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face to face

36 posts · 3 participants · started Sep 1, 2015, 2:35 PM

VernParticipant
Sep 11, 2015, 11:26 AM
The inner life is truly creative and with this power comes the ability to build or destroy

Since this inner life of man is truly creative, there rests upon each person the responsibility of choosing as to whether this creativity shall be spontaneous and wholly haphazard or controlled, directed, and constructive. How can a creative imagination produce worthy children when the stage whereon it functions is already preoccupied by prejudice, hate, fears, resentments, revenge, and bigotries? ^[Paper^{111:4.9, page 1220.8]}

Ideals originate in the creativity of the inner life, the evidence of social dysfunction is due to a lack of ideals evident from the predominance of men in power today.

Ideas may take origin in the stimuli of the outer world, but ideals are born only in the creative realms of the inner world. Today the nations of the world are directed by men who have a superabundance of ideas, but they are poverty-stricken in ideals. That is the explanation of poverty, divorce, war, and racial hatreds. ^[Paper^{111:4.10, page 1220.9]}

When creativity turns to destructivity we are “face to face” with evil and sin.

This is the problem: If freewill man is endowed with the powers of creativity in the inner man, then must we recognize that freewill creativity embraces the potential of freewill destructivity. And when creativity is turned to destructivity, you are face to face with the devastation of evil and sin — oppression, war, and destruction. Evil is a partiality of creativity which tends toward disintegration and eventual destruction. All conflict is evil in that it inhibits the creative function of the inner life — it is a species of civil war in the personality. ^[Paper^{111:4.11, page 1220.10]}

Conflict is a disruptor of the inner life—a species of civil war in the personality. Better to seek for the harmonious benefits of creatively building a noble character through acquiring a balanced personality of selfhood unification

Inner creativity contributes to ennoblement of character through personality integration and selfhood unification. It is forever true: The past is unchangeable; only the future can be changed by the ministry of the present creativity of the inner self. ^[Paper^{111:4.12, page 1221.1]}

The past is history, tomorrow’s a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the “present.”
AndyParticipant
Sep 11, 2015, 8:21 PM
Time, space, and experience are man’s greatest aids to relative reality perception and yet his most formidable obstacles to complete reality perception. Mortals and many other universe creatures find it necessary to think of potentials as being actualized in space and evolving to fruition in time, but this entire process is a time-space phenomenon which does not actually take place on Paradise and in eternity.

This is good.

The eternal God is our refuge.
He is a faithful Creator.
VernParticipant
Sep 13, 2015, 8:53 AM
After death and subsequent re-personalization on the mansion world the ascender pilgrims are assigned as assistants to the seraphim

The human race was created just a little lower than the more simple types of the angelic orders. Therefore will your first assignment of the morontia life be as assistants to the seraphim in the immediate work awaiting at the time you attain personality consciousness subsequent to your liberation from the bonds of the flesh. ^[Paper ^{113:7.3, page 1248:3]}

Seraphic guardians will accompany you as you progress through the mansion world experience till you stand “face to face” with Michael of Nebadon.

Before leaving the mansion worlds, all mortals will have permanent seraphic associates or guardians. And as you ascend the morontia spheres, eventually it is the seraphic guardians who witness and certify the decrees of your eternal union with the Thought Adjusters. Together they have established your personality identities as children of the flesh from the worlds of time. Then, with your attainment of the mature morontia estate, they accompany you through Jerusem and the associated worlds of system progress and culture. After that they go with you to Edentia and its seventy spheres of advanced socialization, and subsequently will they pilot you to the Melchizedeks and follow you through the superb career of the universe headquarters worlds. And when you have learned the wisdom and culture of the Melchizedeks, they will take you on to Salvington, where you will stand face to face with the Sovereign of all Nebadon. And still will these seraphic guides follow you through the minor and major sectors of the superuniverse and on to the receiving worlds of Uversa, remaining with you until you finally enseconaphim for the long Havona flight. ^[Paper ^{113:7.4, page 1248:4]}

It is the seraphic guardians who witness and certify your eternal union with your Though Adjuster.
VernParticipant
Sep 15, 2015, 11:12 AM
As a lad Jesus was responsive to truth, beauty and goodness, and when with his father Joseph, he observed beautiful city structures and competitive sport in the Greek city of Decapolis, his enthusiasm challenged Joseph’s Jewish cultural prejudices

