Prelude to the Prayer for the Divine Love
Given by Jesus to James Padgett on December 2nd, 1916
The following articles were written in 2007. Both together give an account of my experience reading the messages in order of date received by Mr. Padgett; in particular, reading the messages leading up to the date when Jesus gave the prayer for the Divine Love.
Reading the Padgett messages in chronological order is a passionate experience for me. Each morning I am nearly breathless when I open the Internet and turn to the Padgett messages. I wonder who the spirit will be that will come to James to write. And what kind of condition will James the medium be in? Will he be in high condition and ready to receive another high truth from the Celestial teachers? Or will his condition be low and therefore unable to receive truths from the Celestial Realms?
After a time in prayer I turn to the Internet and begin my reading. This is important because I feel that prayer for the inflowing of Divine Love cleanses and purifies my soul so that I am in better condition to receive whatever is presented for my soul perceptions to receive from Celestial helpers.
Today I am more excited than usual. I am more excited because I am aware of the sequence of dates that I have been reading in the Padgett messages. I realize I am nearing the date when Jesus came to James to deliver his prayer for the Divine Love.
Thus, more so than normal, I am looking closely to see who the messengers are and what the messages are that form the backdrop or prelude to the coming of the Master and his prayer.
Jesus is the Master teacher and the Master of the Celestial. He is behind the orchestration of all the Padgett messages. I feel that nothing is left to chance or accident. Spirits form a wall of protection as well as a doorway for spirits to come to write messages through James.
On November 19, 1916, the Apostle Paul arrives and begins a three-part series of messages on the subject of hell—what it is and what it is not. Paul’s messages are broken only by a short message by Priscilla Stone and a rather unusual appearance of a low-level spirit, Descartes, the famous French Philosopher. Descartes comes with the intention of wooing Padgett away from the Divine Love, enticing James to give more attention to the development of his intellect and the gaining of knowledge. Descartes extols the virtues of the human mind and boasts of his conversations with those of similar interests in the spirit world. In short, he tells James to stop listening to silly spirits who come to speak to him of the way of Divine Love.
One wonders how much “negative” effect this has on James. We learn from other messages that James loved to read books and study other points of view. I can only speculate that Descartes’ message influenced James. Descartes was present for a reason; I feel this to be true.
Next in the line of messages is one on the 25th of November when Goliath makes a surprise visit. Goliath is the giant David supposedly killed with a stone from a slingshot. He is a Celestial angel but spent many years in the hells before the light and love of the Father found entrance into his soul. Goliath has a fascinating message (I think) on the subject of false expectations of the doctrine of reincarnation and the equally false idea of the appearance of a persuasive teacher to tell them the way to live. This message of Goliath is a great message for many people today to read and study. It highlights what many so-called spiritual people are saying and writing today, namely, that they claim for themselves status and recognition because they believe that they are the reincarnation of this or that great person in history. Goliath destroys all false fabrications of this nature.
Helen then comes to confirm Goliath’s message, and next we see a short but important message from the Apostle John on November 26th. James Padgett had visited a particular church and heard a message on the subject of hell, and John came quickly to counter what James heard (and maybe was influenced by). “Untruth is untruth,” John nearly thunders through his words. John says, “Error works its own punishment, but it may be of some consolation, and will be to those who preach, and to those who accept falsehood as truth, to know that such punishment will not be everlasting, and that God is not a God of wrath or of vindictiveness, and that His justice never demands more than is necessary for the removing of error, and the establishment of His truths.”
After John there are four days that pass without a message. And then on November 30, 1916, the Apostle Luke arrives to write his message. Some days there a several messages, but on November 30th Luke is the only message to be written. His message, I feel, dovetails beautifully with Goliath’s message, and in many ways with the last several messages. Luke writes about the real truth concerning the so-called Millennium of Peace and Love. Luke asks the question, “What is the most important thing in all the world for men to do in order to bring about the great millennium that the preachers proclaim will come before or after the coming of Jesus?” So Luke proceeds to “destroy” the false beliefs and expectations of many who are looking for the easy way out of this world, trying, they think, to short-circuit the way of soul cleansing and purification.
[Note: This is all the time I have now to write. I’ll try to return tomorrow to finish this “Prelude". There is one additional message to review before I actually arrive at and read the prayer that Jesus gave as the one most important prayer.]
