Changes

January 3, 1993

January 3, 1993

===Opening===

===Opening===

WILL: The love of God surrounds us. The love of God enfolds us. The love of God supports us. Wherever we gather, He is.

WILL: The [[love]] of God [[surrounds]] us. The love of God enfolds us. The love of God [[supports]] us. Wherever we gather, He is.

Greetings and good evening to you once again. I am your teacher, Will, who always loves you. Now that we have some grasp of the meaning and the purpose of stillness practice, I would like to say a few words about the beneficial effects of regular stillness practice as an enticement to those who of you who are not practicing regularly or are not practicing as often as you would like.

Greetings and good evening to you once again. I am your [[teacher]], Will, who always loves you. Now that we have some grasp of the [[meaning]] and the [[purpose]] of [[stillness]] practice, I would like to say a few words about the beneficial [[effects]] of regular stillness practice as an enticement to those who of you who are not practicing regularly or are not practicing as often as you would like.

===Lesson===

===Lesson===

We could refer to stillness practice as Adjuster tuning. It's like tuning a radio to God's station. God doesn't always come through loud and clear. It depends on the quality of the tuner. But with regular practice, it is easier to find the mark. Before long it becomes an increasingly worthwhile experience. The Urantia Book teaches that the presence of the Thought Adjuster is the source of all human desire for perfection and I think that this is so. Any savage in the forest can distinguish between the relative degrees of utility offered by a stone ax head and a steel ax head. Or be able to distinguish between overripe food and ripe food. At the other end of the scale it's also possible to distinguish between a service which is provided for immediate selfish gain and one provided out of love and respect for the Heavenly Father's desires. The presence of the Adjuster makes all these things possible in a human, for even though it is theoretically possible for an animal to distinguish between good and better, they have no need to. It is not a gratifying distinction for them and this is what, in part, sets humans apart from the animals - the gratifying knowledge of the ability to discern the more perfect.

We could refer to [[stillness]] practice as [[Adjuster]] tuning. It's like tuning a [[radio]] to [[God]]'s station. God doesn't always come through loud and clear. It depends on the [[quality]] of the tuner. But with regular practice, it is easier to find the mark. Before long it becomes an increasingly worthwhile [[experience]]. The [[Urantia Book]] teaches that the presence of the [[Thought Adjuster]] is the source of all human [[desire]] for [[perfection]] and I think that this is so. Any [[savage]] in the [[forest]] can distinguish between the relative degrees of utility offered by a stone ax head and a steel ax head. Or be able to distinguish between overripe food and ripe food. At the other end of the [[scale]] it's also possible to distinguish between a [[service]] which is provided for immediate [[selfish]] gain and one provided out of [[love]] and [[respect]] for the [[Heavenly Father]]'s desires. The [[presence]] of the [[Adjuster]] makes all these things possible in a human, for even though it is [[theoretically]] possible for an [[animal]] to distinguish between good and better, they have no need to. It is not a gratifying distinction for them and this is what, in part, sets humans apart from the animals - the gratifying [[knowledge]] of the ability to [[discern]] the more perfect.

This is only part of the gift that the Father has bestowed upon you, for an increasing awareness of the beauty of perfection is its own reward and provides the incentive for human conduct with or without any connection to any community, with or without any material reward, with or without any conscious thought whatever. And so I can say with confidence that when you tune yourself to God's voice, you will receive direct and palpable rewards. You will know that they are spiritual rewards because no other person's approval or pronouncement is necessary for you to substantiate the experience. Having once bestowed the spirit of truth upon all men and women, the direct and personal experience of truth is freely available to all. Yet this perception can be improved.

