What does it truly mean for me to follow Jesus?

6 posts · 3 participants · started Jul 12, 2018, 11:59 AM

1. MK

   Mark KurtzParticipant
   Jul 12, 2018, 11:59 AM

   One study group that I attend adopted this question for its theme while studying Part IV. It is intended that each person may deeply and earnestly consider the question as they wish, certainly to consider it as often as needed. For me the question is realistically personal to my deepest levels of being; pure honesty is desirable relating to Jesus and our Paradise Father. There can be no faking in relating to them, as the revelators tell us there are two persons from whom we cannot escape: self and Father. 130:6.3 (other citations also????)

   No one in the group is obligated to share details or any results of dealing with the question, but any of us could at any time. The question is intended to be a loving growth question, perhaps an assessment of progress. The question is to be free of any connection with doctrine found in any religion nor criticism of Christianity. The question emerged as a result of previous reading and discoveries in Part IV of Jesus and his intentions for humanity. The group decided to read Part IV in whole rather than selecting portions.

   The question is worthy of promoting to all people anywhere who are aware of Jesus and find within at least the tiniest interest in his teachings.

2. M

   MaraParticipant
   Jul 13, 2018, 8:50 PM

   Mark Kurtz wrote:

   One study group that I attend adopted this question for its theme. . . .

   I think this is a great question.  You frame the question very specifically and personally – what does it mean for me to follow Jesus.  As for myself, I declare that to follow Jesus does not mean I try to imitate the life he lived.

   181:1.3    “If you would follow after me when I leave you, put forth your earnest efforts to live in accordance with the spirit of my teachings and with the ideal of my life — the doing of my Father’s will. This do instead of trying to imitate my natural life in the flesh as I have, perforce, been required to live it on this world.”

   And,

   196:1.5    It should not be the aim of kingdom believers literally to imitate the outward life of Jesus in the flesh but rather to share his faith; to trust God as he trusted God and to believe in men as he believed in men. Jesus never argued about either the fatherhood of God or the brotherhood of men; he was a living illustration of the one and a profound demonstration of the other.

   But at times (unexpectedly) I am conscious of spiritual bread-crumbs, so to speak, to follow.  I look for those trails to follow.  It is impossible for me to anticipate such trails or to predict which way they lead me.  And certainly I have no knowledge of results or outcomes.  I would venture to say the outcomes and/or results are not my business.  Reminds me of this:

    48:7.13  11. The weak indulge in resolutions, but the strong act. Life is but a day’s work — do it well. The act is ours; the consequences God’s.

    

3. M

   MaraParticipant
   Jul 13, 2018, 10:05 PM
   If you follow the unconscious leadings of this immortal spirit. . .

   133:4.9   Jesus had many visits with a Chinese merchant. In saying good-bye, he admonished him: “Worship only God, who is your true spirit ancestor. Remember that the Father’s spirit ever lives within you and always points your soul-direction heavenward. If you follow the unconscious leadings of this immortal spirit, you are certain to continue on in the uplifted way of finding God. And when you do attain the Father in heaven, it will be because by seeking him you have become more and more like him. And so farewell, Chang, but only for a season, for we shall meet again in the worlds of light where the Father of spirit souls has provided many delightful stopping-places for those who are Paradise-bound.”

4. M

   MaraParticipant
   Jul 15, 2018, 7:41 PM

   Personally, I tend to run away from people who say I should do this or I should do that, especially when I do not ask them for advise.  I am not interested in sitting at the feet of some so-called UB guru, nor am I interested in churchifying the UB. I do not claim to know more than you do about following Jesus.  But I do know that faith is an inside job. The leading of the divine spirit is an inside job. I do not know whether I contribute any value to the growth of the Supreme. Perhaps I do. I also know that life begets life. If life is but a day’s work as they say, then life entails responsibilities to keep life going. I am in awe of how the universes are teeming with friendly, unseen celestials that are busy, busy, busy doing God’s bidding, according to their assignments and responsibilities. We have to figure these things out here on planet earth, that is to say – to do life well.  What does it truly mean for me to follow Jesus?  To do life well?

   .My guess is that agondonters abound worldwide, past and present. How fortunate we are with the click of a mouse to be able to access prayers, songs, poems and music expressed by agondonters past and present.   Here is a bit of what Francis of Assisi had to say in 12^th Century:

   Lord make me an instrument of your peace
   Where there is hatred let me sow love
   Where there is injury, pardon
   Where there is doubt, faith
   Where there is despair, hope
   Where there is darkness, light
   And where there is sadness, joy

   O divine master grant that I may
   not so much seek to be consoled as to console
   to be understood as to understand
   To be loved as to love
   For it is in giving that we receive
   it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
   And it’s in dying that we are born to eternal life
   Amen

    

5. MK

   Mark KurtzParticipant
   Jul 15, 2018, 8:31 PM

   Thank you Mara. I sense that Jesus and and also the revelators encourage us to be independent thinkers, to have a direct, living relationship with the Father. There are those who need others to lead them onward and others who like to think, assess, evaluate and generally seek satisfactory conclusions independent of doctrine or ecclesiastical authority. I suspect we all need both for personal progress in our lifetime.

   What it means for me to follow Jesus is to listen to him and do what he models as we live our Urantia experience. This means moving on from old beliefs and accepting his emphases. Sub questions could be: What do I discard? And what do I add or raise in priority? The questions are intended to be privately personal. Certainly, the Jews and Gentiles who listened to him wrestled with the same questions!

   A sea change for me was learning Jesus could love men so much because he valued men so much! Bingo! We are to value one another if we are to follow him! This can change, yes really change how I live with my brothers! We are to love and serve as we “pass by” in life with one another! His commandment to love as he loved makes so much more sense when we add value in our thinking about each person! You can’t measure that value in ounces, pounds, kilos, gallons, miles or kilometers. Lets all adopt a new hobby of friend making!

6. A

   AndréParticipant
   Jul 25, 2018, 5:09 AM

   Hi everyone,

   What a pleasure to hear from both of you !

   …. as it is from each dedicated Truth seekers, commited Perfection’s injunction doers.

   … to follow Jesus?

   ^{2:1.11 (35.4)}  “In Him he (Jesus) live, move and have his being.”

   … following our elderest brother is receiving first hand what he was endowed as perfect descending Son of God and as experienced Son of Man. 2:1.7 … “the way of God to do things”.

   With fondness,

   André

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