WOODS CROSS GROUP

Abraham

Accepting or Rejecting the full Urantian Experience

TR: NINA

OCTOBER 5, 1998

I am ABRAHAM. Greetings and welcome my friends. How wonderful it is to see you in support of one another. What a beautiful fruit we harvest from the garden of the Brotherhood. Many in this mission our Correcting Time crave to do grand things, accomplish seemingly difficult tasks. Their motives are acceptable and their intentions are understood. How grateful we are when we can witness many individuals in team work for accomplishment of one small goal. How pure is that goal. How obvious is the intention of this group to be within father’s will.

Definitely, do you possess such a wonderful aspect to your group personality? It is obvious that comfort exists here in the group. Individuals are willing to allow their true selves to be known. Even with the faults of the apostles Peter and Thomas their personality traits were at times annoying, and yet, their comfort to be their true selves was always apparent because of their particular group unity.

As we learn about the Master's chosen apostles, we see that most have endured some particular hardship. Even the Master himself, had been made to face extraordinary pain. Some say life is cruel and we say... yes, we agree, life can be filled with unending hardships and yet, each hardship has added a particular design to our spiritual armor.

Many of the apostles faced trying times after the Master's mortal sojourn. There was much work to be about concerning Father's business. There were m any apostles who had faced painful agonizing deaths as had the Master, and still I say, their mortal hardships were indeed stepping stones to increased spiritual learning strength in that spiritual armor. All, saved one, learned from t he Master that hard times were but a lesson to the next spiritual level. That sorrowful soul we know as Judas, yes, looked upon his hardships as persona l attacks upon him by either Father, or his fellows.

Judas did not receive the training by his earthly parents that in life terrible things happen and that we must either battle, brainstorm or pray to endure. Judas only received a spoiled shield from his parents. Such as these are not iniquitous individuals so much as they are confused and some what slothful in their efforts to persevere to be made stronger when beaten instead of being broken by it all. Judas was truly afraid to allow the Master's chastisement for it meant Judas had made mistakes. Judas' love of self would not allow himself to be corrected spiritually. His background was sheltered from those harsh elements, certainly, but also, those educational elements we all require, yes. In this, Judas was cowardly.

The Master, however, was faced with a most bitter cup before Him. He could have gladly fled from it. He could have certainly been King had He desired it so. He could have accepted his Sovereignty over Nebadon without that bitter cup and yet, his words were always... my Father's will be done. In Father's will, there are eternal lessons, there are hard lessons, and there is truth. And, any one of you could choose to flee this truth in favor of soothing a bruised ego or a bad self perception.

In your acceptance or rejection of Father's light, each one of you have experienced hardships and these have not broken you but have made you stronger in character and soul building. How wonderful it is that you choose to accept the full Urantian experience instead of being like Judas, who would only accept those good things of life that would uplift his self perception and make him satisfied with himself. This self satisfaction is closing off an end to learning.

One who embraces the full experience chooses to express those words of our Master... Your will be done and in that there is strength for whatever your spiritual path holds. Be not afraid of a little self discipline or perhaps allowing a little nudge from Father. In your trying times therein' are those spiritual lessons that you can spiritually advance. My friends, our goal for this week would be to not worry about self protection or defense, but to be willing to embrace the full Urantian experience as Thomas had. He was at times not happy with this, but, always was he constant in his decision. Allow Father to aid in your comfort without your help. My love is always with you. Until next week, Shalom.