Metaphysical Interpretation of Malachi (Ed Rabel)

Malachi

So, we look in another prophet, the book of Malachi, chapter 3, verses 9 and 10, and he says, "...says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing." (RSV, see King James). Malachi is here illustrating the results of what we could call the "hath" consciousness, or the single eye, acknowledging God as the one and unfailing source of all good, unlimited, totally dependent, under all circumstances.

The "law of giving and receiving" is another way we prove the prosperity, and the infallibility of this action is beyond all question, and we should never forget to co-operate with it; this great law of giving and receiving, based upon belief in God as unfailing source of supply.

And so, this law, speaking through Malachi urges us to prove it in our daily living, generous giving and unquestioned believing in God as Source will always result in an outpouring of, now, get this, this is very important, be sure you get this across to your students, "All Sufficiency in All Things," (See pamphlet) plus abundant increase or surplus.

Now, what to do with the surplus? It is another point, that is, if I believe, really believe in God as my unfailing source of supply and in his substance as his unlimited, unlimited assurance of all my needed good, and if I comply with the law of giving and receiving, I will, it will result in my having all sufficiency in all things plus an increase and surplus.

Is this increase and surplus mine to have and hold? No. We must be sure that this surplus and increase that comes with our prosperity is.. "there shall not be room enough to receive it,"(K.J. Ver.) In other words, it must be allowed to overflow from our possessions, from our inheritance, from our environment into the lives of others.

Now, there are many ways this can be done, folks, and, please don't think that it is going to be limited to just presenting things to people, that is one of its modes of overflowing, but there are other ways. For instance, when you pay your bills, if you have a checking account and you are in the habit of paying your bills pretty much around the same time, your attitude in doing that, while you are doing it could be a form of giving, you see? While writing out a check, rejoice and give thanks that there is such a place in Kansas City called David Pretty Stereo Store which makes it possible for me to go buy a set that brings the most gorgeous, beautiful sound into my apartment. See, I am not only paying my bill to that company but I am sending all my love and my gratitude for just existing.

The Kansas City Power and Lighting, a gigantic electrical device on a big pole outside our window blew out with an exploitation during the hottest part of this summer and all power went off in our building, including air conditioning, and opening the windows made things worse, and our building is made of glass, and within ten minutes after that big thing blew out a great, big truck pulls into our parking lot and a bunch of men jumped off this truck and worked like slaves for hours until they got that thing out there and bam, the lights and the power was restored. You know, and you pay your electric bill and you think about things like that and you bless those people.

And another way you can do this is in situations something like this. I give my own example: I was raised in a neighborhood, in a culture where the fine art of bargain hunting was very refined, I mean, to be able to smell out bargains and get as much as you could get for as cheap a price as you could possibly pay for it; was a big accomplishment. I can see why, these were most immigrant people from Slavic countries in Europe with big families, small incomes, you know, and so, they pinched every penny, and I was raised there. O.K. so while that happened, I rendered unto Caesar what was Caesar's and I became an expert bargain hunter, cheap goods buyer, because it was my training.

O.K., then I got into Unity and began learning these principles and trying to apply them and I began getting raises in salary amazingly often over there in Silent Unity and it dawned on me one day when I was downtown wearing out my shoe leather trying to find things for the very cheapest possible price I could get and it just hit me like a ton of bricks, "look, it is time for you to be promoted into the sixth grade, what about this bargain thing, buying cheap, trying to give as little as you can to get as much as you can, what kind of economy is this, now that it is no longer necessary. Let's try to do a little reversing here, let's not worry about bargains, let's be grateful for the goods that you can afford and if you have to pay a little more in this place than in that place, there might be a reason why this place should get more of your money. In other words, relax about this.

Now, folks, it doesn't mean that when I see something attractive on sale somewhere and I can get it cheaper, I won't go there and get it, but I don't make this my mode of thinking, do you follow me? I don't make this my attitude toward shopping. I don't deliberately go out and try to pay more than I should but I relax about it and I trust the value received on Principle, and I am telling you this sort of thing just changes your life because it changes your attitude toward financial transactions.

And to him that hath, shall be given more, constant increase. Now again, remember about that increase, don't just take it and just say, increase is increase, increase is receiving, therefore increase is giving, right, this is growth of consciousness and it is beautiful. Is there anything you would like to comment about this?

John Strickland shares the experience about his father who actually delights in going around town trying to find bargains, not needing to do it.

Ed: That is right John, but there is another point here, he does it as a pleasure thing, not as a necessity. He could have a great prosperity consciousness, but there is something here, he doesn't think that his well being or his survival depends on his success in this, he does it as a pleasure thing.

In my own case, I do this when it comes to buying my shoes. Although I can afford it, I don't want to go down to the most expensive shop downtown to pay a full price for a pair of shoes. I prefer to go down to an outlet which is a junk shop on 19 and Grand and there they have tons and tons of discontinued shoe styles, top made brands at a dirt cheap price and it is fun to go there and come up with a pair of very good shoes which cost $55.00 at Jack Henry's at the price of $22.00 there, this is a fun thing, you see?

Transcribed by Margaret Garvin on February 6, 2015.