[tmtranscripts] Abraham 2-25-02

[ellen]

ABRAHAM -- BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 25, 2002
WOODS CROSS GROUP

I am ABRAHAM. Greetings. My heart is full when I see how much you care for
one another. I am always inspired to become more than I am. I will not
settle for a lesser route to be more than I am because it is more simple,
no. While I appreciate those times of comfort and ease, I do realize I am
less inclined to reach upward for help. My involvement in your lives
certainly keeps me inspired to learn more, grow more and become more than I
am, yes. As I make effort to serve in Michael's Mission, I am also served
and tremendously blessed. I thank you for your patience and willingness to
proceed ever forward.

Over these years I have been witness to literally viewing your [personal]
worlds increase incorporating those possibilities that seemed impossible
before, yes. I understand as a mortal you tend to be quite harsh on your
seemingly slow way of progression. It is with experience and time that you
can see you have actually expanded your mind, your personal world. There are
moments in this life that seem overwhelming and you cannot possibly bear one
more difficulty. I understand the feelings of inadequacy as your
difficulties enfold you. I have known the fear and pain of loss in the
mortal life, but I can say that these experiences are the very thing that
expands your mind so you can advance spiritually.

In a short time we will celebrate the Master's day of resurrection. It was a
time of releasing the old to take up the new. It was a time of dying to the
old ways and being reborn in the new. While mortal life can come with a
great many complexities, we can always take comfort in the fact that
everything changes, everything becomes new. I realize there is comfort to
some in the mundane. It seems safe and without surprises, but personal
spiritual growth is quite slowed.

You have known individuals who live with a great amount of fear and their
safety net is a life that is uneventful, unmoving and not going toward any
purpose, any goal. They seem to only to exist, not really live--just exist.
Those individuals who are somewhat balanced in this mortal life look forward
to daily challenges, unplanned experiences and surprises. They have their
safety net in the spiritual life. The spiritual life is a source of energy
that keeps you wanting to strive for a personal best, moving towards a life
in the Spirit, a perfected life, if you will.

We are inspired by the Master's life, where He was born as every child is,
and faces all the same daily difficulties and masters a life in the flesh.
His life was quite eventful at times and He took each moment as if it were
the only moment to focus on at the time. He relied on Father and His past
experiential training to move Him through events with enduring strength,
unfailing love and spiritual energy. He moved through the mortal life
without complaining, without being so entangled in unpleasant past
experiences. He learned from the past, but He did not dwell on it. He was
not so injured by it--as He was taught by it--to become who He was meant to
be.

While the Master was indeed a divine being, He also knew very well what life
was in the flesh. There is no doubt that Father was indeed His great
strength and comfort, but I would also mention that He found much
inspiration and energy among His fellows. While His divine side did find
spiritual fulfillment from the Father, His mortal side found satisfaction in
the love and acceptance of His fellows.

As we ponder the upcoming Easter holiday, we will definitely find strength
in the life of the Master. Was He weak for seeking out His fellows company?
Was He inadequate all by Himself? No. Jesus exhausted all His human and
divine resources. His fellows faith and good cheer gave Him energy and
reminded Him of the reason He persevered through many trials.

It has been said that many times the Master was beside Himself. This was in
fact a reconciliation of His spirit with Father's. It was an alignment of
wills. It was setting aside personal desires for the Father to work. It was
dying to the old ways to take up the new. In the seemingly overburdening
mortal life you can also become as the Master was and be beside yourself,
align your will with Father's. Release the heavy burden. Realize that you
are not left alone to carry on in life's difficulties. You can lay down the
old to take up the new.

As we think about the Master's resurrection we cannot go without remembering
Pentecost, when the Spirit was poured out upon all flesh and the
repercussions therefrom. As we commit to laying down the old, we are asking
to be reborn and rejuvenated in Spirit. This is truly a baptism of the
Spirit. Your own personal faith will only allow you to go so far with this
idea, but if the individual is willing, the Spirit of Truth is ready. Allow
the grime of spirit poisons to be washed away by our Purifier, our Spirit of
Truth, our Brother/Father, yes. Allow yourselves to be bathed in the light
of truth. Allow your attitudes to become refreshed, your minds to become
expanded and open to new possibilities.

