1993-07-25-Forthrightness

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Topic: Forthrightness

Group: Pocatello TeaM

Facilitators

Teacher: Daniel

TR: Unknown

Session

Opening

Daniel:(TR #2) "Hello my friends. This is Daniel. Happy am I, as I always am, for this opportunity to speak with you. I feel I am more like a colleague then your teacher, for we have all become fast friends. I treasure that. I thank you for being open to me. And I trust this evening's lesson will speak to your hearts and your minds.

Lesson

Forthrightness

The words I have for you tonight are on the subject of forthrightness. Yes, forthrightness. That is the way God is presented to us, forthrightly. He is ever the same, never changing. Always is He God, the First Source and Center. And He comes into each of our lives with what I am calling forthrightness. This is a power which you can all use. God has many forms and faces, and this is one power which is open to the human.

It works like this. As we open our hearts and our minds to God, we allow God the First Source and Center to enter into our thinking. The extent to which you are able to do that allows God that much elbow room to work in your life. As you are able to allow the First Source and Center more elbow room, then you are giving Him more room to come in and work in your lives.

That is why we speak so much of practice. It is something which you must practice. No one is born into perfection. This is a skill one can learn. And as you practice it, you will become better at it.

Speak to any of those of you who have contacted their personal teachers, and they will tell you it is a matter of practice. When they first were contacted, it was slow and very deliberate. As they have gotten better, speed has increased and the competence with which they are able to transmit and receive has improved. You are all able to do this. And with practice, you will soon be able to do it yourselves.

I look forward to the time when I too will be able to speak through each of you. As B3 can attest, all who have reached out have succeeded. I encourage all of you, now, in your quiet-times and when you can, [to] seek to open your hearts and minds to God the Father, the Mother, the Brother of us all. For to the extent that you can, He will fill your lives. And it is truly a marvelous experience. I remember the time when I was first contacted. Though it was many years ago, it seems like only yesterday. Yet the changes that have taken place in my life, and will take place in yours, are truly beyond imagination. Mortals are so far from God [that] the distance seems almost inconceivable. Yet -- many of you know this to be true -- the love of God can be felt. When you reach out for it, it is always there. Similarly, God can overcome that great distance, that great difference, that exists between us, God and mortal. All you have to do is open your heart to the experience. God will take it from there. And it will be truly a marvelous experience.

I think I will end the lesson at this point and open the evening to questions."

Dialogue

K3: "Good evening Daniel. Thank you. That was excellent."

Daniel: "Thank you K3."

K3: "This evening in our open discussion we talked about several things, of course. Can you give us a lesson or a statement on the difference between a teacher and a guide and their function and purpose?"

Daniel: "Yes, I will try to do that. For many, it will be hard to distinguish between the two, yet there exists a difference. And some of you will be able to distinguish it. Basically, it has to do with the contact. Those of you who have contacted your teacher will see and find your teacher to be your guide. Those of you who are still struggling with that contact will still be moved in ways aside from those of your Thought Adjuster, and this I would characterize as from your guide. Does this answer your question K3?"

Materialization

K3: "Still a little confused. I don't know how to put it. I'll have to read this lesson to understand it better. One more question and that is concerning conversations with friends as to the appearances of spiritual beings. Is it appropriate to comment on that, or can you comment on that and elaborate?"

Daniel: "I would add nothing more to the reports that you have heard. As I think we have suggested before, when it happens it will happen. And those of us in the teaching corp may or may not be given any advanced word, any advanced warning. Sometimes we do; sometimes we don't. In regard to the Melchizedek bestowal, that has not taken place to my knowledge, but it could happen tomorrow. As far as we know, all is in readiness, and we are just waiting for higher authority to make the appropriate decisions. Anything else in regard to this, K3?"

K3: "No. Thank you."

Daniel: "You are welcome."

K3: "Next question. I set a record tonight, three questions."

Daniel: "You are full of questions, K3." (laughter)

Mother Spirit

K3: "Everybody is wondering what I'm doing!" (more laughter) "I have a question this evening concerning the Mother Spirit. I know that there are many entities, many spiritual beings, involved in this correction time. Can you explain Her role in this and how active She will be? I think I expressed that."

Daniel: "Active in regards to the Melchizedek question?"

K3: "No. -- Setting aside the Melchizedek question. -- What Her role in this correction time will be. Will She be actively involved in this?"

