Souls in the Beyond Part 1 Revealed through the Inner Voice to Bertha Dudde in accordance with the promise of John 14:21 INTRODUCTION This booklet contains a small selection out of the 9030 revelations received from the LORD by one of HIS scribes and handmaids, Bertha Dudde. Bertha Dudde was born in Liegnitz, Germany. She worked as a seamstress to help support her parents and seven brothers and sisters and was therefore prevented from continuing her education beyond grammar school. Coming from mixed Roman Catholic and Protestant parentage she received little religious education and knew nothing about the Bible although there was a deep desire for the Truth in her heart. Often when she prayed the Lord's prayer she would beseech the Lord to allow her to find His Kingdom. In 1937, at the age of 47 she began receiving revelations from the Lord through the "Inner Word". After sincere prayer and quiet devotion the Lord spoke to her inner being and she wrote down word for word what she heard. This continued almost daily until her death in 1965. The publication of these messages began in Germany shortly after her passing away and in 1978 has begun to be translated into English. Publication and translation is sponsored by "friends" of this New Revelation and is not supported by or associated with any religious denomination or sect. They are offered with the prayer that the Holy Spirit will enable the reader to discern the Truth of this New Word from the Lord in accordance with His promise of John 14:21. Published by DIVINE WORD FOUNDA'l'ION Non-Profit since 1962 1999 Pine Grove Rd. Rogue River, OR 97537 Scanned into WORD 2000 and corrected by Ingo Schneuing, Floerekeweg 9, D-21339 Lueneburg, Germany June 2002 e-mail: ISchneuing@aol.com or dudde@yahoogroups.com www.berthadudde.de/download/Download/K_Englisch.exe for free download www.bertha-dudde.info for further information in German Souls in the Beyond Part 1 Blessed or unhappy conditions in the Beyond Do the Souls sleep? Will we meet again? Second Edition in German 1974 First Edition in English 1988 Scanned Edition in English June 2, 2002 INDEX B.D. 2767 Faith in a Life for the Soul After Death --Mercy of God B.D. 3639 Belief in the Immortality of the Soul --Truth B.D. 5441 The Description of the Beyond Only Pictorial and Comparative B.D. 4801 Blissful Condition of Mature Souls --the State of Imperfection in the Beyond. B.D. 3316 Different Spheres in the Spiritual Kingdom.. B.D. 6054 Man's Fate in the Beyond Correspond With His Aim and Endeavors on Earth... B.D. 5801 Worthless Earthly Knowledge in the Beyond. B.D. 4455 Gather Spiritual Treasures on Earth --Regret in the Hereafter B.D. 5554 Blessing of Spiritual Knowledge in the Hereafter B.D. 7490 Fate of the Soul After Physical Death. B.D. 7126 The Knowledge About the Blissful as Well as the Unhappy Conditions B.D. 5332 Condition of the Soul in the Beyond --False Faith ? Unbelief --Love... B.D. 5323 Justice --Restitution in the Hereafter. B.D. 5877 The Short Period on Earth Decides Your Fate in the Beyond B.D. 2553 Do the Dead Sleep? B.D. 8991 The Doctrine of the Sleep of the Soul B.D. 5365 Meeting Again in the Beyond --Grade of Maturity B.D. 6312 Meeting One Another in the Beyond B.D. 4781 Meeting Again in the Beyond in a State of Maturity B.D. 7458 Think Often About the Hour of Death... B.D. 5277 The Helping Hand of JESUS CHRIST B.D. 5901 Bringing the Gospel to Souls in the Beyond --Love B.D. 5024 Whoever Loves His Life Shall Lose it! B.D. 5000 Life Eternal B.D. 2767 June 7, 1943 FAITH IN A LIFE FOR THE SOUL AFTERDEATH, MERCY OF GOD. Through the Grace of GOD, there is a way shown to you, which without fail must lead you upwards, if you will go that way. No gift from above is so blissful than the offer of God's Word, which gives you the guiding principle for your earthly walk of life and shows you the Will of God. To fulfill the Divine Will is spiritual progress and this is the purpose and the meaning of life on Earth. People do not know in what spiritual need they find themselves, who's soul's maturity is very low because they will not accept a higher spiritual development on Earth while they, with soul and body, are still bound to the Earth. All their mind and efforts are set only on earthly goods, thinking of the perfecting of the soul as the purpose of this earthly life mere fancy or imagination which man himself brought forth and could never be proved. Only a very few stand for the belief in a life after death, but this belief makes the need for a higher development on Earth understandable, because then, the whole of creation has a purpose, namely, to serve the higher development of the spiritual. Because people do not have such a faith anymore, denying a life after death, they therefore do not acknowledge the spiritual purpose of creation, but regard everything from the point of view that this earthly life in itself is the aim and purpose, and that everything is to serve the body, and to bring the body to the highest development. That is an attitude, which does not lift up the level of maturity of the people, but rather brings them down to where they will not receive help, and to where the Love of God does not intervene, and the Mercy of God is not given so that they may see the Truth. Even so this Grace flows to them, yet is by many unrecognized, otherwise they would be so delighted that they could fight the battle on Earth with greater strength to resist the enemy. However, those people are spiritually blind. They do not know the purest Truth from Heaven; they only see the world. They have understanding of all earthly things, but have no inner incentive to look beyond these to see the hidden things because no one can give them proof of life after death. AMEN B.D. 3699 Feb. 27, 1946 BELIEF IN THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL?. TRUTH The death of the body is not the end of the soul. People fail to recognize and believe this and therefore they do not value the earthly life according to My Will. To a certain extent they care only for the needs of their body and not for their soul. They act without any responsibility concerning their soul, because they are not convinced of the immortality of that soul. Therefore they must first of all be taught about the immortality of the soul so that efforts to bring them to a change of their way of living may succeed. But a belief in this requires considering it in free will and can never be reached by force. Immortality of the soul makes sense and makes the purpose of life understandable. Man may change himself when he considers the life of the soul more important than the life of the body. Two great dangers are among mankind: (1) unbelief in the soul and its immortality and, (2) the wrong doctrines of those who do believe in immortality. There is a hindrance to spiritual ascent, because they create a wrong picture of the everlasting Godhead. People usually neglect to restore unity with Me in thoughts or through sincere prayer. Only that is a guarantee for spiritual ascent, because I Myself can then become active. So, it is an important work of My servants on earth to eradicate wrong teachings and to stimulate faith in a life after death. Mankind should listen to My servants if they want to have success in the short time on earth that is still left for them. They will only then receive the true explanation as it is sent down from Heaven. They can only be taught about the life of the soul after death and the doctrine of Christ by Myself, either directly or indirectly. Then their faith can become a fully convinced faith that can stand up against all objections. It also makes them sure of their ascension and gives the soul everlasting life in the greatest bliss. Otherwise the fate of the soul is unhappiness, because it never ceases to exist. It is in that state in eternity, which it has created for itself through its own will, through unbelief and an earthly life, which was against My Will. Whoever holds firm to the belief in the immortality of the soul shall all the sooner begin working on his soul's development. But the person who believes that his life comes to an end with the death of his body, his steps will be slow, unwilling and faltering. You, My servant, therefore cannot be earnest enough to introduce them to the immortality of the soul, even though you cannot prove it to them. But with earnest thinking men can come to a conviction that you speak the truth, because I Myself will help men recognize the Truth, if they only want to and do not refuse to listen to you. For those who believe in the immortality of the soul, this earthly life takes on another" meaning, because they see it not as the purpose itself, but as a means to the purpose. He seeks to improve this walk according to the strength of his will. If he is taught in the pure Truth his faith will become stronger. However, wrong doctrine destroys him and man again sinks in deep darkness. Therefore the Truth should be spread on earth to bring life to the soul, for wrong doctrines and lies are death to the soul in the spiritual kingdom. This is a state of greatest misery, which I want to prevent for every soul by sending messenger who will give help before it is too late. AMEN B.D. 5441 July 18, 1952 THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BEYOND ONLY PICTORIAL AND COMPARATIVE Everything that happens outside your earthly life will always be a mystery to you, even if it is revealed to you through the goodness and Love of your Heavenly Father. Because it can only be explained to you in a way that is easy to understand while you are on this earth. You can only form for yourself an ideal if it is your ability to comprehend it permits. You also try to know more about the other world, which is still