This week I ask you to journal those past experiences you insist on dwelling
in and how this creates blockage to the new. Study the Master's resurrection
and the day of Pentecost. Plan time to be still and open to that baptism of
the Spirit. Father does truly desire your happiness and He knows your
dreams. He works to incorporate His lessons into helping you find the
desires of your heart, yes. A few questions.

CALVIN: Abraham, we welcome our friends, Geredean and Angus for the record
and Michele for the first time. Thank you for your lesson. (Certainly.
Welcome.)

SIMON: Yes Abraham, some people talk about having a contrite spirit and a
broken heart. In your second part of your assignment I wonder if you could
expand upon the baptism of the Spirit. How does that come about?

ABRAHAM: Put simply--baptism of the Spirit occurs when one is truly
committed to drinking the cup of mortal life and accepts the consequences
therefrom, and handles it through relying on the Spirit. You definitely feel
a change in attitude and you are with more determination to meet every
challenge without complaint or feeling self-pity. Baptism of the Spirit is
perhaps likened to a reconnection to the divine circuits. You can literally
feel it. At times some are perhaps tempted to go a bit overboard with
spreading the good news, but reality is certain to bring them back to earth.
I am believing that the saying 'a contrite spirit and a broken heart' is off
the mark here. That is more towards self-sacrificing to show Father how much
you love Him. Perhaps I am mistaken, but my idea here is that the baptism of
the Spirit is brush with the Spirit of Truth and the effects are awesome.
Another question?

HARRISON: Abraham, can you comment about belief in the idea that Jesus had
to die for our sins, the notion that we needed His blood to wash away our
sins?

ABRAHAM: Is there another purpose for this explanation Harrison? (I just
encountered a lot of that these last two weeks with the Christian's that
were handing things out on the corner.) Understood. I would say a few words.
Those that are so locked into the atonement doctrine would probably not
easily accept the ideas of the Urantia Book. The Master simply came to
reveal to us the Father in Heaven and reveal to the Father His mortal
children. He was not about building the spiritual life on any miracles or
ideas of self-sacrifice that pays your way into Heaven. The Master was more
focused on the positive aspects of the growing Kingdom, not about atoning
for a broken society to become worthy. This is so difficult to explain to
those who sincerely believe that the blood of Christ is their payment for
their unworthiness to be received into Heaven. It would be well if you could
also focus on the positive aspects of the Master's purpose and plans for the
growing Kingdom, instead of any debate over the atonement doctrine. Is this
helping. (Yes. Thank you.) You're welcome. Another question?

CALVIN: Abraham, when someone is so stuck on not giving into the Spirit of
Truth or in our life patterns, you know us pretty well and we cling onto our
old ways. It almost takes the harshness of life to beat us down to our
knees, not that Father is, but our own stubbornness I think is. What would
you say to us to change that attitude to not have to be beat down? It is so
hard to let go of the old patterns and trust and accept in faith that things
will be okay embracing the will of God.

ABRAHAM: With the varying personalities of individuals there are different
ways to accept divine help. Some will not receive until they are brought to
their knees by life's circumstance--not by Father--mind you, but by their
own obstinate determination to remain in old patterns. Angels, teachers,
various helpers, all help toward bringing you those lessons you need to
continue growing, but never do they inflict anything that would bring a
person such humility that their last resort was to open up to Heaven. The
point is that there is no hurry. There is no time limit and everyone is
completely safe. Is this helping. (It sure does. Thanks.) One more question.

SETH: I hope that this is helpful for someone else that is occurring in my
experience. From guidance I am told that this life journey is about shifting
identity from body identification to mind of God. I am wondering if the
experiences that I am having relating to the discomfort to my body is
related to this shift of consciousness?

ABRAHAM: I am understanding that your spiritual maturity level is quite
advanced, where you have gone beyond questioning, 'why me, is this payment
for a life I have lived, is this God teaching me?' Excellent, my son. This
idea comes from experiencing the pain in body. The mind shift is an
advancement towards morontial levels. You are seeing a glimpse of the
morontia life where we understand certain inevitability's. We are willing to
be corrected and enlightened. We are forsaking the ego in favor of spiritual
education. I am for the most part in understanding of your question, and
yes, many others are also experiencing this, but it is not new but an
outworking of a young planets spiritual evolution. Is this at all helping.
(Yes. Thank you.)

I am slipping. So I will send you with my love and reassure you that you are
well known and cared for, even in those times you feel alone. Go in peace.
Until next week, shalom