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<DIV><FONT face="GoudyOlSt BT"><B>
<P>DATE:</B> June 17, 1997<BR><B>LOCATION:</B> Butler, PA, USA<BR><B>T/R:
Gerdean</P></B>
<P>Prayer, Stillness and Sharing<BR><B>TEACHER SESSION</P>
<P>TOMAS' LESSON: To Act or Not To Act <BR>MERIUM'S LESSON: Righteous Judgment
<BR>Q&A: We Have the Right to Say "No"<BR>[Also Personal Teacher love notes
from<BR>JAY-ORZH, PHILOMENA, TRIESTE]</P>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Greetings, faithful friends, loyal students. I am Tomas.</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Good evening, Tomas.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It gives my heart deep joy to be in your presence this evening. It
gives me great confidence in Our Father when you reveal to your teachers and to
each other your difficulties in your soul growth, in your aspiring to do His
will in your lives. It is indeed heartening to recognize your earnest desire to
be about the Father's business and to sincerely serve.</P>
<P>I am assisted this evening by my companion, my colleague, Merium. We are also
graced by the presence of many angelic helpers and student visitors. It is not
on our agenda, however, to have an open house, but rather to help you in your
growth throes this evening.</P>
<P>How astute of Merium to advise an assignment of increased mental capacity! I
would suggest that her assignment was truly on point, for your minds have come
sufficiently enlarged to seek questions that disturb your way of going about
things, your behaviors, your emotional constitution, and not so much your
spirit, which is vested in the desire to serve.</P>
<P>There are many references in your text to shed light on your quandary. Let me
reiterate our subject of discussion for clarity before I draw upon those
references. The question is: how and when does one know when to provide
assistance and when to withhold assistance, and how does one discern that action
or non-action? Is this a fair assessment?</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Yes.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I will take you back first to our scene that we have been
following throughout our recent course of study having to do with your being a
microcosm of Paradise Trinity, for this indeed is what the question is about.
How do you manifest your perfection in an imperfect world? You have with you the
love of The Father, the word of The Son, and as you pause in anticipation of the
action of The Spirit, you have that moment to think in terms of self-mastery as
to how you will serve and for what purpose you will serve.</P>
<P>And here is the merit of the assignment of mind expansion, for it is also
true that The Infinite Spirit brings ministry but she also brings mind. Now we
have the mind arena of choice, as to how to proceed in service, and here we have
the development of your mortal discernment, through the eyes of a spirit-born,
God-motivated individual. How indeed would The Father deal with the
situation?</P>
<P>Of course The Father's eye is infinite and can see those things which you
cannot, but you can aspire to see the Father's point of view by asking the
Wayshower to show you the way. It therefore is important that you stop before
you automatically serve, in-as-much as your actions affect not only that
individual but all individuals in line to receive the ripple effect from that
Cause which you implant when you act. Again: motives.</P>
<P>You desire to be of service. To be of service is not always to provide every
need. I will call to your mind the reference from The Book having to do with
prayer, and the analogy of the human parent and its child, for a wise father
will not always indulge every request of the child, for the child does not have
the wisdom to always understand what is good for it and what is not. A wise
father will look at the effects of this bestowal, this granting of the wish, and
ascertain the effects of this gift on the child.</P>
<P>To be graphic, an indulgent parent may be happy to give an ice cream cone to
a cherub-faced child who delights his heart and has asked in sincere
supplication for the wish of ice cream to be granted. But the father can see
that it is 15 minutes before dinnertime and refuses to grant the wish of the
child. Now the child may have a temper tantrum, it may pout and scowl and shed
tears and plead and cajole and do all manner of cute things to influence the
father's decision, but the wise father sees what is best for his child and acts
accordingly.</P>
<P>It is therefore incumbent upon you, in that moment of ascertaining your
intent to serve, to probe yourself as to whether or not your service is in
accordance with the wisdom that the Father would accord the request. If you were
to act in the spirit of love, given your human comprehension of love, you may
feel impelled to bestow ice cream night and day, for it is something that you
can do that can manifest visibly your desire to please, and certainly the Father
desires to please His children, but if the pleasing is an indulgence that does
not contribute to the welfare and the betterment of the whole individual, love
then is in need of a new definition.</P>
<P>I will say, too, that in this practice of discerning how to serve, you are
