Confirmation Of The Sayings Of Jesus Christ
By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
Ascetic Sayings Of Jesus
- Be Consistent In Doing Spiritual Practice.
Jesus said, "How can he be one of the learned whose journey is towards the next world and who is turning towards the way of the present world? And how can he be one of the learned who seeks words to report them, and not to act according to them?"
Nobody can get to a destination without following the route. Those who claim to be children of God can only prove themselves so by living in spirit and in truth. Mere claims are not enough. Being a member does not qualify one to enter the kingdom. You must practice what you profess. At least, learn to attend to the needs of others, and call on God to save your soul from hell.
- Heaven Is Far Better Than Earth.
Jesus said, "Blessed is he who abandons a present desire for a distant promise which he has not seen."
Do everything possible to enter the heavenly kingdom, even if it calls for the loss of earthly possessions.
- Be Earnest And Honest.
Jesus said, "Make your livers hungry and your bodies naked; perhaps your hearts may see God."
Be earnest in your search for and practice of the Truth, and also be honest in every dealing. And the heaven shall not fail you.
- Always Perform Your Devotions With Full Attention.
It is related that Jesus remained for sixty days in secret communion with his Lord without eating. Then the thought of bread occurred to him, and the communion ceased, and behold a loaf was placed before him. Then he sat down weeping over the loss of the communion. Then behold an old man approached him, and Jesus p. 64 said to him, "God bless you, O friend of God! Pray for me to God, for I was in an ecstasy and the thought of bread occurred to me, and the ecstasy ceased." Then the old man said, "O God, if Thou knowest that the thought of bread has occurred to me since I have known Thee, then do not pardon me. On the contrary, whenever anything came to me, I ate it without thought or consideration."
The body uses hands and legs in doing things. The spirit uses intention and attention to do the same things. Therefore, learn to avoid those things that distract your attention whenever you are in the presence of the Most High. You are always in the presence of God, just as you are in the presence of the sun everyday.
- God Dwells In Silence.
Jesus said, "Devotion has ten parts, nine of which are found in silence and one in flight from men."
Accustom yourself to quiet times, rest and silence. This is the beginning of the spiritual journey back to heaven. Yourself is the gate of heaven. Meditation begins with solitude and silence.
- ???
John [the Baptist] said to Jesus , "Do not be angry." He replied, "I am unable to keep from anger; I am only a man." He said, "Do not acquire wealth." He replied, "This is possible."
This is a fabrication. When did John the Baptist become a teacher to Jesus? Besides, anger is as deadly as dishonest wealth.
- Lay Up Your Treasures In Heaven.
Jesus said, "Do not take the world as a master, for it will take you as slaves. Lay up your treasure with him who will not lose it, for he who possesses treasure in this world fears lest some calamity may come upon it, but he who possesses God's treasure has no fear of calamity coming upon it."
The world is a passing sensation, because whatever that has beginning shall have an end. Lay up treasures in the everlasting kingdom, by attending to the needs of others, rendering selfless services, giving to both the rich and the poor, and supporting God's work and ministry.
- Set Priorities Right.
And he said, "O company of the disciples, I have overturned the world for you on its face, so do not raise it up after me. For part of the wickedness of the world is that disobedience to God is in it; and part of the wickedness of the world is that the next world is attained only by abandoning it. Is it not so? Therefore pass through the world, but do not stay in it; and know that the root of all sin is the love of the world. And the desire of an hour often leaves those who indulge in it an inheritance of grief which lasts for long."
You upturn the world simply by understanding it as what it is - God's own school, which is a castle of illusion, necessary for a while. Treat this world like the man who went on a long travel with a tiny bag containing all his wealth. On the way, he found the bag empty and spoilt. He simply threw the bag away and moved on as if nothing happened. On his return, he found the same bag at home, no longer as a tiny bag, but as a mighty bag with uncountable precious things inside it, all safe and secure.
- Emulate The Overcomer.
And he said also, "I have thrown down the world for you and you have sat on its back, so let not kings or women quarrel with you about it. As regards kings, do not quarrel with them about the world, for they will not oppose you so long as you leave them and their world alone; and as regards women, protect yourselves against them by fasting and prayer."
You overcome the world not by striving for its riches and pleasures, but by treating them as what they are - passing sensations, which do not last however well you labour to preserve them. As of women, do not spend your time desiring them, because all the beauty of their body shall end up as corpse.
- Remain Steadfast.
And he said also, "The world is both seeking and sought. He who seeks the next world, this world seeks him until his provision in it is complete; and he who seeks the present world, the next world seeks him until death comes and seizes him by the neck."
