One with Thee and partake of Thy Great Love which Thou hast bestowed upon us through Thy Mercy and Desire that we become, in Truth, Thy Children; and not through the sacrifice and death of any one of Thy Creatures, even though the world thinks that one Thy equal and a part of Thy Godhead.

That Thou will open up our souls to the inflowing of Thy Love, and that then will come Thy Holy Spirit to bring into our souls, this, Thy Love, in great abundance, until our souls may be Transformed into the Very Essence of Thyself.

That there may come to us Faith--such Faith as will cause us to realize that we are Truly Thy Children and that we are One with Thee in Very Substance and not in image only.

Let us have such Faith as will cause us to know that Thou art Our Father and the Bestower of every Good and Perfect Gift, and that only we, ourselves, can prevent Thy Love changing us from the mortal to the Immortal.

Let us never cease to realize that Thy Love is waiting for each and all of us, and that when we come to Thee with Faith and earnest aspirations, Thy Love will never be withholden from us.

Keep us in the shadow of Thy Love every hour and moment of our lives, and help us to overcome all temptations of the flesh and the influence of the powers of the evil ones who so constantly surround us and endeavor to turn our thoughts away from Thee to the pleasures and allurements of this world.

We thank Thee for Thy Love and for the possibility of receiving it, and believe that Thou art Our Father--The Loving Father who smiles upon us in our weakness, and is always ready to help us and take us to Thy Arms of Love.

We pray thus with all the earnestness and longings of our soul, and trusting in Thy Love give Thee all the glory and honor and love that our finite souls can give.

This is the only prayer that humans need offer to the Father. It is the only one that appeals to the Divine Love of the Father. With the answer, which will surely come, will come all the Blessings that humans may need, and which the Father sees are for the good of His Creatures.

I am in very great rapport with you tonight, and see that the Father's Divine Love is with you, and that your souls are hungry for more.

So, my brothers, continue to pray and have Faith. In the end will come a Bestowal of the Divine Love like unto that which came to the apostles at the Pentecost.

I will not write more now.

In leaving you, I will leave my Love and blessings, and the assurance that I pray to the Father for your happiness and Divine Love.

Goodnight, your brother and friend, Jesus.

Prayer for Divine Love

February 6th, 1917
I am here, John.

I want to say a few words in reference to your conversation about "The Prayer", the importance of thoroughly understanding it, its Spiritual significance, and the Wonderful Truths that it contains.

I heard you say that when you first received it there was in its meaning all confusion. That you did not understand that it would convey any Great Truths, or help very much those who should offer it to the Father. Well, I have no doubt but what you say is true. There is a good reason for the same. That is; that it is so full of the Declarations of Wonderful Truths, and thoughts for soul aspirations, that it was difficult, and almost impossible, for your mind, or soul, to grasp the same.

Like every other Truth that humans do not understand, it does not, at first reception, appear to be a thing of Truth that humans can learn, and learning, make their own.

But the Truths of that Prayer, when rightly analyzed, will appear sufficient to meet every necessity that humans need, or are in want of, to bring them to a Perfect At-Onement with the Father, and assure them of Eternal Salvation as His Divine Children, and the partakers of Immortality.

Very soon I will come and give you a full explanation of "The Prayer", and its Deep and Vital Truths, so that you may become real possessors of its full meaning.

Tonight I do not think it best for me to write more. In closing will say to you and your friends that you must not become discouraged in the work that you have before you, or in the work that you are now doing. For I, John, tell you that your labor is absolutely necessary to make our Truths known to Humanity. There are no others, of all the humans of Earth, who have been selected for this work, or can perform it. For none have the qualifications developed for the rapport which we have established.

So take what I say seriously. Do not let the importance of the work, or the thought that you are not suited to do the work, cause you to think that we have made a mistake in our selection. Or, that this power, that has been given to you, is a mere myth and without reality. The High Spirits who are followers of, and are led by, the Master, have, in following the Master's desire, determined that you three shall be the ones to start the spread of these Great Truths amongst humans, and leave behind you helpers who will carry on the work after you come over to receive the reward of your well-doing.

I am John. I write with authority, and must be believed.
So with my Love to you both, and the Blessings of the Father, I will say goodnight, John.