Daniel: "Oh yes! She is already very active. And [for] those of you who wonder, She has been every bit as active as Christ Michael has been although in different ways. It is unfortunate that you are so confused by the sexuality terms that we have decided to use, for, as you will see, they really make little difference in the next life. But, for now, know that the Mother Spirit is every bit as present in the things that are happening on Urantia as Christ Michael is. And some might say even more so. Anything else, K3?" (laughter from K3 and group)

K3: "No, I'll think for a while. Thank you Daniel."

Daniel: "You are welcome." (more laughter.)

N2: "Daniel, this is N2. I am going to have to bother you with a trivial question."

Daniel: "Trivial away."

N2: "In our local universe structure, it seems that Michael is named Immanuel and Gabriel but the Mother Spirit is not. Is there a reason for this that we are not to know?"

Daniel: "The Mother Spirit also goes by many names which we have chosen not to use. And perhaps that is unfortunate. Yet, that was the decision. In regard to the names you put forward, as you will know from your reading of the Urantia book, Gabriel is a being of his own and so is Immanuel, Christ Michael's brother. Gabriel is a Bright and Morning Star, the first born of the offspring of Christ Michael and the Mother Spirit. Have you other questions?"

N2: "No. Not at this time, Daniel. Whatever the reason, I can accept that She is not named. I have nothing further. Thank you."

(Comments in the background.)

Daniel: "Yes, one of the advantages of having B3 do these transmissions is that you get more of the flair of the emotion. Whether that is good or bad, that is what happens." (more laughter)

Happiness

D2: Hello Daniel. This is D3. It's good to talk to you from this side. I have a question. In all the things that are going on right now all over the world, we see a lot of unhappiness. And I am wondering if the lesson you gave us last week on happiness was to help bring more happiness into the collective unconscious so that we could raise the happiness in the world or if this is even possible?" By each and everybody putting out those kind of thoughts, can we make any changes?"

Daniel: "It was not my purpose with last week's lesson to add any direct or substantial effect on the collective unconscious. My purpose was more to those who were within earshot of my words. Yet, I know that might well happen. And if it does, that is all well and good. For there is not enough happiness on this planet, and anything I can do to affect that would be characterized, by at least myself, as an improvement in the situation.

Happiness is something which one should seek but often happens indirectly. It's like if you look for it, you won't find it. But, if you seek other things related, there it is. It is one of those phenomena which is difficult to explain. Yet, God does want all of his creatures to be happy. And I trust my lesson has improved you to some extent. That is all of you, the plural you. Any thing else, D3?"

D2: "No. Thank you."

Daniel: "You are quite welcome. This is a new experience for me also, talking to you through someone else."

(Long Pause)

Daniel: "Have we exhausted the questions this evening?"

D2: "No. Shouldn't get me started. I have a question regarding the August 21st meeting. Many of us will be going down there. Is there anything that we need to be doing to prepare for that? Anything we need to be letting Woods Cross know regarding it? What will be going on, and what we need to do for that?"

Daniel: "I have no special instructions to give you at this time. There may be instructions forthcoming, but at this time I have nothing which I feel would be of any great benefit. But I am sure we will be talking more about that as the event draws nigh."

D2: "Thank you Daniel."

Daniel: "You are welcome."

B4: "Daniel, this is B4. I was just wondering if you could tell me -- I'm not sure if you can -- what is going on with the Boise group -- no one really seems to know -- since I am going to be down there tomorrow?"

Daniel: "No. I am not aware at this time of the status of that particular group. But I could check if you like and get back to you."

B4: "That would be good. How are you going to do that though?"

Daniel: "We will figure out a way."

B4: "Okay."

K3: "Question number four. We have been meeting now with you for a year and a half. The basic core-group is here. My question is, as a group, what can we do to enhance all of our spirituality together that we may, as a group or individually, help our fellowman?"

Daniel: "That is a difficult question for it is easy and hard all at the same time. Essentially, what you have been doing by participating in this group has dealt with most of the fundamental parts of your question. However, there are always ramifications beyond the group itself, and I have no way of dealing with those in any group situation, for they are highly individual. And [I] can only talk to you individually in that regard. However, if you have personal questions, I would be glad to try to deal with them. I would harken back to what I said earlier about practice. The kingdom of God is at hand for those who would reach out. And I would urge you all in your quiet-times to reach out and allow God to come into your lives, for God can indeed do marvelous things. Anything else K3?"

K3: "Not for the moment."

Daniel: "I look forward to number five."

Forthrightness

N1: "Daniel, I have a question, or maybe a couple of questions, coming out of your lesson tonight. You said that forthrightness was one of the powers of God. I guess the two questions that brought up for me were: How would one contrast that with the fruits of the Spirit that we have been studying, learning, developing; and if forthrightness is one of the powers of God, what are the other powers of God; and what do you mean by power? I guess that is a third question."

