1997-03-30. Easter Messages
Nashville #41
Topic: Easter Messages
Group: Nashville TeaM
Teacher: Ham, Abraham, Michael, Nebadonia
TR: Rebecca
Opening
Ham: Greetings, children, friends, colleagues, I am happy to have you all here this evening. We are happy also that someone else is here to speak this evening as well. Tonight, the lesson again is concerning the avenue or pathway of spiritual development and personal growth of character.
Lesson
Character
Character evolves fruits of the spirit, but also is more concerned or central to the trunk and branches of the tree that hold the fruits. Character must grow in strength along with wisdom that your fruits can be upheld in the world and not pull you into areas of confusion such as we have witnessed in the recent mass suicides in San Diego.
Character involves courage, and courage requires the thinking mortal to bravely listen to opposing view points, accepting that others who don’t necessarily ascribe to your own view points are not in error. Courage involves exploring different views and attitudes and information, and from these constructing your own code of life. Courage involves allowing your own code of life to be unique and special.
Character involves something you would describe as nobility. Nobility not in the sense of the hypocritical self righteousness that you popularly associate with this concept. Nobility meaning discovering your own morality and giving a loyalty to the higher being who is the architect of this morality. It is something akin to delighting in righteousness. Something that is very lacking in your materialistic society , because often the morally praiseworthy acts of an individual are looked upon as foolish by the world.
Character involves the steadfast dedication to the expansion of wisdom, and wisdom involves life’s experiences more than knowledge of facts. When one is steadfast in the pursuit of wisdom, one allows life’s mistakes and makes the decision to grow in wisdom from these mistakes. When you say you learn from your mistakes, this implies something different. This implies just don’t do it again. Growth in wisdom may force you to do that same action again. The wisdom comes from how you deal with the consequences.
Think of your character as being the trunk of your tree. So one with sturdy, strong character can bear the fruits of tolerance, of forgiveness, of love under extreme and difficult circumstances. There are those who attempt to become the fruits of the spirit, who hold themselves to such extreme standards as they become perpetually false. And this psychological conflict is unhealthy and even dangerous because it can be carried to the point of denying one’s own humanness and pretending to be something you are not ready to be.
So I say to you, cultivate your humanity, grow character, and wisdom in age. Allow the fruits of the spirit to be borne naturally in their time. To be on the spiritual path, first one must be true to one’s self. One must accept life as we are given it to live, and honestly, without guile, open one’s heart to the Father. His spiritual light shining within your heart reveals your self to yourself.
So then if you are truly sincere about opening your heart’s core to the Father, then you must be sincere about accepting what you see and accepting its changing nature. One thing is a certainty on the worlds of time and space, and that is change. You are not the same person you were an hour ago and this constant metamorphosis means that something you see today might be different tomorrow and different the next day.
As you grow and go through these changes, there will be periods when what seemed to be a clear pool within your being is turbulent and muddy, and the certainties of yesterday have vanished. But this is nothing to be ashamed of, or to worry about. It is just part of your growth. In these periods of turmoil and uncertainty, you should know that soon the sediment will settle and things will be clearer once more.
Now my dear colleague, friend, partner, Abraham will say a few words and then I will return for questions.
Abraham: Hello. Friends. I am Abraham and I greet you each as brothers and sisters of the Father’s universe. Today marks the celebration of the Master’s appearances in morontia form]] to the witnesses who have confirmed, even down to this generation, the reality of life after the death experience. You question whether I am Abraham of old, yes I am he who has long worked for Melchizedek and been instructed and raised by him like a child. We are lucky to have the opportunity to address mortals in this manner who through their belief and faith in the Urantia Book, which holds the teachings of Melchizedek. A personal message from Michael now.
Jesus
Michael: Friends. Look upon me. I am dwelling always near by, even at your right hand. I have never stopped the human ministry that was ended in your records by my physical death. No, my ministry to the world exists perpetually through the actions, through the service, of my children. You who would follow me have the duties imposed by your own dedication. You are welcome to enter into this divine service. Behold, I stretch forth my arms and welcome you in the spirit. Your lives will never be the same from the moment you are ordained into my service.
I accept your willingness, each one, accept in return my love, accept my own dedication to you, accept my service in your life, accept my arm about your shoulder, accept my whisper into your ear. Father, keep you well these tender children, sustain them in their hours of uncertainty, give them inner peace. Give them security. Guide them in the earthly endeavors, and allow me to hold them fast to my bosom that they may be comforted and inspired in their times of need.
