Allowed

We are allowed to come to God, by His choice.

 

We are allowed to come to God, by His choice: This may seem like a very strange thing to say, since all religions, definitely tell us, that God loves all of us, so very much, but the various religions of God, also tell us that irregardless of our free will and choice, God does, in fact, pick and choose who He will allow to recognize Him and His manifestations, and who He will not be allowing to recognize Him and follow the truth. In fact, it’s God’s choice who He even allows to come near Him, and who is not allowed to approach Him; as strange as all of this seems. And don’t think, just because you cry out Lord, Lord with every breath you make in this life, that you are one of the chosen, preferred ones who see the truth, again that’s His choice: the cross-5pix Matthew: 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” For, “Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? ‘And in Thy name have cast out devils?’ ‘And in Thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Luke: 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” “And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” “Who-so-ever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:” “He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood rose the stream beat vehemently upon that house and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” “But he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke: 13:23 “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them: Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” And, “When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying Lord, Lord, open to us, and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence and Thou hast taught in our streets.” “But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.” And, “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you your-selves thrust out.” For, John: 12:40 “He (God) hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.” There are many, many people who claim, beyond a doubt, that they are right with God, that they have everything in hand and everything, absolutely under control, as far as the nature of their soul’s relationship with God is concerned. I mean they, whoever they may be, man or woman, absolutely believe this with their whole, entire heart, that they have everything right and under control with God; they absolutely, absolutely know this to be true, because they, in fact, do everything, possibly, that they can do, perfectly right, as far as God’s Holy Word is concerned; I mean, how can anything possibly, go wrong with their plans, for their future? Then let me ask you what I believe to be, a really pertinent question? Why does Jesus Christ tell us that this is the real truth about mankind: Matthew: 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” 20:16 “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” For there are many people called to God’s way, but there are, in fact, very few real, thinking people who are actually chosen to share in God’s true plans for humanity. Why is this, people need to ask themselves? John: 6:44 “No man can come to me, except The Father which hath sent me draw him:” John: 6:65 For, “no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” Because, 5:19 “I have chosen you out of the world,” For: Jewish symbols star-8pix JUDAISM: Micah: 3:4 “Then shall they cry unto The LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.” Exodus: 33:19 “And he said, I will proclaim the name of The LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” 4 Ezra: “The Most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for few. There be many created, but few shall be saved.” Deuteronomy: 29:4 “Yet The LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” Exodus: 7:13 “And He (God) hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as The LORD had said.” For, Psalms: 65:4 “Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts.”

the greatest name-12pixBAHA’I FAITH: “Say: O people! Let not this life and its deceits deceive you, for the world and all that is therein is held firmly in the grasp of His Will. He bestoweth His favor on whom He willeth, and from whom He willeth He taketh it away. He doth whatsoever He chooseth.”

           (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 208)

The shrine10 pix BABI RELIGION: “Be thankful to God for having enabled you to recognize His Cause. Whoever has received this blessing must, prior to his acceptance, have performed some deed which, though he himself was unaware of its character, was ordained by God as a means whereby he has been guided to find and embrace the Truth. As to those who have remained deprived of such a blessing, their acts alone have hindered them from recognizing the truth of this Revelation.”

          (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 585)

Islamic symbol-10 pix ISLAM: 111. “Even if We did send unto them angels, and the dead did speak unto them, and We gathered together all things before their very eyes, they are not the ones to believe, unless it is in Allah’s (God‘s) Plan.” 145. “Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave.” 100. “No soul can believe, except by the Will of Allah.”

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2, 3 and  6)

Islamic symbol-5pix 17. “They impress on thee as favor that they have embraced Islam. Say, “Count not your Islam as a favor upon me: Nay, Allah has conferred a favor upon you that He has guided you to the Faith, if ye be true and sincere.”

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  49)

 

Islamic symbol-5pix 109. “On that Day shall no intercession avail except for those for whom permission has been granted by (Allah) Most Gracious and whose word is acceptable to Him.”

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  20)

Islamic symbol-5pix 51. “Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed.” 23. “Such are the men whom Allah has cursed for He has made them deaf and blinded their sight.”

           (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 9 and 47)

Zoroastrian symbol-12pix ZOROASTRIANISM: “It is only when Mazda (God) is pleased to lead, that a man can tread the path of virtue.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 688)

Ahura Mazda symbol-8pix 23. “Who will stay them from beholding the Right.”