closed to you. But you cannot conceive how limited all your knowledge is and how insignificant this earth is, on which you live, compared to the magnify-cence of many other creations in God's Kingdom. You cannot see that all comparisons fail to give you a full understanding of the supernatural world. So it is impossible to give you a clear description that corresponds to the Truth. You can only receive a comparative description by which you understand that there, as well as on earth, laws have to be kept, and the divine order in the spiritual Kingdom has to be unconditionally observed, so that the development of the soul in the beyond will succeed. Furthermore, it is impossible to send spiritual impressions to people on earth, or even approximately explain to them. No words can describe what beings in the realm of the beyond feel. There are no words, which can describe their conditions. There is no way to understand these feelings, or what they experience and see in view of the indescribable creations, whether they are of a happy or unhappy nature. To describe something like this to you is only possible by an analogy of that which comes close to your earthly concepts, which seem to you to have sense and purpose but are never a reality. The death of the body is not the end, the soul lives on in spheres, which it has created itself through its earthly life. Its lot can be either blessed or unhappy. However it may be, it can only be shown to you figuratively, and any explanation, any description of it is always only a weak attempt to solve a problem with the conceptions known to you, to strengthen in you that feeling of responsibility for your soul. You human beings have formed for yourself on earth your lot in the beyond. The knowledge about things in the beyond is withheld from humanity, which can never penetrate into an area that can only be entered when the spiritual growth of a man has reached that grade of maturity where it can see spiritually. It would still be impossible for him to explain his feelings and impressions to his fellowman in a way they could understand, because the earthly and the spiritual kingdom are two separate areas where the one no longer belongs to the other. Therefore, the laws, which are valid in the one, do not apply in the other world. But still, the world of spirits is a reality, everyone and will realize this when he takes off his earthly cover and enters the beyond. Then he will understand that mankind on this earth could not receive' an explanation according to the entire truth. AMEN B.D. 0480 Dec. 24, 1949 BLISSFUL CONDITIONS OF MATURE SOULS? THE STATE OF IMPERFECTION IN THE BEYOND There will be a blessed condition prepared for you in My Father's house. You will find there everything that gives you joy, when your soul is free from all earthly desires and is ready for the spiritual kingdom. You will begin to understand what this Bliss consists of in order to give so much joy to your spiritualized soul, when you stop looking to the world and its possessions. There are spiritual pleasures, which give the soul unspeakable joy. There are pleasures, which touch the feelings of the soul as earthly pleasures touch the body, bringing great happiness. As on earth, in the beyond the soul experiences beauty and joyous feeling, but in a more profound way. The soul will feel an increased longing for spiritual things. It can hear and see indescribable creations and it continually draws from them wisdom and strength. It moves in delightful surroundings, for which on earth there is no comparison, because earthly creations are poor and barren. Mankind fails to comprehend the marvel of Divine Love, which the Father shows to His children. Because every being has contact with alike minded souls the bliss will increase considerably and the light will become steadily brighter. The state of the imperfect beings in the beyond can well be pictured because it differs little from that on earth, for these souls still think they live on earth and this could go on for a long time. As the people on earth live only for material things and cannot understand how the spiritually minded separate themselves from the world and can still be happy, so the former live in the spiritual world with the same desires for material things that are still real to them, so much so that they cannot be happy until after a long time they begin to lose themselves of this thinking, when they see the unimportance of material things. For that being, the spiritual kingdom of Light is closed territory, because it is another world of which they have no understanding. They could not exist there, because the fullness of Light would destroy them. But among these beings are always beings of Light who try to teach them and try to direct their will into losing itself of earthly desires, and to strive for something higher, in order to be able to enter into the kingdom of Light, which often will take a long time. Souls may come into the beyond in the same grade of imperfection but still require different length of time to mature, depending on the Love in their heart, sometimes changing in the spiritual Kingdom quicker than on earth. But just the same, it requires a long time before they can overcome their shortcomings and failures. Immature souls always set their eyes on known concepts. While in the Kingdom of Light the soul confronts unknown things, bringing them bliss that they never expected and that has no end. Herein is the promise of Jesus fulfilled: "Eye has not seen and Ear has not heard what He has prepared for those that Love Him". AMEN B.D. 3316 Nov. 5, 1944 DIFFERENT SPHERES IN THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM Immediately after the death of the body the soul moves into the spiritual Kingdom that, according to its maturity, may be far or near to the Earth. Although it is not to be understood as "space", the distance is the result of the difference in the spheres, and yet they all belong to the spiritual kingdom, because they are outside the earthly material world, and the immature souls have yet, as far as time is concerned, a very long way to go until they will come to the Light spheres. On the other hand, a matured soul, after bodily death, is as quick as lightning placed in these spheres, because it has no difficulty with time or space to overcome the distance between earth and the Light spheres? Because it has obtained enough strength through its state of maturity. However, the immature souls cannot separate themselves as quickly from the earth, because they are without power to move themselves upwards, and also their senses are chained to earthly things. They do not want to leave the earth but want to stay close to the earth for a long time, mostly in the surroundings, which they called their own in their late time. Consequently, they do not feel the direct change from the earthly to the spiritual kingdom. Because it seems to them the same place as on earth, and therefore, those souls do not always realize that they no longer have their life in the body. But they are astonished that they can no longer make themselves heard and are left alone by the people. This situation brings them slowly to the realization of their position, and of the knowledge that they are no more on earth, but in the spiritual kingdom of the beyond. As long as the soul is earthly minded it is not able to separate itself from those surroundings, but is still bound to the earth, which is for it a state of misery, because everything that it longs for or wants to possess is unattainable. Now the soul must gradually overcome its longing for earthly possessions. Only when it has come to that point will it withdraw itself more and more from the earth. Then the spheres will take on another form for them, their eyes perceiving no more earthly but spiritual creations, according to the maturity of the soul, that means the spiritual eye of the soul is able to see spiritual things, which the immature soul cannot perceive even though they exist. However, only when a more mature soul separates itself from the earth can it at once distinguishes its surroundings in the spiritual kingdom and because of its maturity it has the spiritual eyes and ability to do so. Such a soul will also recognize the souls who it will meet in the beyond, while on the other hand the immature souls are unable to do so, this means that they recognize only those souls who walk in the darkness as they do and who are in the same imperfect condition. And yet, light beings are invisible to them even when they come close they do not recognize them in their bright disguise. The spiritual eyes are opened only in a certain condition of maturity. Then light surrounds that soul, while spiritual darkness is around those who can see nothing because that spiritual sphere is closed to them. However, earthly things remain visible be fore their eyes because of their longing for them. But those are only optical illusions, which in reality do not exist but through the longing of the soul seem as if they are all there. But they disappear as a shadow as soon as a soul wants to touch or use them, because in this transitory condition the soul realizes that it should strive for something higher than earthly perishable goods. As long as the soul has a desire for such things no light beings come near it, because material minded souls will not listen to the words of the light beings, when they come in their covering to bring them the gospel and show them the way upwards. They can only be brought help in their situation through human prayers and seeking amends in the spiritual kingdom. Then beings, which are willing to help meet them, teach them, and show them the way upward. The more willing they are to accept the teaching