Spiritual Advice and Guidance Blog: Urantia Book

Q: Why does God let the devil destroy the life of his creation? Why doesn't he always keep us affiliated to his beautiful world rather than exposing us to this evil world?

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com, a website dedicated to the teachings of a website dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book.

It is tempting to blame all the ills of our world on the devil. After all, many of us have been taught from an early age that there is this force for evil, centered in the devil, that appears to have equal weight against the forces for good, centered in God. We have been taught to fear the devil, and we blame him for everything bad in the world. And when we are not blaming the devil, we are blaming God for letting the devil have his way so often.

God is not responsible for any personality's evil deeds; and the devil is not always responsible for the bad things that people do:

"The devil has been given a great deal of credit for evil which does not belong to him. Caligastia [the devil - see link below] has been comparatively impotent since the cross of Christ. " (53:8.9)

This is not to say that the devil does not exist. There is a personality who The Urantia Book calls "the devil," and you can read about him HERE. Â And he is not the only one; I am sure you are familiar with the names "Lucifer" and "Satan." These two personalities. along with the devil, Caligastia, pretty much constitute the "forces of evil" who have done untold harm on this planet from the days of it's earliest development.

Two of these personalities are no longer on this planet; the devil remains, but as a vanquished, hollow presence, who can only influence those who actually seek him out. His power is greatly diminished. The remnants of their evil deeds remain, but it can be overcome. Once we know the truth about these personalities, we realize that have much more power to assume responsibility for the changes we wish to see, instead of feeling that we are powerless under the influence of evil forces.

About God, and evil, Jesus said:

"My brother, God is love; therefore he must be good, and his goodness is so great and real that it cannot contain the small and unreal things of evil. God is so positively good that there is absolutely no place in him for negative evil. Evil is the immature choosing and the unthinking misstep of those who are resistant to goodness, rejectful of beauty, and disloyal to truth. Evil is only the misadaptation of immaturity or the disruptive and distorting influence of ignorance. Evil is the inevitable darkness which follows upon the heels of the unwise rejection of light. Evil is that which is dark and untrue, and which, when consciously embraced and willfully endorsed, becomes sin." (130:1.5)

Please read HERE about Jesus, and how he overcame the forces of evil when he was on Earth. (In this section, you'll read that Jesus was known as "Michael," which is his celestial title. But Michael and Jesus are one and the same personality.)
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God cannot force us to stay "affiliated with his beautiful world." unless he takes away our free will. But he never forces us. We must come willingly to God. Likewise, the evil things that happen on our earth - things that threaten the life of the creation - could be stopped by God if it was his will, but it was his will that men have freewill choice. If God had wanted a perfect world, he likely would have created it. Instead we find ourselves in a place where God's children have to struggle to find the perfection of GodÂ through faith. When we are exposed to a world that contains both good and evil, mankind then has the opportunity to choose the good and progress towards perfection. If there was no choice, we would not be freewill creatures anymore, and we could not experience the victorious joy of overcoming evil with goodness, as Jesus taught us to do.

But we are not alone in our struggles. God is still at work. Said Jesus:

"There lives within every human mind a divine spirit, the gift of the Father in heaven. This good spirit ever strives to lead us to God, to help us to find God and to know God." (133:3.7)

Every person has this divine spirit, and every person has free will. It is up to each of us to seek God out - not everyone does. But we all carry within us that spark of divinity which can help us immeasurably to stay affiliated with his "beautiful world" - the kingdom of heaven within - by our own choosing.Â Then, no matter what happens in the outer world, we find ourselves with the inner peace of the kingdom of God.

When you find yourself worried over the state of the world, please consider this Urantia Book passage:

"As you view the world, remember that the black patches of evil which you see are shown against a white background of ultimate good. You do not view merely white patches of good which show up miserably against a black background of evil.Â

When there is so much good truth to publish and proclaim, why should men dwell so much upon the evil in the world just because it appears to be a fact? The beauties of the spiritual values of truth are more pleasurable and uplifting than is the phenomenon of evil." (195:5.12)

God's only will for us is goodness. It is ourselves that we must change so that we learn to think with God, if we want to change the world...only in this way will be able to experience more goodness.