Joseph - February 15th, 2007
In the two weeks preceding the message of Jesus—before the Prayer for Divine Love is given—James attended two church services.
On Sunday, November 19, 1916, James heard a sermon on the subject of hell, and then afterwards the Apostle Paul came to write a message on hell—what it is and what it is not. But Paul stops his message abruptly and doesn’t explain why he quickly ceased to write further.
Paul returns on Monday night (the 20th) and writes, “and if you feel that you are in condition to receive the message I will begin and finish the same.” Well, Paul starts to write but again stops after writing only a very short message. Here he does give a reason; he writes, “I see that you are not just in condition to write or to receive my thoughts, and I will not write more. But I will come soon and write fully on these matters. So with the hope that soon you will be able to take my message, I will say goodnight.”
Paul stops writing, but on the very same night Priscilla Stone comes to write a message to and for her son, Dr. Leslie Stone.
And after Priscilla Stone is finished a 'dark' spirit came along to write, Descartes, the famous French philosopher, which I mentioned in yesterday’s writing. I have a feeling that Descartes influenced Padgett more than we care to admit. On the other hand, is it possible that James attracted Descartes?
The next night, Tuesday, November 21st, Paul returns for the third time to try to complete his message on the subject of hell. It is a very long message and because of its length we assume Paul completed what he wanted to write. Yet, we wonder, because Paul again stops rather abruptly, merely saying, “You are tired and I must stop.”
Four days later, on Saturday, November 25th, Goliath and Helen Padgett write their messages (which I mentioned above). Helen does provide a brief look into the soul condition of James when she writes: “I am very glad that you are feeling better tonight as it makes me able to get closer to you and more in rapport with your condition. I am very happy and want you to be and I am praying for you and asking the Father to bless you with a greater inflowing of His Love.” The suggestion here appears to indicate that James had not been feeling well. And Helen doesn’t say that James is in ‘good’ condition, only that his condition enables her to get closer and more in rapport with his condition.
The next day is Sunday ( November 26, 1916) and James returns to a church service and once again hears a sermon on the subject of hell. And then the Apostle John came immediately to write a message to dispel the false doctrines James had given himself to listen to. And at the end of his writing, John says this: “Let all of you continue to pray to the Father for this Love and have faith, and the time will soon come (when) that faith will become as real and existing as the sun which you so much enjoyed today.”
Is John’s encouragement to James and his friends to be taken lightly? Or is there something ‘negative’ happening in James’ soul condition which prompted John to help correct? We may never fully know the answer to this question.
Four days go by and then Luke comes to James to write a message on the subject of the false beliefs and untruth surrounding the subject of the Millennium. This happened on Thursday night, November 30th.
It is not until Friday night (December 1st) that we see the soul condition of James revealed to us by a Celestial spirit. On this night the writer is Judas, and he writes a probing message concerning a cloud that had come to separate James from his Celestial friends and helpers. Judas wants to help James break through this cloud. Yet, neither he nor any other spirit friend (not even Jesus) can actually dispel the cloud. The work that needs to be done must be done by James.
Judas writes this:
“I wish to say that whenever you let the thoughts of your material mind control your spiritual consciousness, the result is that you suffer a darkening of the soul's faculties and a consequent impossibility to get in rapport with the higher spirits and their condition of exalted truth and the happiness that necessarily accompanies the association of such spirits with your spiritual essence. So you will understand the importance of keeping the purely mental thoughts (that are created by or arise from the exercise of the five senses and the reasoning powers) in subordination to the perceptions of the soul that arise from the condition of that soul being in harmony with the truths of the Father.”
James had gotten himself into a state of such deep worry about his material life, that he actually created a cloud of gloom around and about himself. His worrisome thoughts created a bubble of defense where the free flow of Divine Love could not penetrate. Judas writes further:
“Your worries and dread of impending distress and failure to be able to satisfy the demands upon you, have alienated you, to a large extent, from the higher truths and the rapport that you have heretofore enjoyed and possessed, and have caused much unhappiness to come to you. But being mortal, and realizing the demands that are made upon you as a mortal, it may be quite natural that you should get into that condition of worry and dread, and not be able to realize that these higher spiritual conditions are the more desirable, and the only ones that will bring you happiness and freedom from worry.”