of the light beings, the sooner their spiritual eyes shall be opened, and they delivered from spiritual darkness to enter spheres where they also may spread the light. Their way back can take a short or a very long 'time depending on the stubbornness with which the soul clings to material things which bind these to the earth until they are overcome so that they can be led by light beings into the pure Truth to be able to work in the beyond for the kingdom of God. Then these souls will share knowledge with needy souls, who still live in spiritual darkness. AMEN B.D. 6054 Sept. 16, 1954 MAN'S FATE IN THE BEYOND CORRESPONDS WITH HIS AIM AND ENDEAVORS ON EARTH. As is your aim and endeavor on this earth so will be your fate after the death of your body, in the spiritual kingdom. If you seek Light and the Truth on this earth, light will be waiting for you there. If you prefer darkness because earthly matter has blinded your eyes, then you shall be in dark surroundings there, in a sphere where you are unhappy for lack of Light. But it happens according to your will. On earth, Light continually shines, and the way to eternal life is clearly explained to you, so that you only have to turn that way to come into that kingdom of Light? when you go the dark road then, you can only land in darkness. You occupy yourself so little with what will happen to you after your bodily death. You dismiss such thoughts from your mind, and you turn constantly toward the world and its matter which is perishable and which you cannot take with you into the spiritual kingdom. If material goods are your only riches on earth you will arrive in the spiritual kingdom poor and naked. Why do you not gather goods on earth, which is of duration, which follow you into the beyond? Why do you lust only after perishable goods of this world? The consequences of your earthly walk are again and again put before your eyes, you are made aware of your fate after your departure from this earth. You pay little attention to those warnings and reminders. You live carelessly through the day, though you could be called away tomorrow to travel the last road. Then you will receive what you strove for on earth, Light or darkness. Nothing can be given you but what you have obtained through your walk on earth. So as long as you live on earth think about the time after death, think about your soul, which is perishable. Because you prepare on this earth the lot for your soul. While on earth strive for that Light and create your happiness in the spiritual kingdom. AMEN B.D. 5801 Nov 4, 1953 WORTHLESS EARTHLY KNOWLEDGE IN THE BEYOND Do not value earthly knowledge too high because you can do nothing with it in Eternity. Earthly knowledge can serve you well for the duration of your life on Earth, giving you the insight that you are a creature of God, enabling you to come to the full Truth of God. But if you do not use it to gain spiritual knowledge for yourself it is of no benefit to you when you enter the realm of the Spirit. But also spiritual knowledge is to be valued as earthly knowledge that is taken in purely through the intellect. This also concerns spiritual matters obtained as every other earthly knowledge by means of academic pursuits for one?s professional occupation. Even if you memorize the Book of the Fathers, even if you explain the Divine Word by prophetic utterance or master it intellectually sentence by sentence, it is of no more value than any other knowledge that does not contain spiritual matters. Because at the end only that portion stays with the soul that unselfish deeds of Love wisely brought to it. Only that which the Spirit gives the soul remains. This requires no university degree no extraordinary sharp memory or no profound intellect. Because the Spirit imparts all this when it is needed. What benefit to you is a wealth that you cannot use over there? It is lifeless knowledge, bringing you no Light. On Earth you can never prove the validity of such knowledge, as long as your spirit does not give you the right insight and ability to discern. However, you must ask to receive the Spirit, you must make it possible for Him to manifest in you. Only by entering the spiritual realm will it become a Light in you, spreading and radiating brightly. Blessed is he, however, who is taught by the Spirit, and at the same time seeks to increase his earthly knowledge. Many thoughts will come to him and earthly knowledge will open up to him, as soon as he seeks first of all the increase in spiritual things. Such knowledge will truly be a blessing to him when his earthly life is ended. He will then be able to share all he possesses in the spiritual realm, again influencing by his leading and teaching those who, as he, searched and longingly strove for God and for the Truth. AMEN B.D. 4455 Oct. 9, 1948 GATHER SPIRITUAL TREASURES ON EARTH?.. REGRET IN THE THEREAFTER The one who has not gathered for himself spiritual treasures on earth, will be, on entering through the gate of the beyond, empty, the poorest in the spiritual kingdom. I want to save you from such a lot, because you will experience the greatest remorse when you look back and see the many unused opportunities. Poverty in the spiritual realm is so depressing and hopeless, it torments you and paralyzes your will. It is only with great difficulty that you can be delivered from this painful state. It is easy on earth to obtain spiritual treasures if you will only long for Me and desire to speak to Me. This longing is already assurance for the transmission of My Word in different ways. You will be led where you can receive My Word, if you do not accept it from Me in your thoughts. That is, "to recognize My voice in your thoughts". When you unite with Me in your thinking, and seek to attain Me, you will surely feel the inner urge to deeds of Love. When I make Myself known to you by reminding you to Love, it is only there I can come into union with you. First of all I try to stimulate you to deeds of Love. I do this directly through the inner voice, or through warnings and admonitions from the outside. Mainly through the ones, who proclaim My Word and those who preach only Love. Listen to them and follow the Word that comes forth from Me. Then you will gather spiritual treasures and obtain riches which stays with you through Eternity. This cannot be taken away from you on earth nor in the beyond, but it will spread and grow as you continually share it. To go into the hereafter blessed with such treasures is certainly worth striving for. It assures you of everlasting life in the spiritual kingdom, a life of activity that can only be called delightful and will be felt by you as an exceedingly great blessing. However for the one who enters totally empty, it will be very difficult in the spiritual kingdom to obtain spiritual treasures, although it is not hopeless? Because the Gospel must be proclaimed there as well. On earth, it is free for one to accept it, there also, it depends entirely on one's will to accept or reject it. But the will is considerably weakened, and could not without help, through a supply of strength, make the right decision. This supply of strength depends on the will of the soul, to be used for deeds of Love, or of the loving prayers of men. Therefore you cannot have enough pity for that poor soul who needs your help urgently, for it neglected to gather spiritual treasures on earth in order to make its condition in the beyond a happy one. Their need is great, but people do not listen to My Words, they do not believe and therefore enter poor and with a darkened spirit into the kingdom of the hereafter. AMEN B.D. 5554 Dec.12, 1952 BLESSING OF THE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE HEREAFTER. What My Spirit reveals to you is spiritual knowledge that will make you unspeakably happy if you work with it in the spiritual Kingdom to be a blessing to all who are still without knowledge. People on earth seldom find pure Truth, and therefore neither in the beyond before they are in a state of Light, because Light means Wisdom -Wisdom of the pure Truth. Every wrong thought is a shadow that darkens the light, even if a soul is already permeable to the Light. But before the last such thought is banished that Light is troubled and the soul has to first open itself entirely to the Truth. The soul must acquire for itself true knowledge before, as a light bearer, it can work in the spiritual kingdom. Therefore, it is an immeasurable grace to be able to enter the beyond with spiritual knowledge, because it means wearing a garment of Light that shines and spreads its light everywhere. The soul can now perform its own activity, teaching those without knowledge and ministering an immeasurable blessing wherever there is still darkness and shadow. You will still encounter doubters and liars in the spiritual kingdom, which you can enlighten through your knowledge. This knowledge is a result of revelations through My Spirit. It is convincing and powerful, such that a being seldom can withstand it, unless it flees from the Truth as an agent of the prince of darkness. Such beings will come in the way of the one who has the knowledge to extinguish his Light, and they believe that they can do this. Such a being can only be enlightened through a light bearer, who has received his knowledge from Me. Therefore, there is enormous power in My revelation, in My Word, that I give you, that is able to pull down strong walls. I will speak to those souls if you allow Me to speak through you, if you, according to My Will bring the gospel to those souls in the darkness, as you have received it from Me. Because it is the pure Truth that can convince the soul who until now has been in error, such a one will feel an inward happiness, when