2000-05-21. Theology & Faith
Nashville #87
Topic: Theology & Faith
Group: Nashville TeaM
Teacher: Ham
TR: Rebecca
Opening
Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham your friend and teacher. I am grateful that you all have come here this evening. Our lesson shall discuss the differences between belief systems or theologies on the one hand and spirituality or faith on the other hand.
Lesson
Faith, Belief
Your world has labored for eons of time under systems of belief which fixated faith and so gradually killed that very faith. When faith in God or spirit is reduced to even language it is in some measure killed. The freedom that is faith which is inherently liberating, opening, expanding of the mind can frighten that mind and cause that mind to wish to control it, to reduce faith to a belief in certain tenants which are then no longer faith but fixed ideas.
The mind is of dual origin. Part of your mind is material and has an animal origin that is riddled in fear and is restrained by fear. The other side of your mind is spirit in origin and originates in love and is encircuited and nurtured by love. This side of the mind is where faith originates. It is the side that grasps on to the thrilling adventure of spiritual living which opens itself completely to be molded, touched, transformed by love. This side of your mind is in constant contact with the spirit of God which lives within you and which strives constantly to guide you through your fears, away from fear, and progressively toward love.
The fearful side of humanity seeks to control that spiritual influence and has resulted in many churches or religions which seek to control the behavior and the belief of their adherents. In this way, religion became social order and has remained so for countless generations. The many churches have calcified around these beliefs and when the masses of religionists begin to question these certain beliefs, churches tend to crumble within and are either renewed by new, progressive, spiritual leaders or die a gradual death.
Christianity underwent a crisis once before during the reformation and now again we are seeing the restlessness of the people beginning to change and transform your religions. Both eras received increased spiritual pressure, but this era is receiving it even more so.
Let us speak then of faith. Faith cannot be told in so many words because faith is that which is extremely personal and individual to each and every person. You cannot give your faith to someone else. Each one must find it on their own. Faith cannot be bestowed or passed down, faith must be discovered. Faith is experienced like a burning love, a burning love for that which cannot be perceived by the senses nor can it be grasped by the mind. Faith is a burning love for that which is spirit.
It is a comprehension that that spirit is of the upmost value, even beyond value, transcending all that is known and loved on earth. Faith is a knowing that bypasses the mind, it is a knowing that is felt in the soul. Faith is a compulsion to believe in that which is greater, a compulsion to believe in that which is eternal, and to believe that those things are a part of you in the absence of any physical evidence. Faith is that which cannot be named, cannot be categorized or sorted or divided. Faith cannot be added to or reduced. Faith is something that when you have it you know you have it and when you don’t you know that also.
I have said many times that faith is that living, spiritual connection, that umbilical cord that exists between your soul and the heavenly Father. It is through faith that you receive nourishment, the bread of life. It is faith which transforms the world when you yourselves have been reborn of the spirit.
When you see through the eyes of faith, you see hope in all things, love in all things, even that which seems hopeless and cast in the darkness without love. The eyes of faith perceive miracles in the smallest, most everyday occurrences. It is the eyes of faith which produce true art, which transform the human into that which is potentially divine or that foreshadows the divine. It is faith that perceive the Father in all his children, all his children. And it is faith that allows the humblest of his children to reflect him as that child walks in love and spreads his love among the children who walk in the partial shadows of unknowing.
Faith is like a lifeline which is thrown from the greater world into the material world when a child is lost among the doubts of a supposedly sophisticated society. And when that child grabs the lifeline of faith, when that child actively reaches out to the Father, never again is that child ever the same. Each one of you have been in periods of darkness, in despair, times of great uncertainty and self-doubt. You know what I speak about when I say that faith is a lifeline for you have each grasped it at some point and it has saved you.
The miracle of faith is that it is an open door. This door is never closed unless you yourself pull it to, but it is never locked from the other side. Jesus said behold I stand at the door and knock, this was the door of faith that he spoke of, a door that you must open to experience his comfort and his love. Once any person has opened that door and bid him enter, that person is transformed and is reborn of the spirit. So powerful is the Master’s spirit that should you even tentatively open to allow his entry, you are never the same thereafter.
