The Revelation as a Personal Ministry

An amazing journey of 18 inches, from the head to the morontial heart

By Guy Perron

Click here for PDF version [2]

(Presented at the 2017 Joint Education Seminar)

"Presenting an educational strategy that uses progressive ways to bring people to appreciate revealed truth and the potential benefits of the inner life. Spreading the teachings of The Urantia Book using parallel teachings."

We all know deep within that we have been blessed with an amazing gift, the 5th Epochal Revelation. But how are we receiving and perceiving these incomparable and transformative teachings? Let's explore ways to enter into a most fascinating journey, a journey of only 18 inches long, from the head to the morontial heart, from outside in, which will enable us to act and respond to our brothers and sisters and to situations from inside out.

Let's move from facts (read) to meanings (study) to values (living the teachings). Let's examine simple ways to encourage the ones we interact with to go inward, upward, onward and outward and along the way, experience another type of activities, the inner ones. Let's explore how we can whet their appetites and encourage them to go within and discover, progressively, the marvels and the spiritual riches of the inner life in their daily living.

48:7.16 (556.16) 14. Whet the appetites of your associates for truth; give advice only when it is asked for.

The revelators move us from words of the ordinary life into the word symbols of spiritual reality. They first open us to new facts from which can emerge new meanings leading us to espouse higher values in living the teachings and experiencing the spiritual realities connected to revealed truth, therefore diminishing progressively the confusion in our minds.

0:0.1 (1.1) IN THE MINDS of the mortals of Urantia — that being the name of your world — there exists great confusion respecting the meaning of such terms as God, divinity, and deity. Human beings are still more confused and uncertain about the relationships of the divine personalities designated by these numerous appellations.

It is wise to keep this in mind when we are about to share these truths. Through the experience gained in the UBIS, many of us have realized that the teachers are truly the revelators and the best way to support them is by facilitating first the acceptance by our siblings of new facts. The non-directive pedagogy used in the UBIS as proven to be very helpful in leading people to the self-discovery of truth. This is an effective way to enlarge the mind arena of choice by the gradual expansion of cosmic consciousness.

In order to help people receiving and dealing with new facts, I found it really useful to know them, to have a feeling of what they are interesting in; in connecting first at that level, we can build trust and confidence even in a few minutes. Attentive and kind listening is always an asset. Keeping in mind that God's presence indwells them, it is good to verify with them if they have the time and if that they are willing to engage in a deeper conversation, not forcing anything, If so, I would ask questions about their own quest. In doing so, we can prevent and hopefully avoid the pitfalls of projecting the old into the new by starting with what is already present in their lives.

Revealed truth is and doesn't need to be compared. In dealing with new concepts, new expanded elements of spiritual realities, one the main difficulties for most people is to realize that they are really dealing with new things, things that they had never heard before. It doesn't come from themselves or from books they read or things they heard. Many people tried to contradict this in their minds and translate what they read or heard into their habitual language. They compare the book with the Bible or other teachings and beliefs that they are familiar with. Others tried to discredit what is offered to them. We are so deeply stuck in our old tunes, old motives that it is not an easy thing to realize that we truly have a revelation in our hands. In a way, some have even ceased to hope and ceased to believe that there might be anything new. And when finally the new is offered to us, we often take them for old, or think that it can be explained and interpreted by the old. It is true that it is a difficult task to realize the possibility and necessity of quite new ideas and ideals, and it needs with time a revaluation of all usual values. It is wise when presented with the revelation to try not to interpret it in the old way. (inspired partly by PD Ouspensky)

The use of parallel teachings as first steps to the inner life and the incomparable teachings of The Urantia Book has proven very useful. In the first contacts, the use or mention of The Urantia Book is not even necessary. If, for example, they are interested in Buddhism, I will focus our exchange on the 4 noble truths; if they are dealing with letting go of the clamors of the belligerent self, I might use "The 4 Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz or "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. If they are seeking the connection with God and his Divine Presence, I will use teachings from "Opening the doors within" by Eileen Caddy or books by Eva Weber like 'The Journey with the Master" or other ones dealing with growth and expansion of the soul. If they are interested in consciousness, I will use other elements which could be beneficial in the situation like the teachings from the "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tse or some from the 4th Way. In doing so, the interest can be maintained. Another important element is to feel the receptivity of the person and create a trusting environment where this spiritual appetite can be nurtured and kept alive... and learn to stop when we feel there has been enough shared.

