“As we have said, it is impossible for us to gather to ourselves anything that we have no conception of. Therefore, it is the office and pleasure of Elohim through his angels, to give us a conception, not only in the mind, but also in the soul, of his great, grand, and wonderful existence, as the God of our system.
Then as we pray, in order that we may gather to ourselves the qualities that will lift us into his likeness, it becomes necessary that our mind should hold clearly the conception of Elohim. It is necessary that we should have the realization that we are accepted as members of that Eternal Brotherhood of which we have said so much in former chapters, and that we should ally ourselves to that Brotherhood with a vivid realization of the fact of our membership to hold us in that direction. This will ally us to the spiritual qualities that are in Elohim, and through this alliance, we may draw in the life qualities that find perfect expression in the Elohim.
Through that conscious alliance, we are brought into touch with the spiritual qualities of Yahveh; and the spiritual qualities within the soul will be enabled to lay hold of those qualities that we stand in need of. This was the realization of the apostle when he said, “The Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” When the Christ said, “how that they ought to pray continually, and not to be weary” (Emphatic Diaglott), he virtually said, desire always – and do not be weary – to become like God, the Elohim. And in order that you may desire effectively, it becomes necessary that you hold a vivid realization of your oneness with that Eternal Brotherhood, Yahveh Elohim, a realization that you are no longer a member of earth’s inhabitants; your reciprocal relations having ceased with earth’s inhabitants, are transferred to those in the heavens.
NOTE: The names “Yahveh” and “Elohim” are connected in different ways in the various books of the Old Testament. For instance, Ezekiel generally uses the form “Elohim Yahveh”, while Isaiah generally uses the form “Yahveh Elohim.” This may be distinguished in our English translations in the following manner: The words translated “God” and “Lord” written with initial capitals only, are in the Hebrew “Elohim”, with the exception that wherever the name “Almighty God” occurs, in the Hebrew it is El Elyon; but when all the letters are capitalized thus, “LORD” or “GOD”, these appellations are substitutes for the name “Yahveh.”
By careful attention to the meaning and use of these names, it will be found that they will reveal many important truths heretofore covered, but in a general way brought to light in this work. The word “Elohim” is not only the name of the great Brotherhood, but its meaning is power; and the name “Yahveh” is not only the name of the Infinite, the All-pervading Spirit, but it expresses the Will, the ability to do and to be, the Almighty Will.
Then when you pray, while you are conscious that you are reaching out into the Fountain of Infinite Life, to Yahveh, the God of the Universe – in whom we live, and not only we, but all things – yet your out-reaching, bear in mind, must be immediately connected in your consciousness with Yahveh Elohim; otherwise you may be inspiring qualities that are active within your quiescent consciousness, and not the qualities that are really desired to make you like God. For if we are connected with Yahveh Elohim, our sympathies are there, and we have become one of that Body, one of its youngest, lowest members, it is true, but still being members of that Body, we are partakers of its life-currents, and all the mind-elements of that Body become accessible to us.”
Hiram Butler
The Mark Of God: Understanding Your "I AM Presence" 