This is only part of the [[gift]] that [[the Father]] has [[bestowed]] upon you, for an increasing [[awareness]] of the [[beauty]] of [[perfection]] is its own reward and provides the incentive for human [[conduct]] with or without any [[connection]] to any [[community]], with or without any [[material]] reward, with or without any [[conscious]] [[thought]] whatever. And so I can say with [[confidence]] that when you tune yourself to [[God]]'s [[voice]], you will receive direct and palpable rewards. You will know that they are spiritual rewards because no other person's approval or pronouncement is [[necessary]] for you to substantiate the [[experience]]. Having once [[bestowed]] the [[Spirit of Truth]] upon all men and women, the direct and [[personal]] [[experience]] of [[truth]] is freely available to all. Yet this [[perception]] can be improved.

The method which we recommend for increasing understanding of perfection is regular stillness practice. By quieting yourself and making time available for the Heavenly Father in your busy schedule you are allowing, even soliciting, Adjuster tuning. The sad fact is that for most humans on your planet, the Adjuster is capable of acting only during periods of great distress or the cessation of conscious human activity, specifically sleep. And, although a great deal of your earthly life is taken up in sleep and rest periods, it is not the perfect situation. There is no substitute for the conscious embrace of the Heavenly Father's love and beneficence. None of you would go your entire lives without an expression of love and compassion and respect towards your earth parents and yet many people on your planet would treat their Heavenly Father in just such a manner. Worse yet, this phenomenon is observed most intensely in the most technologically and materially advanced societies on your planet.

The [[method]] which we recommend for increasing [[understanding]] of [[perfection]] is regular [[stillness]] [[practice]]. By [[quieting]] yourself and making time available for the [[Heavenly Father]] in your [[busy]] [[schedule]] you are allowing, even soliciting, [[Adjuster]] [[tuning]]. The sad [[fact]] is that for most humans on [[your planet]], the [[Adjuster]] is capable of [[acting]] only during periods of great [[distress]] or the cessation of [[conscious]] human [[activity]], specifically [[sleep]]. And, although a great deal of your earthly life is taken up in sleep and [[rest]] periods, it is not the perfect situation. There is no [[substitute]] for the conscious [[embrace]] of the [[Heavenly Father]]'s [[love]] and beneficence. None of you would go your entire lives without an [[expression]] of [[love]] and [[compassion]] and respect towards your earth [[parents]] and yet many people on [[your planet]] would treat their [[Heavenly Father]] in just such a [[manner]]. Worse yet, this [[phenomenon]] is observed most intensely in the most [[technologically]] and materially [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_world advanced societies] on [[your planet]].

By this we are not saying that you owe God anything. What we are saying is, you will benefit from the contact. You will benefit with time spent with the Heavenly Father. You would benefit if all you ever did was cease the human chatter for some period of time. This fact is known to many cultures and has been known for many centuries. What we ask is that you consciously make time for God. Make yourself available to hear His voice, to feel the pull of His magnetism, to feel the flow of His love and to attune yourself, however imperceptively, closer to His plan which only a few personalities in all the universes can comprehend.

By this we are not saying that you owe [[God]] anything. What we are saying is, you will benefit from the [[contact]]. You will benefit with [[time]] spent with the [[Heavenly Father]]. You would benefit if all you ever did was cease the [[human]] chatter for some period of time. This [[fact]] is known to many [[cultures]] and has been known for many centuries. What we ask is that you consciously make [[time]] for [[God]]. Make yourself available to hear His [[voice]], to feel the pull of His [[magnetism]], to feel the [[flow]] of His [[love]] and to [[attune]] yourself, however imperceptively, closer to His [[plan]] which only a few [[personalities]] in all [[the universes]] can [[comprehend]].

Our God is a good God. Friendly. True. His love is limited only by justice and, even then, seeps through in viewing all His other qualities. Our God, as we understand Him, is primarily love to be shared equally among all His children. By consciously stilling yourself, you make it possible for the indwelling Thought Adjuster to go about the Father's work in a new atmosphere in an arena not available otherwise. And we ask that you view our request, now standing for over a year, for ten minutes of daily silent prayer, as a minimum both in terms of occasion and length of attention. We ask you to consider stillness practice twice a day for the same ten minute period. You are welcome to exceed this. At the moment I think we can safely say that this will not take over your daily life. That none of you are in jeopardy of devoting your entire earthly lives to the Father's service. It is early yet and the road in front of us is long. We make a modest request.