           (The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 32)

Hindu symbol-10pix HINDUISM: 2. “The various doings of all mortal people by Thee are ordered, in Thy wisdom (Brahma/Vishnu/God).”

           (Hinduism, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 1)

 Hindu symbol 5-pix “Of the many thousands of mortals, one, perchance, Striveth for Truth; and of those few that strive- Nay, and rise high- one only- here and there Knoweth Me, as I Am, the very Truth.” “All creatures live bewildered, save some few who, quit of sins, holy in act, informed, Freed from the opposites, and fixed in faith, Cleave unto Me.” (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 7)

Hindu symbol 5-pix 6 “The man who sits, the man who walks, and whosoever looks on us, Of these we closely shut the eyes, even as we closely shut this house.”

           (Hindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 7)

Buddhist wheel symbol-10 pix BUDDHISM: “Though they all honor, praise and esteem Me, they do not fully understand the meaning and significance of the words they use; not having their own self-realization of Truth they cling to the words of their canonical books, or to what has been told them, or to what they have imagined, and fail to see that the name they are using is only one of the many names of the Tathagata,” and they fail to hear the voice of the Tathagata calling out to His chosen ones. “Blinded indeed is this world. Few are those who see the truth. Like a bird breaking out of the net, few are those who go to heaven.” “Few are those among men who have crossed over to the other shore, while the rest of mankind runs along the bank.”

         (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra and Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards)

Dharma wheel Buddhist symbols-5pix 6. “Few are those among men, (mankind) who have crossed over to the other shore, while the rest of mankind runs along the bank.” 13. “Blinded indeed is this world. Few are those who see the truth. Like a bird breaking out of the net, few are those who go to heaven.” (Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

Mandaean symbol-15pix SABEANISM: “My chosen, ye sought and ye found, moreover ye shall seek and ye shall find. Ye have sought and found, my chosen ones, as the first (souls) sought and found.” “I call to My chosen ones so that Ye may not turn your thought away from Me.” “I prepared a path for the good ones and made a gateway for the world. A gateway for the world I made.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 71, 75, 89 and 90 and The way of Salvation, Adam)

Mandaean symbol1 “In the name of The Great Life (Haiyi/God) to you do I call and (you) do I teach; men who have received the Sign. Out of those, “He brought out those (few) who love His name of Truth from Darkness to Light and from Evil to Good and from Death to Life and set them On roads of Truth and Faith.” “I call to my chosen ones so that ye may not turn your thought away from Me.” “I prepared a path for the good ones and made a gateway for the world. A gateway for the world I made.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 75, 89 and 90 and The way of Salvation, from Adam)

The shrine-17pix BABI RELIGION: “Only that which is the will of God can happen to me.” “I render thanks and yield praise unto God for having been chosen by Him.” “Then, became aware of the truth of the Cause and manifested exemplary servitude and devotion to His chosen ones.” “Verily God guideth whom He will into the path of absolute certitude.”

         (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 10, 13, 96 and The Dawn-Breakers, p. 248)

The shrine10 pix “In these days how few are those who abide by the standard laid down in The Qur’án. Nay, nowhere are they to be found, except such as God hath willed. Should there be, however, such a person, his righteous deeds would prove of no avail unto him, if he hath failed to follow the standard revealed in the Bayan; (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 102)

the greatest name-12pixBAHA’I FAITH: “Nothing whatsoever is possible without His permission; no power can endure save through His power, and there is none other God but He. His is the world of creation, and His the Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation, and all unfold the mysteries of His Spirit.” “Many are called, but few are chosen.’ The chosen have heard and understood the call from the divine assembly.”

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 175 and Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 59)

the greatest name 8 pix“It is easy to read the Holy Scriptures, but it is only with a clean heart and a pure mind that one may understand their true meaning. Let us ask God‘s help to enable us to understand the Holy Books. Let us pray for eyes to see and ears to hear, and for hearts that long for peace.” “God‘s eternal Mercy is immeasurable. He has always chosen certain souls upon whom He has shed the Divine Bounty of His heart, whose minds He has illumined with celestial light, to whom He has revealed the sacred mysteries, and kept clear before their sight the Mirror of Truth. These are the disciples of God, and His goodness has no bounds. You who are servants of the Most High may be disciples also. The treasuries of God are limitless.”

          (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 56

the greatest name 8 pixFor, “Many are called but few are chosen.” And, “Many are called, but few are chosen.’ The chosen have heard and understood the call from the divine assembly.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 364 and Divine Philosophy, p. 59) And so: “O My servant, who hast sought the good pleasure of God and clung to His love on the Day when all except a few who were endued with insight have broken away from Him! May God through His (all abiding) grace, recompense thee with a generous, an incorruptible and everlasting reward, inasmuch as thou hast sought Him on the Day when eyes were blinded.” “Only a few have as yet quaffed from this peerless, this soft-flowing grace of (from) the Ancient King.” (Bahá’í Faith, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, pp. 36 and 107)

the greatest name 8 pix“Some, O my God, Thou didst, through Thy strengthening grace, enable to approach it, while others Thou didst keep back by reason of what their hands have wrought in Thy days.”

          (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, p. 76)

As you should clearly be able to see, from the writings of all these religions from God; few people, in fact very few people are chosen to recognize and approach God; as the writings from The Creator’s numerous religions do in fact clearly tell us. Indeed, just because a man calls on the name of The Lord, both day and night, and professes himself to be a real, true believer and acts with works of seemingly true righteousness, does it mean that he is, in reality, right with God, and that he is truly saved, and that he has absolutely nothing to fear. Because, just because you think that you know Him, the real question has to be ask; do you really, really know God? And of course, the next pertinent question to be asked; what of all of your seemingly pious actions and pious works? I mean, the real question, you should be asking yourself is; what is it that, really truly motivates your actions and what are your true, actual, motivations and intentions behind all of these works? Because God, and all of His angels will be asking you all of these very questions; you can count on it! I believe it is really, just a matter of the heart, and where your heart truly is, and what is really in your heart, and what you truly perceive with your heart, and what your true, pure motives are behind all of your actions. But then, what do I really know, beyond what I can read in God’s writings.

“Who-so-ever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them,” the really big questions here are. Do we really, actually hear what God and His messengers and manifestations are trying to say to us; and do we really understand their subtle, hidden, messages and the allusions given to us? For: John: 4:22 “ye worship ye know not what,” for “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” For, “the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship The Father in spirit and in truth: for The Father seeketh such to worship Him.” Or in-other-words, we humans are supposed to worship God, The Father, in spirit or spiritually, looking for the spiritual hidden content buried away within the verses of God’s Holy Words: For 1 Corinthians: 2:7 “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto Our glory:” For, “God hath revealed them (the words) unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth (out) all things, yea the deep things of God.” “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man, which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” For John: 6:63 “it is the spirit that (really, actually) quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Mark: 4:23 “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”

The words Christ is speaking to us are spiritual; he states that plainly in John and it’s up to us to try and seek out the words hidden message or to search out the matter. the cross-5pix Romans: 7:14 “For we know that the law is spiritual:” Romans: 8:1 “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” For, Galatians: 5:25 “if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” But then some, Mark: 7:8 “laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men,” and “Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” “Making the word of God of none effect, through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Jewish symbols star-8pix Hosea: 12:9 “I that Am The LORD thy God’ and ‘I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have (used) multiplied visions and have used similitude’s, (allegories) by the ministry of the prophets.”’ So, Proverbs: 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings (His true chosen servants) to search out a matter.” Amos: 2:4 “Thus saith The LORD. They have despised the law of The LORD, and have not kept His commandments and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:” Deuteronomy: 29:2 “And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that The LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land;” “The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:” 29:4 “Yet The LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” the cross-5pix 2 Corinthians: 4:3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:” 4:4 “In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Some of the people of this world are truly blind to the word of God, and it seems that He allows this to happen and continue with some people, for reasons that are known only to Him. Spiritual blindness, this is something that seems to be fairly universal, and very common, in all the religions of God, especially in the early days of a religion: The shrine10 pix “Their hearts are deprived of the power of true insight, and thus they cannot see.” (Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 79)