    The following is a modern inspired version of the Prayer for Divine Love that you may use if you so choose. The "words" of the Prayer are meant to inspire the souls longings, aspirations, and desires. Let all your souls longings go into the words as you aspire to God. Meditate also on the Truths of the words that are in the prayers. Inspirations will come to you from the Angels, helping you understand, on a soul level, God's True relationship with the Children of His Creation, and His Great Love for All.

Prayer for Divine Love  

Our Father, in the Celestial Heavens, we recognize You as All Holy, Loving, Merciful and Powerful. That we, as the Children of Your Creation, are not the sinful, depraved, or subservient creatures false teachers would have us believe. We are all the Greatest and Most Wonderful of all Your Creations. Souls, Created in the image and likeness of Your Great Soul, by Your Hand of Creation, Perfect. That we all came into this World in a pure and pristine state and condition, and that we are all the objects of Your Great Souls Love and Tenderest Care.

That Your Will is that we all become At-One with You and partake of Your Great Love, Bestowed upon us through Your Great Mercy and Your Desire that we become, in Truth, Your Divine Children through the inflowing of Your Divine Love, the Very Essence and Substance of Your Divine Soul, and not through the sacrifice and death of any of Your Creatures. Most especially Jesus the Christ, who became Your most Beloved and Divine Son, and At-One with You, through the inflowing of Your Divine Love, as the result of the exertion of his own free will in deep, earnest and sincere longings of his souls desires for Your Divine Love.

And by his leadership and example, and with him now, our Master, brother, and friend, Jesus the Christ, and all the Celestial Angels in this Divine Congregation of the Christ Spirit, we pray to You with all the most earnest and sincere longings of our souls desires for Your Divine Love, that You would open up our souls to a great inflowing of Your Divine Love.

Then will come Your Holy Spirit, to bring into our souls Your Divine Love in all its Greatness and Infinite Abundance, until we are wholly Transformed into the Very Essence of Yourself.

Then will come to us Faith. Such Great Faith as will cause us to realize, that we are Truly Your Divine Children, and At-One with You in Very Substance, and not in image only.

Bestow upon us such Faith as will cause us to know that You are Our Creator, and that You are the Bestower of each and every Perfect Gift, most especially Your Divine Love, and all that proceeds from It. That only we, ourselves, can prevent Your Divine Love from changing us from a mortal into an Immortal.

Let us never cease to realize that Your Divine Love is constantly waiting for each and all of us, and that when we do come to You in Faith and earnest aspirations for Your Divine Love, as we do NOW, that It is never withheld from us.

Keep us in the Light of Your Love, every hour and moment of our lives. Help us to overcome all of our attachments to the things of the material World, and the influences of the powers of the lower ones, who constantly surround us and endeavor to turn our thoughts and aspirations away from You, to the pleasures, allurements, and worries of this World.

We thank you for your Great Love and the privilege and potentiality of recieving It. We know that You are the Loving God, who smiles upon us in our weakness, and is always ready to help us, heal us, and take us to Your Arms of Love.

We do pray thus with all the earnestness and most sincere longings of our souls desires, and trusting in You and Your Great Love for everything, we give to You all the glory, honor, and Love that our souls can give.

Prayer for Divine Love

September 30th, 1915

I am here, John.

I come to encourage you, and tell you that your worries will soon leave you. For things will get better with you from now on. You will soon be free of the present burning needs. As the Master, who has just written you says, try to believe in what we tell you, for we are with you so very much trying to help and comfort you.

I know that things have looked very dark today. You do not see any relief at hand. It will come, and that very soon. Then you will feel different from what you do now.

I will not write more tonight as you are not in condition to write very long.

Well, I will say that you are now surrounded by the Love and influence of a band of Celestial Spirits, all sending to you their best and kindest wishes as well as their Love. I am now trying to make you feel my presence and Love. If you will open up your heart you will realize that you are surrounded by Love.

We are many, and all anxious that you feel our presence. You must pray to the Father more and ask for more faith.

You will receive it, and will be correspondingly strengthened. So let me say before I close, that you are the special care of the Master. His Love for you tonight was something wonderful. He seemed to let all his Love center on you. I do not doubt that you felt its influence.