given responsibility and it oftentimes is a responsibility you would rather not
have, it would be easier to act without thinking, and trust that the Father will
make it all well. Indeed, He will, but your mature contribution to the Evolving
Supreme and to the service of humankind would have you become a co-worker with
Havona, would have you learn to be responsible for your growth and for the
growth of others where possible.</P>
<P>You will notice that in my remarks I have not once made reference to the word
Judgment. You are not called upon to judge the individual, their need, their
circumstance, your decision, your merit or anything. Judgment has no part in
this process of being of service.</P>
<P>It is also indicated in the text that the angels will not help those who
refuse to act upon their light of truth. If the angels will not assist those who
will not act upon the light of truth, how is it that you feel above the
angels?</P>
<P>Apply your expanded mental capacity and your discernment to ascertain if the
child, in his or her request, has done his or her best to act upon his or her
light of truth. Not in his or her entire life, no, but in the instant that he or
she has presented himself or herself to you for an answer to their prayer.</P>
<P>Has this discourse been helpful?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Yes, it's been helpful. I just don't know how to get out of the
judgment part about "when they presented a situation." I noticed you said not in
their whole life but the situation as presented at hand.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Even there it is not necessary for you to judge, but to ascertain
whether or not they have acted upon their light of truth that would put them in
the position to hope you could reveal the answer for them. An assessment is
appropriate; indeed necessary. And you may take your time in making the
assessment. You may even take adequate time to inquire as to some particulars,
and having now garnered information, you are in a better position to make a
determination based upon what you have learned as a result of your
investigation.</P>
<P>It is always appropriate to ask your Indwelling Adjuster for support and for
guidance in any decision you make, but you must not cross your mind up with
anxiety about your actions. It would behoove you to be objective and therefore
at ease when you consult with Father as to His wishes in the situation. He is
with you. He indwells you. He sees clearly. If you cannot see clearly, it is all
right for you to defer and say, "I cannot make a. decision. I cannot see the
circumstances clearly enough to make a wise choice." But if, as you have paused
to consult with the Father, the Spirit is compelling and leads you to ministry,
then follow the will of the Spirit. Has that been helpful?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I perceive that part of what's not being put on the table here is
our inability to say "no" -- our human inability to say "no."</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> On one hand we have you eager sons and daughters of the Spirit who
seek to serve, who are willing to please, as compared to, perhaps, many others
who refuse even to consider such a thing as service. If we are going to discuss
an inability to say "no," we are discussing emotional constraints that are a
result of a mental attitude which has locked the door on the possibility of
allowing yourself the freedom to make the determination on the Father's behalf
that you may say "yes" or "no" in accordance with His will. It is a human
limitation to be so circumscribed in your thinking that you cannot say "no," and
that is a matter for Correction.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Definitely.</P><U>
<P>The Right to Say "No"</P></U><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> What mental conditioning has trained you to believe that you have
no right, no strength, or no purpose in refusing what life presents? Are you so
hungry for experience?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I don't think it's that.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS: </B>Are you so lacking in confidence of your free will dignity?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I don't know. It's just always been hard.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It may be your gender conditioning, for it is frequent that
females find it more difficult to say "no" when someone asks them to serve. We
are speaking of cultural conditioning which covers millennia. If that is the
case, it is defeatable, transcendable. It is indeed important for you, as a
child of God with spiritual rights equal to men, to have that inner realization
of your relationship with the First Source and Center that would assure you of
your self-respect and its incumbent ability to act without regard to generations
of genetic conditioning and cultural conditioning.</P>
<P>It is also for that reason that I am pleased with the recent assignment
having to do with assuming an increase in mental capacity -- mind expansion --
for your thinking, even as a race of people, is very limited. By and large you
are still very tribal in your behavior patterns and it is necessary for those
who have freedom in the spirit to be able to act outside of those conditionings.