This spiritual blindness is also something that that tends to be passed down throughout the ages, from father to son, through the religious clergy, through traditions and dogma etc…  John: 8:38 “I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.” Islamic symbol-5pix 104. And, “when it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah (God) hath revealed; come to the Messenger:’ they say: ‘Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers (and ancestors) following.’ What! Even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 5) One of the very first forms of blindness man can have to God’s messengers and the word of God, comes from following in the ways of our parents and ancestors, blindly; strictly, accepting the ways of our forefathers, without any real investigation into the actual true word of The Creator. When people strictly adhere to that which we were told beforehand, by our parents and religious leaders, it becomes very difficult for people to accept anything new, as when God sends a new messenger and divine teacher to educate mankind with a brand new heavenly message. When people strictly hold onto and adhere to that which they have always been taught and told to believe by their parents and religious leaders, they don’t really see much of anything else beyond the words and instructions of these people; so when God sends a new messenger with a new message, these people are totally blind to God’s new message and bereft of seeing the new teachings of God for themselves.

Spiritually blind people, and those people like them, who cannot see past the literal meaning of the word, often try to rise up and stamp out God’s holy religion. They do this, most often, by trying to destroy God’s holy manifestations and His followers. This has happened throughout the many religious histories; and even those prophets, who like Moses, who was a literal redeemer of the people, even Moses had problems with the people not listening to him and following his words. Islamic symbol-5pix 83. “But none believed in Moses except some few children of his People.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  10) There was Pharaoh that Moses had to contend with, of course: For, Islamic symbol-5pix “none believed in Moses — because of the fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them, and certainly Pharaoh was mighty on the earth and one who transgressed all bounds,” as well as, the followers of Moses rebelling whenever they were given a chance. His people rebelled and turned away from God on a regular basis, even when he was alive; and God would have to discipline them, once more, and turn their eyes back to Him and the true path. Jewish symbols star-8pix Exodus: 32:7 “And The LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:” “They have turned aside quickly out of the way, which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”

Jewish symbols-13pix JUDAISM: Deuteronomy: 29:4 “Yet The LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” Isaiah: 42:20 “Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.” Isaiah: 42:23 “Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come?” Ezekiel: 12:1 “The word of The LORD also came unto me, saying,” 12:2 “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.” Hosea: 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.” The people of The Old Testament were blind and refused to see the truth of God’s word; this is clear from the writings of Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, and a number of other prophets, found in the Old Testament, that I chose not to quote. The people were completely blind and chose to ignore or reject the word of God; and Hosea tells us that God chose to ignore, or reject these people. Now this lack of sight, or blindness on the part of so many people, didn’t stop there with the sightlessness of the early Hebrew people; but continued on with the coming of Jesus Christ, and his almost total rejection and abandonment by the Jewish people, who use to be called the Hebrew people; thousands of years before.

the cross-25pix CHRISTIANITY: John: 9:39 “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.” Matthew: 13:14 “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:” 13:15 “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Luke: 6:39 “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?” Matthew: 15:14 “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” 2 Corinthians: 4:3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:” 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” John: 5:46 “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me, but if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

Not seeing past the literal interpretation of the words of God is a fairly common mistake on the part of the religious leaders and those who follow them. We plainly see this in the Jewish and Christian scriptures, and we can clearly see this in all the other religions that God’s manifestations have brought to mankind. Man’s sightlessness and blindness to God’s divine teachers and message is clearly part of the overall nature of the manifestations delivery of God’s message to mankind, and the free will God has given to mankind. Clearly, man’s blindness and hostility toward God’s messengers and followers is part of the dynamic nature and process of God’s true word being brought to mankind; and so, this human blindness to God and the spiritual nature of His word is therefore found in all of the religions of God; because, of course, God is a spirit and His word is of a spiritual nature: the cross-5pix John: 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit.” 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit, and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” God, The Father, is a spirit, therefore His word and teachings are of a true spiritual nature; so, it only makes sense, and stands to reason, that the true worshippers of God must worship Him, in truth, with our true spiritual nature, coming forth, spiritually seeking out the truth of God’s hidden spiritual message found within His words and teachings, for: “The true worshippers shall worship the Father (God) in spirit and in truth.”

