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<p>10-5-2003</p>
<p>Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and I am happy that you have come this
evening. Tonight, let us discuss understanding, free will, and appreciating
this gift. My friends, each human being is blessed with free will within
limits. And, as your spirituality, your morontia soul, grows so does your
freedom. </p>
<p>The immature human has freedom within a very limited sphere and with your
growing maturity your freedom begins to enlarge. Then, as you advance in
the universe during your morontia life, your freedom enlarges still more.
It is a seeming paradox to the immature soul who may see the following of
God’s will as a narrowing of freedom. Actually, the reverse is true. Opening
up to God’s will enlarges your sphere of action and choice. And the more
one concedes to doing the Father’s will, the more freedom one experiences.
Great is the realm of choice given to one following the Father’s will. </p>
<p>The Father constantly seeks to expand your freedom, to give more to those
who already follow his will in freedom. The universe is created in order
to give as much freedom to each level of being as possible. The more you
value increases in the universe, the freer you become. </p>
<p>The Father desires that you should love him. But, if that love were not
given freely would not that love be of lesser value? Love freely given and
freely received is of ever increasing value. The more you value someone,
the more you love them, and the more you love them, the more you value them.
The Father’s love is ever expanding. It is not something that remains on
a static level. Rather, his love is ever expanding as your ability to receive
it expands. </p>
<p>The more your soul expands in receiving his love, the more love you are
able to bestow on others and on him. And these things are precious to God.
The highest thing you can give God is your love and your love of others
as well. Both of these gifts are a great treasure and this precious treasure
is ever expanding. Love is not confined. Love is ever flowing, giving and
receiving, never static. It is not imprisoned, it is free. </p>
<p>Likewise, your spiritual progress is one of increasingly throwing off
the old shackles, the old traditions and thought processes, the old cultural
and religious imprisonments of faith. Spiritual growth involves expansion
and change. The old can no longer contain your spirit, for you have expanded
beyond its confines and now operate on a higher and freer level of life
experience. </p>
<p>You are all having varying experiences, but all of you are experiencing
a new freedom, a new way of seeing yourselves and of experiencing your lives.
There is nothing so exhilarating, so exciting, so freeing as living in the
spirit. Freedom of your will is expanded as you consecrate this will to
the Father. The Father so values you soul that he confers upon you as much
freedom as you can handle. </p>
<p>A life of faith is a life of change and experiencing change very often
creates fear and fear is a pulling back from freedom. Fear creates the desire
for the safety of the old. But a life of faith requires that you continually
strike out into the new and use the great freedom the Father bestows. The
Father’s plan requires this striking out for to follow him means also to
leave behind that which was and its safety and to strike out into what is
new and unknown where there can be fear. </p>
<p>My friends, courage lies very much with your willingness to be led into
the new and to be excited by the freedom and the challenges which come with
it. Many human beings come up to the edge of spiritual adventure and then
pull back in fear because the old way of being, the old way of seeing yourself,
has safety. </p>
<p>But my friends, the Father’s freedom awaits and all things become new
and this is the great adventure of living. Can you leave behind the old
and embrace the new? Can you allow yourselves to grow, to expand, and to
be exhilarated by the unknown? Can you cast off in your little boat of faith
out on to the high seas of spiritual adventure? Of course you can. </p>
<p>Embrace your new found freedom. Embrace the adventures that lie before
you. Have complete faith that the Father himself will guide your footsteps
and whisper in your ear, this is the way. Don’t pull back and cheat yourselves
of this great adventure. It awaits each one of you. </p>
<p>Are there questions at this time?</p>
<p>Q: Am I correct in understanding that it is the Father’s will that we
are free to choose. In some situations, is there a single option of choice
that is the Father’s will and in other situations the Father’s will is that
we choose from among several acceptable options? Are you also saying that
the more we progress in our spiritual growth, the more we are allowed to
choose from among different paths or options? Are these the time we are
allowed to be creative?</p>
<p>Ham: First, there is one great decision to be made, the decision to know
God and to become increasingly like him. This is the decision to follow
the Father’s will. This decision then allows within it many decisions and
you are free to make these choices and to follow what may seem to be many
paths but which are really only one path. Yes, freedom is the freedom to
be creative. True freedom is that true creativity, that original thinking,
and individual expression of God. You are the only one who holds your potential
and that potential is only released in freedom. It is very saddening for
us to observe many a great potential be squashed by religious or cultural
restraint or convention. The law of Moses prohibiting the creation of graven
images, or idols, stifled artistic creation over centuries upon centuries.
