314 posts · 12 participants · started Feb 5, 2015, 9:48 PM
Mara wrote: Ahead of us in our careers we’re going to be learning other languages.
And being a singer, I can’t ignore the importance of these words about the universal language of music:
44:1.15 Forever, music will remain the universal language of men, angels, and spirits. Harmony is the speech of Havona.
I’m wondering if anyone wants to get back to the mustard seed parable???
I’ve often wondered about the mustard seed. In the parable it says that it is the smallest of seeds, but we know that isn’t true. I’ve had much smaller seeds stuck in my teeth, just sayin’. But with a little reading, I found out that in Jesus’ time the mustard seed was the smallest seed that farmers sowed. Under favorable conditions in that part of the world, the mustard plant could grow up to 10 feet tall. I think that’s pretty big for a garden plant. Also, the mustard seed was the fasted to sprout. Apparently you could plant it one day and have it germinate the next, and in one season grow 10 feet. It suggests the amazing power contained in such a tiny speck of a seed that will germinate just about anywhere. Nevertheless, it was probably a little bit shocking to his listeners that Jesus chose such a lowly seed to represent the kingdom of heaven. They probably were expecting something with more grandeur. But if you know your seeds and plants, the reason for using it becomes obvious.
To have or express an opinion is neither self love nor prejudice which is a blind devotion to one’s opinions which prevents transcending one’s limits of perception, discernment, understanding, and appreciation of that which remains to be known.
So Bradly, you exhibit a blind devotion not to your opinion but to the opinion of those that authored TUB? Is that right?
And while some are humble by nature, my humility is well earned by sufficient humiliation both undeserved and well deserved…mine is a result or effect of experience in how wrong how often I have been about so much for so long. My ignorance is sometimes overwhelming…and certainly humbling.
But Bradly, you are to humble yourself ONLY before God. All others are your brothers of which God is no respecter.
Are the parables of Jesus “dead” because they are recorded in words?
Yes, they are dead as recorded in words. The parables of Jesus are written in your SOUL by the Spirit of Truth.
.I wonder why then you waste your precious time among readers at sites dedicated to readers to share the study of the UB?
My precious time is DEDICATED to the Will of the Father. You can not serve two Masters. No one must dedicate themselves to the study of a text. TUB is a “thing” and the meaning of dedication to a thing is to exclusively allocate your time to that purpose of study. This excludes the dedication to the Will of God. You cannot divide your time.
You have no need for the Revelation and no regard for its students or student body. Perhaps another group of believers (in God) would provide more reward for you?
I have need of continuous and living revelation and TUB cannot possibly provide that. It is a text, not a living person and not the LIVING Spirit of Truth that creates a consciousness of Christ Michael. You cannot serve two Masters.
A very shallow non-response there Louis.
Tadpoles live in the shallows.
I’m wondering if anyone wants to get back to the mustard seed parable???
[…] Jesus chose such a lowly seed to represent the kingdom of heaven. They probably were expecting something with more grandeur. But if you know your seeds and plants, the reason for using it becomes obvious.
I do. The image of a tiny seed becoming a “tree” is vivid. You sow the seeds in drills about 1⁄8 inch deep. That’s very shallow.
The plants are easy to grow and produce seed in as few as 60 days. The greens are edible, the flowers attractive, and if the seeds are allowed to mature on the plant, they will self-sow and still provide plenty of seeds for mustard making.
The plants are easy to grow and produce seed in as few as 60 days.
Easy to sow, easy to grow and they get huge, apparently. I think all of those things can compare to the kingdom of heaven. The yoke is easy and the burden light; it takes just a flicker of faith. The growth requires only loyalty, and the results are massive.
The kingdom of heaven is defined a few different ways in the UB, but I think in this parable we see clearly that smallness becomes greatness. In other words, like the attitude of a child who accepts the realization of divine sonship. In quote 100:1.5 we are told that the soil essential for spiritual growth requires a normal consciousness of smallness, or humility. I think it is this awareness of smallness in relation to God’s greatness opens the gates to tremendous growth potential.
I also think that the Parable of the Sower reveals that the way to the kingdom is wide open for everyone. The seeds are sown just about everywhere. And these particular mustard seeds germinate and grow rather quickly with very little work from the individual other than faith and loyalty to God’s will. God does everything for humans as long as they are loyal to his instructions.
93:6.4 This covenant of Melchizedek with Abraham represents the great Urantian agreement between divinity and humanity whereby God agrees to do everything; man only agrees to believe God’s promises and follow his instructions.
On being humble: As Jesus taught in his enacted parable of brotherly love, the humility he offered to other men was to be as their servant and even to wash their feet. He most certainly was humble toward other men and not just to God, and he’s the real example to follow, rather than any others who would like to have no need for humility or humbleness toward others.
“Peter said, “Master, do you really mean to wash my feet?” And then, looking up into Peter’s face, Jesus said: “You may not fully understand what I am about to do, but hereafter you will know the meaning of all these things.” Then Simon Peter, drawing a long breath, said, “Master, you shall never wash my feet!” And each of the apostles nodded their approval of Peter’s firm declaration of refusal to allow Jesus thus to humble himself before them.” (179:3.3)
tas wrote: As Jesus taught in his enacted parable of brotherly love, the humility he offered to other men was to be as their servant and even to wash their feet.
Yes! A fantastic example of him taking his own advice. He said:
158:6.3 Have not I told you that he who would be greatest in the kingdom of my Father’s spiritual brotherhood must become little in his own eyes and thus become the server of his brethren? Spiritualgreatness consists in an understanding love that is Godlike and not in an enjoyment of the exercise of material power for the exaltation of self.
Thank you tas!! I agree with you and Bonita on this point on humility and being humble, kind, thoughtful, mindful, and attentive to all other believers, especially, and as we walk by in general….we are ambassadors of the kingdom in all regards once we become loyal to universe reality and the resulting family of ALL. There is no example of and no excuse for verbal abuse and the expressions of fear or anger as a tool or weapon against those who we find ourselves disagreeing with or even those who may be disagreeable or mean spirited even, and certainly not to those fellow religionists whom we chance to encounter on the pilgrim’s path.
The Master gave such example…repeatedly and persistently. And his parables do indeed demonstrate the potential power for transformation in words and, even further, the choosing of words carefully and purposefully to communicate, illustrate, illuminate, and challenge the minds of others to consider, reflect, discern, learn, and change our intentions, motives, priorities, choices, responses, and our outcomes thereby. And he provided the “proofs” of the spirit within during such transformation and transcendence which cannot be hidden nor fabricated otherwise. The religionist which does not respond to the spirit is no religionist at all. Words are but words until activated by mind into action of free will choice….and then words become living by their expression in our life. The parables are the most wonderful example I know of the power of words to travel through time and space as a record of truth, beauty, and goodness united by love and expressed in service.
"Live loyally today—grow—and tomorrow will attend to itself. The quickest way for a tadpole to become a frog is to live loyally each moment as a tadpole."
Bradly wrote: . . . we are ambassadors of the kingdom in all regards once we become loyal to universe reality and the resulting family of ALL
The great principle or beginning, heaven, is infused into man the microcosm, who reflects the star-like natures and thus, as the smallest part and end of the work of Creation, contains the whole.
There is no example of and no excuse for verbal abuse and the expressions of fear or anger as a tool or weapon against those who we find ourselves disagreeing with or even those who may be disagreeable or mean spirited even, and certainly not to those fellow religionists whom we chance to encounter on the pilgrim’s path.
Bradly, your perceptions are your reality but not necessarily God’s reality. If one is so thin skinned, then one must stay out of the Sun’s glare. Expose yourself and you are sure to get burned.
There is no example of and no excuse for verbal abuse . . . .
The Master never used it.
The Master listed 11 Fruits of the Divine Spirit just before his ascension. Again he reminded people of that day what is at the heart of divine teaching to transform animalistic nature into divine nature. This teaching applies to us today, here and within all relationships.
Sign me, just as much in need to learn His ways as anybody else,
MK
The Master never used it.
Correct, and that is why He is the Master. A perfectly balanced personality.
Mark Kurtz wrote: The Master listed 11 Fruits of the Divine Spirit just before his ascension. Again he reminded people of that day what is at the heart of divine teaching to transform animalistic nature into divine nature. This teaching applies to us today, here and within all relationships.
I agree. And it is his Spirit of Truth who makes it possible for us to recognize the truth in Jesus’ parables. Another one of his kingdom of heaven analogies concerns leavening.
151:4.3 “The kingdom of heaven is also like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, and in this way it came about that all of the meal was leavened.”
Like seeds sown, mustard or otherwise, yeast is also living. Yeast also rapidly multiples and results in growth. It takes only a pinch to make a loaf of bread. Just a pinch of truth allowed to live in one’s soul will rapidly multiply and spread to influence one’s whole life and the life of others as well.
And it is his Spirit of Truth who makes it possible for us to recognize the truth in Jesus’ parables.