he experiences this blessing of Truth. When his understanding is unlocked he will not doubt but accept it as from Me. The power of My Word is obvious. The soul becomes suddenly enlightened and where it once lacked understanding now it is instantly clear and accepts it with joy. As a wrong doctrine is great misery and confusion, so is the Truth delightful and understandable. The Truth will always be there where My Spirit can work. What I reveal through My Spirit to people shall always be the Truth. Therefore, always be aware of this abundant grace that you receive. Work with those gifts of grace, spreading My Word, bringing Light in the darkness and enlightenment to everyone. Give them the Truth, which you have received from Myself, be diligent to be a blessing for all who still walk in spiritual darkness. AMEN B.D. 7490 Dec.12, 1959 FATE OF THE SOUL AFTER PHYSICAL DEATH After death you enter a totally different world. On Earth you have the possibility to form that world for yourself so that it will make you happy, and glad to have changed your life on earth for this new world. You can earn for yourself a corresponding kingdom of Light and Happiness through your walk on earth. If you perform your soul work zealously and gather treasures for the spiritual kingdom, then the world in which you enter shall be a happy place. There will be no end to your amazement and rejoicing and you would never want to return to earth, even if that were possible. You create for yourself the world, which receives you after the death of your body. Therefore, you must live conscious of your responsibility on this earth, because you could enter a place, which is dark, and bare in which you are very unhappy, which you cannot leave at will. Because this is the kingdom you prepared for yourself, in free will, when on earth. It was your own doing, it was your own free will, because your walk on earth was such that it could not give you any other lot in the spiritual kingdom than misery and confinement, in darkness and weakness. In any case, you enter a different world, a kingdom that is spiritual, where you have lost all earthly goods, where you find only what you have earned spiritually on earth. Therefore, it is a frightful state for souls who have not acquired for themselves any spiritual goods and who have only cared for earthly things. These will enter totally empty into that spiritual kingdom where it is difficult to obtain spiritual treasures. However, it is not impossible. The world in which they then live is constituted according to the state of their soul. It can mean for that soul an incessant wandering through lean and barren places, where they cannot find anything to satisfy their hunger, which torments these souls continually, and can only be stilled with gifts of Love, or with a supply of strength, which still can be obtained for such souls through loving prayers. Therefore, it is a blessing for these souls if after the grave, kind thoughts and good works, done on earth, follows them in eternity. But poor and needy are those souls who have earned no love of their fellowman on earth, after whom unkind thoughts follow and who suffer because of those thoughts, more than you people on earth imagine. Therefore, see to it that every deceased person has good thoughts to follow them in eternity. Have pity on them and help them, so that they can find their way out of the darkness. Never leave them alone but think of them often. This will do them good; they will feel this as strength, as a little help on their way upward, when this is granted unto them. The soul creates for itself the lot that is waiting for it over in the spiritual kingdom, and in order for it to be happy, one must be active already on earth, earning spiritual goods and zealously performing deeds of love. These will always follow you, with which you can work for the happiness of yourself and others. So you can at any time increase your own happiness and supply others with strength that will lead their steps upwards and eventually achieve happiness for them. Though the road upwards is difficult and requires much strength, yet it is possible if their will is right, to reach the heights, with help from their spiritual friends and from the people on earth, who hold them up in their prayers. AMEN B.D. 7126 May 21,1958 THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BLISSFUL AS WELL AS THE UNHAPPY CONDITONS You cannot imagine the happiness in the realm of Light, neither can you imagine the torment which souls have to endure in the realm of' darkness. But again and again you are told about both through My Word, so you are not without knowledge. It is up to you to believe or not. But your lot is decided when your soul leaves the body and enters into the realm of the Spirit. But as soon as you believe, as is repeatedly said to you through My Word, you must live accordingly. Because no believer can live irresponsibly. Everyone will make the effort to live according to My will, even though in his weakness he may often fall. Yet, not alone for fear of the darkness or for the expectation of happiness in the realm of Light should he follow a certain way of life because that in itself would not favorably influence the state of his soul. But the man who believes will think and that drives him from within to a life pleasing to God. Some may have knowledge through My Word but fulfill these commandments only through external pressure of through rules and regulations, or because of a promised reward, or fear of punishment. But a true faith restores union with Him in whom man believes. Then he feels responsible toward Me and tries to live on earth according to My Will. He does not want to grieve Me, because he feels that I love him and he wants to show himself worthy of that Love. But the knowledge of the blissful or the unhappy state that the soul can expect after death should increase in man the sense of responsibility. He should know that his earthly life is not without purpose. He will not be able to say that he has never received any directions concerning the consequences of a right or perverted way of life. At the same time the purpose of his earthly life will be presented to him. Therefore he has to know the state that the soul can reach and how that state can be achieved. However, a proof of that cannot be given you. Whoever seeks earnestly will always find the Truth. Though one is not forced to believe, only the man who believes it can experience it. Those weak in faith will be strengthened in their faith if they are willing to live according to My will. Whoever is diligent will see and experience things, which he can accept as a proof. But no manifestations from the beyond may force anyone to believe, therefore only very few will be able to tell about such experiences which reach into the beyond, and only the likewise spiritually striving people will believe them, while unbelievers will ridicule them and portray them as liars or strange, and derive therefore little benefit from those experiences. The realm of Light reveals itself, so also the realm of darkness, but never such that man is coerced into belief. Even phenomenon of such kind can be disputed, and everyone can make out of it what he or she will. In return the mode of life of the individual will, if he is guided in Love, determine the right understanding as well. A loving man will be strengthened for more and more zealous endeavors, for which the world of Light will help him. For those there will be no doubt about a continuous life after death, corresponding to his way of life on earth. He will try to reach the highest goal because he will stay in constant contact with Me. AMEN B.D. 5332 March 8, 1952 CONDITION OF SOULS IN THE BEYOND FALSE FAITH?. UNBELIEF?. LOVE It is inconceivable for many people that they could have direct contact with Me through My speaking, and through perceiving My Word, in the form of thoughts. That is indicative of their distance from Me, and their lifeless faith, faith that is only traditional and not alive. It is school knowledge seldom thought out or able to be defended by man. But man could derive from such indirect knowledge the idea that the Eternal Deity must and will reveal Himself. But faith in an Eternal Deity is weak and therefore the doctrines of the faith are not taken seriously so that spiritual progress in man's search for restoration of union with Me could be achieved. In the first place I must be seriously recognized before I can reveal Myself to a human being. A great many people do not feel this conviction. That is the reason they live in spiritual darkness and will continue so in the beyond. What they neglected on earth they must make up for in the beyond. They have to reconsider their faith and they are often too weak through their own guilt. But if deeds of Love follow them in eternity then they are not totally powerless in spite of their unbelief. Their strength is in the fact that the remembrance of that knowledge that they did not take seriously on earth, is not entirely taken away from them and that they can think about it. Unbelieving souls who have no deeds of Love following them find themselves in unspeakable distress because they are not able to come to terms with their thoughts. Yet these souls can be taught in the spiritual kingdom by other souls who are able to present to them what they need to know, in an intelligible way, provided they are willing to accept their teaching. It is a work of great Love and Mercy to pray for such souls in order that they may receive strength and find access to the spheres where enlightenment can be given to them. Deeds of Love can make up every deficiency and give the soul faith. But spiritual darkness will only disappear when they acknowledge