About the middle of May the lad accompanied his father on a business trip to Scythopolis, the chief Greek city of the Decapolis, the ancient Hebrew city of Beth-shean. On the way Joseph recounted much of the olden history of King Saul, the Philistines, and the subsequent events of Israel’s turbulent history. Jesus was tremendously impressed with the clean appearance and well-ordered arrangement of this so-called heathen city. He marveled at the open-air theater and admired the beautiful marble temple dedicated to the worship of the “heathen” gods. Joseph was much perturbed by the lad’s enthusiasm and sought to counteract these favorable impressions by extolling the beauty and grandeur of the Jewish temple at Jerusalem. Jesus had often gazed curiously upon this magnificent Greek city from the hill of Nazareth and had many times inquired about its extensive public works and ornate buildings, but his father had always sought to avoid answering these questions. Now they were face to face with the beauties of this gentile city, and Joseph could not gracefully ignore Jesus’ inquiries. ^[Paper ^{124:3.6, page 1370:4]}

It so happened that just at this time the annual competitive games and public demonstrations of physical prowess between the Greek cities of the Decapolis were in progress at the Scythopolis amphitheater, and Jesus was insistent that his father take him to see the games, and he was so insistent that Joseph hesitated to deny him. The boy was thrilled with the games and entered most heartily into the spirit of the demonstrations of physical development and athletic skill. Joseph was inexpressibly shocked to observe his son’s enthusiasm as he beheld these exhibitions of “heathen” vaingloriousness. After the games were finished, Joseph received the surprise of his life when he heard Jesus express his approval of them and suggest that it would be good for the young men of Nazareth if they could be thus benefited by wholesome outdoor physical activities. Joseph talked earnestly and long with Jesus concerning the evil nature of such practices, but he well knew that the lad was unconvinced. ^[Paper ^{124:3.7, page 1370:5]}

Now that we know that the body is the temple wherein dwells the Thought Adjuster, the benefit of exercise for maintaining good heath is desirable, for that sense of well-being which is most conducive to spirit receptivity. In addition, sport is fun, It enjoyably focuses the mind on mastering the body, there is great satisfaction in the exhilaration of competitive play.
VernParticipant
Sep 16, 2015, 4:23 AM
Jesus was only fifteen when the necessity of assuming the role of “father” of his father’s family took precedence over his mission to reveal the Paradise Father to the world at large

By the middle of this fifteenth year — and we are reckoning time in accordance with the twentieth-century calendar, not by the Jewish year — Jesus had taken a firm grasp upon the management of his family. Before this year had passed, their savings had about disappeared, and they were face to face with the necessity of disposing of one of the Nazareth houses which Joseph and his neighbor Jacob owned in partnership. ^[Paper ^{126:3.1, page 1389.4]}

Jesus was the only father Ruth ever knew, her trust in him and love for him never wavered.

On Wednesday evening, April 17, A.D. 9, Ruth, the baby of the family, was born, and to the best of his ability Jesus endeavored to take the place of his father in comforting and ministering to his mother during this trying and peculiarly sad ordeal. For almost a score of years (until he began his public ministry) no father could have loved and nurtured his daughter any more affectionately and faithfully than Jesus cared for little Ruth. And he was an equally good father to all the other members of his family. ^[Paper^{126:3.2, page 1389.5]}

All this time Jesus was consolidating his spiritual nature, becoming a balanced person of strong character. During this time he formulated what Christianity has adopted as “The Lord’s Prayer.” He had been presenting it as a guide in an effort to get his brothers and sisters to express themselves individually in prayer but he had difficulty in getting them to grasp this thought.

During this year Jesus first formulated the prayer which he subsequently taught to his apostles, and which to many has become known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” In a way it was an evolution of the family altar; they had many forms of praise and several formal prayers. After his father’s death Jesus tried to teach the older children to express themselves individually in prayer — much as he so enjoyed doing — but they could not grasp his thought and would invariably fall back upon their memorized prayer forms. It was in this effort to stimulate his older brothers and sisters to say individual prayers that Jesus would endeavor to lead them along by suggestive phrases, and presently, without intention on his part, it developed that they were all using a form of prayer which was largely built up from these suggestive lines which Jesus had taught them. ^[Paper^{126:3.3, page 1389.6]}

At last Jesus gave up the idea of having each member of the family formulate spontaneous prayers, and one evening in October he sat down by the little squat lamp on the low stone table, and, on a piece of smooth cedar board about eighteen inches square, with a piece of charcoal he wrote out the prayer which became from that time on the standard family petition. ^[Paper^{126:3.4, page 1389.7]}

Family responsibility removed all though of “being about his Father’s business.” Ever, support of the family must come first.