I will stop now and say that you have my Love and blessings.

Your brother in Christ, John.

Prayer for Divine Love

April 25th, 1917

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

Well, He answers the prayers for things material by the work, and operation, of His Angels and spirits. They, in that work, are subject to the limitations of success, as I have above mentioned. God does not exercise, by any arbitrary power, to answer prayers. But, when they are sincerely offered to Him, He works through His Angels in answering them. He does not, by His mere fiat do so. His Angels are always watching and working. When the opportunity comes, they use their influence, in the best possible way, to bring about the ends desired.

As you know, human has a free will. That will determines, very largely, the action of humans. Such actions are never arbitrarily controlled by any Divine Power. If the prayers of humans, as to material things, can be responded to by the workings of the angels and spirits, they are. But if such response depends upon the will of humans, then they are not received by mortals, except, as the spirits may be able to influence that will and cause humans to act in compliance with that influence, which is always used for the purpose of bringing about the response to the prayers, that are in their nature, proper and worthy to be answered.

?
Well, I doubt if any of those petitions were ever answered in the arbitrary way that is related in the Old Testament. God never answers prayer in that manner. The petitions of the old prophets had no more influence to bring about the answers to the same, in the manner indicated, than have the prayers of the sincere and earnest human of these days. God was the same then as He is now. Worked through the spirits then, as He does now. Except that now, He has Angels of the Souls Development in the Divine Love, that He did not then have. These Divine Angels are doing His Bidding, as well as are the spirits. But He does not answer prayers for material things except in a manner in consonance with Laws controlling the free will and actions of humans, as they may be operated upon and influenced by the work of spirits.

Sometime I will come and write you a message on this subject of prayer and answer.

This I want to say, that we, can at times, understand what will happen in the near future. Having such knowledge, can tell to mortals what may be expected, or rather what will occur. This we sometimes do.

In your case, we all, of the Higher Spheres, as well as many of the Spirit Spheres, know what your petitions have been, in reference to these material matters. We have been working to bring about a realization of the same on your part. Not only because of your petitions, but because they are so necessary to the doing and completion of our work. We have been using our influence to the utmost to accomplish this end. But as I say, we are all limited. Have not the power to cause the happening of any event by our mere willing the same, even though we are doing the Work of the Father. This may seem surprising, as well as disappointing to you, but it is a fact. It is a Great Truth that God helps those who help themselves.

Of course, you must not lose sight of the fact that while humans must themselves, do those things that bring about changes, or happenings, or phenomena, in material things, yet we can influence, but not control absolutely, their desires and intentions, and their wills, that put into operation, or effect, these intentions. No, these things, as to their immediate manifestations, are subject to the wills of humans.

God never, by a mere act of the moment, or of a physical character, places into the hands of any human riches or prosperity. These things must immediately be wrought and brought about by human. But human, in doing this, can, and is, wonderfully influenced by the workings of the spirits.

Well, that is a question that has caused humans to doubt, consider, and explain, in various ways the so-called miracle of the loaves and fishes. As I was a disciple of the Master at that time, it is quite natural that I should be expected to state whether such a miracle ever occurred. Of course, I can state what the fact in relation thereto is.

Notwithstanding that it has been used by preachers and teachers for many centuries to show the Wonderful Power possessed by Jesus, and thereby cause the people to believe in and accept him as god, or at least having god-like powers, and has been used to work much good among those who were seeking for the True Religion, yet I am compelled, and sorry to say, that no such miracle ever took place. While Jesus had Wonderful Powers, and understood the workings of the Spiritual Laws, to a far greater extent than any mortal who ever lived, yet he had not the power to increase the loaves and fishes as is set forth in the account of the miracle. To be able to do so would be against the Laws of God governing the material things of His Creation. Also, beyond, and outside, of the powers conferred on any human, or Angel, by any Spiritual Laws.

There are certain Laws, by which we, who are acquainted with and use them, may cause a dematerialization of physical substances. Also may, to a limited degree, cause a materialization of Spiritual substances. But I am not acquainted with any Law that would have operated under the control of Jesus, to increase the loaves and fishes to the great number mentioned in the story referred to. As a fact, I know that no such miracle took place. Jesus will tell you the same.

