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The Revealing Word
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[The Revealing Word]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
pagan--One in any age who believes in the power of material
things.
paganism--The religion of pagans, pertaining to idolatrous
worship. The worship of money as God is a form of paganism.
pain--An indication that the vital forces of the body are
at work to bring about health.
palm trees--Metaphysically, realizations in the physical of
unlimited resource of strength.
pantheism--"The doctrine that the universe, taken or
conceived of as a whole, is God; the doctrine that there is
no God but the combined forces and laws which are
manifested in the existing universe" (Webster).
In its last analysis what we call nature, pantheists would
name God. Metaphysically, pantheism refers to God as
omnipresence, the one living, all-powerful, intelligent
Mind, pervading and sustaining all things and directing
them in love, wisdom, and order.
Pantheism and the teachings of Unity differ widely:
pantheism diminishes the importance of the individual,
while Unity teaches that man always retains his individual
identity in God-Mind.
parable--A brief symbolical story told to illustrate Truth.
"He taught them many things in parables" (Mark 4:2).
paradise--A state of high spiritual consciousness.
parsimony--In mortal consciousness, the idea of closeness
in expenditures; undue thrift. Indicates lack of
understanding of accessibility of supply through
omnipresent substance.
Passover--Outwardly a Jewish feast; symbolically, a mental
attitude in which we are bridging over from an old
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state of consciousness and entering a new. In taking on the
Christ consciousness men pass over from the mortal to the
spiritual consciousness.
pasture--Metaphysically, a pasture represents substance in
a form in which it can be utilized by the individual. "He
maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (Psalms 23).
patience--An attitude of mind characterized by poise, inner
calmness, and quiet endurance, especially in the face of
trying conditions. Patience has its foundation in faith,
and it is perfected only in those who have unwavering faith
in God. "The proving of your faith worketh patience" (James
1:3).
pattern--The divine incarnation of Jesus is the divine
pattern for all men who are seeking the Christ way of life.
peace-Harmony and tranquillity derived from awareness of
the Christ consciousness. "Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give unto you" (John 14:27). Steadfast affirmations of
peace will harmonize the whole body structure and open the
way to attainment of health conditions in mind and body.
Until world peace is based on the divine law of love and
this law incorporated into the pact of peace as well as
into the minds of those who sign the pact, there will be no
permanent peace.
peacemaker--One who has the ability to say "peace" to the
turbulent waves of thought and have them obey. A peacemaker
is one who reduces to peace and harmony all the thoughts of
strife, anger, and retaliation in his own mind. The ability
to say "peace" to thoughts, and have them obey, entitles
man to sonship of the Most High. "Blessed are the
peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God" (Matt.
5:9).
pearl of great price--The Truth that no man can afford to
barter away, although all the kingdoms of the
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earth and the glory of them be weighed in the balance
against this one treasure.
Pentateuch--The first five books of the Bible, called the
books of law, or the books of Moses.
Pentecost--The "day of Pentecost" was with the Israelites
the great "feast of harvest," or "day of the first-fruits"
(Exod. 23:16; Num. 28:26).
"That day of Pentecost" signifies a gathering of spiritual
powers for the purpose of harvesting the first fruits of
Spirit; otherwise, a dedicating of these new forces of
Spirit to unselfish service in the vineyard of the Lord.
The first Pentecost after Jesus' ascension was the time of
the first recorded coming of the Holy Spirit baptism upon
His apostles and immediate followers. The descent into
consciousness of the Jesus Christ life may have taken place
on the day of Pentecost in the company of the apostles as
described. They were in the upper room of the mind, which
is a spiritual state of mind, and had been praying for ten
days with one accord for the fulfillment of the promise of
the Holy Spirit as given by Jesus. This attitude of many
minds forms a mental magnet and brings about results in
flashes of light and spiritual illumination. Religious
revivals have demonstrated this to greater or lesser degree.
people, holy--The members of the body of Christ are called
a holy people because they are different from the world
about them in that they refer all things to the in-dwelling
Presence. In their method of praying and of attaining
health and plently, in their manner of conversation, and in
all vital points their lives are set to a higher standard
than that of the people of the world.
perception, spiritual--Apprehension of Truth through
intuition; the ability to perceive spiritually; the faculty
of seeing spiritual reality in spite of appearances that
may suggest the contrary.