Jesus Christ. He alone can redeem their guilt, a result of their unbelief on earth. Wrong thinking can soon be corrected where Love and Faith existed on earth. But unbelieving people must first be led into faith, because on earth they did not want to acknowledge the Truth for themselves, even when they proclaimed it to their fellowman. Those souls who did not acknowledge Me nor gave Love to Me or their fellowman cannot be given this knowledge suddenly. But I can give them the opportunity to acquire such knowledge, provided their will does not oppose My Will. When they long for Light then My merciful Love is ready to give it to them. Then the gospel shall again be brought to them, which they can accept in free will, or reject. And according to their will to do good, and their longing for instruction, My teaching will bring them Light and their ascent can take place. But much suffering and toil in the darkness shall come first before the unbelieving soul, deceased from this earth, will be touched by a ray of Light. This soul will be ready for a change of being, once it has tasted the benefit of the Light, and will constantly long for more Light until it is received. Darkness gives the soul little freedom, but I know when I can open the gates and set them free. I know when they are receptive to even a ray of Light and will help them to find the way that finally leads to Me and Eternal joy. AMEN B.D. 5323 Feb. 24, 1952 JUSTICE RESTITUTION IN THE HEREAFTER There is a justice and a restitution where the soul reaps what it has sown, if not on earth, then in the spiritual kingdom. You must think about the fact that no one can take anything that does not belong to him, that he will have to give account of every penny, and that he must pay for whatever he has acquired illegally. Think about it, I cannot remit anything because I am a just God. You burden yourself with great guilt if you think that for you sin can go unpunished. There comes a day of restitution for everyone who lived carelessly on earth, because he did not believe in Me as a righteous God, and therefore heaped unto himself sin upon sin. Earthly life is soon over for everyone and all that stays with you are spiritual things. Woe to him who has no spiritual treasures to his account. He will arrive over there poor and naked, and will wander around in misery and darkness, but that is the restitution for his earthly life, if it was not lived according to My Will, in observing the commandments of Love to Me and his fellowman, and if he thought only of himself and lived to please My opponent, if he indulged in worldly pleasures giving their natural impulses free rein. He who only thought about himself on earth will dwell there desolate, and no one will offer him his love, because he himself left those who needed his help in distress. He has to repay every penny, because no one can pay his debts except Jesus Christ in Whom his soul, who was totally without Love, did not believe. Think about your earthly life from this point of view, and know that you cannot live carelessly because one day your Life will end. The soul will have to pay whatever guilt it has put upon itself. Know that all the tribute you have paid to the world is taken away from you and poverty is the result thereof. Know that there is a restitution for every hour in which you pursued My opponent, that you paid tribute to the world, and forgot Me entirely. This earthly life is given to you to perfect your soul. But what are you doing? You take care of your body, you fulfill all its desires, you intoxicate yourself with worldly pleasures and fall all too willingly into the traps, which are set by the enemy of your soul. You take from your soul and give to your body. You must pay a thousand fold. Your need will be exceedingly great when you enter the spiritual kingdom where the only thing of value will be what you bring with you in imperishable goods. The soul will suffer great need and no one will help her if she does not turn to Jesus Christ of Whom she knows nothing in its darkness. Only He can help the soul, but eternities can pass before it comes to that knowledge and turns itself to Him. It can drag that debt with it for eternities, because My righteousness cannot provide relief as long as the soul does not ask Me for it. AMEN B.D. 5877 Feb. 15, 1954 THE SHORT PERIOD ON EARTH DECIDES YOUR FATE IN THE BEYOND Your existence on earth is one of the phases of your upward development. Even if you are matured on earth so that you can enter into that realm of Light, your development will still continue further. The soul, who has recognized this, will never stop to strive forward. It shall forever strive toward God and therefore try to become closer to Him and be unspeakably happy in complete union with Him. The time on earth as man is therefore a short moment compared with eternity and compared with the endless long way of one's preceding development through the material creation. Yet this short period determines the fate of the soul. It decides the further way of development in the Spiritual Kingdom. There is a difference in whether the soul has already reached a higher degree of maturity on earth, or only comes to recognition in the Spiritual Kingdom. Indeed the latter will move upwards to the heights but through exceptionally arduous work. It has to earn what was available on earth in abundance in order to reach a higher degree of Light. To endure the test of will on earth means an abundance of Light. and strength on entering eternity and a continuing increase of Light and strength. Because, the soul from the hour that it departs from this earthly life is a receiver of power, it can as well be a distributor of that power and the more it gives the more it will receive. It then moves upwards exceedingly fast because it joins itself with spirits who are in the same mature state, and works according to the Divine Will and commission. It draws its entire strength from God and uses it for God. While the souls who failed in their test of will on earth, can still come to this realization in the beyond. They now have to develop themselves with the help of other beings so that they become Light themselves, and they can receive the rays of Light to use them according to the Divine Will. These souls must also in free will long for Light and strength because only then can they receive it. Then their upward development can begin through the help they themselves give to other souls, who still exist in darkness. All the same, it is a troublesome road, an upward path that has to be climbed step by step, using all the strength and will they have. However, no effort will be without reward, helping the soul upwards, because it is still weak and has not much strength it has to use all its will-power. They will find much support from the realm of Light, and strength, so that they can give of their power to others and through that receive more strength themselves. This short life on earth will decide your lot in eternity. If your time on earth is used in the right way the entering in the spiritual kingdom can be an exceedingly happy one, which happiness will never have an end. However, the time on earth can also be wasted and the soul has to bear the result of that, it has to struggle further, but it will not perish. Life in the Spiritual Kingdom is in many ways the same as on earth, but never hopeless if the soul has the will to come to Light and Strength. Its will alone is decisive. If the will on earth is already directed to God then it shall with determination follow its purpose to come closer to Him, which goal it soon reaches. But as long as the will is still turned away from God, it means darkness and weakness, and the soul will then enter the beyond in this state. While the former radiates Light and nothing binds that soul to the world, except the Love to those whom it left and to whom it offers its help in any possible way. But those still languishing need that support. Although they have escaped from the earth they still keep themselves close to the earth, until they too can receive enough Light and Strength that they themselves can be active in the Spiritual Kingdom. This activity consists of influencing the will of those who have been misdirected. To save them from the same lot, for a misdirected will on earth results in difficult progress in the Spiritual Kingdom. AMEN B.D. 2553 November 16, 1942 DO THE DEAD SLEEP? The belief that souls sleep after death is justified only in so far as immature souls remain in a state of idleness, because they lack strength. However, this is not a condition of blessed rest, but a state of misery, confinement and powerlessness, thus no condition to strive for. To be active in the beyond is only for the souls who have a certain grade of maturity wherein they receive strength continually, to be able to work. They will then use this power without restriction. Because their activity does not depend on earthly matter, so it must be different than work on earth. Neither can it be compared with that because the requirements that cause or permit activity in the spiritual kingdom is entirely different. There is continual instruction in and passing on of spiritual knowledge, which makes the giving soul happy and reduces the misery of the one who receives and enables them to receive strength. There is also a serving in Love that can be compared with earthly activities as long as these souls, in their state of darkness, believe that they are still on earth. They create, in their imagination, through their desires, their own surroundings, but must in that imagination also perform deeds of Love. The clearer it becomes in them the more they separate them- selves from the earth in their thinking. Then their activities