Those conditionings, although many are necessary and beneficial to maintaining a
civilization, can also be curtailing and mediocrity-inducing.</P>
<P>I challenge you, then, to step out of cultural mediocrity and stand firmly on
your faith and decide for yourself, as a child of God, in co-creation with
divinity, how you will act, how you will serve, how you will think, and how you
will feel, for all of these affect the greater good, the greater whole.</P>
<P>We will be in recess.</P><B>
<P align=center>[ntermission]</P></B>
<P>A reading of Ham's 1992 lesson on Judgment, followed by discussion.</P>
<P>* * *</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> Dear friends, it is I, Merium, glad to be on-line and in your
embrace. It is always a pleasure to be with you in this way. I have occasion to
be with you often, as we are always in contact in our frame of reference, not
always to your awareness, but it is such a pleasant experience to begin to
manifest my personality to you that you may begin to know me and understand my
personality presence and indeed my individual charm ...</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> [Unrestrained giggles]</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> ... as compared to that of others. I see you find my remark
amusing, Leah. Was it that I had the courage to admit that I have charm?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Yes. And the fact that someone, a long time ago, referred to Tomas
as an old stuffed shirt. [More giggles.] Sorry.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> He is also charming. </P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I'm sure he is.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> He is somewhat formal and I am, too, for that matter, although
both of us make a sincere attempt to be congenial and fraternal, if not quite
human. It is our attempt to reach you, you see, and interact with you, that
instills in us an urge to (I must say) come down to your level, but it is always
gratifying when we perceive that you also have made an attempt to lift
yourselves up to meet us, at least half way. It interferes with the quality of
our relationship, the impact of our lesson plan, when you regard us as a mere
form of entertainment or when you do not strive to reach for those higher
concepts that will help you stretch your frame of reference from your mediocre
state to a more exalted state.</P>
<P>How I have offended you now! For I have "judged" you as being mediocre and I
have "judged" myself as having charm. Well, let us discuss that for a bit, if I
may. I have Tomas' permission to run on for a bit and I will.</P>
<P>I enjoyed your questions earlier. I enjoyed your soulful expression of your
confusion in dealing with some of the more troublesome elements of your society
(your personal society, not your society at large necessarily). It is a good
glimpse of you as individuals when you can share yourselves so agreeably. It
also was a privilege to hear Tomas hold forth on his lesson this evening. <B>We
teachers do have admiration for one another and always admire the creative
delivery of each other as an aspect of their God-given personality
expression.</B> It in some ways enables us to have, referring again to that
analogy of the symphony, a solo performance on occasion, rather than the entire
orchestra all the time.</P>
<P>I have chosen for my aria this evening to discuss that which my friend Hunnah
has often exercised an interest in, and it also has to do with your lesson this
evening. I want to thank Teacher Ham for his well-chosen words on Judgment that
was savored during your recess, for my subject now has to do with this term of
"righteous judgment" which is a concept based in Christianity and has no real
worth in the kingdom of God.</P>
<P>If you will get Hester's dictionary out and look up "righteous," it is
apparent that righteous is one who does right, and judgment is a sentencing of
an individual's behavior. It is not possible for you to manifest righteous
judgment, and so there is no sense in developing such a dichotomy. One who is
righteous, does right. One who judges, does wrong. And so how can one describe
the other in harmony?</P>
<P>Righteousness, as was set down in the scriptures, was largely influenced by
the early testaments that included a severe and stern God who wielded vengence
as a sword, who wrought plagues upon his people, who, according to fable,
brought destruction upon the earth. The Father which Jesus introduced us to in
his assignment on Urantia, clearly clarifies that Our Father is not that kind of
a father, that He is indeed loving, that He sees all from the beginning. He
knows from the beginning the course, the destiny of His creation, and knowing
that it is an evolving universe, knows that imperfection is inherent. And you
who are imperfect, who know only a relative perfection, have not that
far-reaching view that would enable you to judge, even righteously, for
righteousness involves a high morality. It is an indication of that which is the
right thing. That which is the right thing is that which God would do and <I>He
would not judge</I>. So your righteousness includes not judgment but moral
rightness for yourself, following what you feel is His will for you and not for
another.</P>
<P>Well, both Tomas and I have been substantial this evening. We have been
partying now for several weeks and Abraham has spoken and said, "Back to work!"
and since we have had a good rest, much levity and lightness of spirit, we will
begin again in good faith and resume our quest. How did you enjoy and/or are you
enjoying our assignment about mind expansion? Have you found it
intriguing?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Yes. It is.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> And do you feel it is being effective?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Yes. Yes, it is, and I feel as if a lot of information is being
funneled through and is allowed to expand as received. However, I'm wondering
about my behavior recently in not ... in the same vein of character that it
usually has been and I feel sort of callused in my reaction to some people, but
I'm hoping that it's just some adjustments going on.</P><B>
<P> </P>
<P>MERIUM:</B> Have you not been advised that there is no growth without
conflict? and so as you ask your mind to grow, you will know some agitation.