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perfection--A state of consciousness completely free from
any shadow of negation.
perfection, attainment of--Jesus said, "Ye therefore shall
be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt.
5:48). We attain divine perfection through spiritual
aspiration, by never ceasing to erase false thoughts and by
affirming Truth as the law of our being.
perseverance--Metaphysically, to persist in pursuit of
Truth. Through perseverance we make connection with the
higher realms of consciousness.
persistency--The inner spiritual quality of an abiding
conviction that urges one on to accomplishment. Persistency
in prayer awakens the spiritual consciousness. When this
awakening has been accomplished, one is in a constant state
of thanksgiving and praising, and the joy of a conscious
union with creative Mind is realized.
personal aims--Personal aims are concerned exclusively with
one's own welfare. They are always narrow and selfish. So
long as these exist and take the place of the rightful one,
there is no room for the higher self, the Christ of God.
"Let him deny himself . . . and follow me" (Matt. 16:24).
personal man--Adam.
personality--The sum total of characteristics that man has
personalized as distinct of himself, independent of others
or of divine principle. The word personality as used by
metaphysicians is contrasted with the word individuality.
Individuality is the real; personality is the unreal, the
mortal, the part of us that is governed by the selfish
motives of the natural man. (see individuality)
Personality is a veil or mask worn by man that conceals the
real, the spiritual I AM. Jesus shattered this mask and
revealed Christ, the true man of God.
Individuality is Jehovah, ideal man; image and likeness of
Elohim, universal creative Mind.
Personality is Adam, man formed by Jehovah and commanded
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to develop his individuality in Eden, an environment of all
potential possibilities.
Personality is what man seems to be when he thinks in his
three-dimensional consciousness; individuality is what he
really is when he thinks in his unlimited spiritual
consciousness.
As the true Christ self emerges, personality decreases. The
real self, the individuality, begins to express. "He must
increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).
pessimism--An unhappy mental state resulting from beholding
the shadow of reality, termed evil.
pests--All vermin and pests of every kind come from wrong
thoughts and expressions of life in man and by man. God is
life, and all life springs from the one perfect life-idea.
Man brings the life of God into manifestation through his
thoughts, words, and acts. Through ignorance and wrong
thinking man has worked out of divine order with the great
principle of life and has brought about the different
manifestations of life that prey on and torment him today.
Pharisee--One who observes the letter of the religious law
but not its spirit; lacking in understanding of the Truth.
The Pharisees were hypocrites. Jesus denounced them with
greater severity than any other class of sinners. They
pretended to practice the divine law, but failed to do so.
They represent the son who said, "I go, sir; and went not"
(Matt. 21:30).
Physician, the Great--The omnipresent, healing, in-dwelling
Spirit of Jesus Christ.
pillar of cloud--Light of spiritual understanding to guide
us.
pillar of fire--Witness of the Spirit on the altar of love
as a glow of light that opens the understanding.
"place" that Jesus prepared--(John 14:2) Jesus said He had
prepared a "place" for us. This "place" is a
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spiritual current in the cosmic ether in which we live, and
we can feel it when we direct our attention to Jesus Christ
in prayer and meditation. "The kingdom of God is nigh"
(Luke 21:31).
planes--The different realms of ideas in which men
function. There are many planes of life, one above or below
another, yet not conflicting. All creation is based on life
activity, or as it is called in physical science, rates of
vibration. A certain activity in the life current forms
worlds on a plane, which we may call the physical; a little
increase in the vibratory rate makes another system, which
we may designate as the psychical; a still higher rate
makes a universe where spiritual ideas prevail.