There is a way out of such worries and cares. James knows the answer but he has allowed the burdens of his material life to usurp the positive influences of the Divine truths that have been written through him, and the many spirit helpers that constantly surround him. We mortals do have the power of choice (free will) to determine which influences will dominate in our life. Judas continues and writes:
“I know that so long as you are a mortal the cares of life will be a part of your living, and that they will be of sufficient weight to exercise a powerful influence on your thinking and acting, and that you will scarcely be able to cause the spiritual thoughts and happiness that always flows from them, to set aside and make unreal this material condition. Yet such a thing is possible, and you can bring about this so desirable condition if you will only follow the advice that has been given you by your spirit friends, [namely], pray to the Father and believe.”
It is possible to rise above the worries and cares of this material life. No one needs to be servant to the weight of material conditions. The choice belongs to us which master we will serve. The message of Judas is a positive reinforcement of so many other Celestial messages which reveal that it is only by faith and prayer that we will be enabled to stand above materials conditions. These instrumentalities—faith and prayer—are the only means given to mortals or spirits whereby we may experience the victory and achieve the freedom of the soul to align with the Heavenly Father. Thus, Judas writes:
“So let me advise you to make every effort to get into that condition that these spiritual acquirements will place you in, and trust to the promises that have been made you as to the material things.
I desire to write merely this tonight to encourage you, and to assure you that you need not let the worries and fears of the future, as to these material wants, take possession of you and deaden the spiritual contentment that may be yours.
"You will not be abandoned in the particulars mentioned, and you must rely upon the promises that have been made you, and you will find that you will not be forsaken.
So think of what I herein say, and give your thoughts to the Father's Love and to the promises of the spirits who are so much interested in you.”
The choice is ours, as it was for James Padgett. This may be strange to write this, but I am thankful for the struggles of James that are exhibited for all of us to read in the Padgett messages. His path of mediumship is not strewn with a bed of roses. He showed many ups and downs in his soul condition, and through his experiences we see the way of Divine Love teachings to overcome the low points of soul condition. If it were not for these writings, we who sometimes struggle today would not have the remedies to bring victory to our soul. It is with great effort that we may possess true and sincere soul longings—which in turn will enable us to become a transformed human soul and a divine angel.
This is my view of the prelude or backdrop for the coming of Jesus to write the Prayer for Divine Love.
Joseph
February 16th, 2007
After a time in prayer I turn to the Internet and begin my reading. This is important because I feel that prayer for the inflowing of Divine Love cleanses and purifies my soul so that I am in better condition to receive whatever is presented for my soul perceptions to receive from Celestial helpers.
Today I am more excited than usual. I am more excited because I am aware of the sequence of dates that I have been reading in the Padgett messages. I realize I am nearing the date when Jesus came to James to deliver his prayer for the Divine Love.
Thus, more so than normal, I am looking closely to see who the messengers are and what the messages are that form the backdrop or prelude to the coming of the Master and his prayer.
Jesus is the Master teacher and the Master of the Celestial. He is behind the orchestration of all the Padgett messages. I feel that nothing is left to chance or accident. Spirits form a wall of protection as well as a doorway for spirits to come to write messages through James.
On November 19, 1916, the Apostle Paul arrives and begins a three-part series of messages on the subject of hell—what it is and what it is not. Paul’s messages are broken only by a short message by Priscilla Stone and a rather unusual appearance of a low-level spirit, Descartes, the famous French Philosopher. Descartes comes with the intention of wooing Padgett away from the Divine Love, enticing James to give more attention to the development of his intellect and the gaining of knowledge. Descartes extols the virtues of the human mind and boasts of his conversations with those of similar interests in the spirit world. In short, he tells James to stop listening to silly spirits who come to speak to him of the way of Divine Love.
One wonders how much “negative” effect this has on James. We learn from other messages that James loved to read books and study other points of view. I can only speculate that Descartes’ message influenced James. Descartes was present for a reason; I feel this to be true.