I hope this answer has been helpful...please click on the links provided, and always practice the advice that Jesus was fond of giving: "Fear not."

Labels: evil, God, God within, goodness, Jesus, Lucifer, Satan, the devil

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Monday, September 14, 2009

I am facing lots of problems. I need someone who can hear me.

Q: At this phase of life I am facing lots of problems. I need someone who can hear me.

A: Thanks for writing to us here at Truthbook.com.

I am sorry to hear that you are facing so many troubles right now. I think that all of us go through times where it seems that nothing is going right, and we just feel overwhelmed with it all.

And of course, one of the most valuable things to have in this life is someone who will be on our side, who will be with us no matter what, who believes in us, and most of all - someone who will LISTEN to us and actually HEAR what we are saying. The human heart longs for expression.

Ideally, you would be able to find a friend or family member who you would trust with your innermost thought and feelings; maybe that is part of your dilemma these days; maybe you feel misunderstood. Maybe your problems are just so severe, you have a hard time even putting them into words?

When we are having trouble finding what we need most - when our deepest expressions go unheard - when the company of our fellows is just not enough - the teachings of The Urantia Book help us to bridge the gap.

It might comfort you to know that Jesus himself experienced the very human feelings that you expressed in your note. He was in the middle of terrible trouble; he had no one who really understood him, no one to talk to; he felt alone; he suffered, in a very human way, all of these difficulties.

I would like to share a short story from the Life and Teachings of Jesus; this is the scene of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before his arrest:

(182:3.9) Jesus' heart was being crushed; he truly loved his brethren. He was isolated from his family in the flesh; one of his chosen associates was betraying him. His father Joseph's people had rejected him and thereby sealed their doom as a people with a special mission on earth. His soul was tortured by baffled love and rejected mercy. It was just one of those awful human moments when everything seems to bear down with crushing cruelty and terrible agony.

Jesus' humanity was not insensible to this situation of private loneliness, public shame, and the appearance of the failure of his cause. All these sentiments bore down on him with indescribable heaviness. In this great sorrow his mind went back to the days of his childhood in Nazareth and to his early work in Galilee. At the time of this great trial there came up in his mind many of those pleasant scenes of his earthly ministry. And it was from these old memories of Nazareth, Capernaum, Mount Hermon, and of the sunrise and sunset on the shimmering Sea of Galilee, that he soothed himself as he made his human heart strong and ready...

This was how Jesus managed to rise above one the most terrible times anyone could experience, and maybe in it, you'll find a way to help yourself, too, in the short-term. Even the memory of something as ordinary as a beautiful sunset was enough to lift the spirits of the Master. Abandon your cares for a moment; look for some beauty in your life; think on happier times for awhile.

Jesus always practiced communion with God as a way to find all the answers to the problems of life that he encountered; and there were many. He would often go apart by himself and talk to God in prayer. Here is one way for you to begin to solve your problems in the long-term. It is what Jesus taught:

(146:2.4) 3. By opening the human end of the channel of the God-man communication, mortals make immediately available the ever-flowing stream of divine ministry to the creatures of the worlds. When man hears God's spirit speak within the human heart, inherent in such an experience is the fact that God simultaneously hears that man's prayer.

You can read Jesus' entire discourse about prayer HERE

So, even if you lack a human source of the "listening ear," you can still do as Jesus did, and turn to your Father in Heaven. You can be of good cheer, for you are never alone in this life, as you carry God within your mind, so he is always as close as a thought, a longing, a prayer...with continued practice, you'll become more and more able to find him, and he will become your closest confidante. God wants to be your all, and he will eventually supply all that you need to overcome your problems, when you turn to him with an open heart. He knows you better than you know yourself...