These are all interlaced and interblended in the presence
around and within us, hence the "kingdom of God is within
you" (Luke 17:21), or "among you," as one translator gives
it.
plumb line--The divine law that measures uprighteousness or
integrity.
poise--A state of consciousness that beholds the world from
the harmony of the Christ Mind; a freedom from personal
thinking.
pool---Metaphysically, the realization in consciousness
that our life is being constantly purified, healed, and
made new by the activity of mind.
poor in spirit--Those who have denied personal
consciousness. They are poor in the spirit of selfishness,
but rich in the Spirit of Christ. "Blessed are the poor in
spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
poverty, cure for--When love has begun its silent
pulsations at one's center of consciousness, one cannot
remain in want or poverty. From the invisible currents of
the inner ether, love will draw to any man all that belongs
to him, and all belongs to him that is required to make him
happy and contented.
power--Man's innate control over his thoughts and
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feelings. A quickening from on high must precede his
realization of dominion. "Ye shall receive power, when the
Holy Spirit is come upon you" (Acts 1:8). God is All-Power,
thus all things are possible with Him.
The mind and the body of man have power to transform energy
from one plane of consciousness to another. This is the
power and dominion implanted in man from the beginning. The
climax of man's power and dominion is set forth in the
resurrection and ascension of the type man, Jesus.
In mind, power is increased through exalted ideas. These
show us the relation between the world without and the mind
within, and we find that they are parallel. Whatever you
see in the external, you may be assured has its parallel in
mind.
The same law is operating in the spiritual realm and the
material realm under different masks of manifestation. The
one thing to understand is that whatever we see without is
controlled by something within. This law, once revealed to
the mind, clears up the whole creation, and shows how God
works.
Man is the power of God in action. To man is given the
highest power in the universe, the conscious power of
thought. There is a universal, creative force that urges
man forward to the recognition of the creative power of his
individual thought. This thought is elemental, and all its
attributes come under the dominion of man. When he
co-operates with Principle, man sits on the throne of his
authority and the elemental force is subject to him.
Spiritual power is omnipresent. It is released in our body
by spiritualizing our consciousness. This divine energy
will surge through us as we erase negative thoughts from
consciousness and become one with God-Mind.
powers, man's twelve--Faith, wisdom, love, life, power,
strength, imagination, understanding, will, law of order,
zeal, renunciation.
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practical Christianity--The teachings of Jesus practically
applied in one's daily life.
praise--The quality of mind that eulogizes the good; one of
the avenues through which spirituality expresses.
The purpose of praise is to awaken in ourselves a higher
realization of the omnipresence and power of God. Prayer
and praise change man, not God. The mental attitude that
praise sets up stimulates, quickens, whirls into action,
and finally establishes in character the ideals of which
they are the vehicle.
Through an inherent law of mind action we increase whatever
we praise. The whole creation responds to praise, and is
glad. Animals and children quickly respond to praise. One
can praise a weak body into strength, a fearful heart into
peace and trust, shattered nerves into poise and power, a
failing business into prosperity and success, want and
insufficiency into supply and support.
We make practical application of the law of praise by
giving thanks always for all things, recognizing that "to
them that love God all things work together for good" (Rom.
8:28).
prayer--Communion between God and man. This communion takes
place in the innermost part of man's being. It is the only
way to cleanse and perfect the consciousness and thus
permanently heal the body.
Prayer is the most highly accelerated mind action known. It
steps up mental action until man's consciousness
synchronizes with the Christ Mind. It is the language of
spirituality; when developed it makes man master in the
realm of creative ideas.
Prayer is more than supplication. It is an affirmation of
Truth that eternally exists, but which has not yet come
into consciousness. It comes into consciousness not by
supplication but by affirmation.
Do not supplicate or beg God to give you what you need, but
get still and think about the inexhaustible resources
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of infinite Mind, its presence in all its fullness, and its
constant readiness to manifest itself for you when its laws
are complied with. This is what Jesus meant when He said,
"Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).
It is necessary to pray believing that we have received
because God is all that we desire. The good always exists
in Divine Mind as ideas, and we bring it into manifestation
through the prayer of faith, affirmation, praise, and
acknowledgment.