We need to, absolutely, and in truth, study God’s Holy Word seeking out the spiritual meaning found within His message; and Jesus Christ clearly tells us this in John: “The true worshippers shall worship the Father (God) in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” Jesus Christ is very clearly telling us, in John, that we have to, that we absolutely must, study, his Father’s, holy word, looking for the spiritual content found within God’s message. This is an absolute must, absolutely, and yet how many, who profess to be true believers in God, actually do this? This is of course, the real reason why so many people are blind to the word of God, and why so many people blindly reject God’s messengers and the word of God. And this is, of course, why this human blindness, to the word of God is found so universally in all of His religions. God is a spirit and so His message is spiritual, and man, of course, is worldly: the cross-5pix 1 Corinthians: 3:18 “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolish unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things.” 2:11 “For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” So clearly, according to both Jesus Christ and Paul, God’s word and teachings are spiritual in nature; so, of course, most of the people in all of the religions have missed this, because most men are, inherently worldly and materialistic in nature, not really looking for anything beyond the physical nature of this world. So, the spiritual nature of God’s word is basically, for the most part, far beyond the thinking of most people. Men are not looking for the spiritual side of anything, or thinking of it; therefore they are not seeing it or hearing it. So therefore, Hosea tells us: Jewish symbols star-8pix Hosea: 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected (My) knowledge, I will (now), also reject thee.” The people were completely blind, and chose to ignore or reject the word of God; and so, Hosea very clearly tells us, that God then chose to ignore, and, or reject these people. And so, we do in fact, clearly see, that God really does, in fact, actually pick and choose those people who He is going to allow to, actually recognize Him and approach Him, and this is not just something I am creating on my own.

The shrine10 pix BABI RELIGION: “Verily God guideth whom He will into the path of absolute certitude.” “How few are those who abide by the standard laid down in the Qur’án. Nay, nowhere are they to be found, except such as God hath willed.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 96 and 101) And so, the cross-5pix CHRISTIANITY: John: 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:” John: 6:65 For, “no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” Because, 5:19 “I have chosen you out of the world,” John: 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” Jewish symbols star-8pix JUDAISM: Psalms: 65:4 “Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts: We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple.” 1 Chronicles: 28:9 “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for The LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, He will cast thee off forever.” Maccabees: “Nevertheless, as is the will of God is in heaven, so let him do.” Nothing can happen without God’s absolute permission. (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha)

Islamic symbol-5pix 15. “Allah will throw back their mockery on them, and give them rope in their trespasses; so they will wander like blind ones (to and fro).” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr) Surah 2) 272. “It is not required of thee (O Messenger), to set them on the right path, but Allah sets on the right path whom He pleaseth.” For 100. “No soul can believe, except by the Will of Allah, and He will place Doubt (or obscurity) on those who will not understand.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 2 and 10) 80. “His people disputed with him. He said: “(Come) ye to dispute with me, about Allah (God), when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the beings) ye associate with Allah: unless my Lord willeth, (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things: will ye not (yourselves) be admonished?” 51. “Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our Protector’: and on Allah let the believers put their trust.” (The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 6 and  9)

Zoroastrian symbol-5pix “Blind are all those who, on this earth, do not follow the religion and do not benefit the living.” Denkard So therefore, “Those priests who disseminate vice among men are morally blind.” (Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments 50) “It is only when Mazda is pleased to lead, that a man can tread the path of virtue.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 688)   Denkard. Zoroaster, “He Himself becomes a bestower among the creation of the precious gift of thoughts regarding Himself,” 11. “Mark those commandments which Mazda (God) hath ordained.” 2. “Making straight the paths for the Religion of the future Deliverer which Ahura ordained.” 47. “He wields his power according to the wish of Ahura Mazda, the Good Spirit,” He is given his power by, and only by Ahura Mazda! (Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta -Yasna 30, 53 and Avesta Fragments) “We choose thee.”

Hindu symbol 5-pix “We choosing you have let Our worship follow its course.” We have chosen you to worship us. (Hindu, Vedas, Rig Veda – Books 5 and 7) 2. “The various doings of all mortal people by Thee are ordered, in Thy wisdom, Indra (Brahma/Vishnu/God).” (Hinduism, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 1) “Blind are the eyes, Which deem the Unmanifested manifest, Not comprehending Me in my true Self!” “In blindness cleaving to their errors, caught Into the sinful course, they trust this lie As it were true- this lie which leads to death- Finding in Pleasure all the good which is, And crying ‘Here it finisheth!”’ (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapters 7 and 16) “I am not seen by all; I am not known- Unborn and changeless- to the idle world. But I, Arjuna! Know all things which were, And all which are, and all which are to be, Albeit not one among them knoweth Me!” “To Him, the far-renowned, the Wise Ordainer, Ancient and Glorious.” “The fool, cheated by self, thinks, ‘This I did’ And ‘That I wrought;’ But all thy dues discharging, for My sake, I am not (own not) even mine eyelid’s Lord without Thee.” We are absolutely nothing without His leave, permission and say-so… (Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 7 and Vedas, Rig Veda – Books 2 and 5)

