Living Faith
Greetings, brothers and sisters. This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series where we seek to
explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years, the heavenly
Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them with you. This
morning we seek to understand living faith.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
The Living Faith
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened." Matthew, Chapter 7, Verses 7 and 8.
Brothers and sisters, living faith asserts that there is always new truth to be discovered. It never
confuses the delays of growth with the eternity and infinity of truth. Living faith in the final analysis
is like truth--infinite and eternal. It can with unshakable confidence and poise follow the material
ups and downs as it extracts truth concealed in these sometimes painful and sorrowful disappointing
experiences.
It requires living faith to calmly stand by while one's fondest hopes and dreams perish. It requires
living faith to grasp the eternal meanings and values that emerge amidst the crumbling material
reality. It requires living faith to grasp the substance of the Father's love. It requires living faith to
grasp the eternal purpose and to dedicate the human will to that purpose. It requires living faith to
continue on in the face of ever-increasing adversity. It requires living faith to live for a spiritual ideal.
To grasp the reality of divine sonship with the Father requires living faith, faith that can transcend
all fixed and preconceived concepts. It requires living faith to gain insight into the deathless state.
It requires living faith to become any and all things in continuous pursuit of truth. Only living faith
can supply the courage to journey on in the face of material darkness; only living faith can see the
bright light of truth as it leads the way.
Only living faith will dare climb the height of truth until it reaches that level of value where it
comprehends that meaning where it dares to declare that the Father and I are one. Such a statement
is analogous to the question of "who convicts me of sin?" Only living faith can validate the reality
of a will dedicated and consecrated to doing the divine will. Only living faith can extract the pleasure
and joy from the divine values and meanings. Only living faith can see the individual as God sees
him. Only living faith can grasp the realty that the heavenly Father is Father to all and we are all
spiritual brothers and sisters.
It requires living faith to know that the Truth spirit of Jesus is present within the soul, guiding it
through the mortal life. Only living faith can maintain the soul along the path of progressive moral
struggles and increasing spiritual attainments. Living faith is required when one's decisions appear
to have no impact whatsoever in the moral arena. Only living faith can grasp the potential spiritual
reality, and treat it as being actual. Only living faith dares to worship the Father, and maintain the
goodness of God in the face of crushing material defeats.
And what about beauty? Can beauty be perceived without living faith? Can the beauty of form be
perceived without the aide of living faith? Can the beauty of the moral struggle and the beauty of
spiritual value be conceived without living faith? Can the goodness of divine meanings be perceived
without living faith? Living faith must ever stand as the pledge of all the soul's inexpressible hopes
and unquenchable longings.
The craving of the soul to attain God--to know Him and become like Him in the process--is a force
that can only be resolved by the soul actually attaining such spiritual heights. Living faith is the proof
that such spiritual transformation is taking place. Only living faith can validate the sincerity of the
soul's consecration to doing the Father's will and is the proof that the soul is doing that will in ever
increasing spiritual perfection.
Only living faith can provide sunshine to the soul when the mind is perplexed and unsure of itself.
Only living faith can console the soul when the complex moral environment creates an apparent
impasse. Only living faith can soothe a vainglorious ego seeking recognition and power. Only living
faith can reveal the reality of spiritual power and divine wisdom. Only living faith can enable the
soul to suffer long for the sake of divine goodness. Only living faith can love under any and all
circumstances. Only living faith has the power to transcend the moment and harmonize with the
eternal in divine partnership of increasingly revealing the Father in the moral affairs. Only living
faith comes from the Father, and the pursuit of it can only lead back to Him.
This concludes today's message on living faith. We hope you find something in this message to
ponder and pray about as you go about your day. Until next time, this is Dr. James Perry.
Inspirational Messages
By Dr. James Perry
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done!
Living Faith