The teachings of The Urantia Book are real morontial food for our souls and we know by experience the importance of cultivating a mind of perfect poise to receive the maximum of light without danger for any individual, us and others. This is an

interesting advice from the Solitary Messenger. How can we acquire such a mind, how can we unify the perceiving, feeling and thinking elements of our mind? What kind of individual I am dealing with so I can be more aware of what is required: is the person more an intellectual type, an emotional one or instinctive? These teachings cannot be received only intellectually as they will lead people who receive it this way to fall in the trap of intellectualizing the teachings which can engenders all kind of issues. Jesus warned Ganid about this way of doing:

130:3.7 (1433.2) ... “Teacher Joshua, you know more than these professors; you should stand up and tell

them the great things you have told me; they are befogged by much thinking. I shall speak to my father and have him arrange it.” Jesus smiled, saying: “You are an admiring pupil, but these teachers are not minded that you and I should instruct them. The pride of unspiritualized learning is a treacherous thing in human experience. The true teacher maintains his intellectual integrity by ever remaining a learner.”

Then as we do in the sharing periods of the UBIS classes, by asking some thought provoking questions, new meanings can emerge. By making this process appealing, the resistance to change can be greatly diminish and inner conflict can be face to be erased in a more dynamic and enthusiastic way.

100:4.1 (1097.5) Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous. New religious insights arise out of conflicts which initiate the choosing of new and better reaction habits in the place of older and inferior reaction patterns. New meanings only emerge amid conflict; and conflict persists only in the face of refusal to espouse the higher values connoted in superior meanings.

When people know that as we grow, conflicts are normal, then the willingness to resolve them increases as it is perceived and understood as part of this transformative process. It is quite something to understand experientially that our mind is constantly renewed by the Spirit of Truth. Each day, new meanings can emerge that will lead us to live a more unified life, to live closer to God. This is truly a path of renewal and change that leads us to spiritual freedom. We need to be patient and tolerant as we understand more and more how long it took us to where we are, still humble ascending mortals.

143:2.4 (1609.5) “By the old way you seek to suppress, obey, and conform to the rules of living; by the new way you are first transformed by the Spirit of Truth and thereby strengthened in your inner soul by the constant spiritual renewing of your mind, and so are you endowed with the power of the certain and joyous performance of the gracious, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Forget not — it is your personal faith in the exceedingly great and precious promises of God that ensures your becoming partakers of the divine nature. Thus by your faith and the spirit’s transformation, you become in reality the temples of God, and his spirit actually dwells within you. If, then, the spirit dwells within you, you are no longer bondslaves of the flesh but free and liberated sons of the spirit. The new law of the spirit endows you with the liberty of self-mastery in place of the old law of the fear of self-bondage and the slavery of self-denial.

Here are few more elements that are helping me before I get involved in a personal ministry. During my divine appointments, I always allow time for a loving kindness meditation, time to feel the presence of all the people I will interact with during the day and time to receive leadings that will be of great support in my service to them. I visualize my spouse, family, friends, collaborators and new people I will meet as I go by; in God and with God, I blessed them and wish them the best for their own growth and that they can face all situations in using the fruits of the spirit. I surround them with the same love I receive from my Thought Adjuster.

In getting ready to serve, I regularly ask myself how can we/I humbly help others become aware of their inner life? How can I bring them closer to God? How can I bring God closer to them? And if the opportunity occurs, how can I feed their soul?