are no longer bound to earthly matter or to their imagination. The work of souls in the beyond is to pass on the spiritual knowledge they have received in the spiritual kingdom. Every soul who receives power and is willing to give has a protégé, especially entrusted to him on earth or in the beyond, to whom they give themselves in untiring devotion. They must influence their thoughts and give them clarity of understanding without forcing the will of the soul. This requires great patience and Love. They are two totally separated beings that are facing each offer, who still can act and think in free will. Therefore right thinking may not be passed on by force lest the immature spiritual soul be hindered in coming to a higher degree of maturity. Spiritual knowledge must be offered to the ignorant soul in such a way that it will be accepted without resistance and that it will awaken a longing for more gifts. The one who receives must agree in total free will. What has passed on only then can work as a strength and blessing. The work of passing on this knowledge can only be done in Love since it can be tedious. But the state of a soul who is condemned to idleness is so pitiful that the Light-beings try to help them constantly, and they are willing to do the most arduous work to free those poor souls from their pitiful condition. It also increases their happiness if their loving care is successful. That work draws ever increasing circles for every being who receives shares his knowledge further with greater urgency to help other souls in darkness and to be active in this redeeming work. AMEN B.D. 8991 June 7, 1965 THE DOCTRINE OF THE SLEEP OF THE SOUL Your willingness to stand up for My Word, which comes from above, gives Me reason to let you know what wrong teaching you have represented up to now. It is the doctrine of the sleep of the soul, which gives you an entirely wrong view of the soul and its condition when it enters the spiritual Kingdom. This teaching is supported by the argument that nowhere in the scripture do they speak of an immortal soul. But this could be refuted with the words "Whosoever believes in Me will have Eternal Life." Sleep is a brother of death. One who sleeps is not alive but dead, and one in the darkness of night is in a state of death, and therefore a life in eternity is out of the question. For all of you it will be worse if you depart from this earth with this conception. You will really fall short on knowledge, and it will take a long time before you can gain even a little insight. Truly you depart totally blind from this earth and you will hereafter receive only a little Light, even if you have lived a life of Love on earth. If you do not break away from these wrong teachings you will not realize that you have died, because you are still in the state of your self-consciousness and unaware of a further life. You will think that you are only placed in other surroundings and you cannot come to rest, a rest, which you thought you would find in the sleeping state. You shall still live but not in a condition of happiness but in confusion of thoughts, and that corresponds with the doctrine which you believed on earth. Everything that emerges from Me is immortal for all eternity. But it can enter the everlasting kingdom in a state of death, and all of you who spread this wrong doctrine on earth chose that state of lifelessness. You do not strive for the life that should be yours when you enter the spiritual kingdom. Because only then your life begins, assuming that you live a life in love and you are able to separate yourself from this wrong doctrine. Even if you believe in a resurrection at the last day, when all who rest in the grave will be awakened, yet your fate will be this: that you will not come to life until you realize the foolishness of such doctrine. Your existence in the beyond will be a state of idleness and sleep for an endlessly long time. Or you can find yourself in the beyond and still believe it to be the earth, which you have long since left. Really, if you defend this heresy you do not know to what unspiritual condition you have fallen, you will have to bring forth an overflow of Love to come suddenly to the knowledge of how it really is. You can consider yourself blest if you have left someone on earth that prays for you, who will help you to come to the right insight. However, the extent of your Love will decide whether, when you leave this earth, this knowledge will come like a flash of lightning to your mind. Because you do not believe in the immortality of the soul you also do not believe in the possibility that this knowledge can be given to you in the spiritual Kingdom, and that is to your disadvantage, because it would give you an understanding of the constant ascent of the soul who enters the spiritual Kingdom. You must give up this wrong doctrine as satanic that can only hold you back from going ahead in the beyond. This knowledge would soon bring you the True Life you will One day all reach. AMEN B.D. 5365 April15, 1964 MEETING AGAIN IN THE BEYOND GRADE OF MATURITY It will be an unequaled happy moment when the soul leaves the earth and enters into the spheres of Light where nothing is impure, where the soul is surrounded by a ray of blessed Light, where beautiful beings exist and bring to the soul a Love that will almost overwhelm it. The beams of Light are adapted to the maturity of the soul, and always to a degree that will make it unimaginably happy, but not so strong as to destroy the soul who is not yet accustomed to such Light. In endless space the soul will gaze upon the most marvelous creations, because its spiritual eye is now able to look upon spiritual creations, no longer material, yet real before it and by no means illusions. In the midst of this beauty on which its eyes feast the soul will find its loved ones who are gone be fore it in that grade of maturity in which the Kingdom of Light could accept it. You cannot imagine the bliss of such a reunion, but in the spiritual Kingdom the soul is able to take in profound impressions without passing away, and experience consciously the bliss God has prepared for it. The soul will sing with all its heart, and praise with thanksgiving when the Kingdom of Light has become its homeland, glowing in Love to the Father, Who has prepared for it all these blessings. To cooperate with souls who are in the same grade of maturity strengthens its power and will to be active, and the soul will use that strength to help souls who are still immature and far behind, to reach the same bliss. In merciful Love it will accept those who were near to them on earth and are still in lower spheres, who on earth, through their unbelief and lack of Love, stayed behind in their spiritual development and therefore in the beyond are unhappy in darkness, or in dim light. The soul of Light recognizes them, but it will not be recognized by them whom they want to help, and for that reason they often refuse its support. But the patience and Love of the soul in the Light, in continuous efforts, for those souls, will ultimately win their acceptance. Their bliss, which they receive, through the enduring Love-force of God, the incomparable creations of the Kingdom of Light, and the co-operation with beings with whom they are in delightful Love joined together gives them constantly the urge to redeeming activity, they find for themselves a blessing in doing so, they give what they receive. They find continual fulfillment of their longing for God and cannot but desire to make others this happy as well. To describe the splendor of the Kingdom of Light to you is impossible, because only a matured soul can endure the fullness of Light and therefore can understand this bliss whereof the yet imperfect man has no understanding. But he can believe this one thing, that there is a seeing again in the beyond, that death is not the end of the real life of the soul and that those souls will recognize one another when they have reached a certain maturity which many souls still do not possess. So it can take a long time for many souls until they experience union with their loved ones. But the longing for this is often the stimulant to strive upwards. This Love-force in souls is constantly active to help those souls out of the depths to a blissful state, to the entrance into that Kingdom where the radiating Light surrounds them, where they can see God, and all their trouble will be over. AMEN B.D. 6312 June 15, 1955 MEETING ONE ANOTHER IN THE BEYOND There will be a meeting again in the spiritual world, mankind can be sure of that. But whether or not a meeting with your loved ones is to be granted right after your parting from this earth, depends on the grade of maturity of your soul as well as the souls of your loved ones. Because where this maturity is not yet developed that spiritual insight would be impossible, this then has to be obtained first, which could take a very long time. Not until a certain grade of maturity is achieved is the soul able to take in spiritual impressions. The soul itself has to stay in the Light, in order to be able to recognize who is approaching it, while a soul in a lower grade of maturity knows that it is surrounded by beings that it cannot recognize as long as it has not the ability to see spiritually. The blissfulness of the being consists in the ability to share itself with those who were close to it while on earth. Therefore those souls who are already in the Light, because of their maturity will always come to their own, either for an exchange with those of equal spiritual maturity, or to help still weaker souls to reach the Light. Thus the more mature souls will have the ability to recognize the weaker ones but not the other way around. The weak souls should be stimulated to improve, but may not be coerced to do so. If a Light-being were to approach a weaker soul and be recognized as one with whom he was acquainted while on earth, this would indeed amount to coercion. So the joy of meeting one another is a gift of grace and given to the mature soul bringing unspeakable happiness. Such a soul will do everything in his power to help the immature soul to experience the same happiness. These souls strive constantly in the most loving way for them, never failing to stimulate them, though unrecognized by them, in their covering and attire. The longing for those who were near to them on earth draws them. This is indeed a very powerful drawing force. When the moment of recognition comes then will these souls be supremely happy. Then they will recognize the care that was first' given to them and will in the same way care for other souls, languishing in darkness and help them in their progress upwards. Each soul is drawn to those to whom they were once close to when on earth. There will be a meeting again but the time in which this is possible will be set by yourself. If you have already obtained this certain knowledge on earth, then you will do everything in your power to reach that grade of maturity on earth, which permits you to enter into the Light spheres. Then you will be received by those that you love and are able to recognize you at once, or you can come in contact with them without being recognized and start your redemptive work on their behalf. Take care that you do not pass to the other side without even the slightest knowledge. See to it that you have already found God in Jesus Christ so that, redeemed by Him, you can enter into the spiritual realm. Then this entrance will give you happiness through the joy of meeting again. But if you yourself have not reached his maturity on earth you will have to wait a long time, because everything can happen only in lawful order. The freedom of your will has to be respected in the spiritual kingdom, so that one day you may be greatly blessed. AMEN B.D. 4781 Nov. 14, 1949 MEETING AGAIN IN THE BEYOND IN A STATE OF MATURITY In the spiritual kingdom those souls recognize one another, which are in the same grade of maturity. Souls at a certain level of maturity are able to receive the Light, and also have the ability to see spiritually. Souls in darkness cannot recognize one another even though they were acquainted with each other on earth. In the beyond they will be able to see other beings well and communicate with them, but there will be no possibility of recognizing them. They no longer have the same bodily characteristics, and to see spiritually would require more maturity of the soul. But a soul who is in the Light can find a soul it knew back on earth and approach it without being recognized by it. For that reason the Light soul can assist them but under cover, so that the rays of Light going out from them do not cause a coercing influence on the immature beings. Therefore, for those immature souls, parted from this earth into the spiritual world there are souls who are willing to help, and they come to them because love bound them together when they were on this earth. Nevertheless, those souls have to open themselves in free will for such teachings and counseling. They can be pointed to the right way but must choose to go that way themselves. However, if these souls are at a level of maturity where they are both able to receive Light, even if it is in a different intensity, then they will also possess the ability to see spiritually and recognize each other to their indescribable joy. Then they will work together to support and teach each other and express their love for one another, which will make them exceedingly happy. A meeting in the spiritual kingdom is therefore a certain fact, but it can take a long time be fore a soul enters into the Light spheres and meets its loved ones again then only to realize that they were often close as advisers and guides on the way up. That bliss of meeting again is indescribable and compensates for much suffering that they had to endure before they came to the Light. But wherever a soul is helped through its love there its goal will also be reached, because Love is the strongest force that can help the un- redeemed soul, which also secures for him an entrance into the spiritual kingdom, the Kingdom of Light and Bliss. AMEN B.D. 7458 Nov. 18, 1959 THINK OFTEN ABOUT THE HOUR OF DEATH Be it said to all of you that each day shortens the time which is left to you, that the time of grace will soon be over, in which you can work and create after your own will. And all your work and achievements must be always and only for the salvation of your soul, you must only think of this and put behind you the things of this world. Because when you care for the salvation of your soul everything that you need, will be given to you, and you will receive it without your own effort. The salvation of your soul is in great danger in the way you live now, in thinking only about earthly things and not about the fact that your lifespan will soon be over. You live with the wrong attitude, you think only of the well-being of your body. And even if you present yourself to the world as a Christian you do not live with Christ, Who wants to be, and to remain your everlasting happiness and can only be united with you if you live in Love. You live too much in self-love because all you think about is to improve your life standard. You try to please your body too much. But do you think about what your soul needs, and its welfare? You know that your stay on this Earth is not forever, that you can be called away even tomorrow. What is waiting for you in the beyond depends on the condition of your soul. Because everything that the body possesses is perishable, and man has to leave it behind in this world. Then every effort which only concerns the body is futile. The soul however, stands poor and needy at the gate of Eternity. Would man think more about the condition of their soul, think more often about the hour of death, and believe that the time of Grace, which is given to them in which they can change themselves, will soon be passed. Each day can bring your soul riches if you live it in the right way, when you do deeds of love, shine forth Love and kindness to your fellowman, help where your help is needed. When you in prayer unite yourself with your Father of Eternity, and when you restore the right relationship with HIM as a child to its Father. It does not need to be a sacrifice. You can certainly live a GOD-pleasing life, but you must think more often of HIM, not exclusively on the things of the world. You must always know that everything that the world can offer is perishable. But in order to receive something from GOD that you can call spiritual treasures, you must unite yourself with HIM and remain united through prayer and deeds of Love. Not much is asked from you, but without this intimate contact you will always be poor and your soul will be, by the time of death, in a poor condition. Yet nothing can be given to you that you do not attain for yourself. Therefore, you can only be warned and admonished not to go thoughtlessly through this life, but always thinking about the hour of death when you have to give account of how you have used your earthly life, for the well being of your soul. Think and strive toward the maturity of your soul and you shall always receive help, if you show GOD your sincere will to come closer to HIM, and then remain forever with HIM. Then your soul will show itself worthy. AMEN B.D. 5277 Dec. 20, 1951 THE HELPING HAND OF JESUS CHRIST DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEPTH. On Earth as well as in the beyond the saving Hand of the Redeemer reaches out to help upwards, souls who are in the depth, who will grasp HIS Hand. The Love and Mercy of GOD is continually active bringing deliverance. However, the souls themselves must have a desire to be helped; otherwise every gift of mercy would be ineffective. Only a state of distress can move the will to ask for help. The immature soul in the beyond is in pain and distress. While on Earth, this soul tries to deafen itself with earthly pleasures, and does not easily ask GOD for help. But the spiritual need is just as great and will have to work itself out in the beyond. The soul on Earth can easily come to the heights, where he can use his life-strength for deeds pleasing to GOD, while in the beyond the soul is powerless and depends on the help of the other beings or people on Earth. On Earth the will to do good is much less than with souls in the beyond, and it is weak as long as the soul is deficient in power, but its strength will increase steadily when power is given to it. Suffering in the beyond can cause a change of will, making upward progress sure. But without a change of will an upward development on Earth is not possible, because the world influences people in a deafening way. Sometimes a situation of distress is necessary to bring about a change of will. Then there will always be the helping Hand of JESUS CHRIST. The Divine Love is always ready to help someone out of the depths. This gives all souls hope of salvation. But when this can happen is the decision of the soul itself, through the will, which must be unconditionally directed upwards. In time the strongest rebel-will shall be broken, not through coercion, but Divine Love shall bring this to pass, by continually approaching the being until Love is recognized and answered, and until the will in the being becomes strong enough to surrender to GOD. AMEN B.D. 5901 March 12,1954 BRINGING THE GOSPEL TO SOULS IN THE BEYOND?. LOVE. Deliver the gospel to souls in