The worldly people want the righteous ones to imitate and join them, but the Saints want the sinners to repent and enter heaven.
Do not regret it if you lose anything in this world. For even the richest man shall lose all he has when he dies. Let wisdom and moderation guide to the everlasting pastures, where all is lasting pleasure and delight, all in holiness.
- Prefer The Heavens.
Jesus said, "The love of this world and of the next cannot stay in the heart of a believer, just as water and fire cannot stay in one vessel."
This is a clear and simple statement of Truth. You can only choose one and get it.
- Be Content.
Someone said to Jesus , "If you were to take a house to cover you [it would be good]." He replied, "The rags of those who lived before us are sufficient for us."
Let contentment be your disposition. Whoever is content has already crossed most of the distance in the journey to heaven.
- Beware Of Fabrication!
It is related that one day the rain and thunder and lightning were fierce about Jesus , so he began to seek something under which he might shelter. His eye fell on a tent far off, so he came to it; but behold there was a woman in it, so he turned away from it. Then he saw a cave in a hill and came to it, but behold there was a lion in it. Then he put his hand on it and said, "My God, Thou hast given everything an abode, and Thou hast not given me an abode." Then God revealed to him, "Your abode is in the dwelling of My mercy. Verily I will give to you in marriage on the Day of Resurrection a hundred houris whom I have created with My hand, and I will give a feast at your wedding for four thousand years, each day of which is like the duration of the present world, and I will command one to proclaim, 'Where are those who were ascetics in the world? Visit the marriage of the ascetic in the world, Jesus, son of Mary.'"
Somebody fabricated this story.
- Set Your Heart After Heaven 1.
Jesus, son of Mary said, "Woe to him who loves the world! How can he die and leave it and what is in it! It deceives him, yet he trusts in it and puts his confidence in it and he is taken away. And woe to those who are deceived! How what they abhor has caused dissension among them, and what they like has left them, and what they were threatened with has come to them! And woe to him whose care is the world, and whose work is sins! How he shall be covered with shame to-morrow for his offence!"
The world, with all its riches and pleasures, does not lead to everlasting life. Live a saintly life, and you shall gain everlasting life and treasures.
- Set Your Heart After Heaven 2.
Jesus said, "Who is he who builds a house on the wave of the sea? The world is [like] that, so do not take it as an abiding place."
Only fools seek this world as if it is all there is. The wise ones seek everlasting kingdom.
- Set Your Heart After Heaven 3.
Some people said to Jesus , "Teach us one piece of knowledge for which God will love us." He replied, "Hate the world, and God will love you."
You do not need to hate the world, for if there is hatred in you, you shall not be able to enter the kingdom. Jesus has only told you to set your heart after heaven.
- Set Your Heart After Heaven 4.
Jesus said, "O company of the disciples, be pleased with what is worthless in the world along with welfare in religion, just as the people of the world are pleased with what is worthless in religion along with welfare in the world."
If you lose the world, you lose nothing. But if you lose heaven, your everlasting life shall be terrible. This calls for wisdom.
- Set Your Heart After Heaven 5.
The Messiah said, "O you who seek the world to be charitable with it, your leaving of it alone is more charitable." And he said, "The least thing is such that looking after it occupies one to the exclusion of glorifying God, and glorifying God is greater and more important."
Seeking after the worldly things occupies one to the exclusion of glorifying God, and glorifying God is greater and more important.
- The Richest.
If you wish you may follow him who was the Spirit and the Word, Jesus, son of Mary, for he used to say, "My seasoning is hunger, my under-garment
is fear [of God], my outer-garment is wool, my fire in winter is the rays of the sun, my lamp is the moon, my riding-beast is my feet, and my food and fruit are what the earth brings forth [i.e. without cultivation]. At night I have nothing and in the morning I have nothing, yet there is no one on earth richer than I."
Those who follow the footsteps of Jesus are the richest. Between God and riches, those who choose riches, lose both riches and God, while those who choose God, gain both God and riches. King Solomon proved it. Your contentment alone is an enough pass mark to enter heaven.
- Do Not Lust After The World.
It is related that the world was revealed to Jesus and he saw it in the form of a toothless old woman upon whom was every kind of ornament. Then he said to her, "How many have you married?" She replied, "I cannot count them." He said, "Did they all die and leave you, or did they all divorce you?" She said, "Nay, I killed them all." Then Jesus said, "It is a pity for the rest of your husbands. How do they not take warning from your past husbands how you have been destroying them one after another, and [how] are they not on their guard against you! "
The woman's flesh is sin, world or sensation. It appears very attractive, but ends up destroying those who lust after it. Seek the righteousness of God. This is life and it is everlasting.