126:2.5 (1388.5) As the years passed, this young carpenter of Nazareth increasingly measured every institution of society and every usage of religion by the unvarying test: What does it do for the human soul? does it bring God to man? does it bring man to God? While this youth did not wholly neglect the recreational and social aspects of life, more and more he devoted his time and energies to just two purposes: the care of his family and the preparation to do his Father’s heavenly will on earth.

How can I help them find the kingdom within? How can we/I gain souls to the Kingdom? What can we/I do to do the extra mile?

195:10.4 (2084.4) “The kingdom of God is within you” was probably the greatest pronouncement Jesus ever made, next to the declaration that his Father is a living and loving spirit.

195:10.5 (2084.5) In winning souls for the Master, it is not the first mile of compulsion, duty, or convention that will transform man and his world, but rather the second mile of free service and liberty-loving devotion that betokens the Jesusonian reaching forth to grasp his brother in love and sweep him on under spiritual guidance toward the higher and divine goal of mortal existence. Christianity even now willingly goes the first mile, but mankind languishes and stumbles along in moral darkness because there are so few genuine second-milers — so few professed followers of Jesus who really live and love as he taught his disciples to live and love and serve.

How can we/I awaken these latent powers for good which lie dormant in your souls?

160:3.1 (1777.2) ... but the Master has well said, “Man cannot live by bread alone.” Granted the possession of a normal body and reasonably good health, we must next look for those lures which will act as a stimulus to call forth man’s slumbering spiritual forces. Jesus has taught us that God lives in man; then how can we induce man to release these soul-bound powers of divinity and infinity? How shall we induce men to let go of God that he may spring forth to the refreshment of our own souls while in transit outward and then to serve the purpose of enlightening, uplifting, and blessing countless other souls? How best can I awaken these latent powers for good which lie dormant in your souls?

The other fundamental element that has been at the base of my personal ministry is my humble and nevertheless expanding understanding of consciousness, of our quest for consciousness. Before I fully immersed myself in the amazing teachings of The Urantia Book, I was involved in a school of consciousness where I learned and experienced a great deal of transformative knowledge and exercises to expand awareness and attain new levels of consciousness.

What a blessing it was for me, an ascending mortal, to find out experientially that this was the main task of the revelators:

0:0.2 (1.2) It is exceedingly difficult to present enlarged concepts and advanced truth, in our endeavor to expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception, when we are restricted to the use of a circumscribed language of the realm.

...and our greatest adventure in the flesh:

196:3.34 (2097.2) The great challenge to modern man is to achieve better communication with the divine Monitor that dwells within the human mind. Man’s greatest adventure in the flesh consists in the well-balanced and sane effort to advance the borders of self- consciousness out through the dim realms of embryonic soul-consciousness in a wholehearted effort to reach the borderland of spirit-consciousness — contact with the divine presence. Such an experience constitutes God-consciousness, an experience mightily confirmative of the pre-existent truth of the religious experience of knowing God. Such spirit-consciousness is the equivalent of the knowledge of the actuality of sonship with God. Otherwise, the assurance of sonship is the experience of faith.

196:3.35 (2097.3) And God-consciousness is equivalent to the integration of the self with the universe, and on its highest levels of spiritual reality.

I found out, like many of us did, that the expansion of our consciousness (reality realization) provides for

• The expansion of our soul:

• The development of a new mind, an intermediate mind, a morontial mind

• The expansion of our reality in the universe

• The progressive actualization of our cosmic consciousness

• The progressive gain of self-mastery

• The improve ability to communicate with our Thought Adjuster

• The expansion of our ability to love like Jesus loved us

• The conquest of the psychic circles and more...

So each day, all my personal ministry is connected with our quest for consciousness and the experiential knowing that we all have the same inner purpose: to awake to the spiritual realities and to gain more and more awareness of what is spiritual living in order to commit to our own spiritual growth and become the best version of our self, supporting in a way or others the remove of obstacles increasing the process of letting go and letting God in. We understand that we cannot change someone else but we can support and facilitate the change.

