Letter from your Heavenly Father (Part Five, churches)

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My Dear Child,

As you look around you at the state of those churches which purport to be devoted to me, you will sometimes feel appalled and confused; while at other times you may be excited and encouraged to know that there are so many ways you can have a relationship with me which pleases me! 

I would urge you not to become dismayed, but to see this difficulty as one of the most important of challenges from which you may learn a great deal.

As I have already explained, my hopes and plans for your education and development mean that you need to confront many levels of difficulty, and each person has been placed in a different situation which is (on-the-whole, but not- of course - in every detail) fitted to his nature and needs.  

Nonetheless, sometimes - perhaps most of the time - you feel as if you are adrift alone and without guidance. But this is a mistake - you have guidance because I am within you - I am 'built-into' you because you are my child.

(Analogously, you also are built-into your children, via the mechanisms of heredity - including but not restricted to genes.)

Therefore, even if you feel cut-off from communication with me, you have me inside of you at all times and in all situations.

But you might suppose this means that, because God is within you, you cannot make a mistake? And then you will realise that this would be a misunderstanding - because you are just a child and cannot avoid mistakes, and my scheme is to turn this fact to good; because it is through your mistakes that you can learn most rapidly and deeply. 

So, in any situation, you must simply do your best, try as hard as you can; learn from what happens, and be prepared to repent when you recognise your errors. But you have indeed been equipped with an inner guidance system - so that. if you consult this frequently, then over time - no matter how many mistakes you make - the overall direction will be upward.

Starting from ground zero, with no beliefs, you need to judge what is true (or truest). This initial choice of  what is true and what is Good - and what on the other hand is false and evil, must be made primarily (although not wholly) by what I sometime call the discernment of a warm and open heart.

You need to trying to discover what feels most deeply Good after investigation, reflection, prayer and seeking guidance from me as I dwell within you. You are seeking what is called a revelation - a communication from me directly and personally to you - which could come in a flash, or as a gradual or step-by-step building-up of deep conviction.

You, like all my children, are capable of error - in this job of discovering the nature of your faith, as in all the tasks you face. But there is no deeper nor more valid way of making your basic life decision than the the one I have been describing.

My intention here is that you will find this encouraging, and that you will relish the challenges that lie before you. As I have already said: do your best, try the hardest you can - and be prepared to acknowledge when you err (and I will tell you when you have erred - all you need to do is ask me; and when you do not understand or cannot hear may answer, just keep on asking).

It is not some kind of feeble second-best life that you are engaged in now; but a process of education. The difficulties you face are - on the whole - the difficulties from which you-specifically can potentially learn what you-personally most need to learn; and this includes your difficulties about churches.

Do not become paralysed by these problems and the extreme likelihood of mistakes! Perhaps the greatest danger of all the many dangers that confront you would be to try and live such that you cannot make any mistakes. I call this 'spiritual pride'.

So; do not despair, but be full of hope!

I am always with you - not to make your choices for you (that is your job and indeed only you can do it), but to guide you as to the rightness of those decisions. Keep your heart open and warm, whatever happens, and you shall prevail.

From your loving Father in Heaven

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