This year Jesus was much troubled with confused thinking. Family responsibility had quite effectively removed all thought of immediately carrying out any plan for responding to the Jerusalem visitation directing him to “be about his Father’s business.” Jesus rightly reasoned that the watchcare of his earthly father’s family must take precedence of all duties; that the support of his family must become his first obligation. ^[Paper^{126:3.5, page 1389.8]}
VernParticipant
Sep 20, 2015, 1:28 PM
Spare a thought for Rebecca for whom Jesus was the one altogether lovely and the greatest among ten thousand, the man she loved to the exclusion of all others

Then began that eventful talk with Rebecca. Thus far in his life, Jesus had made little distinction in his association with boys and girls, with young men and young women. His mind had been altogether too much occupied with the pressing problems of practical earthly affairs and the intriguing contemplation of his eventual career “about his Father’s business” ever to have given serious consideration to the consummation of personal love in human marriage. But now he was face to face with another of those problems which every average human being must confront and decide. Indeed was he “tested in all points like as you are.” ^[Paper^{127:5.4, page 1403:2]}

One of the incarnation mandates, forbids the leaving of human offspring by a bestowal Son of Paradise origin. Hence, Jesus could not enter into marriage no matter how sweet such a prospect of intimate love would be. He had to tell Rebecca there was no possibility.

After listening attentively, he sincerely thanked Rebecca for her expressed admiration, adding, “it shall cheer and comfort me all the days of my life.” He explained that he was not free to enter into relations with any woman other than those of simple brotherly regard and pure friendship. He made it clear that his first and paramount duty was the rearing of his father’s family, that he could not consider marriage until that was accomplished; and then he added: “If I am a son of destiny, I must not assume obligations of lifelong duration until such a time as my destiny shall be made manifest.” ^[Paper ^{127:5.5, page 1403:3]}

Though heartbroken, Rebecca, having met the most perfect man of her dreams, refused to marry. She remained devoted to Jesus, as he lived out his life’s mission, witnessing his triumphant entry into Jeusalem and tragic death on the cross. Such is the single-minded power of true love blazing bright in Rebecca’s heart for the greatest man who ever lived, sustaining her all the days of her life.

Rebecca was heartbroken. She refused to be comforted and importuned her father to leave Nazareth until he finally consented to move to Sepphoris. In after years, to the many men who sought her hand in marriage, Rebecca had but one answer. She lived for only one purpose — to await the hour when this, to her, the greatest man who ever lived would begin his career as a teacher of living truth. And she followed him devotedly through his eventful years of public labor, being present (unobserved by Jesus) that day when he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem; and she stood “among the other women” by the side of Mary on that fateful and tragic afternoon when the Son of Man hung upon the cross, to her, as well as to countless worlds on high, “the one altogether lovely and the greatest among ten thousand.” ^[Paper ^{127:5.6, page 1403:4]}
VernParticipant
Sep 22, 2015, 8:23 AM
Rodan is convinced God is a person and Nataniel and Thomas present their understanding of the Divine Nature of Jesus

When Rodan heard these arguments, he said: “I am convinced. I will confess God as a person if you will permit me to qualify my confession of such a belief by attaching to the meaning of personality a group of extended values, such as superhuman, transcendent, supreme, infinite, eternal, final, and universal. I am now convinced that, while God must be infinitely more than a personality, he cannot be anything less. I am satisfied to end the argument and to accept Jesus as the personal revelation of the Father and the satisfaction of all unsatisfied factors in logic, reason, and philosophy.” ^[Paper^{161:1.11, page 1784:8]}

Thomas and Nathanial concurred in having observed Jesus praying, noted that he talked with God, as it were, “face to face.”

In his prayer life he appears to communicate directly with his Father. We have heard few of his prayers, but these few would indicate that he talks with God, as it were, face to face. He seems to know the future as well as the past. He simply could not be all of this and do all of these extraordinary things unless he were something more than human. We know he is human, we are sure of that, but we are almost equally sure that he is also divine. We believe that he is divine. We are convinced that he is the Son of Man and the Son of God. ^[Paper^{161:2.10, page 1784:5]}
VernParticipant
Sep 24, 2015, 10:20 AM
There comes a time of judgment for individuals and nations and confusion has resulted from Jesus’ promise to return in power and with authority

“You behold me now in weakness and in the flesh, but when I return, it shall be with power and in the spirit. The eye of flesh beholds the Son of Man in the flesh, but only the eye of the spirit will behold the Son of Man glorified by the Father and appearing on earth in his own name.” ^[Paper ^{176:2.4, page 1915:1]}

The promise of Jesus to return is dependent on his message of sonship with God being proclaimed to all the world. While Christianity is defined as a religion about Jesus instead of being the messenger of the religion of Jesus the world will only identify it as a religion of Western culture, plagued with the curse of competing with all other religions who make the futile assertion of being “the only true religion.” Christianity still has work to do if it wishes to appeal to all people, irrespective of race or creed.

“But the times of the reappearing of the Son of Man are known only in the councils of Paradise; not even the angels of heaven know when this will occur. However, you should understand that, when this gospel of the kingdom shall have been proclaimed to all the world for the salvation of all peoples, and when the fullness of the age has come to pass, the Father will send you another dispensational bestowal, or else the Son of Man will return to adjudge the age.” ^[Paper ^{176:2.5, page 1915:2]}

Jesus did accurately foretell the fall of Jerusalem within the generation of the apostles and he also mentioned the fulfillment of his promise to send his spirit comforter. Regarding the future dispensation, he said, that must await the passing of the “long winter of material-mindedness.” We are still in the “material comfort era” and there are signs it’s not as comfortable as first thought. There is a growing desire to strive for something better. The quest for meaning and value of spiritual realities gathers pace.

“And now concerning the travail of Jerusalem, about which I have spoken to you, even this generation will not pass away until my words are fulfilled; but concerning the times of the coming again of the Son of Man, no one in heaven or on earth may presume to speak. But you should be wise regarding the ripening of an age; you should be alert to discern the signs of the times. You know when the fig tree shows its tender branches and puts forth its leaves that summer is near. Likewise, when the world has passed through the long winter of material-mindedness and you discern the coming of the spiritual springtime of a new dispensation, should you know that the summertime of a new visitation draws near.” ^[Paper ^{176:2.6, page 1915:3]}

Jesus is giving the apostles information way beyond their present experience with him, however he is attempting to make the connection between the judgment of an age involving a multitude of mortals and judgment of individual souls.

“But what is the significance of this teaching having to do with the coming of the Sons of God? Do you not perceive that, when each of you is called to lay down his life struggle and pass through the portal of death, you stand in the immediate presence of judgment, and that you are face to face with the facts of a new dispensation of service in the eternal plan of the infinite Father? What the whole world must face as a literal fact at the end of an age, you, as individuals, must each most certainly face as a personal experience when you reach the end of your natural life and thereby pass on to be confronted with the conditions and demands inherent in the next revelation of the eternal progression of the Father’s kingdom.” ^[Paper ^{176:2.7, page 1915:4]}

Of all the discourses which the Master gave his apostles, none ever became so confused in their minds as this one, given this Tuesday evening on the Mount of Olives, regarding the twofold subject of the destruction of Jerusalem and his own second coming. There was, therefore, little agreement between the subsequent written accounts based on the memories of what the Master said on this extraordinary occasion.… ^[Paper ^{176:2.8, page 1915:5]}

Now that we have this account confusion is resolved.
VernParticipant
Sep 24, 2015, 11:42 PM
The audacity of the ignorant, the third accusation Pilate read out, was that Jesus claimed to “be king of the Jews”

Pilate then turned around to question Jesus further, saying: “And now about the third accusation against you, are you the king of the Jews?” Since there was a tone of possibly sincere inquiry in Pilate’s voice, Jesus smiled on the procurator and said: “Pilate, do you ask this for yourself, or do you take this question from these others, my accusers?” Whereupon, in a tone of partial indignation, the governor answered: “Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests delivered you up and asked me to sentence you to death. I question the validity of their charges and am only trying to find out for myself what you have done. Tell me, have you said that you are the king of the Jews, and have you sought to found a new kingdom?” ^[Paper^{185:3.2, page 1991:2]}

Jesus tells Pilate that his kingdom is spiritual.