- The World Is God's Own School.
Jesus said, "The world is a bridge, so pass over it and do not inhabit it."
The world is God's own school. It is a castle of illusion, necessary for a while. It is intended to provide experience to the children of God, because experience is the best teacher. At the right time, it shall pass away because whatever that has beginning shall have an end, and whatever that has no beginning shall have no end. Therefore, the wise ones are those who pass through the world and do not cling to it as if it were all there is.
- Experience And Discipline Are Necessary.
Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, as a sick man looks at food and takes no delight in it because of the severity of the pain, so he who loves the world takes no delight in worship and does not discover its sweetness along with what he finds of love of the world. And verily I say unto you, if a riding-beast is not ridden and taken into service, it becomes intractable and its nature changes; similarly when hearts are not softened by the thought of death and the discipline of worship, they become hard and coarse. And verily I say unto you, as long as a skin is not torn or shriveled it may nearly serve as a receptacle for honey; similarly hearts, as long as desires do not tear them, or greed defile them, or comfort harden them, may be vessels for wisdom."
A word is enough for the wise.
- Vanity.
Jesus said, "He who seeks after the world is like one who drinks sea-water; the more he drinks the more his thirst increases, until it kills him."
Avoid being possessive. Avoid attachment. Whatever you are fond of draws you away from the gate of heaven. Let by-gone be by-gone.
- Spirit Is The Substance Of Everything.
The disciples said to Jesus, "How is it that you can walk on water and we cannot?" Then he said to them, "What do you think of the dīnār and the dirhem?" [pieces of money]. They replied, "They are good." He said, "But they and mud are alike to me."
Spirit dwells, animates and dominates everything. If you can command the spirit, you can command all. Spirit is obedient to the power and authority of God by which His children, who are spiritually alive, can command.
- Have Wealth, But Do Not Let It Possess You.
Jesus said, "In wealth there are calamities: that one should get it unlawfully." Someone interrupted, "Suppose one gets it lawfully?" Then he said, "He may apply it unlawfully." The other said, "But suppose he applies it lawfully?" Then he said, "Its management occupies him to the neglect of God."
It is good to have and use wealth. A wise man would not let it enslave him, to the neglect of God.
- Vanity
Jesus said, "Fine clothing is vanity of heart."
Use them, but do not trust in them. Do not glory because you have them. They end up in the refuse dump.
- False
Jesus attained to the use of a stone for his pillow while sleeping; but the devil came to him and said, "Have you not renounced this world for the next?" He said, "Yes, but what has happened?" Then he said, "Your use of this stone as a pillow means that you are being comfortable in the world; so why do you not put your head on the ground?" Then Jesus threw away the stone and put his head on the ground.
No, this did not happen. When did Devil become an adviser to God, who though surrounded by uncountable wise ones, has no need of a counsellor.
- Incomparable Paradise
The Messiah said, "O companies of the disciples, fear of God and love of Paradise produce patience in affliction and estrange men from the world. Verily I say unto you, eating barley and sleeping on dunghills with dogs is a small matter when one seeks Paradise."
Whatever bad you encounter in this world is insignificant compared to the blessings and riches of Paradise. Therefore, neither mourn nor regret if in this world you lack good things of life. Accept humiliations and suffering with joy, if they are unavoidable, for the honours of this world does not in any way profit in the life everlasting.
- Heaven Begins With Peace Of Mind.
It is related that the Messiah passed in his wandering a man asleep wrapped up in his cloak; then he wakened him and said, "O sleeper, arise and glorify God." Then the man said, "What do you want from me? Verily I have abandoned the world to its people." So he said to him, "Sleep, then, my friend."
This is true. The earlier you know that this world is a castle of illusion, necessary for a while, the better for you. Do not envy the rich, for riches prevent the heart from seeking and finding God.
- Riches Or God, Choose One.
The Messiah said, "With difficulty does a rich man enter heaven."
Whosoever that chooses the riches of the world shall lose both the riches and God. And whosoever that chooses God only, attains God, with everlasting riches in abundance. Myself choose God, and now, I am the Father's love, clothed with the glory of the Father.
- Practise Detachment 1
The Messiah said, "Verily I love poverty and hate comfort." And the dearest of names to him was that he should be called, "O poor one."
This does not mean that everybody should become poor. Instead, use your possessions, but do not allow them take the place of God in your life. Should any one over power you and take all your wealth, rejoice and bid him good bye.
Jesus feasted several times in the house of rich and great men. My heart yearns for similar opportunities so that everyone would hear the word of God that is in me.