the beyond. Remind them of MY commandments of Love which must be fulfilled even in the world hereafter, if the soul would rise to the heights. Give them knowledge of MY Will which always requires a turning to ME, and must take place to be apprehended by MY Love. It is the same on Earth as in the spiritual Kingdom those who are at first directed against ME must have a change of will. This can happen only through Love, for an unselfish act of Love is the first step toward ME, bringing strength to such a one. The souls who are powerless in the beyond are poor in Love, and you must explain to them that they can only expect help when they are willing to share Love with those who, like them, are equally poor in Love and unhappy. Without Love their thinking is wrong, and as on Earth beings can come to them and teach them wrongly without them being aware of the error. Only a soul willing to help recognizes the Truth. So you must first present to the soul MY commandments of Love and draw to their attention that these have been given to them that union with ME can only be restored by fulfilling these commandments of Love, for deeds of Love provide strength and also helps them upwards. You can teach those souls again and again, but if they are not willing to Love they will not believe you, or understand you. So if you are willing to help them it must be your earnest and serious intention to encourage them and appeal to them to help other souls that are in need. Only this readiness to Love can open their spiritual eyes and ears, then they can understand everything that you lay be fore them. My Gospel is only the doctrine of Love, because everything else comes by itself, if 'they follow My doctrine of Love. To bring souls in the beyond knowledge only, would be of no use, because as long as they are not willing to perform deeds of Love they shall not understand, because in the beyond, as well as on earth, deeds of Love must be performed, but this always demands a willingness to do so, otherwise the soul is without power. As long as the soul thinks only about itself and its sorrowful condition, there is no possibility to give it help or to convey strength. It must first turn its eyes to its surroundings, or if it is alone in a barren region its thoughts should go out to the people on earth that it could have helped but failed to do so. (March 13)The soul must feel sorry and have a desire to make restitution. Then to that soul beings in need will come and as soon as it is willing to help them it will immediately receive strength to carry out its intentions. First of all this Love has to be inflamed which can take a long time, but through loving support from the earth of a human being, urged by a loving will to help and trying to teach, it is possible that he can give to the soul an explanation about its needs. Love achieves everything and Love overcomes everything. Love itself is the force, which helps the soul to salvation. But as long as the soul only considers itself it will be very difficult to free it from its unpleasant condition. However, it can become tender and loving when it gets touched by small rays of Light. These are sparks of Love, which shall always touch and ignite its heart. Every soul who feels the darkness as a pain will be pleasantly touched by such rays of Light and in this is its hope that it goes after the Light, and that it is also willing to help other souls to this Light. Love should always be preached to these souls. Love, which found it?s crowning in Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. At first no other knowledge is necessary for those souls. They should know about the reason for their distress and how they can remove it. Only when they have this discernment their ascent is sure, only when they themselves want to do deeds of love do they receive strength to work in Love and accept steadily more strength and go on in continually brighter Light. Light makes these souls exceedingly happy and in their happiness comes the willingness to love constantly greater. Through this a single soul in the beyond can perform an extensive work of redemption. Because as well as it understands itself, so shall it also bring its knowledge to other souls and try to urge them to the same endeavor in Love. For as on earth, so it is in the spiritual Kingdom: Love God above all and your neighbor as yourself. AMEN B.D. 5024 Dec. 20,1950 WHOEVER LOVES HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT The will to live means a certain victory over death. On earth however, you cannot prevent bodily death. Death of the body can be a transition to life in the beyond, when the will in man becomes so strong that he gains that everlasting life. This will to live has My approval, however, I spoke the words "whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever loses it will keep it". He who thinks only about his physical life and how to preserve it will soon experience man's total helplessness when he is removed from this earth without being able to do anything about it. This kind of will to live is not meant to have victory over death. There has to be a desire for the true life of the soul, and to that life men have to commit themselves with all the strength they possess, then will they be free from death through all eternity, then shall they live in Light and strength, and are able to be continually active to their own happiness. Then they have truthfully conquered death and the separation of the soul from the body is an awakening to new life, not troubled by the bodily cover, free from all matter and yet filled with unexpected fullness of strength. The people on earth should yearn for this life, strive for it, and use all their power to possess it. Then they will long for death when they will give up this earthly life for the true life of eternity. However, people cling to this bodily life too much. They fear losing it, they love this earthly life too much, therefore they will love it, and their fate will be death. Again this does not mean the death of the body but one in which the soul, who loves this earthly life too much, sinks down into spiritual death. This death is far worse than man can imagine, because his soul is without Light and strength, totally powerless and in deep darkness. Spiritual death is an indescribable torment because the soul is well aware that it is not extinguished at the moment of death but has a further existence in an agonizing condition. The longing for activity, which is the being's happiness, can only be for the living, because this strength is needed which is present only in a living being, so a being without strength is dead. What on earth is accomplished by means of the life force that flows to people is only for worldly activities, which increases worldly material goods but has no value for the spiritual kingdom. On the other hand spiritual work bring imperishable treasures and assures a life in eternity. Therefore, the will of man should be directed seriously toward eternal life, and the use of this life force to win spiritual strength. Then, he will become victorious over death, then eternal life is for him certain and he will not taste death forever. AMEN B.D. 5000 NOV. 13, 1950 ETERNAL LIFE Eternal life is at stake, the life of the soul in the spiritual Kingdom after the death of the people on this earth, the whole of Eternity. Do you understand the gravity of it? Think about it! What great responsibility you have to your earthly life where you create for yourself your lot in eternity, and that all available means are at your disposal to become blessed. But when you do not use them it will greatly harm your soul. Bear in mind that you will be called to give account for your thinking and for your will and deeds on earth, and that you cannot undo anything there. In the beyond you cannot make up for what you have neglected to do here. You will find your reward in like measure to your life on earth. Every thought and every deed works itself out, so that man is turned away from that goal or is led to it. Therefore man must endeavor to obtain God's grace, to be able to stand be fore God's Judgment seat. The salvation of your soul is at stake, but during your earthly life you only pay attention to your body and its needs, neglecting the soul. The Love of God will never let you go, the Love of God does not want you lost for an eternally long time, but rather to have everlasting Life. The Love of God strives for you as long as you live on earth, with endless patience He bears your weakness and mistakes, and His mercy knows no bounds. As long as you are on this earth, His Love for you is available and He longs for unity with you. This union in highest Love brings you to a state of blissfulness, which He will prepare for you because all are His children. But it is very difficult to start to lead you to this bliss as long as you yourself do not have the will to be led. This will cannot be forced, you must change yourself in absolute free will and take on the original nature that you had when you first came forth from God, your Creator and Eternal Father. Then you will once again be that being after His "image" that can unite itself with Him without having to perish because of His Light. This change in your being is your earthly commission, your aim and your destiny, and it is not difficult if you long only for God. However, the cast is a hard struggle if you are a follower of the world. The world is your enemy, your danger, and your downfall, you must avoid it, and you must not fall into its spell. You must overcome the world and strive only after God's Kingdom, which offers exceedingly more precious rewards. You must long for God who can and will give you everything that makes you happy. AMEN 2