Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/0654

0654 Shallow faith.... worship at any time.... formal keeping of the commandments....

November 4, 1938: Book 14

What has come to you through the grace of the lord, you must utilize in the form that finds the easiest access to the human heart. Man's mind is only ever intent on cultivating the pure spiritual in second place and putting the world with its joys and demands first. And such an attitude will make it difficult to vouch for the soul's state of maturity in life.... For only undivided labour can help it to achieve perfection while still on earth, and any higher development of the soul is always called into question if worldly interests still predominate. This is therefore a light but also shallow faith, which only expresses itself when the thoughts of God are given space in the heart.... but this requires a certain amount of time. Man should always and at all times have faith, i.e. allow it to dominate his life in such a way that he does not begin anything without an intimate connection with God, i.e. that he endeavours at all times to fulfil God's will and thus makes it his first concern to serve God before he complies with the world and its demands. If the father in heaven were only ready for His children on earth at certain times, then things would truly look very sad for them.... And so man should always seek God first, then the earthly activity will also take its regular course, but God never wants to be put at the back or only come in second place when it is pleasing to the earthly child. If people who only keep formal commandments were to consider this, they would very soon have to realize that this cannot be true worship of God.... Man should always and forever be imbued with love for God, then he will also be able to hold dialogue with his creator in every hour of the day and will no longer be able to start anything without having asked for His blessing. And only this is true worship when a person always and at all times professes his faith in God and is prepared to serve Him. Anyone who believes in life cannot help but find the highest bliss already on earth in constant contact with his lord and saviour, he will feel drawn ever closer to the divine creator and will ultimately no longer do anything without God's help and blessing.... And the world will no longer irritate him, nor will it be able to replace the blessings of faith, for the lord and saviour is truly the epitome of all pleasure, and His closeness and love outweigh all the joys of earthly existence. And therefore you have to shape yourselves such that the desire for the lord increases in you, and in the same measure you will be fulfilled, and your faith will awaken to life, you will now be active for the lord of your own accord and not just fulfil what is demanded of you by the commandments. And only then will you have become true aspirants of the kingdom of God, only then will you be imbued with true faith and thus live life in a truly God-pleasing way....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers