Service

50 posts · 5 participants · started Dec 27, 2017, 5:47 PM

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   GeneParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 1:14 PM

   andré wrote:

   Jesus advised us to learn what someone needs and make every effort to give it to them.

   … if this quoted referred to give encouragement, hope and incitive, I agreed 100 %. But if it refered to material’s needs at any efforts, any cost, even Jesus prevent himself to do so.

   ^130:7.2 “Become interested in your fellows; learn how to love them and watch for the opportunity to do something for them which you are sure they want done,”

   … look like to be the righteous quote. Thanks.

   I just need a quote from TUB. The only direct acknowledgement was to ignore it.

   Remind me ! Is this thread talking about service ?

   Service one anothers. ???

   ^180:1.1 That you love one another even as I have loved you.

   Is an opportunity was skip through ?

   130:7.2 Become interested in your fellows; learn how to love them and watch for the opportunity to do something for them which you are sure they want done,”

   Yes, this is the idea that captured my interest and prompted this thread.
   “Something you are sure they want done”
   I find this to be challenging. It is the true nature of meaningful service. It requires thought and unselfish effort. What do you think? Is it easy for you to “be sure” of the real needs of a brother or sister prompting your targeted service?

2. B

   BonitaParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 2:48 PM

   What do you think is the driving need of most people?

3. G

   GeneParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 2:57 PM

   Bonita wrote:

   What do you think is the driving need of most people?

   Survival.

4. B

   BonitaParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 3:13 PM

   Gene wrote:

   Survival.

   There are two kinds of survival.  Which one?

5. G

   GeneParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 3:29 PM

   Both
   But the focus of soul survival tends to take a back seat to the material at times.

6. G

   GeneParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 3:44 PM

   I wonder if I can tell the difference when I am self serving, satisfying my need to serve and gratifying that need to serve as opposed to satisfying the persons real need whom I am attempting to serve??
   Got to think about that one.
   Self serving and self righteousness come to mind.

7. B

   BonitaParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 3:52 PM

   Gene wrote:

   Both But the focus of soul survival tends to take a back seat to the material at times.

   Well . . .  earlier on in this thread you mentioned this:

   Gene wrote:There is another event involving Jesus I believe while in or on the way to Rome that comes to mind in regard to service: jesus only gave alms to a needy person and Ganid was curious:why no ministry? Jesus said this person had no capacity for sonship with God or something close to that. What does that mean? No adjuster? No higher Adjutants contact? No response to spirit gravity? Surely alms helped him and administered to his real needs as well as identifying he was more than animal and minded somehow.

   Here’s the quote in question:

   (1466.2) 132:7.2 “Ganid, the man was not hungry for truth. He was not dissatisfied with himself. He was not ready to ask for help, and the eyes of his mind were not open to receive light for the soul. That man was not ripe for the harvest of salvation; he must be allowed more time for the trials and difficulties of life to prepare him for the reception of wisdom and higher learning. Or, if we could have him live with us, we might by our lives show him the Father in heaven, and thus would he become so attracted by our lives as sons of God that he would be constrained to inquire about our Father. You cannot reveal God to those who do not seek for him; you cannot lead unwilling souls into the joys of salvation. Man must become hungry for truth as a result of the experiences of living, or he must desire to know God as the result of contact with the lives of those who are acquainted with the divine Father before another human being can act as the means of leading such a fellow mortal to the Father in heaven. If we know God, our real business on earth is so to live as to permit the Father to reveal himself in our lives, and thus will all God-seeking persons see the Father and ask for our help in finding out more about the God who in this manner finds expression in our lives.”

   Wouldn’t you say that those folks who are mostly interested in material survival are lacking awareness of their own souls and their soul’s true needs?  Some are open to true needs and others need time to figure out that they actually have them. Your service is the same to both kind of people . . . just shine the light. Those who desire more will ask for more, and if they don’t, just be fragrant and graceful, stay connected to the vine and let Jesus do his thing.

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   BonitaParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 3:52 PM

   Gene wrote:

   I wonder if I can tell the difference when I am self serving, satisfying my need to serve and gratifying that need to serve as opposed to satisfying the persons real need whom I am attempting to serve??

   That’s why I can’t stand do-gooders.

9. G

   GeneParticipant
   Dec 28, 2017, 4:03 PM

   “Wouldn’t you say that those folks who are mostly interested in material survival are lacking awareness of their own souls and their soul’s true needs? Some are open to true needs and others need time to figure out that they actually have them. Your service is the same to both kind of people . . . just shine the light. Those who desire more will ask for more, and if they don’t, just be fragrant and graceful, stay connected to the vine and let Jesus do his thing”

   Agree, as long as we are in a world where our basic material needs are satisfied. Hunger, thirst, direct threat to life have a way of putting us in survival mode – animal style.

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    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 4:08 PM

    I’ve heard some people say they like doing social service because it makes them feel good.  That’s a humungous red flag right there.  Stay away from that kind of service, the kind that makes you feel good.  Feeling good and being good aren’t the same thing.   Feeling good is part of the kingdom of good, which falls way short of the kingdom of God, which is being good (and true goodness is unconscious).  It comes down to the social fruit vs. spiritual fruit thing . . .  attempting to graft one’s own desires onto the true vine with the hope of stealing it’s mojo juice.

    102:7.4 True, many apparently religious traits can grow out of nonreligious roots. Man can, intellectually, deny God and yet be morally good, loyal, filial, honest, and even idealistic. Man may graft many purely humanistic branches onto his basic spiritual nature and thus apparently prove his contentions in behalf of a godless religion, but such an experience is devoid of survival values, God-knowingness and God-ascension. In such a mortal experience only social fruits are forthcoming, not spiritual. The graft determines the nature of the fruit, notwithstanding that the living sustenance is drawn from the roots of original divine endowment of both mind and spirit.

    2:5.12 When man loses sight of the love of a personal God, the kingdom of God becomes merely the kingdom of good.

11. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 4:13 PM

    I’ll make an anology about my service thoughts more related to material stuff:
    I have two careers – piano technology and wastewater treatment. Over 4 decades I have taken on several apprentice and it is easy to try to give all of the tools and experience all at once and expect the newbie to become just like me as opposed to learning about the individuals needs, their learning process, their capacity, how and when to introduce to new skills at the right time so the person begins to develope themselves and be what they are as opposed to what I am.
    Make any sense?

12. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 4:17 PM

    Bonita wrote:

    I’ve heard some people say they like doing social service because it makes them feel good. That’s a humungous red flag right there. Stay away from that kind of service, the kind that makes you feel good. Feeling good and being good aren’t the same thing. Feeling good is part of the kingdom of good, which falls way short of the kingdom of God, which is being good (and true goodness is unconscious). It comes down to the social fruit vs. spiritual fruit thing . . . attempting to graft one’s own desires onto the true vine with the hope of stealing it’s mojo juice.

    102:7.4 True, many apparently religious traits can grow out of nonreligious roots. Man can, intellectually, deny God and yet be morally good, loyal, filial, honest, and even idealistic. Man may graft many purely humanistic branches onto his basic spiritual nature and thus apparently prove his contentions in behalf of a godless religion, but such an experience is devoid of survival values, God-knowingness and God-ascension. In such a mortal experience only social fruits are forthcoming, not spiritual. The graft determines the nature of the fruit, notwithstanding that the living sustenance is drawn from the roots of original divine endowment of both mind and spirit.

    2:5.12 When man loses sight of the love of a personal God, the kingdom of God becomes merely the kingdom of good.

    Yes, very well said with great supporting quotes. I need to get into the quote thing.

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    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 4:19 PM

    Gene wrote:

    Agree, as long as we are in a world where our basic material needs are satisfied. Hunger, thirst, direct threat to life have a way of putting us in survival mode – animal style.

    Only for those folks who haven’t discovered what true survival is all about.  If they’re still putting all their hopes in the material aspects of life, then they’re missing out on reality and that emptiness can make a person cranky and miserable. What does it matter if all things material are taken away from the person who has a love affair with their own soul and the person living there? Consider the lilies of the field . . . etc., etc..

    100:2.7 Jesus portrayed the profound surety of the God-knowing mortal when he said: “To a God-knowing kingdom believer, what does it matter if all things earthly crash?” Temporal securities are vulnerable, but spiritual sureties are impregnable. When the flood tides of human adversity, selfishness, cruelty, hate, malice, and jealousy beat about the mortal soul, you may rest in the assurance that there is one inner bastion, the citadel of the spirit, which is absolutely unassailable; at least this is true of every human being who has dedicated the keeping of his soul to the indwelling spirit of the eternal God.

    176:3.2 What does it matter to you who believe this gospel of the kingdom if nations overturn, the age ends, or all things visible crash, since you know that your life is the gift of the Son, and that it is eternally secure in the Father? Having lived the temporal life by faith and having yielded the fruits of the spirit as the righteousness of loving service for your fellows, you can confidently look forward to the next step in the eternal career with the same survival faith that has carried you through your first and earthly adventure in sonship with God.

    165:5.3 Let me assure you, once and for all, that, if you dedicate your lives to the work of the kingdom, all your real needs shall be supplied. Seek the greater thing, and the lesser will be found therein; ask for the heavenly, and the earthly shall be included. The shadow is certain to follow the substance.

     

     

     

14. B

    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 4:30 PM

    Gene wrote:

    I’ll make an anology about my service thoughts more related to material stuff: I have two careers – piano technology and wastewater treatment. Over 4 decades I have taken on several apprentice and it is easy to try to give all of the tools and experience all at once and expect the newbie to become just like me as opposed to learning about the individuals needs, their learning process, their capacity, how and when to introduce to new skills at the right time so the person begins to develope themselves and be what they are as opposed to what I am. Make any sense?

    Well, that sounds like teaching to me.  There will always be the right way to do something, and it’s our job to learn what it is.  That’s what wisdom is all about, right.  The source of all wisdom lives in your head.  You can be a great teacher if you let The Teacher guide you . . . speaking in platitudes now, sorry.  What I’m trying to say is that no matter what, your very best efforts begin with the inner life. If you make your life a living prayer, chances are you won’t worry so much about the other picayune stuff.  It’ll become a habit, an unconscious flowing of goodness from inside you to another person.  You won’t even know it’s happening until it’s done, then you say to yourself, “Whoa, that was cool! How’d that happen? . . . Thanks God!”  Seen it with my own eyes.

15. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 4:31 PM

    Bonita wrote:

    Gene wrote:

    Agree, as long as we are in a world where our basic material needs are satisfied. Hunger, thirst, direct threat to life have a way of putting us in survival mode – animal style.

    Only for those folks who haven’t discovered what true survival is all about. If they’re still putting all their hopes in the material aspects of life, then they’re missing out on reality and that emptiness can make a person cranky and miserable. What does it matter if all things material are taken away from the person who has a love affair with their own soul and the person living there? Consider the lilies of the field . . . etc., etc..

    100:2.7 Jesus portrayed the profound surety of the God-knowing mortal when he said: “To a God-knowing kingdom believer, what does it matter if all things earthly crash?” Temporal securities are vulnerable, but spiritual sureties are impregnable. When the flood tides of human adversity, selfishness, cruelty, hate, malice, and jealousy beat about the mortal soul, you may rest in the assurance that there is one inner bastion, the citadel of the spirit, which is absolutely unassailable; at least this is true of every human being who has dedicated the keeping of his soul to the indwelling spirit of the eternal God.

    176:3.2 What does it matter to you who believe this gospel of the kingdom if nations overturn, the age ends, or all things visible crash, since you know that your life is the gift of the Son, and that it is eternally secure in the Father? Having lived the temporal life by faith and having yielded the fruits of the spirit as the righteousness of loving service for your fellows, you can confidently look forward to the next step in the eternal career with the same survival faith that has carried you through your first and earthly adventure in sonship with God.

    165:5.3 Let me assure you, once and for all, that, if you dedicate your lives to the work of the kingdom, all your real needs shall be supplied. Seek the greater thing, and the lesser will be found therein; ask for the heavenly, and the earthly shall be included. The shadow is certain to follow the substance.

    And Jesus saw the cross coming a long time prior to the event and did not get into self defense mode.
    Most people are not on this level.
    I think we would like to be but when faced with similar realities – I know how people react.

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    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 5:40 PM

    Gene wrote:

    I think we would like to be but when faced with similar realities – I know how people react.

    I don’t know.  What about all those amazing people in Houston this past Fall  who had everything destroyed but went out and helped other people instead of wallowing in their own disappointments and fears? I think there are a lot of people like that. It only takes a few screaming, whining, fit-throwing groups of people to make it seem like the whole world is crazy.  It is not . . . It is frequently backwards though, that I’ll say.

17. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 5:54 PM

    Bonita wrote:

    Gene wrote:

    I think we would like to be but when faced with similar realities – I know how people react.

    I don’t know. What about all those amazing people in Houston this past Fall who had everything destroyed but went out and helped other people instead of wallowing in their own disappointments and fears? I think there are a lot of people like that. It only takes a few screaming, whining, fit-throwing groups of people to make it seem like the whole world is crazy. It is not . . . It is frequently backwards though, that I’ll say.

    Good example, good reminder of human potential and the fact that we should never loose faith in our brothers and sisters.

18. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 6:25 PM

    Gene wrote:

    Bonita wrote:

    Gene wrote:

    I think we would like to be but when faced with similar realities – I know how people react.

    I don’t know. What about all those amazing people in Houston this past Fall who had everything destroyed but went out and helped other people instead of wallowing in their own disappointments and fears? I think there are a lot of people like that. It only takes a few screaming, whining, fit-throwing groups of people to make it seem like the whole world is crazy. It is not . . . It is frequently backwards though, that I’ll say.

    Good example, good reminder of human potential and the fact that we should never loose faith in our brothers and sisters.

    On second thought and here I go again with subtle distinctions: for those who were hurt by the hurricane, lost everything, even their own lives, they did not go down without a fight because they were indeed put into self defense mode.

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    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 6:35 PM

    So when the statement comes up about “what does it matter if all earthly things crash” how did the hurricane victims deal with this?

    They didn’t.

    So maybe we are better at being hero’s and doing unselfish service as opposed to being victims?

    Just thinking

    Recall that many hurricane hero’s put their lives in danger.

20. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 28, 2017, 6:46 PM

    So in regard to Jesus allowing himself to be betrayed and murdered in regard to non interference and all things earthly statement: was Jesus hero of victim? I say hero.
    His fight was for things spiritual

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