Lessons In Truth - Lesson 3 - Annotation 7
How does each individual receive his own spiritual revelations? Why should we not depend wholly on books and teachers for an understanding of Truth?
7. Each individual receives his own spiritual revelations through turning his attention (his thinking and feeling) to the presence of God within himself. Revelation is the discovery of something hitherto unknown by the individual; it is the disclosure of God's Truth, or God's will, to man through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
In each of us is a divine plan for the unfoldment of our spiritual nature; this plan is God's will for us. In this unfoldment it is possible for us to find spiritual revelation to guide us only within our own being. As we discover and begin to use the divine ideas that make up God's plan for us, we unfold the plan in our soul consciousness (mind) and manifest it in our body and affairs.
We cannot depend wholly on books and teachers for an understanding of Truth, for it must come from the Spirit of God within ourselves.
Books and teachers are good for the purpose of making clear to us the mental process by which we may find our own indwelling Lord and receive our own illumination, revelation, inspiration, instruction, and guidance.
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:14).
When following an unknown road we need guidance; there are laws and rules to be learned. If we desire to travel a certain road we find it necessary in the beginning to receive directions, guidance; we look for signposts, so to speak, to show us the way. Merely to listen to instructions or to study a map is not sufficient. We must actually travel the road ourselves or we will never reach our destination. So it is with the "journey of life." Books and teachers can give us directions, provide signposts, but each of us must consciously travel the road of life with God, so that we will know the way for ourselves. What we get from others may prove helpful; the sharing of ideas can be vital to the participants and important in their soul growth.
However, all that we need or desire is within ourselves, in our own indwelling Christ Spirit, and emphasis is made throughout these lessons that the seeking should be to contact the one Source of all knowledge so that we may find what we specifically need. Nothing is ours until we perceive it by thinking about it; realize it, by feeling it; experience it, by living it. However, when minds of one accord come together to share ideas, we are enriched immeasurably in new inspiration and new understanding, then the whole of our world responds to this new uplift.
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Preceding Entry: Through what faculties does man find God?
Following Entry: What is the direct road to spiritual attainment?