Dharma wheel Buddhist symbols-5pix “Though they all honor, praise and esteem Me, they do not fully understand the meaning and significance of the words they use; not having their own self-realization of Truth they cling to the words of their canonical books, or to what has been told them, or to what they have imagined, and fail to see that the name they are using is only one of the many names of the Tathagata,” and they fail to hear the voice of the Tathagata calling out to His chosen ones. (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra) “The memory-habit of erroneous intellectual will ever cling to them. To make the matter worse, the simple-minded ones, poisoned by this erroneous view, will declare this incorrect way of thinking taught by the ignorant, to be the same as that presented by the All-knowing One.” (Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra) “O Blessed Lord! We have been wandering about in the desolate wilderness (of spiritual depravity, searching) of this world for many kalpas, recognizing no sign of our Lord’s parental (Fatherly) love.” We seek, but only with our Fathers parental blessings descending on us, to reach our true heart’s desire. (Buddhism, The Surangama Sutra)

Mandaean symbol1 “We will pray with Thee the ‘uthras’ prayer and ask of Thee, of The Great (Life), a petition for ourselves, for our friends, for our friends’ friends and for those who love the great Family of Life.” A petition is ask because without His help and assistance nothing in this life can happen. “And my Lord Manda-d-Hiia will lend them his helping hand.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 72 and 75) “To you do I call and (you) do I teach, Men who have received the Sign. Certainly have ye held to established truth, ye have held to the certainty about which I instructed you. I call to my chosen ones so that ye may not turn your thought away from Me.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 89) “In the name of The Great Life (Haiyi/God), I call to my chosen ones so that ye may not turn your thought away from Me.” “I prepared a path for the good ones and made a gateway for the world. A gateway for the world I made.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 75, 89 and 90 and The way of Salvation, from Adam) “Thou art He who constructeth, and who takest out from amongst the peoples, nations and tongues every man who is summoned, worthy and invited.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 76) “There were those who bought my wares (God’s Holy Words). The eyes (of such a one) were filled with light, Filled with light were his eyes on beholding the Great (One) in the House of Perfection. There were those who did not buy my wares. (Chose not to investigate into the Holy word) They went on, reached their end and lay down. They were blind and saw not, Their ears were stopped and they heard not And their hearts were not awakened To behold the Great One in the House of Perfection. As They called them and they answered not, When they call, who will answer them? Because it was given to them but they took not, Who will give to them when they ask? They hated the Way of Life and its Abode But loved the abode of the wicked. And lo! in the abode of the wicked Will they be held captive.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 90)

The shrine10 pix “Grant, O my God, that I may not be reckoned among those whose ears are deaf, whose eyes are blind, whose tongues are speechless and whose hearts have failed to comprehend. Deliver me, O Lord, from the fire of ignorance and of selfish desire, suffer me to be admitted into the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy and send down upon me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 215)

The shrine10 pix “It is for this reason that at the beginning of every Dispensation a vast multitude, who fondly imagine that their deeds are for God, become drowned and ungodly, and perceive this not, except such as He (God) guideth at His behest.” “Better is guidance for him who is guided than all the things that exist on earth, for by reason of this guidance he will, after his death, gain admittance into Paradise.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 93 and 95) “We cause whom-so-ever We desire to be admitted into the gardens of Our Most Holy and Most Sublime Paradise. Thus is divine revelation inaugurated in each Dispensation at Our behest. We are truly the supreme Ruler. Indeed no religion shall We ever inaugurate unless it be renewed in the days to come. This is a promise We solemnly have made. Verily We are supreme over all things,” and absolutely nothing happens without our permission. (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 158) “Be thankful to God for having enabled you to recognize His Cause. Whoever has received this blessing must, prior to his acceptance, have performed some deed which, though he himself was unaware of its character, was ordained by God as a means whereby he has been guided to find and embrace the Truth. As to those who have remained deprived of such a blessing, their acts alone have hindered them from recognizing the truth of this Revelation. We cherish the hope that you, who have attained to this light, will exert your utmost to banish the darkness of superstition and unbelief from the midst of the people. May your deeds proclaim your faith and enable you to lead the erring into the paths of eternal salvation.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 585) “Nothing whatsoever can frustrate Thy purpose and that Thou art the Knower of all things and The Lord of might and majesty.” “No one can attain anything save by Thy power.” “Verily, there is no power except in God, and sufficient witness unto Me is your Lord, Who is, in very truth, the Omnipotent Avenger.” (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 1, 6 and 59) “Only that which is the will of God can happen to me.” The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 248)