No, your minds are transformed, where there was fear there is peace and comfort. Where there was uncertainty and trepidation, there us sureness and decisiveness. Where there was moral ambiguity, there is a new and greater morality born. And where there was sadness, there is the beginning of joy blooming.
We can also speak of faith as a shield, a protector. Faith is a sanctuary. It is all of these things and it is infinitely more. Do not be afraid to take firmly hold of faith, to acknowledge it, to embrace it. Do not fear if faith should be more than your beliefs, or that faith should change or slowly transform those belief for this is the work of faith in the world. Faith cannot be imprisoned, faith is a liberator and when you have it truly, it takes away the fear of coming out of the house of belief.
Should a person wish to hide within a belief and build up barriers to other beliefs, that person has not truly grasped the meaning of faith. As liberated children of the living God you are walking through beliefs, but are not entrapped by any of them. The Master once said, life is like a bridge, you must walk across it but do not seek to build a dwelling place on it. (156:2.1) This life is a bridge from the material world to a greater and spiritual world and you are all walking through it and across it. It is faith that gives you the freedom to do so. It is faith that impels you to do so.
Are there any questions at this time.
Dialogue
Belief
Q: In a couple of weeks, there will be a Billy Graham crusade here in town. It seems to me that they are a group that is focused on belief. Can you help me understand this better and what impact this sort of thing has on people.
Ham: One of the functions of mass worship is to reinforce belief systems and it is easy to be caught up in the mass psychology of many people for one thing. The sheer numbers overawe many people and make them feel guilty for doubting and eager to put those doubts aside. I do not mean to impugn the intentions of the leadership for most of these people believe that they are leading others to Jesus the spiritual reality, the living spiritual man/god. But, it is a mistake to require certain beliefs of their followers because all human beings are his children, no matter how they see him or what name they should call him by or what rules they imagine he requires of them. Is this helping?
Yes, it does, and the thing that bothers me the most about things like this is they try to scare people into the beliefs.
Ham: Yes, this is what I meant when I spoke of houses built of fear. Absolutely.
Q: Ham, may I have a personal message tonight please.
Ham: Certainly, my son. I perceive some fears or questions regarding your son and his upbringing. You must accept that you cannot control everything, every influence that surrounds him but you can control your influence and so long as that influence is love- centered, he will be drawn to you and to your example. The power of love as an influence cannot be overstated in children’s lives. The purer your love is, the more complete and open that love is the greater your influence will be.
Acceptance
Q: A really close friend of mine was sexually abused by her father and it was horrible and when she is young. She is married with a baby and has nightmares and cannot sleep and has not told her husband. I am the only person she will talk to about it, and she will not go to therapy. Is there any wisdom you can give to me which I can share with her?
Ham: Yes, there is a difference between accepting the past, owning the reality of what happened, and moving on and becoming consumed by it, dwelling there and being unable to accept it. It is clear that she is making progress, however, because it was suppressed for a long time where she didn’t deal with it at all. Guiding her through this initial period where it is overwhelming her to a point of acceptance and willingness to move on is difficult and full of pitfalls for your relationship. You can be an understanding friend and a good listener and perhaps point out to her that the point of acceptance will come without taking on the role of therapist of healer. It is like she is foundering in water and if you jump in there she can take you down in there with her which doesn’t serve either one of you. She has to move from where she is to the shore. You can help her, but you can’t do it for her. Is this helping your understanding?
Q: Yes.
Q: Ham, I’d like a personal message please.
Doubt
Ham: Certainly, son. You move between faith and doubt in many things and sometimes allow yourself to doubt everything, the meaning of life, everything. This is healthy to some degree, but you must find that faith lifeline and allow yourself to be pulled forward without stopping and letting go and embracing doubts out of conscientiousness. In this life, no one person can understand everything. Sometimes, living itself is an act of faith and moving forward is an act of faith.
You will find as you progress in the spirit that your doubts begin to diminish and your confidence in yourself and in life in general will begin to increase regardless of what happens. Remember also that having faith is a conscious choice and being awash in doubt and self-criticism is also a conscious choice. So, when you are on that ledge between the two, you can choose to have faith and embrace peace. That is all for now.