This is a natural process. You may construe this, my daughter, my friend, as
being proof of the pudding: you are beginning to experience expansion of your
mental capabilities to include, perhaps, the ability to see a situation with a
broader perspective, with a farther view, with more of the Father's viewpoint,
and so there is a natural unsettlement of how your responses to growth are
affecting you.</P>
<P>These are different feelings than you have had. It is a symbol of your growth
and your expansion, and so you say you feel perhaps callused, but let us
consider semantics here and toss out that rough and hard bunion of a word and
pull in one that might be more firm or solid or stable, and not necessarily
coarse or rasping, for as you accustom yourself to your expanded consciousness,
that roughness will be indeed refinished. As in a fine wood, it will be buffed
and polished to reflect the light.</P>
<P>Do not be cowed by your new feelings, but allow for the growth to continue
until you attain that plateau you seek whereupon you can have a flash of
spiritual insight and breathe deeply then, knowing that in due course, you will
grow in your mind to that spirit level of awareness and reality.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> These are very reassuring words, thank you.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> It is very reassuring for us, also, I assure you, that you are
following my conversation, that you are understanding the process of spiritual
growth, and that you are willing to continue on your path. It gives us great
confidence in you when we perceive your hunger for spirit reality and your
willingness to go the distance, even through moments of tenderness or
awkwardness, as the duckling grows, in grace.</P>
<P>Are there questions? [None] I will return the platform to Tomas. It has been
very satisfying for me this evening, my children and my friends, to be with you.
We will lighten up again. Indeed, perhaps in a moment. But I did want to commend
you for your focus and the results of your sincere desire to grow. Thank you,
and have a good evening.</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Thank you for coming.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I am Tomas and I realize it is growing late. Your personal
teachers are all here. Are there any of you who would like to address your
personal teachers for any reason while we have a circuit available?</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I would just like to say to Jay-Orzh that I really thank her for
her patience and her tolerance with me.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> One moment.</P><B>
<P>JAY-ORZH:</B> I have no problem with patience with you, my dear, for I am
amazed by your efforts. If I did not see you attempting to do as much as you
attempt to do, I would perhaps grow impatient, but I have no reason to feel that
way. You are somewhat scattered in your growth efforts, but you are very active
in your sincere desire to make strides. How can I begrudge you anything when you
approach your destiny so sincerely and fully?</P>
<P>I might draw an analogy of a child in school who perhaps will one day grow up
to be a dentist, and so it is important that they learn math and chemistry and
physics and yet here we have Leah the future dentist who is very eagerly
applying herself to Latin and Spanish. I would never deny you the joy of
applying yourself to learning and expanding that which will enrich you, even
though they may or may not contribute to your ultimate career. The enthusiasm
and application that you have in your desire to learn, and indeed to serve, is
too gratifying for me to fool around with something like impatience.</P>
<P>In short, you are very industrious and so I am very pleased. I do enjoy your
efforts to communicate with me. I do believe that we have the rudiments of a
good rapport going. We are becoming more conscious of each other's techniques,
shall I say. We are getting to know each other, and this is a great joy for me.