Thanks again for writing to us. I hope that you begin feeling better very soon.

Labels: beauty, God within, happiness, Jesus, listening, prayer, problems

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If Heaven has its own language, does Satan also have his own?

Q: If Heaven has its own language, does Satan also have his own?

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook.com. We are always happy to hear from our visitors.

The language of heaven is harmony and spiritual peace. The Urantia Book tells us that "Forever, music will remain the universal language of men, angels, and spirits."

I like to think of a Heaven where we will sing to one another in beautiful musical tones. And even here on earth, we can learn to communicate with one another in the harmonious language of the Spirit that connects us all under the beneficent Fatherhood of God. It may not be strictly musical here on Earth, but it is harmonious...

On the other hand, Satan and his cohort, Lucifer, have a different way of communicating. Their call was not for harmony, but for insurrection against the Father's rule, causing great dis-harmony in the entire universe:

From The Urantia Book:

(53:4.1) The Lucifer manifesto was issued at the annual conclave of Satania on the sea of glass, in the presence of the assembled hosts of Jerusem, on the last day of the year, about two hundred thousand years ago, Urantia time. Satan proclaimed that worship could be accorded the universal forcesâ€”physical, intellectual, and spiritualâ€”but that allegiance could be acknowledged only to the actual and present ruler, Lucifer, the "friend of men and angels" and the "God of liberty."

Self-assertion was the battle cry of the Lucifer rebellion. One of his chief arguments was that, if self-government was good and right for the Melchizedeks and other groups, it was equally good for all orders of intelligence. He was bold and persistent in the advocacy of the "equality of mind" and "the brotherhood of intelligence."

Even though the Lucifer Rebellion has been over for many, many years on our planet, we still find its language ingrained into our world; we still bear the remnants of its destructive influence. We struggle with a disbelief in God, and we witness a prevailing attitude of self-will, as opposed to a heartfelt dedication to God's will. Many still seek "false liberty, the assumption of self-assertion."

But even so, the loud voices of sin and rebellion can be effectively replaced in our consciousness by a wholehearted desire to find the voice of God within ourselves. Even though it is a "still, small voice," it can be heard over the loud voice of evil when one takes the time, and seeks the quiet time to find it within. And when we become accustomed to seeking and finding that voice, we are then able to communicate its beauty to our world through love and brotherhood.

Thank you again for this interesting question. Please accept my invitation to subscribe to our free service - Quote of the Day - which will help you to hear that harmonious voice of Heaven every day through Urantia Book quotes.

Labels: false liberty, God within, Harmony, heaven, language, Lucifer, Satan, The Urantia Book

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How can I change my life richer?

Q: How can I change my life richer?

A:Thank you for your note to Truthbook.

It may be that you are not a native English-speaking person, so I am going to have to guess at the exact meaning of your question here...

You ask how you can change your life so that it is richer...? That could mean richer in a material sense, as in money or possessions, or it could mean richer in a spiritual sense. I will assume it is the latter - that you want to know how to make your spiritual life richer. I cannot give any advice to make your material life richer...

First, be encouraged to know that God lives within your mind, and that he is approachable in your thoughts. This is a powerful part of the revelation of The Urantia Book. God is your spirit Father, and he loves you with the affectionate love of a Father. This knowledge will help you to feel free to communicate with that most innermost part of yourself through quiet times of meditation and prayer. God hears our prayers, and if your aim is to enrich your inner spiritual life, you will be rewarded by an increased sense of peace and connection if you make the effort to reach up to God. As you reach up in your thoughts and prayers, God will reach down to meet you where you are and as you are. Share your inner life with God. Memorized words are not necessary...God answers the attitude of your soul.

Become interested in the people in your life - cultivate a friendly attitude towards all, and learn to love people, even with all their faults, for that is how God loves you. Know that God dwells within everyone else, too, and that makes all people your brothers and sisters. Learn to look for the beautiful in life, and cultivate the fruits of the Spirit.