48:6.37 (555.5) You will learn that you increase your burdens and decrease the likelihood of success by taking yourself too seriously... But though the work is important, the self is not. When you feel important, you lose energy to the wear and tear of ego dignity so that there is little energy left to do the work. Self-importance, not work-importance, exhausts immature creatures; it is the self element that exhausts, not the effort to achieve. You can do important work if you do not become self-important; you can do several things as easily as one if you leave yourself out. Variety is restful; monotony is what wears and exhausts.

110:1.5 (1204.3) The Adjuster remains with you in all disaster and through every sickness which does not wholly destroy the mentality. But how unkind knowingly to defile or otherwise deliberately to pollute the physical body, which must serve as the earthly tabernacle of this marvelous gift from God. All physical poisons greatly retard the efforts of the Adjuster to exalt the material mind, while the mental poisons of fear, anger, envy, jealousy, suspicion, and intolerance likewise tremendously interfere with the spiritual progress of the evolving soul.

108:5.6 (1192.1) Your transient and ever-changing emotions of joy and sorrow are in the main purely human and material reactions to your internal psychic climate and to your external material environment. Do not, therefore, look to the Adjuster for selfish consolation and mortal comfort. It is the business of the Adjuster to prepare you for the eternal adventure, to assure your survival. It is not the mission of the Mystery Monitor to smooth your ruffled feelings or to minister to your injured pride; it is the preparation of your soul for the long ascending career that engages the attention and occupies the time of the Adjuster.

108:5.8 (1192.3) The Thought Adjusters would like to change your feelings of fear to convictions of love and confidence; but they cannot mechanically and arbitrarily do such things; that is your task. In executing those decisions which deliver you from the fetters of fear, you literally supply the psychic fulcrum on which the Adjuster may subsequently apply a spiritual lever of uplifting and advancing illumination.

During my presentation, I will share examples of daily endeavors that promote the inner life and our quest for consciousness to the people I interact with either through daily messages (please find an example below), UBIS classes, study group, working group, conferences, workshops, both in French and English. Hope my humble experience as a son of God can be of any help.

48:7.13 (556.13) 11. The weak indulge in resolutions, but the strong act. Life is but a day’s work — do it well. The act is ours; the consequences God’s.

If you ever want to find more, your can join us on the UBIS and experience this really effective pedagogy; and if you get even more curious, you might notice a class entitled "Our Quest for Consciousness"; and if you register, it will be a morontial joy to interact with you in class.

God is good, eternally good!

And He indwells each of us with His Divine Presence, how much better could it be?

EXAMPLE OF A DAILY MESSAGE

Are we willing to be constantly renewed? [3]

From Opening Doors Within by Eileen Caddy March 13, 2017

Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. A snake cannot grow without shedding its old skin. A baby chick cannot emerge from its shell without cracking it open. A baby cannot be born without emerging from its mother’s womb. These natural processes have to come about to bring change. Step by step they take place, and nothing can stop them. If the baby chick does not have the strength to burst out of its shell, it will die.

There is a right time for everything. You can try to prevent changes taking place because you feel safe and secure where you are and would rather stay in the confines of that which you know rather than move out into the unknown; but in those confines you will suffocate and die. Try to understand and accept the need to change with everything that is taking place at this time. Lift up your heart and give thanks for these changes and become part of them.

From The Urantia Book

100:4.1 (1097.5) Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous. New religious insights arise out of conflicts which initiate the choosing of new and better reaction habits in the place of older and inferior reaction patterns. New meanings only emerge amid conflict; and conflict persists only in the face of refusal to espouse the higher values connoted in superior meanings.

143:2.4 (1609.5) “By the old way you seek to suppress, obey, and conform to the rules of living; by the new way you are first transformed by the Spirit of Truth and thereby strengthened in your inner soul by the constant spiritual renewing of your mind, and so are you endowed with the power of the certain and joyous performance of the gracious, acceptable, and perfect will of God.