All through the Scriptures, the different attitudes of mind
necessary in prayer are pointed out. We are told to be
instant in prayer, to pray with the Spirit, to pray in
understanding. We have thought that prayer was something we
could go to, in any way, at any time. But we have learned
that to get results, we must pray with persistence and
understanding, and with faith. This practice establishes a
consciousness where doubt cannot enter. Jesus was in this
consciousness. Is it possible for the ordinary man? Yes.
But he must watch and pray. He must not only pray; he must
watch also.
These are the seven necessary conditions for true prayer:
1. God should be recognized as Father.
2. Oneness with God should be acknowledged.
3. Prayer must be made within, in "the secret place"
(Psalms 91).
4. The door must be closed on all thoughts and interests of
the outer world.
5. The one who prays must believe that he has received.
6. The kingdom of God must be desired above all things, and
sought first.
7. The mind must let go of every unforgiving thought.
prayer, chamber of--"Enter into thine inner chamber
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and . . . shut thy door" (Matt. 6:6). The inner chamber is
the "secret place of the Most High" (Psalms 91:1). It is
the very depths of a man's consciousness. To enter it is to
turn the attention from the without to the within. To "shut
thy door" is to still the senses and close the mind against
every disturbing exterior thought.
prayer, intercessory--The 17th chapter of John is known as
the intercessory prayer. In this chapter Jesus first prayed
for Himself, then for His apostles, and then for all who
would accept salvation through Him, which prayer is
extended to all generations.
"And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with
the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I
manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of
the world" (John 17:5, 6). "I pray for them: I pray not for
the world, but for those whom thou hast given me" (John
17:9). "Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also
that believe on me" (John 17:20).
prayer for health--This prayer is the one most quickly
answered, because natural laws that create and sustain the
body are really divine laws. When man silently asks for the
intervention of Spirit in restoring health, he is calling
into increased activity the natural forces of the body.
Through prayer the mind is renewed and the body transformed.
predestination--"The preordination of men to everlasting
happiness or misery" (Webster). Since man is created in the
image and after the likeness of God, he is predestined to
bring the perfect pattern into expression. "I am God
Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Gen. 17:1).
The belief that God makes men do certain things cannot be
true in a single instance, because, if it were, man would
not be a free agent. If God interfered with man's will in
some things, it would follow that He could interfere in any
and all things. Logic and observation
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clearly reveal the freedom of man in everything. He was
given freedom of thought, and must work out his own
salvation.
It is well to use daily an affirmation such as this in the
name of Jesus Christ: I am the son of God, and the Spirit
of the Most High dwells in me. I am the lord of my mind,
and express only that which is constructive and upbuilding.
I am predestined to be the perfect expression of my Father,
and the fullness of all good is mine.
predictions--The law of mind action will bring to pass what
man believes in and expects. If he has faith in what he has
been told by mediums and fortunetellers, he brings it to
pass himself by his faith.
preparation, the--(John 19:31). Refers to the observances
preliminary to the celebration of the Jewish Sabbath, or to
the festival the day before the Sabbath. Among the Jews
there was a law to the effect that a lifeless body should
not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, as this was a day
set aside for rest and freedom from all troubled or
contentious thoughts.
presence of God--The awareness of Spirit within one's own
being. It manifests as increased life, peace, love, and a
deep sense of spiritual joy. (see abiding Presence)
presents--The presents that the Wise Men brought are
symbolical of the inner resources open to the Christ child.
They may be from the stored-up good deeds and thoughts of
previous incarnations that the wisdom within carefully
guards and gives to a man as an inheritance.
pride, spiritual--A form of personal vanity over spiritual
achievement; a proud personal spirit; a "holier than thou"
attitude.