Then said Jesus to Pilate: “Do you not perceive that my kingdom is not of this world? If my kingdom were of this world, surely would my disciples fight that I should not be delivered into the hands of the Jews. My presence here before you in these bonds is sufficient to show all men that my kingdom is a spiritual dominion, even the brotherhood of men who, through faith and by love, have become the sons of God. And this salvation is for the gentile as well as for the Jew.” ^[Paper ^{185:3.3, page 1991:3]}

Pilate avoids the thinking on the fact of the spiritual nature of this assertion and interprets Jesus’ words as an admission. Jesus says yes, defining it as a family of faith in the Father who is in heaven. He goes on to say, those who love truth hear his voice.

“Then you are a king after all?” said Pilate. And Jesus answered: “Yes, I am such a king, and my kingdom is the family of the faith sons of my Father who is in heaven. For this purpose was I born into this world, even that I should show my Father to all men and bear witness to the truth of God. And even now do I declare to you that every one who loves the truth hears my voice.” ^[Paper ^{185:3.4, page 1991:4]}

Pilate is challenged by these words and attempts to make light of the importance of the personal relevance of what Jesus said regarding truth.

Then said Pilate, half in ridicule and half in sincerity, “Truth, what is truth — who knows?” ^[Paper ^{185:3.5, page 1991:5]}

Pilate is confused by Jesus and knew he was innocent of the charges laid against him, yet did not have the strength of character sufficient to sustain the principle of evidence based law the was duty bound to administer and defy the Sanhedrin’s trumped-up charges. Pilate failed the moral test in knowingly sending an innocent man to his death. That man was Jesus.

Pilate was not able to fathom Jesus’ words, nor was he able to understand the nature of his spiritual kingdom, but he was now certain that the prisoner had done nothing worthy of death. One look at Jesus, face to face, was enough to convince even Pilate that this gentle and weary, but majestic and upright, man was no wild and dangerous revolutionary who aspired to establish himself on the temporal throne of Israel. Pilate thought he understood something of what Jesus meant when he called himself a king, for he was familiar with the teachings of the Stoics, who declared that “the wise man is king.” Pilate was thoroughly convinced that, instead of being a dangerous seditionmonger, Jesus was nothing more or less than a harmless visionary, an innocent fanatic. ^[Paper ^{185:3.5, page 1991:5]}

Pilate was indeed ignorant of who Jesus truly was as he could not understand the nature of his spiritual kingdom, surely the mercy of Jesus’ words on the cross, “forgive them Father for they know not what they do” would extend to Pilate, when Pilate himself, came before the Ancients of Days for judgment of the soul. A repentant soul is a forgiven soul.
SabinatuBlocked
Sep 28, 2015, 11:00 PM
Pope Francis had a face-to-face encounter with roughly 850,000 people in Philadelphia, PA, USA who came out into the streets to break bread and “Remember Me”. What mere human being would not be humbled enough, as a spiritual leader, to ask himself it he gave voice to what the spiritual and religious unity was among 805,000 faces he was faced with…

An Institute for Peace and Mercy would be the only “solar system gravity” that could safely function globally. Every great world religion would of necessity have to present their version of justice as established in their race, culture, and religion in the negotiation of peaceful solutions to conflicts. This would also safeguard true justice and mercy for those peoples who have not yet had a chance to develop peace, mercy and justice cultures because of the ruinous interference of wars in their “geography”.

And it would definitely remove humanity’s MIND endowment – religion – as an excuse for war-mongering. What could go wrong there?

United Nations is a solar system without gravity until it morphs into the Global Institute for Peace and Mercy. Some of the world leaders are making use of the current UN pulpit in that way already….and they are not code-talking about who got to decide who are the 2 billion people that Rick Warren prayed for on this site 5 or so years ago that would be buzz-sawed off the tree of life to make room for what was the code-talk – the “higher spiritual types”….
VernParticipant
Sep 29, 2015, 12:24 PM

Sabinatu wrote: …a chance to develop peace…

Some further thoughts on peace.

