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<p>a quote from this lesson<br>
</p>
<p>The mind knows perfect peace that is settled on God. Settle your
minds upon God’s perfect spirit and you will certainly know that peace.
Once you know that peace, you will crave to have it with you always.
For the Master and the Father both continually exert a pull upon your
souls, pulling you ever upward and expanding your soul to encompass the
ever greater God experience.<br>
<br>
</p>
<p><br>
1/02/2005</p>
<p>Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and I am happy to be here this
evening among you. Let us discuss what it means to find God then what
it means to grow to know him. Knowing God comes through experiencing
his spirit. When you know God in the mind, the intellect can discern
what God should be like, what God should not be like, but the intellect
alone does not perceive God directly. The mind can decide and
differentiate between value levels and attributes a perfect God would
logically possess. But, only the soul can perceive God’s spirit and
know him directly as Father and Friend. </p>
<p>Experience of God, then, must supercede thoughts about God and this
experience – the direct perception of God’s goodness, truth and beauty
– can then create the mental impression which begins the true knowing
of God. Experience is translated into thought. Thought about God, at
least, cannot be directly translated into experience of him. The mind
must be a doorway, a point of acceptance, but it is not directly the
seat of God-experience. </p>
<p>God is experienced through the loving channels of the soul. You
perceive him in your hearts, truly, and this perception is first felt
then thought about. God’s love is known before it is described. God’s
love is experienced and that experience creates knowing in itself. You
know the color red because you have experienced it. Without the
experience, all description falls short and description cannot generate
that unique perception to one who has never experienced the color red.
In this sense then, the mind is a doorway but the experience of God by
your souls is so altering, so effective in realigning your perceptions
that when God’s love is felt, there is a simultaneous knowing of God. </p>
<p>If you did not directly perceive his goodness, the mind would rebel
against the requirement of trust. But for those who have perceived
God’s goodness directly, the question of trust is never in doubt. Once
you have grown in your perception of God’s goodness, you simply cannot
help but to trust him. And, trusting God is the only certainty upon
this path of life for God’s love is the only constant you will know. </p>
<p>What is God’s will? This is truly the central question of your lives
and yet the answer can only come through the knowledge of God as given
directly through experience of him. When you experience God in your
hearts and have learned to trust him, then walking a path of
righteousness, bearing the fruits of the spirit, and serving your
fellows all are manifestations of his will. When you know God, then
soon you come to know his will for you. </p>
<p>My children, you must rest securely in his arms. Allow the Father to
rap his arms around your life. Allow the Father to guide and direct all
your efforts, not simply those you have consciously dedicated to him.
Consciously, you must simply open the door. All else will be added unto
you and your knowledge of God will grow as you increasingly experience
his love. </p>
<p>All of you are coming into greater God-knowingness through
increasing experience of his love. All of you are increasing in your
trust of him and in your willingness to be led. In this you are all
doing very well and are finding your love for your brethren increasing
over time. Be at peace then in all things. Release your tendencies
toward worry and distress and do not be afraid of what the future
holds, for in this the Father goes before you preparing a place. You
are his children, precious in your nearness to him. Trust him and he
will not fail you. Lean upon him and the way will be made straight and
easy. </p>
<p>Q: Today I think I experienced what you are talking about while I
was out running. At the time I had no doubt about the experience, but
now that we are thinking and talking about it, is there ever a danger
of misinterpreting experiences like this? If you are feeling like you
are experiencing the reality of God or the love of God should you just
trust that this is happening?</p>
<p>Q: Yes. Do not try to analyze spiritual experience, for in the
analysis it will seem to disappear. The soul informs the mind on
matters of the spirit, not visa versa. </p>
<p>Q: Are there certain situations that can facilitate
God-experiencing, like stillness or being in nature?</p>
<p>Ham: Well certainly this is so, but it is important understand that
the experience of God can be had any time and all the time. If you
confine the experience to certain set conditions, you may be hampering
growth rather than facilitating it. The mind knows perfect peace that
is settled on God. Settle your minds upon God’s perfect spirit and you
will certainly know that peace. Once you know that peace, you will
crave to have it with you always. For the Master and the Father both
continually exert a pull upon your souls, pulling you ever upward and
expanding your soul to encompass the ever greater God experience. </p>
<p>Q: Could I have a message Ham?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes, certainly my son. My son you are doing well. You have come
through many difficulties and are now growing in balance and truly more
balanced thinking and more calm self-assuredness. Your path continues
as your soul expands and develops. Always remember that spiritual
growth must come first. At this time, it is well and good to pursue
your path in the spirit with all your heart for the growth of the
spirit, of the soul, will lead all other developments. Also, if you are
blocked in your spiritual progression, you will be blocked in other
ways as well. Seek first the kingdom of heaven, then all things needful
will be added unto you. Make the spiritual your priority, everything
else will follow of its own. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have anything for Rebecca?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes, my daughter, you are doing well. Continue to grow in trust
and faith. Continue to move forward and to deepen your commitment to
the tasks before you. Know that the Master’s spirit goes with you and
before you in all things. He will open your way so long as your trust
in him is complete. Think not of yourself at any point, rather think
only of the mission and its importance. Let the importance of your work
wash away thoughts of personal insecurity or failure for these things
are immaterial. Trust, trust, and more trust must be your mantra. Let
not a shadow of doubt enter into your thoughts. Rather, be upheld in
secure knowledge of the Master’s spirit and his personal, intimate, and
tender love. With this love, you can truly be about our Father’s
business. Trust then in this love and your way is secure. </p>
<p>Q: Jarad?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my son, you are doing well. Continue also to deepen your
commitment and the consecration of your life’s path to the Master’s
holy will. Embrace his love without reservation. Learn that his love is
not conditioned upon anything you can do or control. His love for you
is absolute and yet extremely personal, solicitous, and tender. Be at
peace then, for you way will open. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have anything for Billy Don?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my son. Truly you have walked through the valley of the
shadow of death and now you fear it not and thus it has no power. Trust
in God’s love my son, trust in his spirit. Consecrate your will to his
service and know that he can and will use you for his greater purposes.
You will be going through a time of decision making. In this, and in
all things, turn over your decisions to his will and release your
burdens. Realize that even as you find everything you need in him, so
too does he find what he needs in you. Ask then to be used for his will
and he will use you. Ask to know him and you will know him. Ask to be
forgiven, and you will find the ability to accept forgiveness grows.
Love God with all your heart and all your might and all your mind and
his love will be manifest within you. Rest my son. This is a time of
preparation not a time of action. Be at peace. You are doing well. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have any counsel for me tonight Ham?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my son, you are doing just fine. You are finding that
indeed when you seek first the kingdom of God, then the things of this
life begin to fall into place without too much effort. My son, as you
find your way forward, remember that growth in the spirit is always
manifested in every day life. Know that you have past many tests and
that you are being strengthened for the work ahead. Understand that so
long as you seek after the Master and his righteousness, you will have
what is needed in all areas of life. Trust in him and you will have
what you need. </p>
<p>Q: From Keri: If you have a meeting with Ham on Sunday will you
please thank him for his continued words of hope and guidance and may I
have a personal message too?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes my daughter, you are doing well. Gradually my dear you are
coming to order your life by the priorities of the spirit. Let this
continue. Find your way forward by means of listening to the still
small voice in your heart saying this is the way. Pray that you can
accept the great love the Father continually showers upon you. For the
more you can perceive and accept that love, the more peace and
fulfillment you will find in all areas of your life. Embrace God and
the way is plain. You do well my dear. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Norbert?</p>
<p>Ham: Of course my son, you are doing well. My son, do not worry
about your future, for your future is secure in your acceptance of our
Father and your acceptance of Christ Michael and his spirit. Hold back
nothing, but give all you have and all you are to the greater purposes
of our Father and his Son. Do not be confused. Seek and you will find.
It’s as simple as that. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have a personal message for Charlie B?</p>
<p>Ham: Certainly my son, you are likewise doing well. Embracing the
loving hand of God would seem to be an easy and natural thing. Of
course, with the complications inherent in all of the human condition,
accepting God’s love is often anything but simple. Reach out to your
fellows as you have done. Do not fear nor worry about the future. You
will have all you need. </p>
<p>Q: Do you have any feedback for me this week?</p>
<p>Ham: Yes, my son. You are doing well. Rejoice in the spirit for your
way continues to open. Increase in the fruits of the spirit. Let your
love overflow to all those you meet and open your heart in increasing
measure in all areas. Do not be tempted to revert to judgmental
feelings, rather push through these kinds of responses into acceptance
of all who cross your path. Embrace and love all the children sent into
your charge. Show consistently by your example a feeling of calm and a
feeling of security through knowing God and striving to be like him.
Show forth the fruits of his spirit. You are doing very well my son. </p>
<p>Are there any further questions at this time? Very well then, my
friends, as you go forth in this life during the week ahead with all
its challenges, let my love be with you, let the Master’s spirit be
increasingly part of your experience and your consciousness. Let his
word speak constantly to your hearts. Until next week, farewell.</p>
<p> </p>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="80">--
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
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
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
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