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==CHAPTER 24==

==CHAPTER 24==

There lived near the home of Karuska, where the Master lodged, a Syrian woman who had heard much of Jesus as a great healer and teacher, and on this Sabbath afternoon she came over, bringing her little daughter. The child, about twelve years old, was afflicted with a grievous nervous disorder characterized by convulsions and other distressing manifestations.  

There lived near the home of Karuska, where the Master lodged, a Syrian woman who had heard much of Jesus as a great healer and teacher, and on this Sabbath afternoon she came over, bringing her little daughter. The child, about twelve years old, was afflicted with a grievous nervous disorder characterized by convulsions and other distressing manifestations.  

When '''Norana''' arrived with her daughter, the Alpheus twins explained through an interpreter that the Master was resting and could not be disturbed. Whereupon Norana replied that she and the child would remain right there until the Master had finished his rest. Peter also endeavored to reason with her and to persuade her to go home.  But it was futile. Norana would not leave.  

When Norana arrived with her daughter, the Alpheus twins explained through an interpreter that the Master was resting and could not be disturbed. Whereupon Norana replied that she and the child would remain right there until the Master had finished his rest. Peter also endeavored to reason with her and to persuade her to go home.  But it was futile. Norana would not leave.  

To Peter's entreaties she replied only:

To Peter's entreaties she replied only:

To him she said:

To him she said:

*"I have faith that your Master can cast out this demon that torments my child. I have heard of his mighty works in Galilee, and I believe in him. '''What has happened to you, his disciples, that you would send away those who come seeking your Master's help'''?"

*"I have faith that your Master can cast out this demon that torments my child. I have heard of his mighty works in Galilee, and I believe in him. What has happened to you, his disciples, that you would send away those who come seeking your Master's help?"

Then came forward Simon Zelotes to remonstrate with Norana.  

Then came forward Simon Zelotes to remonstrate with Norana.  

As they walked over this bridge, Jesus, among other things, said:

As they walked over this bridge, Jesus, among other things, said:

*"'''This world is only a bridge. You may pass over it, but you should not think to build a dwelling place upon it'''."  

*<u>"This '''world''' is only a bridge, you may pass over it, but you should not think to build a dwelling place upon it."</u>

It was during one of these conferences at the home of Justa that the Master first told his disciples that:

It was during one of these conferences at the home of Justa that the Master first told his disciples that:

He admonished them to:

He admonished them to:

*"'''Forget those things which are in the past while you push forward to embrace the greater realities of the kingdom'''."   

*<u>"Forget those things which are in the '''past''' while you push forward to embrace the greater realities of the kingdom."</u>  

Said Jesus:

Said Jesus:

*"'''My disciples must not only cease to do evil but learn to do well'''. You must not only be cleansed from all conscious sin, but you must refuse to harbor even the feelings of guilt. If you confess your sins, they are forgiven. Therefore must you maintain a conscience void of offense."

*"My disciples must not only cease to do evil but learn to do well. <u>You must not only be cleansed from all conscious sin, but you must refuse to harbor even the feelings of '''guilt'''.</u> If you confess your sins, they are forgiven, therefore must you maintain a conscience void of offense."

He once said to Thomas:       

He once said to Thomas:       

====Jesus' Teaching at Tyre====  

====Jesus' Teaching at Tyre====  

   

   

On this Wednesday afternoon, in the course of his address, Jesus first told his followers the '''story of the white lily''', which rears its pure and snowy head high into the sunshine while its roots are grounded in the slime, and muck of the darkened soil beneath.  

On this Wednesday afternoon, in the course of his address, Jesus first told his followers the story of the white lily, which rears its pure and snowy head high into the sunshine while its roots are grounded in the slime, and muck of the darkened soil beneath.  

Said he:

Said he:

*"Likewise, mortal man, while he has his roots of origin and being in the animal soil of human nature, can by faith raise his spiritual nature up into the sunlight of heavenly truth and actually bear the noble fruits of the spirit."

*"Likewise, mortal man, while he has his roots of origin and being in the animal soil of human nature, can by faith raise his spiritual nature up into the sunlight of heavenly truth and actually bear the noble fruits of the spirit."