the greatest name 8 pix“Some, O my God, Thou didst, through Thy strengthening grace, enable to approach it (Your religion), while others Thou didst keep back by reason of what their hands have wrought in Thy days.” The writings of the Bahá’í Faith tell us that this may be because of actions we may have performed in this life. (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u’llah, p. 76)

the greatest name 8 pix“Shall blind imitations of ancestral forms (of belief) and theological interpretations continue to guide and control the religious life and spiritual development of humanity today? Shall man gifted with the power of reason unthinkingly follow and adhere to dogma, creeds and hereditary beliefs which will not bear the analysis of reason in this century of effulgent reality? Unquestionably this will not satisfy men of science, for when they find premise or conclusion contrary to present standards of proof and without real foundation, they reject that which has been formerly accepted as standard and correct and move forward from new foundations.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 225) “O My brother! Forsake thine own desires, turn thy face unto thy Lord, and walk not in the footsteps of those who have taken their corrupt inclinations for their god, that perchance thou mayest find shelter in the heart of existence, beneath the redeeming shadow of Him Who traineth all names and attributes. For they who turn away from their Lord in this day are in truth accounted amongst the dead, though to outward seeming they may walk upon the earth, amongst the deaf, though they may hear, and amongst the blind, though they may see, as hath been clearly stated by Him Who is The Lord of the Day of Reckoning: ‘Hearts have they with which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not.”’ (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries) “O My servant, who hast sought the good-pleasure of God and clung to His love on the Day when all except a few who were endued with insight have broken away from Him! May God, through His grace, recompense thee with a generous, an incorruptible and everlasting reward, inasmuch as thou hast sought Him on the Day when eyes were blinded.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 36) “Verily, my God chooses whomsoever He willeth, by His mercy and generosity, for entrance into the Kingdom of Glory and shineth the lights of (His) Beauty upon them.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v2, p. 269) “Blessed are ye for having been chosen by God for His love, in this new age, and joy be to you for having been guided to the Great Kingdom! Verily, your Lord hath chosen you to show the path to the Kingdom of God, among the people.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 84) “Nothing whatsoever shall, in this Day, be accepted from you, though ye continue to worship and prostrate yourselves before God through-out the eternity of His dominion. For all things are dependent upon His Will, and the worth of all acts is conditioned upon His acceptance and pleasure. The whole universe is but a handful of clay in His grasp.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 293) “Some things are subject to the free will of man, such as justice, equity, tyranny and injustice, in other words, good and evil actions; it is evident and clear that these actions are, for the most part, left to the will of man. But there are certain things to which man is forced and compelled, such as sleep, death, sickness, decline of power, injuries and misfortunes; these are not subject to the will of man, and he is not responsible for them, for he is compelled to endure them. But in the choice of good and bad actions he is free, and he commits them according to his own will.” “The movement of man depend upon the assistance of God. If he is not aided, he is not able to do either good or evil. But when the help of existence comes from the Generous Lord, he is able to do both good and evil; but if the help is cut off, he remains absolutely helpless. This is why in the Holy Books they speak of the help and assistance of God. So this condition is like that of a ship which is moved by the power of the wind or steam; if this power ceases, the ship cannot move at all. Nevertheless, the rudder of the ship turns it to either side, and the power of the steam moves it in the desired direction. If it is directed to the east, it goes to the east; or if it is directed to the west, it goes to the west. This motion does not come from the ship; no, it comes from the wind or the steam.” “In the same way, in all the action or inaction of man, he receives power from the help of God; but the choice of good or evil belongs to the man himself.” (Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, pp. 248, 249) “Nothing whatsoever is possible without His permission; no power can endure save through His power, and there is none other God but He. His is the world of creation, and His the Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation, and all unfold the mysteries of His Spirit.” (Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 175)