Wrong… It is YOU who allows the Spirit of Truth to make it possible to recognize the truth of Jesus’ parables. You may reject the Spirit by placing an idol before it.
DO NOT make an idol of words in a book.
194:3:1 Many queer and strange teachings became associated with the early narratives of the day of Pentecost. In subsequent times the events of this day, on which the Spirit of Truth, the new teacher, came to dwell with mankind, have become confused with the foolish outbreaks of rampant emotionalism. The chief mission of this outpoured spirit of the Father and the Son is to teach men about the truths of the Father’s love and the Son’s mercy. These are the truths of divinity which men can comprehend more fully than all the other divine traits of character. The Spirit of Truth is concerned primarily with the revelation of the Father’s spirit nature and the Son’s moral character. The Creator Son, in the flesh, revealed God to men; the Spirit of Truth, in the heart, reveals the Creator Son to men. When man yields the “fruits of the spirit” in his life, he is simply showing forth the traits which the Master manifested in his own earthly life. When Jesus was on earth, he lived his life as one personality — Jesus of Nazareth. As the indwelling spirit of the “new teacher,” the Master has, since Pentecost, been able to live his life anew in the experience of every truth-taught believer.
194:3:1 Many queer and strange teachings became associated with the early narratives of the day of Pentecost. In subsequent times the events of this day, on which the Spirit of Truth, the new teacher, came to dwell with mankind, have become confused with the foolish outbreaks of rampant emotionalism. The chief mission of this outpoured spirit of the Father and the Son is to teach men about the truths of the Father’s love and the Son’s mercy. These are the truths of divinity which men can comprehend more fully than all the other divine traits of character. The Spirit of Truth is concerned primarily with the revelation of the Father’s spirit nature and the Son’s moral character. The Creator Son, in the flesh, revealed God to men; the Spirit of Truth, in the heart, reveals the Creator Son to men. When man yields the “fruits of the spirit” in his life, he is simply showing forth the traits which the Master manifested in his own earthly life. When Jesus was on earth, he lived his life as one personality — Jesus of Nazareth. As the indwelling spirit of the “new teacher,” the Master has, since Pentecost, been able to live his life anew in the experience of every truth-taught believer.
Do not put this quote before The Spirit of Truth. The Spirit can be experienced because it creates a consciousness of Christ Michael. These words above can be read and placed in your as mind in symbolic meaning but it goes there BEFORE the Spirit who is beyond symbolism. Your mind can crowd out reality and replace it with unreality (symbols)(idols). Beware.
Mark Kurtz wrote: The Master listed 11 Fruits of the Divine Spirit just before his ascension. Again he reminded people of that day what is at the heart of divine teaching to transform animalistic nature into divine nature. This teaching applies to us today, here and within all relationships.
I agree. And it is his Spirit of Truth who makes it possible for us to recognize the truth in Jesus’ parables. Another one of his kingdom of heaven analogies concerns leavening. 151:4.3 “The kingdom of heaven is also like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, and in this way it came about that all of the meal was leavened.” Like seeds sown, mustard or otherwise, yeast is also living. Yeast also rapidly multiples and results in growth. It takes only a pinch to make a loaf of bread. Just a pinch of truth allowed to live in one’s soul will rapidly multiply and spread to influence one’s whole life and the life of others as well.
Me here: the Master used the “kingdom of heaven” in 5 distinct ways, only one of which is the kingdom “within”. I find it very appropriate, accurate (by text), and useful to consider not only how the mustard seed, leaven, and salt of the spirit within to grow the pilgrim’s soul and maturity and spirit progress within but also to consider the same “cause” and “effect” cycle by the sincere love response and acts upon our world, the group of believers, the family unit, the community in which we walk by, and the aggregation effect thereby. We are told that every single righteous thought and act impinges upon even the Supreme. To say it has no effect or value upon the group is contradicted, obviously, by the text itself which clearly defines the kingdom as the era/epoch to come next, the era of L&L, the family of ALL beings in ALL the universes, and the family of believers (the other 4 kingdoms described); so when the Master says “the kingdom of heaven is like unto….”, we may consider all these kingdoms and how his words may be applied in more than one way. Or so I think.
"Live loyally today—grow—and tomorrow will attend to itself. The quickest way for a tadpole to become a frog is to live loyally each moment as a tadpole."
I place these references specifically for the edification of readers – those truth taught believers – who wish to know more. 
Bradly wrote: . . . we may consider all these kingdoms and how his words may be applied in more than one way. Or so I think.