It was during this same sermon that Jesus made use of his first and only parable having to do with his own trade -- carpentry. In the course of his admonition to:

It was during this same sermon that Jesus made use of his first and only parable having to do with his own trade -- carpentry, in the course of his admonition to:

*"Build well the foundations for the growth of a noble character of spiritual endowments. In order to yield the fruits of the spirit, you must be born of the spirit. You must be taught by the spirit and be led by the spirit if you would live the spirit-filled life among your fellows. But do not make the mistake of the foolish carpenter who wastes valuable time squaring, measuring, and smoothing his worm-eaten and inwardly rotting timber and then, when he has thus bestowed all of his labor upon the unsound beam, must reject it as unfit to enter into the foundations of the building that he would construct to withstand the assaults of time and storm. Let every man make sure that the intellectual and moral foundations of character are such as will adequately support the superstructure of the enlarging and ennobling spiritual nature, which is thus to transform the mortal mind and then, in association with that re-created mind, is to achieve the evolvement of the soul of immortal destiny. Your spirit nature -- the jointly created soul -- is a living growth, but the mind and morals of the individual are the soil from which these higher manifestations of human development and divine destiny must spring. The soil of the evolving soul is human and material, but the destiny of this combined creature of mind and spirit is spiritual and divine."

*<u>"Build well the foundations for the growth of a noble '''character''' of spiritual endowments.</u> In order to yield the fruits of the spirit, you must be born of the spirit. You must be taught by the spirit and be led by the spirit if you would live the spirit-filled life among your fellows. But do not make the mistake of the foolish carpenter who wastes valuable time squaring, measuring, and smoothing his worm-eaten and inwardly rotting timber and then, when he has thus bestowed all of his labor upon the unsound beam, must reject it as unfit to enter into the foundations of the building that he would construct to withstand the assaults of time and storm. Let every man make sure that the intellectual and moral foundations of character are such as will adequately support the superstructure of the enlarging and ennobling spiritual nature, which is thus to transform the mortal mind and then, in association with that re-created mind, is to achieve the evolvement of the soul of immortal destiny. <u>Your spirit nature -- the jointly created '''soul''' -- is a living growth, but the mind and morals of the individual are the soil from which these higher manifestations of human development and divine destiny must spring.</u> The soil of the evolving soul is human and material, but the destiny of this combined creature of mind and spirit is spiritual and divine."

On the evening of this same day Nathaniel asked Jesus:  

On the evening of this same day Nathaniel asked Jesus:  

*"'''Master, why do we pray that God will lead us not into temptation when we well know from your revelation of the Father that he never does such things'''?"  

*<u>"Master, why do we pray that God will lead us not into '''temptation''' when we well know from your revelation of the Father that he never does such things?"</u>

Jesus answered Nathaniel:  

Jesus answered Nathaniel:  

*“The measure of the spiritual capacity of the evolving soul is your faith in truth and your love for man, but the measure of your human strength of character is your ability to resist the holding of grudges and your capacity to withstand brooding in the face of deep sorrow. Defeat is the true mirror in which you may honestly view your real self.

*“The measure of the spiritual capacity of the evolving soul is your faith in truth and your love for man, but the measure of your human strength of character is your ability to resist the holding of grudges and your capacity to withstand brooding in the face of deep sorrow. Defeat is the true mirror in which you may honestly view your real self.

*“'''As you grow older in years and more experienced in the affairs of the kingdom, are you becoming more tactful in dealing with troublesome mortals and more tolerant in living with stubborn associates'''? Tact is the fulcrum of social leverage, and tolerance is the earmark of a great soul. If you possess these rare and charming gifts, as the days pass you will become more alert and expert in your worthy efforts to avoid all unnecessary social misunderstandings. Such wise souls are able to avoid much of the trouble that is certain to be the portion of all who suffer from lack of emotional adjustment, those who refuse to grow up, and those who refuse to grow old gracefully.

*“As you grow older in years and more experienced in the affairs of the kingdom, are you becoming more tactful in dealing with troublesome mortals and more tolerant in living with stubborn associates? Tact is the fulcrum of social leverage, and tolerance is the earmark of a great soul. If you possess these rare and charming gifts, as the days pass you will become more alert and expert in your worthy efforts to avoid all unnecessary social misunderstandings. Such wise souls are able to avoid much of the trouble that is certain to be the portion of all who suffer from lack of emotional adjustment, those who refuse to grow up, and those who refuse to grow old gracefully.

*“Avoid dishonesty and unfairness in all your efforts to preach truth and proclaim the gospel. Seek no unearned recognition and crave no undeserved sympathy. Love, freely receive from both divine and human sources regardless of your deserts, and love freely in return. But in all other things related to honor and adulation seek only that which honestly belongs to you.

*“Avoid dishonesty and unfairness in all your efforts to preach truth and proclaim the gospel. Seek no unearned recognition and crave no undeserved sympathy. Love, freely receive from both divine and human sources regardless of your deserts, and love freely in return. But in all other things related to honor and adulation seek only that which honestly belongs to you.