"Blessed are the poor in [personal] spirit: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).
priests--Metaphysically, ideas of priestly authority and
the religious guidance of the intellect. The "priests and
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Levites" represent our so-called natural religious
tendencies. These officiate in the rites and ceremonies of
the tent, or tabernacle, and when the more permanent
structure (temple) is built, they bring up all the "holy
vessels" from the tent or tabernacle.
primary law and secondary law--Primary law is the one law
of God. Secondary law is the law of diet, of economics, of
medicine, and many other secondary things. A true
metaphysician always looks to the law of God.
prince of Peace--Jesus is the Prince of Peace. When asking
the Father for that which belongs to the Son under the
divine law, man should assume the power and dignity of the
Prince of Peace. He should not crawl and cringe before an
imaginary king on a throne but rather feel that he is the
image of an invisible Being who created him to represent
His mightiness as well as His loving-kindness. We should
affirm with conviction those mighty words of Jesus: "All
authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth"
(Matt. 28:18).
Principle--Fundamental Truth. Divine Principle is
fundamental Truth in a universal sense, or as pertaining to
God, the Divine. It is the underlying plan by which Spirit
(God) moves in expressing itself; the oversoul of this
planet which works its way into expression through Jesus.
God immanent in the universe is the great underlying cause
of all manifestation; the source from which form proceeds.
Although Principle is formless, it is that by which all
form is produced.
Principle is the I AM of every man. As the principle of
music moves through tones, so does the principle of mind
move through ideas. A word is a spoken thought, or idea.
Therefore, God as creative Mind, moves through the
expressed thought of Divine Mind, referred to in Scripture
as the Word of God.
progress, spiritual--Growth in the conception and
expression of spiritual ideas.
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Promised Land--Metaphysically, a realization of divine
substance. It is the foundation of the substratum of the
new body in Christ. It is not a dream that man is to
possess a body of immortality.
When there wells up in a man a great desire to be free from
the bondage of ignorance and the animal propensities, his
journey to the Promised Land begins.
promises, God's--Free will gives to man the privilege to
accept or reject the promises of God. If he rejects them
there is no way for them to be fulfilled in him.
No one who holds back part of the price can find the way
into the kingdom. The works of the flesh must be entirely
overcome. Every flesh desire must be put away so that the
pure and holy desires of the Christ man may be given
expression. All the life substance must be conserved,
spiritualized, and used in making the body whole and
perfect like the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
prophet--One who receives the inspiration of Spirit,
understands spiritual law, and imparts it to others. The
prophets of old seemed to stand between God and the people;
it was through them that the people received divine
guidance.
Metaphysically, the prophet is that in us which discerns
the working of the law. Transgressed law brings its own
punishment, and it is the prophet of the Lord that sees its
outworking in our life. It is the prophet in us that often
warns and keeps us from transgressing the law, because we
discern what the result will be.
prophets, false--Deceptive thoughts that have been built up
by error; selfish desires. False prophets are the
representations of deceptive religious thoughts. They seem
innocent and harmless like sheep, but are in reality
selfish and dangerous. "Beware of false prophets, who come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening
wolves" (Matt: 7:15).
proselyte--Metaphysically, one who has turned away
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from the old, set, religious forms and ceremonies, and
realizes Truth for himself.
proselyting--The act of one endeavoring to convert another
to his way of thinking. This is not in accord with divine
law. The Spirit of truth within is man's one and only guide.
No one has the right to dictate what another shall do.
However, we do teach principles boldly without regard to
whether mortal man accepts or rejects. It is ours to give
forth the Truth; the responsibility of acceptance rests
with those who hear. If the higher self hears the Word and
the lower self resists and rebels, that is a matter for the
individual to work out according to his own choice and
faith.
prosperity--The consciousness of God as the abundant,
everywhere present resource, unfailing, ready for all who
open themselves to it through faith. "They that seek
Jehovah shall not want any good thing" (Psalms 34:10).
Prosperity is based on the conscious possession of the idea
of God's abundance back of all things. Things come and go,
but the idea of abundance endures. Things appear at its
command. Jesus had no visible possessions, but He could
supply thousands of persons with food through praising and
giving thanks to the invisible Spirit of plenty.