Daniel: "By power I mean those functions of God which are open to the mortal human. And there are many. It is amazing how much mortals can do when they are willing to let God work through them. Forthrightness could be characterized as one of the powers of the Spirit. It is a term not often used, which is one reason why I chose it tonight. Yet it is a word which has biblical significance. And those of you who have studied the Bible will recognize it.

Harken back to the time when Christ Michael gave the Spirit of Truth to the disciples when he left them at Pentecost. That power made them invincible. They truly were on fire. They truly were forthright, and nothing could dissuade them. You can be that way as well. It is somewhat of a combination of courage and bravery based upon a true belief that where God is in control all will be good. Does this answer your question, N1?"

N1: "Partially. So, a power of God is a function of God that we have access to. What then is a fruit of the Spirit, or is forthrightness another fruit of the Spirit only we are calling it a power of the Spirit?"

Daniel: "I believe I would characterize it as an addition to the fruits of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit were carefully laid out when Christ Michael was here, and your Bible has correctly identified them. This is one I would add to that. Well, I was going to say more, but I think I will not. Does this help?"

N1: "Yes, Daniel. Maybe I can paraphrase it back to you to make sure my understanding is accurate. There probably really isn't a distinction between powers of the Spirit and fruits of the Spirit. It's just that I personally wasn't familiar with the fruits of the Spirit as outlined in the Bible, so I wasn't aware of them. If I had have been aware of the fruits of the Spirit, then I would have seen that forthrightness wasn't one of them but [that] you were adding it to it so...This isn't very good paraphrasing. Basicly, it is one of the fruits of the Spirit, but it wasn't mentioned by Christ Michael before, and so we haven't categorized it as a fruit of the Spirit prior to now?"

Daniel: "I think generally I would say, yes, to your paraphrase."

N1: "Okay, thank you." (laughter) "I have a further question going back to question number one of K3's, the distinction between a guide and a teacher. Do our teachers play the role of guides to us as well? When you introduce yourself you often say: `I am Daniel, your teacher, your guide, your friend.' And so what I was understanding is that we can receive guidance and know the words to say prior to being in contact with our teacher, and I have certainly had that experience in my life prior to talking to Linda. But is it our teacher that offers us that role of guide in giving us the words to say, or do we have other helpers that play that role as well? "

Daniel: "In some cases there are others. But generally I would characterize the difference as to whether the individual is in contact with their teacher or not."

N1: "Thank you, Daniel."

Daniel: "You are welcome."

Evil

S1: "This is S1. And last week when I was here we were talking about evil forces and good forces, [and whether] we need to walk around in a bubble to protect ourselves from the evil forces of the world and in order to insure our safety here on earth. At least that is the way I was perceiving it. And my question to you is as we go through our journey here on this planet, and the fact that there are sexes on this planet, what would you see that we could each do to increase the good forces in our life and decrease the evil ones in order for our own protection?"

Daniel: "I would say that for most of you, evil has a small impact in your life if it has much impact at all. Most of you have grown beyond the simplified, typical mortal view of sin and evil and have gotten a much more spiritual conception of what is good and what is not. Again, the concept of evil becomes a highly individual one and is most difficult to address in any general way, although I would be glad to try to deal with it with individuals. But, for now, let me characterize evil as basicly distancing oneself from God. The closer you get to God, the less evil is a part of your life. The further you are away, then the greater the possibility of evil entering into your daily existence. Does this help?"

S1: "Yes it does. Thanks."

Daniel: "You are welcome."

(Long pause)

Daniel: "Are there other questions? K3 here is your last chance."

K3: "No question Daniel, just a statement. I know that you have been with me from time to time, and I think you probably know my mind better than I know myself."

Daniel: "To the extent you will allow it."

K3: "Well, you are always welcome. There is a standing invitation to you and yours at any time."

Daniel: "Thank you."

K3: "I have in my times alone tried to say things to you and to those beings around us. And I can only come up with two words that really express some of my feelings, most of my feelings, for this correction time or whatever we call it. And those two words are: Thank You! "

Daniel: "Well said K3, well said.

Closing

I will leave you this evening with a word from the Master. When Christ Michael was living on Urantia, living the life of mortal existence, experiencing the life of mortal existence, he said: `Those who have come to know me, have come to know the Father.' And those words I would leave you with tonight. Seek to model your lives, as best you can, after the example of Christ Michael. To the extent that you are able to do that, you will be able to allow God to come into your life. My blessings on all of you this evening. Until we meet again. Good night."

Group: "Good night Daniel."