[tmtranscripts] N. Idaho TeaM 5/25/03

[rickgiles]

North Idaho Teaching Mission Group
Topics: TeaM Player, Appreciation, Stillness
Teachers: 

May 25, 2003

*	Rayson (Jonathan TR):  Rayson speaking.  I come to you today to share 
in our program of planetary upliftment as comrades who are dedicated to 
Michael’s mission upon Urantia.
	This opportunity to work enlisted in his project is one of great 
significance that you may and will store away in your ascending portfolio.  
It will be clearer to you as you ascend through the many training worlds 
of Nebadon how valuable this particular episode will have become, for you 
will have developed characteristics, traits, that have become permanent in 
your personality which will yield for you access to even greater 
accomplishments as you even attempt to transition out of a morontia phase 
of being into complete spirit existence.  You may ask, what does being 
engaged in the Correcting Time on Urantia have to do with the necessary 
steps for transitioning beyond the local universe?  I tell you that there 
is one simple answer, and that is your ability to wholeheartedly and fully 
trust in your Sovereign Son.  By giving your full energy to Michael’s 
mission you are establishing under his jurisdiction your position, your 
placement, through dedication that is transferable to what will be very 
important as you become under the complete sovereign control of Paradise 
Father.
	When a team of personalities is assembled each one is valuable as an 
element, a component, of the whole.  Just like your sport teams not all 
players are on the field at the same time; each individual has particular 
talents and training, can play specific positions, though not all of them.  
Some are first string players; others are replacement players.  That does 
not devalue the belongingness of each player.  A team made up only of the 
first stringers soon becomes exhausted and overworked and performs even 
more poorly than a less capable second string.  So, while the splendid 
melchizedeks are the first string players in this Correcting Time, and you 
may feel more like the water boy or the bat boy, you are critical in 
energizing the entire team, for it is the camaraderie that stimulates all 
players.  The melchizedeks have expressed great appreciation for your 
enthusiasm, and it does grant them an extra ability to enthuse other 
celestial personalities who may consider uplifting Urantia to be a far too 
daunting task.
	In a culture where gratification is a sought value we are ever on the 
scout for individuals who have ceased looking for what they may attain for 
personal pleasure and are instead desirous of giving of themselves to a 
cause or purpose that brings no direct benefit to self, though anyone who 
has undertaken this form of personality contribution has come to know that 
every effort is always rewarded.  First and foremost in developing your 
sense of worth in belonging in this mission is your continuing refining of 
your ability to draw close to God.  Making  such a proximity association 
with the divine can prove to be a difficult task for creatures with 
biologic forms, for you have so much that plays within your being from 
chemical, electronic, to psychic distractions.  Association is best 
arrived at through gratitude, through appreciation, and I say these two 
words as preliminary and secondary steps of one process, for gratitude is 
the recognition of a reward, of a blessing, that has come to you and your 
expression of happiness, thankfulness.  Appreciation, while often used 
like thanksgiving, also implies an elevation, a higher standing, of one to 
whom you are offering your thanks, your appreciation.  It focuses upon the 
value of the one to whom you are giving such recognition and less upon the 
value of what has been received by you in the relationship.
	The best team player is one who belongs devotedly to the team in their 
mind and heart regardless of the amount of time playing on the field.  
Simply to have the jersey and wear the hat is significant in its own.  As 
you develop your appreciative focus on the Divine Indwelling you are 
broadcasting to a wide range of ministering spirits your ability to be 
engaged in any particular team project throughout the universe.  It is the 
simple principle of leaving oneself behind and valuing God prime most in 
your life, in your direction, in your aspirations.
	Therefore, as you undertake the requests often given by your group 
teacher Elyon to practice stillness, you are qualifying yourself for 
service.  As you appreciate the divine within you, you likewise are 
elevated into communion, commonality, equal association.  While as human 
beings you may chuckle at the notion of being of equal measure with the 
divine, for you know your frailties and faults, nonetheless in the eyes of 
the Father’s Presence you are that cherished, though an age of time may 
unfold for you to fully manifest such equality.  You do not receive this 
equality by merely asserting by yourself that you are equal; you receive 
this quality by humbly appreciating the presence of God and thereby are 
you lifted into His arms and made one and considered equal.
	So, as a team player in this Correcting Time mission your appreciation 
of the efforts of every player undergoes this same function.  Never 
consider yourself lesser because you have not been out on the field; 
consider yourself equal as you appreciate everything that is undertaken by 
all your fellows.
	Thank you for receiving me today.  I will receive questions from you 
if you have them to present.

	Evelyn:  I am a little confused, if appreciating is looking up to 
someone, yet you say we are all equal.  Is it the quality about them that 
is higher, not that they are inherently superior?  In this country we have 
the fundamental principle that we are all created equal, but we can 
certainly appreciate our varied talents.  But with higher beings I don’t 
think we are equal.

*	Rayson:  Appreciating qualities signals to the one to whom you are 
giving your thankfulness that that individual has attained those sought 
for values, characteristics, in yourself.  When it comes to brotherhood as 
you have expressed, the underlying unity, equality, of one another, 
appreciating attainment honors those virtues while maintaining that 
brotherhood of equality, person to person.  With God, the highest of all 
personalities, speaking as a creature I can only say we are of no 
comparison.  However, God has chosen not to take that perspective and so 
has sought aggressively to become one with you through fusion of the inner 
spirit with your evolved soul.  It is this appreciation that uplifts you.  
Simply stated by Jesus long ago, it is the last that become first, for it 
is your appreciating of the highest that, in contrast, signifies your 
lowliness and thereby returns you into Father’s arms and subsequent 
embrace.
	This is difficult for prefusion faith sons of God to grasp, but you 
will find it obviously simple subsequent to your fusion experience.  You 
will also note that while this equalizing event has occurred, you 
nonetheless are still human origin and unfolding as an ascending son of 
God.   The differential, the gulf, will remain but the connectivity, the 
mutuality, both words in a sense become useless due to your oneness.  
However you will find that this new relationship has created greater 
potentials for your personality attainment.  This new definition of 
oneness sets up attainments that were not available prior to the fusion 
occasion.
	Appreciation of an individual is honor, and for creatures honor is 
often the result of the recognition of character traits, virtues, 
attained.  With the divine simply the reality of the presence of God is 
all that is of primary importance in appreciation and honor.  Simply 
stripping away the attributes that define God, the nature.  Every 
comprehensible element that makes God intelligible to you when removed 
does not lessen the human feeling of worship, of honor, of gratitude, for 
all these qualifications are transcended because the Creator is God and 
absolute.
	I hope this has clarified my presentation some.

	Evelyn:  Yes, it has.  In our daily interactions it’s good to remember 
that appreciating someone else doesn’t make us lower or cause jealousy.  
We shouldn’t let the contrast makes us feel lesser.  Honoring is a good 
thing.

*	Rayson:  In the economy of goodwill towards one another such 
recognition is in balance, for, while you appreciate the other individual, 
you are also acknowledging the beneficial contribution made by that 
individual toward yourself.  Therein is that mutuality of support, care, 
concern, and compassion.

*	Elyon:  This is Elyon, greetings to you all.  I always enjoy having 
friends such as Rayson express to you thoughts for consideration, words of 
inspiration.  I am also grateful to have the support of Rayson as he 
encourages you to practice stillness.
	You have all been diligently undertaking various methods for personal 
spiritual growth and for numerous years.  Over the time that has 
transpired you have witnessed in yourselves an overlaying of this 
spiritual dimension into all aspects of your lives.  Yes, I understand 
there are times when the overlay ebbs and flows, when you feel disconnect 
and when you feel strongly connected.  But it is ever enlarging in its 
breadth; it is ever intensifying, and the duration expands.  Today I 
venture to say you consider yourselves largely spiritually dominated and 
directed, where decades ago you found yourselves seeking spirituality and 
spiritual direction.  And this is true with the practice of stillness, for 
in time you will always be in the receptive attitude that stillness 
instills within you.
	Thank you, my friends, for being so attentive and studious of the 
lessons that come your way.  We will continue our engagement at another 
time.  Farewell.