The difference between spiritual prosperity and material
prosperity is that spiritual prosperity is founded on
understanding of the inexhaustible, omnipresent substance
of Spirit as the source of supply; the material belief is
that the possession of things constitutes prosperity.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth . . .
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matt.
6:19-20).
In demonstrating prosperity, you should praise and give
thanks for every little evidence of financial improvement.
Be confident of the immediate co-operation of God's Spirit
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with you in bringing to pass that for which you have given
thanks. The divine resource never fails. God is the
omnipresent, unfailing resource for all who trust Him and
who make all their thoughts chord with Divine Mind. God is
your prosperity. Stamp this thought daily on your mind and
you will reap financial success.
Giving in the right mental attitude creates prosperity.
Giving with the fear of lack leads to poverty. Giving with
the thought of a large resource opens the way for a large
income. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over" (Luke
6:38).
psalm--The Truth of God spoken in poetry or music; a hymn
of praise or joy; spiritual aspiration of the soul. "Is any
cheerful? let him sing praise" (James 5:13).
psyche--A word prominent in Greek mythology, meaning "the
soul." Psyche may be thought of as man in his many earthly
experiences, in his failures and his successes.
psychic--Pertaining to mental powers not common to ordinary
man; mental powers outreaching the scope of the physical
man, but not yet quickened to the standard of Spirit.
Man has a body in the ether that is the counterpart of the
physical. It is through this psychic body that he has
sensations in the physical. It is possible to think of the
psychic body and cultivate its sensations until it appears
as real as the physical. Many persons have done this until
they have formed a psychic world consciousness and are
often unable to separate it from the physical. To them the
realm of thought forms is the finality of creation instead
of the mental pictures of that which is about to appear.
The first step of a Truth student in handling the psychic
forces of consciousness is the same as that in handling any
other, and that is to realize that God is the one and only
power; to declare with Byron: "There is no god but God!--to
prayer--lo! God is great!"
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Next make conscious contact with this all-powerful God-Mind
and realize that every phase of the mind, every thought is
brought into the captivity of the Christ, and that through
your I AM power and dominion you are master over every
situation.
psychoanalysis--Analysis of the subconscious mind. The
followers of Jesus go one step farther in mind therapy than
the psychoanalyst; they incorporate Spirit with soul and
make Spirit the primal source and sustainer of both soul
and body. "It is the spirit that giveth life" (John 6:63).
psychology and religion--Thought control is imperative, and
there is urgent need of teachers on both the mental and
spiritual plane of consciousness if the race is to go
forward in development. To this end there needs to be more
co-operation between these two schools, because they
complement each other. Religion becomes practical and
effective in everyday life when it incorporates psychology
as part of its litany. Without religion psychology is weak
in its fundamentals, and without psychology religion fails
to give proper attention to the outlet of its ideals. The
fact is that religion, comprehended in its fullness,
includes psychology. Jesus was a profound psychologist.
The carping critic cries, "Your religion is psychology
instead of Christianity." Our answer is that the new
Christianity includes an understanding of psychology and
does not stop with an analysis of the mind but goes on to
the highest phase of mind's possibilities, unity with
Spirit.
punishment--Man does not receive punishment from an outside
force. Man punishes himself by holding false thoughts. He
escapes from punishment as soon as he aligns his thought
with that of God.
pure in heart--The "pure in heart" are those who are
completely free from all anxiety, resentment, selfishness,
lust, and every other form of antichrist thought and
feeling.
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"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God"
(Matt. 5:8).
purity of the Christ Mind--The deep purity and mighty
strength of the Christ Mind are made manifest in men as
they develop spiritually. Instead of consciously and
unconsciously tempting one another in sense ways, these
qualities in each will incite in the other holy aspirations
to fulfill the law of righteousness. "And every one that
hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he
[the Father] is pure" (I John 3:3).
purification of blood--If your lung capacity is not equal
to the purification of your blood, increase it by declaring
the law of active life. Anemic blood may be made vigorous
and virile by daily centering the attention in the lungs
and affirming them to be spiritual, and under the perpetual
inflow of new life and the outflow of old life the lungs
will do your will.
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