Next in the line of messages is one on the 25th of November when Goliath makes a surprise visit. Goliath is the giant David supposedly killed with a stone from a slingshot. He is a Celestial angel but spent many years in the hells before the light and love of the Father found entrance into his soul. Goliath has a fascinating message (I think) on the subject of false expectations of the doctrine of reincarnation and the equally false idea of the appearance of a persuasive teacher to tell them the way to live. This message of Goliath is a great message for many people today to read and study. It highlights what many so-called spiritual people are saying and writing today, namely, that they claim for themselves status and recognition because they believe that they are the reincarnation of this or that great person in history. Goliath destroys all false fabrications of this nature.
Helen then comes to confirm Goliath’s message, and next we see a short but important message from the Apostle John on November 26th. James Padgett had visited a particular church and heard a message on the subject of hell, and John came quickly to counter what James heard (and maybe was influenced by). “Untruth is untruth,” John nearly thunders through his words. John says, “Error works its own punishment, but it may be of some consolation, and will be to those who preach, and to those who accept falsehood as truth, to know that such punishment will not be everlasting, and that God is not a God of wrath or of vindictiveness, and that His justice never demands more than is necessary for the removing of error, and the establishment of His truths.”
After John there are four days that pass without a message. And then on November 30, 1916, the Apostle Luke arrives to write his message. Some days there a several messages, but on November 30th Luke is the only message to be written. His message, I feel, dovetails beautifully with Goliath’s message, and in many ways with the last several messages. Luke writes about the real truth concerning the so-called Millennium of Peace and Love. Luke asks the question, “What is the most important thing in all the world for men to do in order to bring about the great millennium that the preachers proclaim will come before or after the coming of Jesus?” So Luke proceeds to “destroy” the false beliefs and expectations of many who are looking for the easy way out of this world, trying, they think, to short-circuit the way of soul cleansing and purification.
[Note: This is all the time I have now to write. I’ll try to return tomorrow to finish this “Prelude". There is one additional message to review before I actually arrive at and read the prayer that Jesus gave as the one most important prayer.]
Joseph - February 15th, 2007
In the two weeks preceding the message of Jesus—before the Prayer for Divine Love is given—James attended two church services.
On Sunday, November 19, 1916, James heard a sermon on the subject of hell, and then afterwards the Apostle Paul came to write a message on hell—what it is and what it is not. But Paul stops his message abruptly and doesn’t explain why he quickly ceased to write further.
Paul returns on Monday night (the 20th) and writes, “and if you feel that you are in condition to receive the message I will begin and finish the same.” Well, Paul starts to write but again stops after writing only a very short message. Here he does give a reason; he writes, “I see that you are not just in condition to write or to receive my thoughts, and I will not write more. But I will come soon and write fully on these matters. So with the hope that soon you will be able to take my message, I will say goodnight.”
Paul stops writing, but on the very same night Priscilla Stone comes to write a message to and for her son, Dr. Leslie Stone.
And after Priscilla Stone is finished a 'dark' spirit came along to write, Descartes, the famous French philosopher, which I mentioned in yesterday’s writing. I have a feeling that Descartes influenced Padgett more than we care to admit. On the other hand, is it possible that James attracted Descartes?
The next night, Tuesday, November 21st, Paul returns for the third time to try to complete his message on the subject of hell. It is a very long message and because of its length we assume Paul completed what he wanted to write. Yet, we wonder, because Paul again stops rather abruptly, merely saying, “You are tired and I must stop.”
Four days later, on Saturday, November 25th, Goliath and Helen Padgett write their messages (which I mentioned above). Helen does provide a brief look into the soul condition of James when she writes: “I am very glad that you are feeling better tonight as it makes me able to get closer to you and more in rapport with your condition. I am very happy and want you to be and I am praying for you and asking the Father to bless you with a greater inflowing of His Love.” The suggestion here appears to indicate that James had not been feeling well. And Helen doesn’t say that James is in ‘good’ condition, only that his condition enables her to get closer and more in rapport with his condition.
The next day is Sunday ( November 26, 1916) and James returns to a church service and once again hears a sermon on the subject of hell. And then the Apostle John came immediately to write a message to dispel the false doctrines James had given himself to listen to. And at the end of his writing, John says this: “Let all of you continue to pray to the Father for this Love and have faith, and the time will soon come (when) that faith will become as real and existing as the sun which you so much enjoyed today.”