Nebadonia: I am the universe mother spirit Nebadonia. I speak that you may be welcoming to me as well. Like Michael, I desire to enter your hearts and to be a source of inspiration and courageous love on this day of solemn celebration.
Ham: Greetings, again, I am Ham who is speaking. I humbly give thanks for these inspiring, indeed, life altering messages that you children have received this evening. Now, I will open the floor to questions and discussion.
Dialogue
Q: First of all I would like to thank you for being here and for being in Charlotte with our fledgling group. Any comments for myself or for Abbagail or for any of the people in our Charlotte group?
Ham: Certainly, Clement, you have been a great example of the development of character that I spoke of. You have courageously looked into and explored knowledge from many directions and are certainly developing your own code of living that stands as an example to many. Your life’s happiness is increasing, you are becoming more peaceful and at home in the world. You’re not experiencing the problems that once seemed insuperable. This is all the direct result of your dedication to spiritual living. Have faith son, everything is developing well in your life and you have much in store for your future adventures. Go in peace.
Growth
Q: Ham, talk a little more about methods of developing this character which you made the analogy to the trunk of the tree instead of focusing on fruits?
Ham: Much of character growth is unconscious, but to a very large degree it is shaped and strengthened by conscious decision making. Life is full of these decisions. You are constantly being bombarded with situations that involve choosing something slightly more selfish or something slightly less selfish. Do you decide to reach out to a stranger in friendliness or do you selfishly remain inward? Do you honestly seek righteousness in terms of honesty, generosity, and ministry?
There are so many decisions that influence the growth of the spirit, but character growth essentially revolves around righteousness _ the right thinking, right acting of Buddhism. Always striving to act a little closer to your ideal. This is different than creating an ideal or conforming to an ideal and not honestly accepting that you cannot possibly always live up to it. Ideals are meant to be a little out of reach. So, it is the conscious striving for righteousness that builds character I would say. Is this helping?
Q: Yes Ham, thank you very much.
Q: Am I correctly understanding that it is that gap between our ideals and our ability to live them in the real world that is the arena wherein we acquire wisdom?
Ham: Yes, Brodan, that is very profound understanding.
Q: Ham Happy Easter.
Ham: Happy Easter to you.
Hypocrisy
Q: Would you elaborate on the mistake we make when we attempt to become the fruits of the spirit?
Ham: Certainly. I think it is essentially the overreaching of the mind for an ideal that is not realistic and when one attempts to be totally Christ like without allowing for human error, then there is a psychological tension created that can result in bizarre and tragic occurrences because on the one hand the person knows that they are not gods above others, but in the trying to be at some point turns into pretending to be. So then, the life becomes a lie and entirely dishonest even while portraying to the world a being of absolute righteousness.
Mind, Integration
Q: Ham, what is the force or almost entity like presence in the subconscious mind that must right this situation and must let the air out of this, that must balance the inner and the outer so as to right this situation through the exposing of this imbalance. There seems to be, in fact in… That there is a mechanism in there that strives to end this situation. Could you describe this mechanism that does that, at the impetus of the Spirit of Truth, the actual mechanics of that?
Ham: It is really just the tension within the mind, the personality always is seeking balance. And so, if something is off balance in one direction, there has to be a balance in the other. The exposure of the hypocrisy is just a result of this tension, this…
Q: The unconscious mind longs for balance, for truth?
Ham: Yes, for integration.
Q: Unification?
Ham: Yes.
Q: Could you relate character to personality.
Ham: Character is a possession of personality. It is the sum total of the unification or integration of righteousness within the human mind. The mind is the mechanism through which this righteousness is brought into personality unification and character is built over the experience of years . You are not born with character, only experience and the conscious integration of righteousness builds characters. Is this helping clarify?
Q: Ham, you mentioned before that it was not good to pretend to be righteous or spiritually evolved when you are not. Is it sometimes beneficial to act as if in the growing process.
Ham: Yes, as long as you know the difference. One is always striving for righteousness and so of course there are times when you can do things that astonish you by there sheer unselfishness, but gradually each person becomes a little less selfish, a little less self-absorbed only over time. The occasional dramatic act does not alter this gradual process.