Jesus gives peace to his fellow doers of the will of God but not on the order of the joys and satisfactions of this material world. Unbelieving materialists and fatalists can hope to enjoy only two kinds of peace and soul comfort: Either they must be stoics, with steadfast resolution determined to face the inevitable and to endure the worst; or they must be optimists, ever indulging that hope which springs eternal in the human breast, vainly longing for a peace which never really comes. ^[Paper^{181:1.7, page 1954:4]}

The peace which Michael gives us is the same as he called upon when he lived here as a mortal—the satisfaction of a God-knowing individual.

A certain amount of both stoicism and optimism are serviceable in living a life on earth, but neither has aught to do with that superb peace which the Son of God bestows upon his brethren in the flesh. The peace which Michael gives his children on earth is that very peace which filled his own soul when he himself lived the mortal life in the flesh and on this very world. The peace of Jesus is the joy and satisfaction of a God-knowing individual who has achieved the triumph of learning fully how to do the will of God while living the mortal life in the flesh. The peace of Jesus’ mind was founded on an absolute human faith in the actuality of the divine Father’s wise and sympathetic overcare. Jesus had trouble on earth, he has even been falsely called the “man of sorrows,” but in and through all of these experiences he enjoyed the comfort of that confidence which ever empowered him to proceed with his life purpose in the full assurance that he was achieving the Father’s will. ^[Paper^{181:1.8, page 1954:5]}

Peace is of good cheer and fearless because it is sustained by the Father’s wise and sympathetic overcare.

Jesus was determined, persistent, and thoroughly devoted to the accomplishment of his mission, but he was not an unfeeling and calloused stoic; he ever sought for the cheerful aspects of his life experiences, but he was not a blind and self-deceived optimist. The Master knew all that was to befall him, and he was unafraid. After he had bestowed this peace upon each of his followers, he could consistently say, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” ^[Paper^{181:1.9, page 1954:6]}
SabinatuBlocked
Sep 29, 2015, 4:51 PM
“….Jesus was determined, persistent, and thoroughly devoted to the accomplishment of his mission….”

Oh, I am peaceful in my soul that”thy will be done” will be done. No problem with that kind of inner peace.

However, I would like to give other people the opportunity of SECULAR peace. And that WILL not be done unless the stool of “religious authority” is kicked out from under war mongerers, of all people.

Sounds like you lost the wind in your sails, Vern. Back to jingoism – the psychological manipulation of christians….

Trust me, you will find a different Jesus when you realize the CONTEXT

Still working with the info about religion as a MIND endowment – the revelation part of FER – found in Papers 99 -103 – maybe this will bring “peace” to those timid souls, or at least let them know to stay out of the “psychological” way of peacekeepers on a warpath What do they call those timid souls – “passive-aggressive?” They sure seem to be able to whip themselves out of their torpor rather quickly when it comes to fighting their battles of UNreality….”all mouth” is the slang we used to use until the “LISTS” become “absolute”.

Page 1117 – “Now rather, are the sons of God enlisted together in fighting the battle of reality’s triumph over the partial shadows of existence. At last all creatures become conscious of the fact that God and all the divine hosts of a well-nigh limitless universe are on their side in the supernal struggle to attain eternity of life and divinity of status. Such faith-liberated sons have certainly enlisted in the struggles of time on the side of supreme forces and divine personalities of eternity; even the stars in their courses are now doing battle for them; at last they gaze upon the universe from within, from God’s viewpoint, and all is transformed from the uncertainties of material isolation to the sureties of eternal spiritual progression. Even time itself becomes but the shadow of eternity cast by Paradise realities upon the moving panoply of space.”

some explanation for the “kingdom is within you”…however, just because you finally see God’s viewpoint a little, does not mean you are God – hehe
VernParticipant
Oct 6, 2015, 1:30 AM

Sabinatu wrote: …faith-liberated sons have certainly enlisted in the struggles of time on the side of supreme forces and divine personalities of eternity; even the stars in their courses are now doing battle for them…

Sabinatu wrote: …gaze upon the universe from within, from God’s viewpoint…

Sabinatu wrote: …explanation for the “kingdom is within you”

Hi Sab, indeed a process of shifting the seat of identity from the material to the spiritual.