Is John’s encouragement to James and his friends to be taken lightly? Or is there something ‘negative’ happening in James’ soul condition which prompted John to help correct? We may never fully know the answer to this question.
Four days go by and then Luke comes to James to write a message on the subject of the false beliefs and untruth surrounding the subject of the Millennium. This happened on Thursday night, November 30th.
It is not until Friday night (December 1st) that we see the soul condition of James revealed to us by a Celestial spirit. On this night the writer is Judas, and he writes a probing message concerning a cloud that had come to separate James from his Celestial friends and helpers. Judas wants to help James break through this cloud. Yet, neither he nor any other spirit friend (not even Jesus) can actually dispel the cloud. The work that needs to be done must be done by James.
Judas writes this:
“I wish to say that whenever you let the thoughts of your material mind control your spiritual consciousness, the result is that you suffer a darkening of the soul's faculties and a consequent impossibility to get in rapport with the higher spirits and their condition of exalted truth and the happiness that necessarily accompanies the association of such spirits with your spiritual essence. So you will understand the importance of keeping the purely mental thoughts (that are created by or arise from the exercise of the five senses and the reasoning powers) in subordination to the perceptions of the soul that arise from the condition of that soul being in harmony with the truths of the Father.”
James had gotten himself into a state of such deep worry about his material life, that he actually created a cloud of gloom around and about himself. His worrisome thoughts created a bubble of defense where the free flow of Divine Love could not penetrate. Judas writes further:
“Your worries and dread of impending distress and failure to be able to satisfy the demands upon you, have alienated you, to a large extent, from the higher truths and the rapport that you have heretofore enjoyed and possessed, and have caused much unhappiness to come to you. But being mortal, and realizing the demands that are made upon you as a mortal, it may be quite natural that you should get into that condition of worry and dread, and not be able to realize that these higher spiritual conditions are the more desirable, and the only ones that will bring you happiness and freedom from worry.”
There is a way out of such worries and cares. James knows the answer but he has allowed the burdens of his material life to usurp the positive influences of the Divine truths that have been written through him, and the many spirit helpers that constantly surround him. We mortals do have the power of choice (free will) to determine which influences will dominate in our life. Judas continues and writes:
“I know that so long as you are a mortal the cares of life will be a part of your living, and that they will be of sufficient weight to exercise a powerful influence on your thinking and acting, and that you will scarcely be able to cause the spiritual thoughts and happiness that always flows from them, to set aside and make unreal this material condition. Yet such a thing is possible, and you can bring about this so desirable condition if you will only follow the advice that has been given you by your spirit friends, [namely], pray to the Father and believe.”
It is possible to rise above the worries and cares of this material life. No one needs to be servant to the weight of material conditions. The choice belongs to us which master we will serve. The message of Judas is a positive reinforcement of so many other Celestial messages which reveal that it is only by faith and prayer that we will be enabled to stand above materials conditions. These instrumentalities—faith and prayer—are the only means given to mortals or spirits whereby we may experience the victory and achieve the freedom of the soul to align with the Heavenly Father. Thus, Judas writes:
“So let me advise you to make every effort to get into that condition that these spiritual acquirements will place you in, and trust to the promises that have been made you as to the material things.
I desire to write merely this tonight to encourage you, and to assure you that you need not let the worries and fears of the future, as to these material wants, take possession of you and deaden the spiritual contentment that may be yours.
"You will not be abandoned in the particulars mentioned, and you must rely upon the promises that have been made you, and you will find that you will not be forsaken.
So think of what I herein say, and give your thoughts to the Father's Love and to the promises of the spirits who are so much interested in you.”
The choice is ours, as it was for James Padgett. This may be strange to write this, but I am thankful for the struggles of James that are exhibited for all of us to read in the Padgett messages. His path of mediumship is not strewn with a bed of roses. He showed many ups and downs in his soul condition, and through his experiences we see the way of Divine Love teachings to overcome the low points of soul condition. If it were not for these writings, we who sometimes struggle today would not have the remedies to bring victory to our soul. It is with great effort that we may possess true and sincere soul longings—which in turn will enable us to become a transformed human soul and a divine angel.
This is my view of the prelude or backdrop for the coming of Jesus to write the Prayer for Divine Love.
Joseph
February 16th, 2007