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<p>09-12-2004</p>
<p>Ham: Greetings, friends, I am Ham and I am grateful to have this
time with you this evening. Let us discuss the difference between hope
and illusion. Hope is instilled in the human soul by the human act of
faith. Faith reaches toward the unknown and hope is instilled in the
human heart in reciprocal measure by the spirit. Hope then becomes an
increasingly permanent attitude of the soul toward life in general.
Hope does not necessarily attach itself to any one particular hoped for
outcome. Hope is rather that attitude of faith which believes in the
Father’s goodness and trusts in his guidance. Hope is believing the
future will turn out for the best, however that may be. </p>
<p>Illusions come about when hope is attached to a specific future
outcome. Illusion can then dominate hope and cause a person to do
whatever it takes to create that illusion in reality. In this way, the
ends begin to justify the means, so much so that the greater the
utopian nature of the illusion, the more worth it increasingly
desperate and even immoral measures become justified by that illusion. </p>
<p>This is a universal human trait. But faith, true faith, does not
hold on to any specific illusion of the future. Human faith must be
child-like trust and in that trust the individual human must forgo
their own illusions about what should or should not be. Sublime faith
is made ever more pure by the constant relinquishing of your own
investment in the outcome. The Master said constantly at the end of his
prayers, "Nevertheless, not my will but your will be done Father". This
is the epitome of human wisdom. </p>
<p>Human beings must learn how to trust in God without requiring any
specific proof for themselves of his over care. Many human beings, in
fact most human beings at this point in your history, are still in the
business of requiring proof of God’s care in some specific instance.
But as you mature in the spirit, you come to see evidence of God’s over
care constantly around you. No longer is this a matter of praying and
receiving some gift. No, it is the process of seeing all of your life
as a gift. All of existence is a miracle. </p>
<p>As you come to deepen your personal faith you must recognize that
the illusions of faith must be shattered in your fellows and in
yourselves for you cannot truly walk with God if you are constantly
moving in your own direction. Move instead in the direction of
increasing appreciation for the Father’s constant help. Appreciation,
yes, but imposing a direction, no. </p>
<p>Those who are youngest among you must come to trust the Father to
help cultivate their gifts and as you go through life, you will be
always amazed at the Father’s ability to cultivate your gifts more and
more. Each of you has come to this world complete with the Father’s
plan for your lives. The spirit who lives within you wants to give you
more and more the ability to recognize your own abilities. In doing
this, he will help you recognize your limitations as well and this is
also part of the maturing process for the Father must work
simultaneously to cultivate your inner spiritual fruits while paring
off the old illusions of what you once were or what you once wanted to
be. Your assignment in this life is to grow in increasing
self-discovery and self-understanding. You are each of you continually
undergoing this process, accepting what you are not and accepting what
you are. </p>
<p>You are all doing very well and you are all patiently submitting
yourselves to the process of spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is not
pain free. In fact, it can be very painful to undergo the process of
shattering old illusions. Such, however, is the way of Michael. Those
who follow him must submit themselves to pain as well as joy, to sorrow
as well as love. Each of you is finding your way and as you do you must
also find your own way to grasp the Father’s hand and to submit to his
own gentle leading. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have anything for me tonight Ham?</p>
<p>Ham: Of course my dear. You are doing just fine. Take things one
step at a time. Like I said before, take your time and don’t be in a
hurry to rush here or there. You need to digest the things you are
learning so be at peace with yourself. Other parts of your life will
begin to come together and you will have all you need as time goes on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Q: Do you have anything for Rebecca?</p>
<p>Ham: Daughter, you are doing very well. Your efforts are already
bearing fruit and the way before you will open step by step. </p>
<p>Q: Jarad? </p>
<p>Ham: My son Jarad, you are also doing very well. You have before you
many new and wonderful opportunities. Recognize that you can relax and
enjoy everything that will be coming to you. Have optimism and courage
for as you open new doors, new blessings will be bestowed upon you.
Relax then, and be at peace for you are doing well.</p>
<p>Q: Do you have any counsel for me tonight Ham?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly my son. You are doing very well and you are also
growing in inner confidence and inner strength. We are very happy to
see the progress you have made over the last year or so. This progress
will continue and you will find ever increasing levels of calm, joy,
and balanced peace. You are doing very well. </p>
<p>Q: I have two questions, is there anything for me tonight and can I
schedule a private session with you in the near future?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my son, you are doing well. You are finding a way to bring
your faith ever forward without moving into the area of possible
destructive illusions of life. You have the ability to move forward
with a calm, assured balance and this is coming upon you in ever
greater measure. Yes, you may certainly have a private session. Rebecca
requests Friday Afternoon 2:00 PM. We will discuss in more detail at
that time.</p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Wendaring?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my dear, you are doing well. Have peace in your heart and
trust in your divine spirit. Know my dear that the Father sends a
portion of himself to live within the heart and mind of each one of his
children. He is constantly with you and knows your every thought. Do
not be afraid then to open yourself to him and to trust in his good
guidance. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Bob B?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly, my son. You are doing just fine. You have certainly
been under some pressure, but this is beginning to lift and you are
coming to grasp the true freedom resulting from spiritual growth. Too
long have you been enslaved to irrational fears and unprovoked
anxieties. As you come to trust more and more in the spirit, you will
find yourself required to increasingly release such fears and to
embrace faith in their place. Faith in the goodness, protection, and
mercy of God is the only thing strong enough to vanquish fears. Trust
as a child trusts and you will be surprised at how well things seem to
manage. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Marije and anything about her
little daughter?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly my dear, you are doing very well. For a child the
most important thing is to grow up in a stable situation with both
mother and father. She is already surrounded by love and this loving
environment is all that she requires to grow into a stable and secure
healthy human being. Most of the troubles in life are really small
things. Be careful to keep a long range view so that these small things
do not become magnified in your mind. Love is the most important thing
this little child requires. Provide her with that and trust in the
Father to provide the rest. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Charlie B?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly my son, you are doing just fine. Be completely at
ease with yourself my son. Grow in your willingness to extend
self-acceptance to your self. In other words, begin to see yourself as
the Master sees you. Release your old concepts of yourself and let the
Father expand them. </p>
<p>Q: This is Jarrett is there any other personal messages you would
like to say to me tonight?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly my son. You are doing very well. You have accepted
the responsibility of a man and you have conducted yourself very well
through the trials you have experienced lately. As you grow in your
budding self-awareness, you will find that this lesson serves you well
in the future. Self-discipline is hardly emphasized in the youth
culture of society and yet a young person’s capacity for
self-discipline is a good measure of character and a good guide post
portending well for the future. Obeying someone is one thing, but
obeying your higher self for the purposes of your higher calling is
something else. Continue then to cultivate a healthy self-discipline so
that you have the tools available in your character to deal with the
challenges and difficulties lying ahead. Also, you have a strong
intellectual bent. This is good, but it must continually be tempered by
the loving spirit within you for intellectual achievement can quickly
sour into intellectual pride and arrogance. Reach into your heart
often. Do not be afraid of your inner feelings. Rather, understand
them, embrace them, and release them. The wisest of men are those who
know themselves best. You are doing just fine. Is this helping your
understanding?</p>
<p>Yes, thank you.</p>
<p>Q: How do we avoid illusions about the future while not becoming
passive toward things that matter, especially given that some people
are willing to do very evil things in order to make their illusions a
reality? I just don’t now how to separate trust and faith from
passivity of action. Can you help me understand that?</p>
<p>Ham: It is helpful to remember that man proposes while God disposes.
You may work toward a specific goal and this goal may be noble and
worthy, but at the end of your efforts you must accept what has
occurred in reality over what you wished to have occurred. And in that
sense you must trust that the reality you are confronted with is not an
orphan from the Father’s plan but rather part of it. Yes, sometimes it
may seem as though those who are willing to go to any lengths in order
to make their illusions reality will win. But this is not so. For the
evil which men do, for supposedly noble purposes, always wind up
enveloping those purposes and thus become at one with the purpose.
Never fear the designs of evil men. Rather counter them with beauty,
truth, and goodness. For these three are arrows in the quiver of every
God knowing man. Never underestimate the power of love and truth in
this world and you will have all of both that your require.</p>
<p>Q: It is not that we should not be interested in the future or
interested in the world, it is just that we should not be invested in a
particular vision of the future.</p>
<p>Ham: Exactly. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have feedback for me this week?</p>
<p>Ham: Of course my son. You are doing very well and are finding every
greater peace, even in the midst of the storm. Others can rant and rave
and you can remain composed and at peace. This gives you the greater
freedom for this gives you the greater self-control. In this life,
personal freedom is directly proportional to personal self-control. </p>
<p>Q: I still feel like I have a long way to go in that department.</p>
<p>Ham: All human beings do, you would not be human otherwise. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Be at peace my children. Have gentleness with each other. Pray for
each other and all is well. </p>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"><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>
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
To science God is a possibility, to psychology
a desirability, to philosopy a probability, to
religion a certainty, an actuality of religious
experience
The Urantia Book, page 1125
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
</font></pre>
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