You are a unique specimen of personality and I am uniquely suited to be your
companion. And although there are diverse paths that we take in our daily walk,
we somehow manage not to lose sight of each other, and touch base fairly
regularly.</P>
<P>I am enjoying our walk together. I am discovering things on the path that I
might have overlooked were it not for your adventurous spirit. I would perhaps
forego some of your adventures [giggles from Leah], but I have committed myself
to companion you and to help direct your correction, and sometimes it is
necessary for you to show me what needs fixed so that I can call it to your
attention; I will then take you on a walk and show you how we can fix it. Well,
isn't this interesting? We have finally fallen upon something we can fix
together! In our own back yard. We have much to work and play with, my lovely
Leah.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> I'm very grateful for this opportunity to be with you.</P><B>
<P>JAY-ORZH:</B> As am I to share these moments with you. It is so satisfying to
feel the reassuring presence of one who loves you deeply, as I do you. I am very
happy that you realize this and that you trust me, that you are beginning to
trust me even more and to open your heart to me. We rejoice together in our
friendship. I will see you on the key-board.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Thank you.</P><B>
<P>Anne:</B> I would like to know if my personal teacher Philemena is
here?</P><B>
<P>PHILEMENA:</B> I am here. I had a hunch you would want to say hello. How are
you, my dear?</P><B>
<P>Anne:</B> I'm just tickled pink that you're even here. It's better than
Christmas. Well, it was one of the better Christmas presents that I ever got
when I found out about you last week and I've been pretty excited about
that.</P><B>
<P>PHILEMENA:</B> I am also glad. I am so glad that you have acknowledged me as
a Christmas present for it is, indeed, as a result of the birth of Christ in
your consciousness that has allowed me to be a reality for you in your new-found
spirit realms. This expansion goes on throughout eternity and it is my supreme
delight to be able to share your (the word is not available. I regret that, but)
your "mossy bank" is what I am trying to convey, your verdant beginning, your
dense origin in such a place of beauty, such a pristine place in the woods are
you, a green and mossy bank beside the still water. This is how I embrace you,
my loved one. Not literally, of course, not as vegetation, no, but as symbolic
of tender young growth, new vital color, rich to behold and to touch.</P>
<P>It is indeed a thrill for me to be allowed the opportunity to share your life
intimately with you. As Jay-Orzh conveyed to Leah, I convey to you the joy of
our friendship and our rejoicing in knowing that we shall be friends throughout
eternity. I would be with you as often as you reach for me. I will work with you
as you will work with me. I entrust your care and my guidance to Our Father, and
you may believe and trust that He is our salvation. Always are we en route to
the embrace of the Father.</P>
<P>Dear one, I will leave this method of communicating only to embrace you in
the spirit and to walk with you as you go about your day and as you rest in the
night. I will speak with you when we have developed our method of understanding
each other or until such time as we have another opportunity through a T/R to
make contact. Be assured of my presence. Farewell.</P><B>
<P>Anne:</B> Farewell.</P><B>
<P>TRIESTE:</B> I am Trieste. I am also glad to be given a moment in your
consciousness. It is a rare opportunity for me these days to have a moment to
spend with Gerdean in this audible vein. It was once our practice to regularly
engage in conversation on tape. I regret that she has become so accustomed to me
that she only speaks to me now in her mind, for there is a certain charm in
identifying our personality separation.</P>
<P>I encourage you all to realize that your personal spirit guides are true
personalities, true beings that enjoy acknowledgement. They are not you, nor are
they your Thought Adjusters, nor are they your guardian seraphim. We personal
teachers are your companions in the spirit realm, as real and viable as the
midwayers or the angels.</P>
<P>I have lectured, and I did not come to do that. I have that same propensity
with Gerdean, which is perhaps why she doesn't call me like she used to, but by
the same token, that's part of my personality, which is well suited to hers, ...
and so "That's just the way it is, girlie. Call me up. [Leah giggling again.]
Quickly!"</P>
<P>I will, however, join with my companions and convey to you my affection. I
understand you already know that I love you very much, but as we are wont to
say, it does not hurt to be told, for none of you are told enough how vital and
important you are. You take yourselves for granted, you take each other for
granted, you even take your Father for granted, for what is there to do unless
you make a point of it, and so I make a point of telling you, Gerdean, how
delightful I find you, how co-operative you have become (and yet even more
bull-headed in your tenacity in other matters), but I am still enjoying our
friendship. I am still relishing each day's adventure with you. I am still
steadfast and devoted.</P>
<P>Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Rest well, my daughter.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I am Tomas and I am going to tuck you all in. I am very pleased
with our session this evening, as is Merium. Merium and I are always honored
when you open your lives to commune in His presence with us as guides and
companions. We are, again, honored by your devotion to truth. Good
evening.</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>