Human beings possess identity only in the material sense. Such qualities of the self are expressed by the material mind as it functions in the energy system of the intellect. When it is said that man has identity, it is recognized that he is in possession of a mind circuit which has been placed in subordination to the acts and choosing of the will of the human personality. But this is a material and purely temporary manifestation, just as the human embryo is a transient parasitic stage of human life. Human beings, from a cosmic perspective, are born, live, and die in a relative instant of time; they are not enduring. But mortal personality, through its own choosing, possesses the power of transferring its seat of identity from the passing material-intellect system to the higher morontia-soul system which, in association with the Thought Adjuster, is created as a new vehicle for personality manifestation. ^[Paper^{112:5.4, page 1232:5]}

Choice—man’s greatest opportunity and his supreme cosmic responsibility

And it is this very power of choice, the universe insignia of freewill creaturehood, that constitutes man’s greatest opportunity and his supreme cosmic responsibility. Upon the integrity of the human volition depends the eternal destiny of the future finaliter; upon the sincerity of the mortal free will the divine Adjuster depends for eternal personality; upon the faithfulness of mortal choice the Universal Father depends for the realization of a new ascending son; upon the steadfastness and wisdom of decision-actions the Supreme Being depends for the actuality of experiential evolution. ^[Paper^{112:5.5, page 1233:1]}
VernParticipant
Oct 6, 2015, 3:06 AM
Judas, on realization of what he had done could not live with himself

From a distance Judas saw them raise the cross piece with Jesus nailed thereon, and upon sight of this he rushed back to the temple and, forcing his way past the doorkeeper, found himself standing in the presence of the Sanhedrin, which was still in session. The betrayer was well-nigh breathless and highly distraught, but he managed to stammer out these words: “I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. You have insulted me. You have offered me as a reward for my service, money — the price of a slave. I repent that I have done this; here is your money. I want to escape the guilt of this deed.” ^[Paper^{186:1.4, page 1998:2]}

When the rulers of the Jews heard Judas, they scoffed at him. One of them sitting near where Judas stood, motioned that he should leave the hall and said: “Your Master has already been put to death by the Romans, and as for your guilt, what is that to us? See you to that — and begone!” ^[Paper^{186:1.5, page 1998:3]}

Humiliated, Judas threw the thirty pieces of silver on the temple floor as in devastated realization, he left to personally face the consequences of his betrayal of Jesus.

As Judas left the Sanhedrin chamber, he removed the thirty pieces of silver from the bag and threw them broadcast over the temple floor. When the betrayer left the temple, he was almost beside himself. Judas was now passing through the experience of the realization of the true nature of sin. All the glamor, fascination, and intoxication of wrongdoing had vanished. Now the evildoer stood alone and face to face with the judgment verdict of his disillusioned and disappointed soul. Sin was bewitching and adventurous in the committing, but now must the harvest of the naked and unromantic facts be faced. ^[Paper^{186:1.6, page 1998:4]}

His despair was desperate and well-nigh absolute, in such a forsaken state of mind his only means of dealing with such hopelessness, was suicide.

This onetime ambassador of the kingdom of heaven on earth now walked through the streets of Jerusalem, forsaken and alone. His despair was desperate and well-nigh absolute. On he journeyed through the city and outside the walls, on down into the terrible solitude of the valley of Hinnom, where he climbed up the steep rocks and, taking the girdle of his cloak, fastened one end to a small tree, tied the other about his neck, and cast himself over the precipice. Ere he was dead, the knot which his nervous hands had tied gave way, and the betrayer’s body was dashed to pieces as it fell on the jagged rocks below. ^[Paper^{186:1.7, page 1998:5]}
VernParticipant
Oct 7, 2015, 2:26 AM
The Master intentionally delayed his appearance to the apostles because he wanted them to reflect on what he had already told them regarding his death and subsequent resurrection

Matthew was highly confused; he listened to the discussions of his fellows but spent most of the time turning over in his mind the problem of their future finances. Regardless of Jesus’ supposed resurrection, Judas was gone, David had unceremoniously turned the funds over to him, and they were without an authoritative leader. Before Matthew got around to giving serious consideration to their arguments about the resurrection, he had already seen the Master face to face. ^[Paper^{191:0.10, page 2038:5]}

The childlike trust of the Alpheus twins was evident when they said their mother had already talked with Jesus, they believe her.

The Alpheus twins took little part in these serious discussions; they were fairly busy with their customary ministrations. One of them expressed the attitude of both when he said, in reply to a question asked by Philip: “We do not understand about the resurrection, but our mother says she talked with the Master, and we believe her.” ^[Paper^{191:0.11, page 2038:6]}

Thomas was conflicted, he wanted to be with his fellow apostles but wanted them to initiate contact as he was too proud and stubborn to admit to himself his need to be with them to pull him out of his depressed state of mind. Jesus wanted Thomas to be with the apostles before he would appear to them.