Socialization
Q: The thing that bothered me the most about San Diego tragedy was the faith and sincerity of those people and even some reasonably correct beliefs mixed in with error and confusion. How do we guard ourselves against this, against embracing confusion with great faith and sincerity, without losing faith or becoming cynical?
Ham: The most sure way of protecting yourself against this kind of confusion is to maintain wide social interaction. People who are isolated can easily reinforce each other in erroneous thinking. So, maintaining wide intellectual interests and understandings and wide social interaction guards quite effectively against that kind of thing.
Q: Regarding the tragedy in San Diego, is there some truth that the comet Hale- Bopp will bring dramatic changes to Urantia?
Ham: No. It is not likely that this body can change or influence any thing dramatically on Urantia at this time. Probably my understanding is that the coming of the millennium has many implications which are very real and some which are confusion and will not likely be manifest in reality. There are not likely to be more serious calamities occurring in the next three years as have occurred in the past three years.
Q: Ham is this an appropriate time for me to ask my usual question regarding evaluation of where I am and advice?
Ham: Certainly. You are learning intensively about character, strength, and determination. You have made much progress over the past few weeks and I expect you will make still more in the coming weeks. You are doing very well, and are happier than you have been for some time. Your inner peace is increasing, and your stability in decision making also increases. We are very pleased with your progress, son, very happy for you.
Q: Do you have anything for Rebecca?
Ham: Daughter, I am sorry if I placed too great a burden on you in suggesting certain time limits for your research. There are meant to be guide posts not deadlines. Don’t take it too seriously. We are trying to help you not pressure you(rself). Continue, your work is coming along fine, don’t be discouraged.
Q: Do you have anything for Esmeralda?
Ham: I have nothing to tell her at this juncture. Continue reading the Urantia book and relaxing.
Q: Do you have any advice for me in my stage of development?
Ham: Yes. I perceive in you a tendency to place too great an emphasis on people, on relying on their advice or their guidance. You should keep your original understanding of the idea first and not be pressured by others so much. Does this help?
Q: I think so, yes, thank you.
Ham: You are welcome
Q: Ham. I am open to constructive criticism as well.
Ham: Friend, you have always been considered a wonderful light and inspiration for others. Likewise, you can tend to go up and down in your feelings and enthusiasm, even moods. The wise man knows that a triumph and defeat are just two sides of the same coin and is not swayed by either one. I know this is easier to say than to live, that’s what ideals are for. That is all.
Q: Ham, any words you have for me I would appreciate.
Ham: Son, you are likewise doing very well, and are beginning to find a way forward in your work. Expand your horizons, your social interaction still further for this is necessary at this time. That is the most important thing to do now.
Transmitting
Q: Ham, for a newcomer for the group, could you explain the process that is taking case using Rebecca’s body and how that works.
Ham: It is somewhat like if you could imagine typing in your words into a computer and having them come out altered. It is not a perfect system. Even the language sometimes is a hurdle for me. But, often times my meaning is somewhat distorted, kind of like a translation from language to another. It works through direct transfer; a midway creature was here this evening to help with the transfer of Michael’s message, but I generally can transmit directly without an intermediary. Mortals potentially have the embryonic ability to transfer thoughts one to another. This is what it is.
Q: Like telepathy?
Ham: Yes, kind of.
Q: Are you literally in Rebecca’s body in this room?
Ham: Yes, I am here, but I am not in her body per se. I am just close, soul to soul.
Thinking, Belief
Q: Earlier you said, “Courage involves exploring different views and attitudes and information, and from these constructing your own code of life”. I was wondering if I interpret this to mean we need to engage in critical thinking, to carefully evaluate all the information we get, am I interpreting this correctly?
Ham: Yes, its partially correct. I would also say it is correct to be open to truth no matter how it is clothed. Sometimes the semantic clothing of a idea can be an obstacle to understanding the idea.
Q: I went to a church service today with my family and had a sincere country preacher talk about Jesus giving his life for our sins. He said that they only way to heaven is through the blood of Christ and that if anyone says anything different… I forget what he said exactly. If you accept such a thing without questioning, I do not see how there would be any character building by just accepting that without questioning. That is one place where traditional religion is flawed, by insisting on blind faith.
Ham: Yes, exactly. Accepting a belief as true is not necessarily a way to build faith. Correct.
Closing
I think that I should release Rebecca from this duty for this evening. Until next week my love and my prayers are with you each. Farewell.
