Weekly Bible quote 102 from the School of Truth, read by andre

In Thy presence is fullness of joy - (Ps 16:11)
In the midst of joy is my Father

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In all sincere religion God is associated with joy. Joy is loftier, more long-term, than pleasure. It dwells in the background of our feeling as the contentment which encourages us through life's difficulties and delays. And from time to time it bursts forth - as when we are suddenly overwhelmed by beauty, by a sunset, a landscape, an exquisite sea shell or a flower, a passage of music, the chortle of a child, the success of an endeavour.

Joy is the resonance in us of the eternal Soul. In Grace we ourselves may initiate it. When our Father seems to have grown distant, when life's troubles grind within us, when darkness looms ahead, we ourselves may strike the bell that sets the glorious vibrations of joy ringing in us. Joy comes before pleasure. It is attunement to God. It is independent of all worldly conditions. So in your darkest hour invoke joy, and thereby open your channels to the infinite Resource Which is your Father.

The Path of Truth Vol. 50 No. 3, p. 182.

Weekly Bible quote 101 from the School of Truth, read by andre

Seek, and ye shall find - (Matt 7:7)
I seek always to express greater love, wisdom, and understanding

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Whether we are seeking spiritual Peace, mental achievements, emotional happiness, physical health, or material possessions, if we keep our eye fixed on our objective, and persist in our efforts, we shall get what we have set out to attain. The pity is that we so often go after the wrong things.

There is nothing this world has to offer that an all-loving Creator would either deny us or withhold from us, but just as a wise mother would not feed her child chiefly on cake, so does an omniscient Father not wish us to pursue the baubles of life before we have found the Substance of that which is good. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness," said the Master, "and all these things shall be added unto you."

To "seek" God is to attune ourselves to Him, and as He is LOVE we can do this only by filling our minds and emotions with this quality and by giving of it, first to Him (from Whom It derives) and after Him to all our fellows.

The Path of Truth Vol. 57 No. 5, p. 351.

Weekly Bible quote 100 from the School of Truth, read by andre

This is the day which Jehovah hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it - (Ps 118:24)
I am grateful to God for making this day a day of achievement

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Let us so live today that when we consider what we have done when night comes on, it will give us pleasure, and a sense of fulfillment. Let us make use of all the opportunities which present themselves for doing good to others, that at the end of the day we may have earned the Father's "Well done."

If you have not made a habit of doing so, let us start today to think of what we can give to the world, rather than of what we can get out of it. And let us do so tomorrow and on all the tomorrows. As we give, so do we receive, and while we should not give with the thought of any return we know that our reward is sure.

Let us live each hour richly and fully, putting the best into our work, and enjoying our hours of relaxation, that we may not waste our lives.

The Path of Truth Vol. 56 No. 5, p. 293

Weekly Bible quote 99 from the School of Truth, read by andre

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All things work together for good - (Rom 8:28)

Because I know that God not only created our world, but maintains and governs it as well,
I have no fears for the present or the future

Imagine a watch in which the wheels did not turn for the good of the whole; one in which some moved too quickly, others too slowly, in fits and starts and with occasional stoppages. That watch would be a calamity, a disgrace to its maker and quite useless to its owner.

If our little earth were anything like that it would be totally unfit for us to live on, but fortunately its Creator is Omniscience, incapable of making any mistakes at all. For this you and I should be immensely grateful. We dwell in a world of the wondrous in which there is the wherewithal to meet all our needs and to fulfill all our desires.

Why then do so many lack the good things they must have for happy and successful living? Only because they and frequently we, too, do not know or believe the TRUTH, which is that "God saw what He had made and behold! it was very good."

The Path of Truth Vol. 58, No. 1 page 16.

Weekly Bible quote 97 from the School of Truth, read by andre

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Thou hast put gladness in my heart - (Ps 4:7)
I put my whole trust in the love of God and all things work together for my good

How many average individuals believe in the above text, acknowledge it, and give thanks for it?
On the whole man is inclined to feel rather hard done by; he has so much to contend with, there is so little fun in his day-to-day existence and there is always the unremitting struggle to make both ends meet. All things considered this realm is more a "vale of tears" than a merry-go-round! Nevertheless it is written "In thy Presence is fullness of Joy." And since God is Omnipresence, He must be with each one of us and each of us must always be with Him, maintained and sustained by Him, ever in His loving care.