Thomas was in the midst of one of his typical spells of despairing depression. He slept a portion of the day and walked over the hills the rest of the time. He felt the urge to rejoin his fellow apostles, but the desire to be by himself was the stronger. ^[Paper^{191:0.12, page 2038:7]}

Reasons Jesus put off the first morontia appearance to the apostles:
1. he wanted them to have time, after they heard of his resurrection, to think well over what he had told them about his death and resurrection when he was still with them in the flesh.
2. wanted Peter to wrestle through with some of his peculiar difficulties.
3. he desired that Thomas should be with them.
The Master put off the first morontia appearance to the apostles for a number of reasons. First, he wanted them to have time, after they heard of his resurrection, to think well over what he had told them about his death and resurrection when he was still with them in the flesh. The Master wanted Peter to wrestle through with some of his peculiar difficulties before he manifested himself to them all. In the second place, he desired that Thomas should be with them at the time of his first appearance. John Mark located Thomas at the home of Simon in Bethpage early this Sunday morning, bringing word to that effect to the apostles about eleven o’clock. Any time during this day Thomas would have gone back to them if Nathaniel or any two of the other apostles had gone for him. He really wanted to return, but having left as he did the evening before, he was too proud to go back of his own accord so soon. By the next day he was so depressed that it required almost a week for him to make up his mind to return. The apostles waited for him, and he waited for his brethren to seek him out and ask him to come back to them. Thomas thus remained away from his associates until the next Saturday evening, when, after darkness had come on, Peter and John went over to Bethpage and brought him back with them. And this is also the reason why they did not go at once to Galilee after Jesus first appeared to them; they would not go without Thomas. ^[Paper^{191:0.13, page 2038:8]}
VernParticipant
Oct 14, 2015, 1:19 PM
Christianity is now struggling for its very existence

Christianity exhibits a history of having originated out of the unintended transformation of the religion of Jesus into a religion about Jesus. It further presents the history of having experienced Hellenization, paganization, secularization, institutionalization, intellectual deterioration, spiritual decadence, moral hibernation, threatened extinction, later rejuvenation, fragmentation, and more recent relative rehabilitation. Such a pedigree is indicative of inherent vitality and the possession of vast recuperative resources. And this same Christianity is now present in the civilized world of Occidental peoples and stands face to face with a struggle for existence which is even more ominous than those eventful crises which have characterized its past battles for dominance. ^[Paper^{195:4.4, page 2075:2]}

The predominance of scientific minds and materialistic tendencies in society is a challenge to religionists…….a gigantic struggle between the secular and the spiritual, which the religion of Jesus will win.

Religion is now confronted by the challenge of a new age of scientific minds and materialistic tendencies. In this gigantic struggle between the secular and the spiritual, the religion of Jesus will eventually triumph. ^[Paper ^{195:4.5, page 2075:3]}

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face to face

The inner life is truly creative and with this power comes the ability to build or destroy

The past is history, tomorrow’s a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the “present.”

After death and subsequent re-personalization on the mansion world the ascender pilgrims are assigned as assistants to the seraphim

As a lad Jesus was responsive to truth, beauty and goodness, and when with his father Joseph, he observed beautiful city structures and competitive sport in the Greek city of Decapolis, his enthusiasm challenged Joseph’s Jewish cultural prejudices

Jesus was only fifteen when the necessity of assuming the role of “father” of his father’s family took precedence over his mission to reveal the Paradise Father to the world at large

Spare a thought for Rebecca for whom Jesus was the one altogether lovely and the greatest among ten thousand, the man she loved to the exclusion of all others

Rodan is convinced God is a person and Nataniel and Thomas present their understanding of the Divine Nature of Jesus

There comes a time of judgment for individuals and nations and confusion has resulted from Jesus’ promise to return in power and with authority

The audacity of the ignorant, the third accusation Pilate read out, was that Jesus claimed to “be king of the Jews”

Choice—man’s greatest opportunity and his supreme cosmic responsibility

Judas, on realization of what he had done could not live with himself

The Master intentionally delayed his appearance to the apostles because he wanted them to reflect on what he had already told them regarding his death and subsequent resurrection

Christianity is now struggling for its very existence