Q: Do you have a message for me tonight please?
Ham: Yes, of course. You also have more faith than you allow yourself to embrace. You are beginning to learn the many lessons that love is teaching you. Allow yourself to learn these things, to go where love takes you without fear. Love is the greatest teacher. Follow it and learn.
Q: Ham would you give me some feedback this week please.
Ham: Certainly, my son. You life is becoming a bit complicated by several decisions which must be made. I say this, trust in your innermost guidance. Know that you can do that which the guidance tells you you can do. Make choices for that which is the most meaningful and trust your feelings and your inner responses to others. Also, take some time to rest, truly rest, when you can. Is this helping?
Q: I will think very carefully about this, thank you.
Q: Ham, do you have any helpful words for me tonight please?
Ham: Certainly. Son, you have much creative energy. Sometimes this energy is a little confusing or overwhelming. You also have channeled this energy well and continue to make strides in developing your creativity and your understanding of craft. You have made great progress in this past year in the spirit as well and you strive to keep your doors open. Remember to work in love and to take time for stillness and personal communion when you can. Your energy lately seems to be kind of quickly depleted. A regular meditation schedule or prayer time will help you.
Q: Vontiss wanted to have a message if you could.
Ham: Certainly. Son, you do well. You are beginning to find a greater meaning in life and greater purpose in your own life. Look well to your motives in all that you do and seek to eliminate the selfish motive and substitute a service motive.
Q: Esmirleda?
Ham: Walk in peace my daughter. You have come through many things. Remember that your decisions are what create your life. Be assured that you are well loved and cared for. Fear not.
Q: Elena?
Ham: Daughter, you do well. You continue to open inwardly discovering new aspects of who you really are and this is a wonderful process. Be at peace my dear, you do well.
Q: Rebecca?
Ham: Daughter, you have the beginning of awareness that your decisions also are what create you life. You have for many years done that which was given to you to do and you are comfortable in this role of passive worker but you also know that you have the power to decide you work should you grasp it. I encourage you to grasp this power and do that which you desire to do.
Q: Jarad?
Ham: Yes son, you also do that which you desire to do and are single minded in your determination to do this. Have a quiet faith and a still determination and fear not for you will have that which you desire so long as you look well to your motives and desire to do the Father’s will above all else. Is this helping?
Q: I couldn’t quite understand the first part, you mean the work we have been assigned?
Ham: Yes.
Q: Charlie B?
Ham: Son, you do well. You are realizing that you can pray for spiritual change and can achieve it. Pray for increased patience and you shall have it. Pray for increased love, wisdom, understanding, and you shall have them. Ask and you shall receive. But you must ask.
Q: Ham, do you have a message for me?
Ham: Certainly, daughter. You are at a point where you are receiving a spiritual calling, where life is opening for you. Respond to this awakening with poise and loving kindness, with relaxed assurance. The Father never gives you more than you can reasonably handle and sometimes he shows you the city on the hill but walking there is one foot before the other. Are you understanding?
Q: Yes.
Ham: Go in peace my daughter, for you do well.
Q: Ham, my name is Jason, my first time from England. Do you have a message for me?
Ham: Certainly son. Your spiritual path began some years ago. You have much experience for your years and a great willingness to accept other people as they are. There are times you feel confused by things beyond your control. You would prefer the safety of knowing the end result to the abandonment and adventure of not knowing what’s coming. But, life is nothing if not an adventure, a great lesson, a great unfolding of possibilities. Life is the actualization of potential and it is not up to the children of God to know in advance the unfolding of all of God’s creation. It is for you to experience that incredible thing called life, the growing of a tree from a tiny seed. The tree was potential in the seed, but getting to the actualization of that potential is the drama and the beauty of time and space. Have no fear, progressively put fear aside and enjoy the experience that is the most anyone can do. Is this helping.
Q: That’s nice, thanks.
Closing
Ham: If there are no further questions, then my love, my prayers are with you each. I am grateful that you have come. Until next week, I bid you all farewell.