What we have to do is stop looking at the negative appearances that surround us, raising instead our eyes unto the hills and know whence cometh our help - know that it comes from God, as we go forward rejoicing. Then all our ways will become ways of pleasantness and we shall have nothing to long for and nothing whatever to fear.

The Path of Truth Jul/Aug 2009, p. 176.

Weekly Bible quote 96 from the School of Truth, read by andre

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Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which He will work for you today - (Ex 14:13)
I put my trust in God, and all is well

When you are troubled, and you do not know which way to turn, think of today's text. Know that the spirit of Christ within you is stronger than any conditions and go to Him for help. Then be still and know that He is God. Put your trust in Him and wait patiently for His will to be done in your life. Recognise the Power that is in you. Realise that His will is always goodwill, and try not to worry.

When we worry we are liable to block up the channel through which His help flows to us. We must keep it clear of all doubts and fears. The greater our need the greater is His opportunity to help us.

But do not think that to stand still means that you have nothing to do. If you want work you must look for it, for most of us have to work if we would eat. But if you have done everything possible, leave yourself entirely in God's hands in faith knowing that He wants only what is for your greatest good.

The Path of Truth, May/Jun 2009, p. 118.

Weekly Bible quote 95 from the School of Truth, read by andre

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him - (Ps 37:7)
I acknowledge the Presence and Power of God active in my every experience

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We may be experiencing some crisis in our lives which we ourselves can do nothing about. The only thing is to put our trust in God. And it is when we most need to have faith that we often find it so difficult. It is easy enough when things are running smoothly for us but not so easy when things go wrong. That is the test. When all looks black, that is when we prove whether we trust in God or not.

To acquire more faith let us make use of what we have, however little it may appear to be. Fear shows lack of faith so we should try to conquer some fear as often as possible, starting with the little ones and gradually moving on to the bigger ones.

Patience, too, we must cultivate. It is not easy to relax and wait quietly for God's will to be made manifest if it is not done at once and the matter is urgent. But that is what we must do.

The Path of Truth Nov/Dec 2009, p. 288.

Weekly Bible quote 94 from the School of Truth, read by andre

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Always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus-
Christ to God the Father - (Eph 5:20)
Simply and sincerely I accept God in my life

In living the God-fulfilled life we cannot bind Him to our experience of time, of one thing happening after another. We must, in mind and heart, leap to fulfilment and to gratitude that "it is done". Only by taking God so for granted do we open ourselves to Him and to his resolution of all that stirs within us.

The "Lord Jesus-Christ" is the Father's presence in each and every one of us and in all Creation, whether or not we call It by that name. Were God not present in our world it would not exist, for there is nothing outside of His oneness. So, says Paul, let us start with what we know and are sure of - our very lives and all that sustains us - and give thanks for it, knowing it is inherently perfect.

Start this day in peace and in thankfulness, accepting the completeness of God. There is no higher prayer.

The Path of Truth Vol. 55 No. 2, p. 91.

Weekly Bible quote 98 from the School of Truth, read by andre

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And other sheep I have which are not of this fold - (John 10:16)
I am tolerant towards the spiritual beliefs of my fellowmen

What crimes have been perpetrated in the name of religion! In the past men sought to impose their particular form of worship on their fellows with disasterous results. And even today there is not enough tolerance for the other man's creed, yet we cannot all expect to think alike. I may have been brought up to worship in one church and you in another. Some attend no church and yet are good people. Fortunate are those who have been brought up to accept the principles of Truth.

To you, God may seem nearest in a quiet garden, while He may seem closest to me in some great cathedral. As long as we feel our unity with Him what does it matter where we worship or what creed we follow? Why should you condemn me, or I you?

We must learn tolerance. Each of us has the form of religion necessary for his standard of spiritual growth.

The Path of Truth Sep/Oct 2009 page 228.