Our [[God]] is a [[good]] God. Friendly. True. His [[love]] is limited only by [[justice]] and, even then, seeps through in viewing all His other [[qualities]]. Our God, as we [[understand]] Him, is primarily [[love]] to be [[shared]] equally among all His children. By [[consciously]] stilling yourself, you make it possible for the indwelling [[Thought Adjuster]] to go about [[the Father]]'s [[work]] in a new [[atmosphere]] in an arena not available otherwise. And we ask that you view our request, now standing for over a year, for ten minutes of daily [[silent]] [[prayer]], as a minimum both in terms of occasion and length of [[attention]]. We ask you to consider [[stillness]] [[practice]] twice a day for the same ten minute period. You are welcome to exceed this. At the [[moment]] I think we can safely say that this will not take over your daily life. That none of you are in [[jeopardy]] of devoting your entire earthly lives to [[the Father]]'s [[service]]. It is early yet and the road in front of us is long. We make a [[modest]] request.

All of you are in the habit of looking for results immediately, but only those results which take time to achieve are really worth pursuit. You should deduce now from your reading of the Book that there are no quick fixes. Therefore we encourage you to apply yourselves with an increasing appreciation of the amount of time required to effect any substantial change. We think that the indications of this truth are all around you yet many humans fail to perceive this lesson. Everything in the Urantia Book counsels evolution not revolution. Everything in the Book counsels transition, not sweeping change.

All of you are in the [[habit]] of looking for results [[immediately]], but only those results which take time to [[achieve]] are really worth pursuit. You should [[deduce]] now from your [[reading]] of [[the Book]] that there are no quick fixes. Therefore we [[encourage]] you to apply yourselves with an increasing [[appreciation]] of the amount of time required to [[effect]] any substantial change. We [[think]] that the indications of this [[truth]] are all around you yet many humans fail to [[perceive]] this lesson. [[Everything]] in the [[Urantia Book]] [[counsels]] [[evolution]] not [[revolution]]. Everything in [[the Book]] counsels [[transition]], not sweeping change.

Our ministry is intended to provide long service. To outlast, if necessary, the material life itself. We shall be working together an awfully long time. I am happy about that prospect and I hope that you are also. But for the immediate future and, at least until we meet again next week, take some time to reflect on the distinctions that you make during the week between good and better, and better and best, which are clear indications to you and to those around you the presence of the indwelling Adjuster and your ability to follow that lead.

Our ministry is intended to provide long [[service]]. To outlast, if [[necessary]], the [[material life]] itself. We shall be [[working]] [[together]] an awfully long time. I am [[happy]] about that prospect and I [[hope]] that you are also. But for the [[immediate]] [[future]] and, at least until we meet again next week, take some time to [[reflect]] on the distinctions that you make during the week between [[good]] and better, and better and best, which are clear indications to you and to those around you the [[presence]] of the indwelling [[Adjuster]] and your ability to follow that [[lead]].

===Closing===

===Closing===

Greetings to our visitor tonight [Lew from the Colorado Springs group-editor]. We are pleased that you have joined us both on this plane and on the spiritual plane. The harvest is great. The workers are too few. We congratulate you and welcome you into this brotherhood. That is all I have to say. Until we meet again next week, I love you all.

Greetings to our [[visitor]] tonight [Lew from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Springs,_Colorado Colorado Springs] group-editor]. We are pleased that you have joined us both on this [[plane]] and on the [[spiritual]] plane. The [[harvest]] is great. The workers are too few. We [[congratulate]] you and welcome you into this [[brotherhood]]. That is all I have to say. Until we meet again next week, I [[love]] you all.

 

[[Shalom]].

==Session 2==

==Session 2==

January 17, 1993

January 17, 1993