- Practise Detachment 2
The Messiah said, "Do not look at the wealth of the people of this world, for the splendour of their wealth takes away the light of your faith."
Worldly wealth is like a deceiver who has been planted to divert a sojourner from the right road. Receive and use it, but do not spend your precious time, energy and attention regretting the lack of it. If you have money and wealth, do not let them prevent you from seeking and serving God.
- The World Is A Bridge.
The Messiah said, "The world is a bridge, so pass over it and do not inhabit it." And some people said to him, "O prophet of God, if you would only order us to build a house in which we might worship God!" He replied, "Go and build a house on water." They said, "How will a building stand on water?" He replied, "And how will worship stand along with love of this world?"
In every situation, let your decision stand for God, and not for anything else.
- In The Father's Bosom.
Obaid, son of `Omair, said, The Messiah, son of Mary used to wear hair clothing, and eat wild fruits [lit. trees], and he had no son to die, and no house to be demolished, and he stored up nothing for the morrow. He slept wherever the evening overtook him.
He was always in the bosom of the Father. Only those who are spiritually awake understand this.
- God's Hand
Jesus sat down in the shade of someone's wall, and the owner of the wall made him get up. Then he said, "You have not made me get up; He who has made me get up is only He [i.e. God] who was not pleased that I should be comfortable in the shade of the wall."
See God's hand in every situation, and you shall pass all examinations and overcome all temptations.
- The Saint And The Rich
The Messiah used to say, "O Children of Israel, use pure water and wild vegetables and barley bread, and avoid wheaten bread, for you will not remain thankful to God."
The saint is thankful for the little he has today, but the rich man is not grateful that he has acquired much for a lifetime. Instead, he is boastful and ready for trouble.
- ...
Jesus, the Messiah, used to take nothing with him but a comb and a jug. Then he saw a man combing his beard with his fingers, so he threw away the comb; and he saw another drinking from a river with the palms of his hands, so he threw away the jug.
...
- God Will Provide.
Jesus said, "Look at the birds; they do not sow, or harvest, or store up, yet God feeds them day by day. But if you say, We have larger bellies, look at the cattle, how God has appointed for them this creation as provision."
Do not listen to your fears. God will provide.
- God Will Provide.
Mohammad, son of al Fadl, told us on the authority of Sālim, son of Abū al Ja`d that Jesus, son of Mary, said, "Do not store food for the morrow, for the morrow comes bringing along with it its provision. And look at the ants and who gives them provision. But if you say, The ants' bellies are small, look at the bird. And if you say, The bird has wings, look at the wild beasts, how corpulent and fat they are."
God wants us to dwell in peace, trust and abundance, but man choose to labour himself.
- Too Dear To God.
Someone said to Jesus, "Why do you not buy an ass to ride?" Then he replied, "I am too dear to God for Him to allow me to be occupied with an ass to the neglect of Himself."
Wealth is good, but never allow it to enslave you to the neglect of God.
- Beware Of Luxuries.
Jesus said, "How many healthy bodies and beautiful faces and eloquent tongues will lie to-morrow among the strata of hell!"
Choose the path of life, which is righteousness, and do not set yourself after the pleasures of this world, that mislead many into doom.
- False But Useful.
Jesus said to the disciples, "Take the mosques as houses and the houses as alighting-places; and eat wild vegetables and drink pure water, and escape safe from the world."
Mosques? Jesus did not see any mosque in His life. However, know that you are always in the presence of Most High. Love God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your life. Heaven is your Father's home, and the earth is His school for His children.
- Right Priority
Jesus said to the disciples, "It is astonishing how you work for this world, yet you receive provision in it without work; and how you do not work for the next world, yet you receive provision in it only with work."
Man choose the path of selfishness and became greedy. Therefore, thoughts of failure mislead him from the path of ease, success and prosperity.
- Beware Of Satan.
The Messiah said, "The world is a field belonging to Iblīs [Satan], and its people are his ploughmen."
So it is.- The evils in the wirld are his. Do not go for them.
- Reset Of Priorities.
The Messiah said to the disciples, "I am he who has inverted the world on its face; so I have no wife to die and no house to be demolished."
Do not worry yourself about this or that. It is enough that God is there for us all. Cares and worries of life prevent people from entering the kingdom of heaven.
- Beware!
Jesus used to say to the world, "Away from me, O swine!"
Be careful of what you hear.
- Avoid Passion And Addiction.
Jesus used to say, "The sweetness of this world is the bitterness of the next, and fine clothes are vanity of heart, meaning conceit and pride of heart; and fullness of the belly is abundance of passion, meaning its sustenance and its accumulation."