There are other alleged miracles in the Bible that never had any existence as a fact.

Well, I have written you a long letter tonight. I must stop. I am pleased that you asked me about the response to prayers, and the miracle of the loaves and fishes, for your questions gave me the opportunity, to some extent, to explain these matters. But, as to prayer, you must wait until I deal with it more at large, or in detail, before you conclude that you understand the subject fully.

I say to you; pray, not only for the Spiritual Things which God bestows through His Holy Spirit, but also for the material things which He bestows through His Angels and spirits. The proper prayer will be answered, sooner or later. Your prayer, for that of which I have written, will be answered, even though to you the response may seem a long time delayed.

With my Love and blessings, I will say goodnight, your brother in Christ, John.

Prayer for Divine Love

June 14th, 1917

I am here, Solomon.

It has been a long time since I wrote you, although I have been present many times when the other spirits were delivering their messages, and of course, have been much interested in you and the messages.

As you will remember, I told you in my message that you had been selected to do the work that the Spirits of the Celestial Sphere, led by Jesus, had determined that you should do. That you must realize the great importance of the work, also the importance of the mission conferred upon you in this regard, and urged you to believe in the Truth of what I had written.

Well, I come to reiterate what I then said. Also, to impress upon you the necessity for doing this work as rapidly as possible. For conditions are such that the World is very much in want of these Truths, as humans are turning their thoughts more and more to things Spiritual, and to the Future Life. This war will result in humans seeking a religion that will satisfy, not only the longings of their souls, and the efforts of their intellects, in searching for the Truth. These Divine Truths, when they are presented to humans, will give that satisfaction.

Well, the explanation is; that these people, when they pray, attract to them the spirits, also believe that God will answer their prayers. These spirits endeavor to help them, and often succeed. Many times, the things that these people pray for come to them by natural means.

This I will say; that never, does God, by His Omnipotence, as regards these material things, answer prayer. All His answers to prayer are brought about by the workings of the spirits who do God's Bidding. In no other way are prayers for the material things answered. I know that this may be surprising to many of these people who believe that God, by His Great Powers answers prayer, but it is a fact.

Well, that is an illustration of the work of spirits, as I have explained. These spirits, when the prayers of that man ascended to God, heard them. In obedience to their work impressed mortals to do that which resulted in answer to these prayers. Many prayers have been answered in this way. Will be so, long as mortals pray and have Faith.

I will not write more now. So goodnight, your brother in Christ, Solomon.

Prayer for Divine Love

June 21st, 1917
I am here, William Stone.

I want to say just a word to my son.

I have been with him a great deal of late, observing the Presence of the Divine Love in his soul. I am justified in telling him that this Divine Love, at times, has flowed into his soul in Great Abundance. As John said, all the powers of the Spirit World could not have prevented it from doing so. He must realize that earnest prayer and the longings of his soul are the only mediations between him and the Father. That this response is of that nature, that in order for him to be conscious of it, it is not necessary for some spirit to tell him. No, only he, and God, knows where the Divine Love comes from. No spirit can possibly get between that God and the mortal soul. Of course we can see the effect of the possession of that Divine Love by the soul of the mortal, and spirit as well. But when it comes, only he can sense it. God is his only Bestower. He Alone can direct the Holy Spirit. I write thus, because I want to implant firmly in my son's mind and consciousness the fact that this Divine Love needs no help from spirits to bring him its Presence.

My Father is always waiting to bestow the Divine Love, even though He, the Substance, may not be present in His Soul form. But His Divine Love is never absent, and never fails to respond.

I am happier than I can express over the fact that my boy has the opportunity to come into Knowledge of The Way in which this Divine Love can be obtained, and the further fact that his soul consciousness has been so developed that he can sense its bestowal.

We are all present tonight and are praising and thanking the Father for His Goodness and Mercy. Our prayers are ascending to Him for a greater and greater bestowal of this Divine Love.

While we are not unhappy over the fact, that if our other children would turn their thoughts to this Divine Love, and seek for it, we would be able to rejoice with a greater joy. We realize that Life on Earth is short, and that very soon all our children will be with us. Then they will learn the Truth and turn their thoughts to Things Spiritual. That we will be able to help them without the interference of the flesh, and the allurements of the World. But, how much better it would be, if, they would only start on their progress while they are surrounded by the temptations of the flesh. We are praying for them, and constantly trying to impress them with our Love and thoughts of things Spiritual, and have a lively hope, that before they come to us, the Awakening may come to them.

I am progressing, and the fact that my son sends us Loving thoughts, and attracts to him spirits of the High Celestial Spheres, help us all so much. For we get the benefit of the Divine Truths, that they convey, and the wonderful atmosphere of Love, and the Divine Love that they bring with them.

I will not write more. All send their Love and blessings. Goodnight, your friend in Christ, William Stone.

Prayer for Divine Love

July 7th, 1917
I am here, John.

Well, I come tonight to write a few lines on your condition, and suggest a few thoughts to encourage you in your despondency.

You have been much depressed in the past few days, owing very largely to the fact that you permitted the evil influences to make a rapport with you, which fact is largely due to you are not letting the Divine Love enter your soul in such quantities as heretofore. For in your imaginings, for such I must call them, you became convinced that your material affairs were such as to afford you no hope of relief from the burdens you felt were resting on you.

Well, you have these burdens. You do not see, in what manner you may be able to meet them and find relief. Consequently, you become negligent of the necessity of seeking for, and praying for, more for this Divine Love. In other words, the thought came to you that no Love, or influence, from the higher spirits, could enable you to find a way out of your difficulties. You lost Faith in the Power of the Divine Love, and in us. The result was that your soul became in such a condition that the evil ones could make their rapport. Thus, increase your feelings of despondency, and want of Faith.

I know that your disappointment was very real. That you had a difficult task to make yourself believe that we could do you any good, or that your condition of soul could determine that another of your problems being relieved from your worries, as may be said. It was natural for you to feel this way. If you had taken the advice, which we have given you, more than once, and prayed with all the longings of your soul for the Help of the Father, you would not have gotten in such a condition of despondency. Could not have given way to the temptations of the flesh, and let the influences of the evil ones make a rapport with you, and suffered the effects of that rapport.

Every time you get in this condition, you lose ground in your Spiritual Development. Also in your state of happiness and the strength of your Faith, and experience the hopelessness that comes with such a condition. The material things, I know, are of great importance, and are necessary. You must obtain them in order to sustain you in your Earth Life, and the earthly happiness that comes from the freedom of want. When you could not see where these things were coming from, it was difficult to throw aside the worries that resulted from such a state of anticipated want. If you had prayed and exercised your Faith, such worries would not have dominated you as they did, and caused you to ignore the Very Source from which all things must come.

I say to you now; that you will not be left alone in these matters. For you will realize the things that you desire and need. We are working to bring about the realization of your desires. We will succeed. You will be taken care of.

Yes, I understand. Nevertheless, you must try to believe us, and endure for a little, the disappointment. We cannot accomplish these things at just the time that they may be used, but they will be accomplished in such time as will prevent embarrassment.

Yes, I see what your thoughts are. I say to you that you will soon receive what is necessary to relieve you. So have faith in us and pray for the Divine Love in more abundance. Believe that we are with you, and will not forsake you, and that all will be well. Try to overcome the worries and let them pass from you. I know that this is difficult to do. But you can do it, and will feel the good that will come to you by so doing.

I am not the only one who is saying this to you tonight, for many of the spirits who are interested in you are present and are trying to help you. Even the Master, who is so anxious that you find the relief that you so much desire, and get in condition to receive these messages.

I will not write more, and only say; pray and believe.
Goodnight, your brother in Christ, John.

Prayer for Divine Love

July 9th, 1917
I am here, Jesus.

Well, my brother, I see that you are much better than you have been for some days past, and that you have prayed more to the Father for the inflowing of His Divine Love. As a consequence, have more of it in your soul, and are in a better condition, Spiritually and physically.

I should like to finish my message on God tonight, but I do not think that you are in just the condition necessary to enable you to receive it. I think it desirable to postpone it for a while longer.

You must surely realize the effect of prayer, to a greater extent than ever. Because if you had not prayed as you have been doing for the past few days, you would have found yourself in a great degree of despondency, as the same cause for creating this despondency exists now, as it existed several days ago when you were so depressed and worried. Prayer is a wonderful help, when offered with the True longings of the soul, will always find a response. The benefit will not be merely Spiritual, but, as you may say, material as well.