From The Urantia Book:

(193:2.2) "Salvation is the free gift of God, but those who are born of the spirit will immediately begin to show forth the fruits of the spirit in loving service to their fellow creatures. And the fruits of the divine spirit which are yielded in the lives of spirit-born and God-knowing mortals are: loving service, unselfish devotion, courageous loyalty, sincere fairness, enlightened honesty, undying hope, confiding trust, merciful ministry, unfailing goodness, forgiving tolerance, and enduring peace

Know that you are part of a divine plan that promises you eternal life. This eternal life is yours by a simple act of acceptance of your status as a child of God.

To gain the most inspiration for improving and enriching your life in all ways, I recommend reading The Urantia Book. For starters, please feel free to subscribe to our free Quote of the Day service, which will deliver an inspirational message to you daily. Each quote will have a link to the text of The Urantia Book, which will enlarge your understanding.

And come back often. The Urantia Book is available to read on our site, and you can listen as well. We have a top-notch search engine, and many other features to help you on your spiritual path.

Labels: eternal life, fruits of the spirit, God within, inner life, The Urantia Book

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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

They say If you make one step towards God, he takes 1000 toward you. I have taken all possible steps towards him but he never makes any step towards m

Q: They say If you make one step towards God, he takes 1000 toward you. I have taken all possible steps towards him but he never makes any step towards me. Why?

A: I wonder what kinds of steps towards God you have taken?

And then I wonder what kind of steps that you expect God to make towards you?

I wonder what your relationship is with God...do you have a relationship with him?

Since I don't know very much about you, I will answer your question with some solid teachings from The Urantia Book that may be of some help to you.

Most importantly, you should know that God dwells within you - in your mind. You can always find him there - he is there as your "pilot light" - the "lamp unto your feet." God is not an aloof Deity residing somewhere in Heaven, apart from his children. Even though he can be found in Paradise, he is also living your life with you at this very moment. Remember - God is a spirit, but he is also a personality. We can relate to him as a person - like the perfect father. No need for memorized prayers - just open your inmost heart to him, without any thought of reward or reply. Like any person, God responds to love and sincerity, and he will help you to connect to this Highest part of yourself, if that is your real desire.

God does hear us when we speak to him, and he does know when we are seeking him. I don't know why you have this sense that he has not made steps toward you...If you are not aware of the steps he is taking, maybe you are not looking in the right places...God's response to us is in the innermost reaches of our highest spiritual thinking, and may be more concerned with meeting your deepest needs and desires with values, not things. If you are looking in a material sense for evidence of God's steps in your direction, you may not ever see it without spiritual insight.

You might try some dedicated times of quiet mental reflection with just talking with God as your primary focus, and see if you get some kind of inspiration that way. But, before you start, find ten things to be grateful for, and thank God for your blessings. In these quiet times, ask God to help you recognize his answers to you. And then listen carefully...

Try to relax, and try to trust God more. Like any good father, he wants your trust and your faith - he wants you to love him like a happy child loves its faithful parent. Keep talking with God, and pay attention. You may be getting more evidence of his Presence than you expect...

I invite you to discover a new revelation of God, found in The Urantia Book. Please feel free to visit our page called "Finding God." Click there on any of the links to open up a whole new way to frame your approach to God.

Thanks for writing...

Labels: finding God, God, God within, God's voice, meditation, prayer, The Urantia Book

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Saturday, February 14, 2009

When does the soul enter the human body?

Q: When does the soul enter the human body?

A: There has long been speculation about the soul - what it is, where it resides, how it is nurtured...but it is a fairly common belief that the soul is the non-material component of a human being, a component that possesses immortality. And this belief is true. Only the details have been missing.

The Urantia Book dispels all doubt as to the soul's origin and purpose. We learn that the soul is the spiritual counterpart of a human being which is born at the moment of the person's first moral choice - usually at about age five. Coincident with the first moral choosing, this occasion also marks the arrival of the indwelling Spirit of God into the mind of a human being. At this time, this brand new entity is created, and its evolution and growth is continued throughout a lifetime by every new choice towards the good, true and beautiful.