Sot it is.
- Everything Is First Spirit, Them Physical.
The disciples said, "O Spirit of God, we pray as you pray, and we fast as you fast, and we glorify God as you have ordered us, yet we are unable to walk on the water as you do." Then he said, "Tell me how your love of the world is." They replied, "Verily we love it." So he said, "Verily the love of it spoils religion, but in my opinion it is merely like stone and mud." And in another story [it is said] that he lifted up a stone and asked, "Which of the two is dearer to you, this or a dīnār and a dirhem?" They replied, "A dīnār." He said, "They are both alike to me."
Everything is spirit. Spirit responds to command, even to the words of your mouth.
- ???
If you desire the fast of the son of the virgin maid, meaning Jesus, son of Mary, then he used to fast all the time and eat barley bread and wear coarse hair; and wherever the night overtook him he used to arrange his feet in prayer until he saw that the sign of the dawn had arisen; and he never stayed anywhere without praying two rek`as in it. And if you desire the fast of his mother, then she used to fast for two days and break her fast for two days.
... Some fabrications. It seems that muslin teachers are fond of saying, formulating, parables in the name of Jesus.
- ???
It is mentioned concerning Jesus, son of Mary, that he went out one day to his companions wearing a woolen tunic, a woolen outer-garment, and clothes of wool, with his head and his moustaches shorn, weeping and looking pale from hunger, with his lips dry from thirst, with the hair on his chest and arms long; then he said, "Peace be upon you! Verily I am he who has lowered the world in its rank by the permission of God, and there is no wonder or boasting. O Children of Israel, despise the world and it will be easy for you, and scorn the world and the next world will be made honourable for you, and do not despise the next world and this world will be made honourable for you. For the world is not worthy of honour; every day it calls to temptation and loss." Then he said, "If you are my companions and friends, accustom yourselves to enmity and hatred towards the world, for if you do not do so, you are not my friends or my brethren. O Children of Israel, take the mosques as houses, and the graves as homes; be like guests. Do you not see the birds of the heaven? They do not sow or reap, and God in heaven gives them provision. O Children of Israel, eat barley bread and wild vegetables; and know that you have not given thanks for that, so how about what is more than that?"
???
- Love Is True And Perfect
Jesus said, "This world in relation to the next is like a man who has two wives; if he is pleased with one of them, he is displeased with the other."
This parable does not set right. Every military commander has many obedient soldiers.
- The Beauty Of God's Presence.
It is related that Jesus passed by a man asleep on the ground with a brick under his head and his face and his beard in the dust, and he had a woolen cloak tied round him. Then he said, "O Lord, this servant of Thine is astray in the world." Then God revealed to him, "O Jesus, do you not know that when I look at My servant with my whole face, I remove from him the whole world?"
In the presence of God, all vanities phase out. No error, no sin, no defilement, no imperfection, no doubt and no fear.
- Beware Of fabrications.
Jesus said, "Verily I have two friends; he who loves them loves me, and he who hates them hates me:--poverty and distress."
This is not true.
- Beware Of fabrications.
In the Israelite history it is said that Iblīs [Satan] appeared to Jesus, and he saw things hanging on him coloured with all kinds of dyes. Then he said to him, "What are these hanging things?" He replied, "These are the desires of the children of men." Then he asked, "Is there anything of mine among them?" He replied, "You have often eaten your fill and we have made you too heavy for prayer and for glorifying God." He asked, "Is there anything else?" He replied, "No." He said, "I swear to God that I will never fill my belly with food." Iblīs said, "And I swear to God that I will never advise a Muslim."
Jesus does not receive advice from Satan.
- Words Of Wisdom.
Jesus said, "O Children of Israel, know that the relation of your present life to your future life is like the relation of the east to the west. The more you approach the east, the farther you are from the west; and the more you approach the west, the farther do you increase in distance from the east."
The more you move to the west, the nearer you get to the east by the other side. In other words, evil can never prevail except where people allow it.
- The Same Spirit In All.
Jesus struck the ground with his hand and took up some of it and spread it out, and behold, he had gold in one of his hands and clay in the other. Then he said to his companions, "Which of them is sweeter to your hearts?" They said, "The gold." He said, "They are both alike to me."
Everything is spirit.
- But The Saints Are Already In Heaven.
Jesus, son of Mary , said, "By God, the world has not settled in the heart of a worshipper without three of its things sticking to it: labour whose distress does not cease, poverty which does not catch up on its wealth, and hope which does not attain its goal."
The Saint lives on earth with his heart in heaven. Therefore, he lacks nothing. He is free from the desires of the world.