Of course, prayer does not remove the cause of worry, and thus relieve the mortal from worry, but it operates on the mortal's consciousness, in such a way as to remove the effect of this cause of worry, on the feelings and mental conditions of the mortal. In this way is the mortal benefitted and his prayers responded to. They, as it were, become a new human, and ceases to look upon these causes in the same light that they did before the prayers commenced to bring their responses. They, in their Real Self (the soul), are a different human from what they were, when in the condition that existed before they prayed.

I am so very glad that you prayed and let your longings go out to the Father, and tried to have Faith in us to help you. We are helping you. You will soon realize the result of our work, in securing those things that you desire and consider necessary to enable you to get rid of your worries and perform our work. Continue to pray, and to have Faith in us. You will not be disappointed in what we promise, for our promises will be fulfilled in a very short time.

I have many messages yet to write, and so desire that you get in condition to receive them properly. Besides myself, there are many other spirits who want to write upon these Divine Truths that are so important that the World should know. So, if you continue to pursue the course that you followed today, you will find a wonderful improvement in your condition of soul, mind, and spirit qualities. We will be able to form the required rapport that is necessary to our properly communicating.

I will not write more tonight. In closing, I advise that you continue to pray with all the longings of your soul, and to believe with all the strength of your mind. You will develop, to a surprising degree, in your soul qualities and perceptions, and in your physical condition and mental strength.

I will say goodnight, your brother and friend, Jesus.

Prayer for Divine Love

July 11th, 1917

I am here. St. John.

I heard your prayer and know that this Divine Love is flowing into your soul, and that now you have a great abundance of its possession, of which you are conscious. It will never fail you when you pray in earnestness and with the real longings for its coming. It is always ready to respond to your aspirations and to make you feel its Presence and the Happiness that comes with it.

I, as you know, am your special friend in my work of helping to develop your soul. Whenever you pray to The Father as you have just prayed, I come to you with my Love and influence to help open up your soul to the inflowing of this Divine Love. Have Faith. You will have the certainty of the Presence of the Divine Love, and that it is yours, seeking to come into your soul in greater and more abundance.

You are blessed, in that you have the Knowledge of the existence of this Divine Love, and that it may be yours if you so will it to be, and pray with the True longings of your soul's desires. You cannot doubt the Truth of what I write. For, as in the ordinary things of Life, there is nothing so convincing as personal experience. Your experience is such that there has been no room for doubt. So if you would keep the Consciousness of the Presence of this Divine Love continually alive, pray and pray, whenever the opportunity presents itself. By this I don't mean that you shall wait for a time when you are not engaged in your business affairs, but at moments when the mind may be free, even if only for a moment, from these business affairs. The longings, if exercised only for a moment, will bring their results; for God's Ear is always open and ready to cause the responses to such longings.

One moment of True soul felt longings is more effective than hours of prayer where these longings are not present. The prayers of the lip, or of habit, arise no higher than the escaping breath, and does not cause the Divine Love to respond and flow into the soul.

Remember this, and then realize how futile all the prayers of preachers and ostensible worshipers are when the soul's longings and desires are not present.
Only soul can call to Soul. Divine Love responds only when such soul calls. The mere desires of the mind, if I may so express my meaning, do not in the least affect the soul. As mind can operate only on mind, there cannot possibly be any activity of the soul's faculties, when only mind is in operation. Hence, you will see that all the worship that comes merely from the mind will not effectuate the working of the Divine Love, or bring into operation the Holy Spirit's work.

I write this to further encourage you, and to make plain the necessity for the True Prayer. John.

And a commentary from Paramahansa Yogananda on his experience of True prayer:

It was confirmed by a reliable and competent Divine Love medium that Yogananda had received the Divine Love prior to passing over because of his Great Love for God and his deep longings for Union with God.

Prayer with devotion is a wonderful means of opening oneself to the freely flowing blessings of God, a necessary link of man's life to the Infinite Source of all benefaction. But it takes a long time for prayer to be effective when the mind is outwardly roaming.

One hour of Kriya Yoga meditation can bestow more effect than twenty-four hours of ordinary prayer.

Those who practice the technique of Kriya deeply for even a little while, and sit long in meditation in the resultant stillness, find that the force of their prayer is doubled, trebled, a hundred times more powerful. If one enters the inner temple of silence and worships before the altar of God with prayer and invocation of His presence, He comes quickly. When the consciousness is withdrawn from the sensory surface of the body and its surroundings and centralized in the cerebrospinal shrines of soul perception, that is the most effective time to pray.

The Silence Voice of Prayer

True prayer is an expression of the soul, an urge from the soul. It is a hunger for God that arises from within, expressing itself to Him ardently, silently. Vocalized prayers are wonderful only if the attention is on God, and if the words are a call to God out of the abundance of the soul's desire for Him. But if an invocation becomes merely a part of an ecclesiastical ceremony, performed mechanically concentration on the form of religion rather than its spirit, God doesn't much like that kind of prayer.

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:5, 6).

These words of Christ refer to entering into the "closet" of inner silence. Through scientific techniques of meditation, such as Kriya Yoga, one learns to "shut the door" to outer distractions by withdrawing the life force and attention from the sensory nerves. Only then is prayer truly effective, the mind having been freed to concentrate wholly on the Father who responds "in secret"in silent communion with the soul.

One who prays loudly is liable to become hypocritical if his attention is focused on the practiced intonation of his voice falling on his auditory nerves words spoken for effect, to attract and impress others. This is the tendency of many otherwise sincere spiritual people to show off their Love for God, rather than strive to touch the heart of God alone. Unless there is simultaneously an increasing intensity of zeal and Love for God, loud prayer can thus be spiritually dangerous. No matter how wonderful it is within, spiritual realization loses something of its intensity when it is expressed outwardly.

When your prayer comes from deep within, and your words are tipsy with Love for God, then others around you consciously enjoy your contact with God and drink of the contagion of your Love for Him. But if you are not very strong, they may steal that love from you. They begin to praise you; and if you feel flattered that because you have inspired others, therefore you must be great, then you become weakened your love is stolen from your heart, and pride takes its place.

Sometimes, no loud or even whispered words can I pray; for when deep feeling for God possesses you, you cannot utter any words. That Love is sacred within, an inner communion, silently giving its oblations into the Spirit. Like a secret fire, that Love burns the darkness from around the soul, and in that light you behold the mightiness of Spirit.

In all our pursuits we are seeking the fulfillment of love and joy. The motive behind the evil ways of even the greatest sinner is that he expects to attain there from something that will lead to happiness. God is that happiness. But the urge to seek Him is drowned in the urge to indulge in sense pleasures. When that sensory urge disappears, then the urge for God automatically appears.

Sensations pouring in through the sensory nerves keep the mind filled with myriad noisy thoughts, so that the whole attention is toward the senses. But God's voice is silence. Only when thoughts cease can one hear the voice of God communicating through the silence of intuition. That is God's means of expression. In your silence God's silence ceases. He speaks to you through your intuition. For the devotee whose consciousness is inwardly united with God, an audible response from Him is unnecessary, intuitive thoughts and true visions constitute God's voice. These are not the result of the stimuli of the senses, but the combination of the devotee's silence and God's voice of silence.

God has been with us all the time, talking to us; but His voice of silence has been drowned by the noisiness of our thoughts: "Thou didst love me always, but I heard Thee not." He has always been near; it is we who have been wandering away from His consciousness.

In spite of our indifference and pursuit of sense pleasures, still God is Loving us, and always will.

We must withdraw our thoughts from sensations and be silent within. Silencing the thoughts means tuning them in to God. That is when true prayer begins.

When we are in tune with God, we will hear His voice: "I have Loved thee through the ages; I Love thee now; and I shall Love thee until thou comest Home. Whether thou knowest it or not, I shall always Love thee."

He speaks to us in silence, telling us to come Home.

Those who pray without knowing the scientific art of interiorization often complain that God does not respond to their entreaties. Such devotees may be compared to the person who retires to his study and requests a friend to call him on the telephone, but then keeps the line ceaselessly occupied with other incoming and outgoing calls. Try as he may to respond, the friend is continually thwarted by a "busy" signal!

Prayer for Divine Love