This is unfortunate and very sad for there were many artistic geniuses who
were held within the confines of their religion and culture and prohibited
from self-expression. The Master said, you will know the truth and it will
make you free. The truth is the Father’s love for who you are and his love
for your great potential in expression. In the Father’s Kingdom there is
freedom. In the Kingdoms of the world, unfortunately, there is not. Is this
helping?</p>
<p>Q: Yes, and I will read it over and think about it too. I think it will
help a great deal.</p>
<p>Ham: Religion as you have know it has been a great stifling force of human
creativity. But, the Master’s life and teachings are changing this and his
words continue to free the spiritual captives, even to this day. Be free,
be yourself. This was his message. Reflect God in your own way rather than
conforming and to a set of societal or religious proscriptions. And, even
further, break out of the old shackles you have put on yourself, who you
see yourself to be and embrace the greater vision of how God sees you. </p>
<p>Q: I know that you have addressed this many times, but since this lesson
is about this in particular. Does one actively seek to do God’s will and
thus desire or gain freedom or is one better off to relax into have this
freedom or choice of God’s will open on you somehow? That is about the best
I can do with it.</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my daughter, there is time for both things. In each life, there
are periods. Sometimes it is best to relax, as you say, to wait upon the
Father’s call so to speak. It is hard for the Father to call you if you
are too busy to hear him and many people rush from one thing to the next
with no period of reflection. It is best to have these things alternate.
The Master used this pattern with the apostles, a period of activity, then
a period of rest and reflection. Both are needed for a balanced life and
both are needed to carry out the Father’s bidding. Is this helping?</p>
<p>Q: Yes, I can’t hear it enough.</p>
<p>Q: Yes Ham, I would like to know if you have a message for me?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly my son. You do very well and are making very good progress
in your life. You have a great deal of love within you and you area always
willing to bestow this love very freely. This is a great gift. Do not become
discouraged, for your faith is very strong. You have more faith than you
think you do and you may draw upon this faith freely. Your way will have
many twists and turns, but your consecration to the Father’s will and to
knowing God is very strong and it will carry you through all the little
ups and downs of life ahead. It is always true to the God knowing, Kingdom
believer what does it matter if the things of this world should fall. The
spirit always beckons forward and the way is made in all circumstances.
Have peace and joy and laughter. </p>
<p>Q: May I ask for a message for Jim, please. </p>
<p>Ham: Certainly. My son, you do well. Think about this lesson and the many
shackles you have removed and the many shackles you still wear. Give yourself
permission to evaluate these things. Think about what freedom is and where
it is found and be at peace. All is well. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have anything for Rebecca? </p>
<p>Ham: Yes, my daughter, you are breaking out of your old fear traps, the
traps you set for yourself to keep you from shining too brightly or going
too far, the old traps of feeling unworthy and so making changes difficult.
But, now, my daughter, you are going through some change and leaving behind
these old patterns that no longer serve you, that you now see have not served
you. Go forth with courage and tenacity making bold strides rather than
tentative ones. The Master will be with you at every step. </p>
<p>Q: Jarad?</p>
<p>Ham: Of course, my son. You are likewise going through some change. You
are beginning to be able to see yourself through the Master’s eyes and so
you are coming to value yourself and to understand yourself. You are growing
in balance, in faith, and in judgement, and in perspective. Be at ease as
you go forward in the new life. Have peace in your heart. Open increasingly
to love. Allow the way to be shown. Don’t be in a hurry to force anything,
but be at ease.</p>
<p>Q: Do you have anything for PZ?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly. Be at ease for you are growing in faith and trust in God.
Allow the difficulties of life to help you move forward in faith. The way
will be shown toward greater love, greater acceptance, and greater joy as
you go. Have no fear, you do very well. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Charlie B?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly, my son. You do very well. Your path continues to be difficult
and so it should be. Difficulties only spur on the God-knowing, Kingdom-believer.
And so it is. Be unafraid for all the experiences the Father has for you
will be valuable. Have faith and confidence. That is all.</p>
<p>Q: Do you have any feedback for me this week Ham?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my son. You are doing very well. The way of the spirit continues
to open and you continue to follow, little by little, day by day. Have complete
peace in your heart for you are doing very well in all things. Continue
to expand your love of others. Have peace as you move forward.</p>
<p>Are there any further questions at this time? Very well then, my friends,
you do well. Have peace as you move forth, have courage as you test your
wings, have trust in the Father completely and rest in complete assurance
that your lives increasingly reflect the Father’s love. </p>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="$mailwrapcol"><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" size="+1">--
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
Vanderbilt University
301 Wilson Hall
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615)322-7800
Fax: (615) 343-8449
Email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:David.Schlundt@Vanderbilt.edu">David.Schlundt@Vanderbilt.edu</a>
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Beauty is that which attracts the soul,
and that which loves to give and not
to receive
Kahlil Gibran
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
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