Rather than something that enters a human from without, the immortal soul is born from within, and is nurtured by continued identification with the indwelling Spirit of God. And at the end of life, it is this entity which survives the death experience and goes on to eternal life.

Please see Jesus' Discourse on the Soul for a far more inspiring explanation than I can give...

Thank you for this important question...

Labels: God within, Jesus, soul, The Urantia Book, Thought Adjuster

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Monday, October 06, 2008

How Can I Find God's Voice?

Q: How to find God's voice?

A: What I hear in your short sentence is a question regarding the voice of God, and how to hear that Voice within yourself.

Many of us have been instructed that God is within us, and The Urantia Book expands and enlarges this concept beautifully. We learn in its teachings that this spark of Divinity within is called the Thought Adjuster, and that it is an actual fragment of the Father himself:
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(148:6.10) ...the Father...speaks within the human heart as a still, small voice, saying, `This is the way; walk therein.' Do you not comprehend that God dwells within you, that he has become what you are that he may make you what he is!"
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Here is another quote regarding the voice of God-within:
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(110:7.9) While the voice of the Adjuster is ever within you, most of you will hear it seldom during a lifetime. Human beings below the third and second circles of attainment rarely hear the Adjuster's direct voice except in moments of supreme desire, in a supreme situation, and consequent upon a supreme decision.
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And this:
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(101:1.2) The Thought Adjuster has no special mechanism through which to gain self-expression; there is no mystic religious faculty for the reception or expression of religious emotions. These experiences are made available through the naturally ordained mechanism of mortal mind. And therein lies one explanation of the Adjuster's difficulty in engaging in direct communication with the material mind of its constant indwelling.

The divine spirit makes contact with mortal man, not by feelings or emotions, but in the realm of the highest and most spiritualized thinking. It is your thoughts, not your feelings, that lead you Godward. The divine nature may be perceived only with the eyes of the mind. But the mind that really discerns God, hears the indwelling Adjuster, is the pure mind. "Without holiness no man may see the Lord." All such inner and spiritual communion is termed spiritual insight. Such religious experiences result from the impress made upon the mind of man by the combined operations of the Adjuster and the Spirit of Truth as they function amid and upon the ideas, ideals, insights, and spirit strivings of the evolving sons of God.
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We see by these quotes that the best way to find this voice within is through our highest thinking, as that is where the combined Spirit of God (the Thought Adjuster) and the Spirit of Truth (Jesus) work together for our highest good.

Even though it may seem difficult from the above quotes to actually experience the hearing of God's voice, we are not left only with difficulty. A very practical way that The Urantia Book helps us to find and hear the Divine voice, is through the prayerful practice of conversing with our "alter ego." Consider this quote:
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(91:3.7) Enlightened prayer must recognize not only an external and personal God but also an internal and impersonal Divinity, the indwelling Adjuster. It is altogether fitting that man, when he prays, should strive to grasp the concept of the Universal Father on Paradise; but the more effective technique for most practical purposes will be to revert to the concept of a near-by alter ego, just as the primitive mind was wont to do, and then to recognize that the idea of this alter ego has evolved from a mere fiction to the truth of God's indwelling mortal man in the factual presence of the Adjuster so that man can talk face to face, as it were, with a real and genuine and divine alter ego that indwells him and is the very presence and essence of the living God, the Universal Father.
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Basically, we can "talk to ourselves," a practice that we all naturally learn to do as children, when we have inner conversations with an imaginary companion. As we grow, and as we desire closer communication with God, we may ennoble that concept to become the reality of a conversation with God-within.

Please click here for the entire section on Prayer and the Alter-Ego.

Labels: alter ego, God, God within, God's voice, prayer, The Urantia Book, Thought Adjuster