SpiritualFamily.Net: Bill Bricker's blogs

Personal Growth in Personal Religion

Bill Bricker — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 12:53:17 -0500

Personal Growth in Personal Religion ~

Personal growth is an Inner experience, and usually it is something we see after the fact of that growth. When values grow into a personal religion Within us -- we change in our everyday lives with that higher value we now put into action in our life's doings.

It's a step by step process we are into in life. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. Life is Very personal, and we should give everyone that 'space' to grow without judging. That's the trick... giving that space to everyone -- including ourselves.

100:1:7 [#3] Urantia Book

Religion cannot be bestowed, received, loaned, learned, or lost. It is a personal experience which grows proportionally to the growing quest for final values. Cosmic growth thus attends on the accumulation of meanings and the ever-expanding elevation of values. But nobility itself is always an unconscious growth.

The Personal Work

Bill Bricker — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 11:56:14 -0500

The Personal Work ~

We were given a mind to think with, and a body as a vehicle of expression, action and communication. Pray for guidance and clarity in purpose, but don't expect God to do the work for you -- the work is part of our personal experience, so enjoy it, even if it's one tough job.

Urantia Book 91:6.5

Do not be so slothful as to ask God to solve your difficulties, but never hesitate to ask him for wisdom and spiritual strength to guide and sustain you while you yourself resolutely and courageously attack the problems at hand.

Friendship

Bill Bricker — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:00:42 -0400

Friendship ~

Telling personal stories of your life is a great way to pass on truths you have learned in the process of living that life. Friends lighten your life, and add that 'Zest' of life to your day. Friends come in all sizes and shapes. They come with all kinds of personal experiences from their own lives. Sharing is great with friends as it expands your view of life. Having friends is healthy, physically and mentally, as well as adding to the value of the spiritual life.

~ 70:3:9 [#3] Urantia Book

"Guest friendship" was a relation of temporary hospitality. When visiting guests departed, a dish would be broken in half, one piece being given the departing friend so that it would serve as a suitable introduction for a third party who might arrive on a later visit. It was customary for guests to pay their way by telling tales of their travels and adventures. The storytellers of olden times became so popular that the mores eventually forbade their functioning during either the hunting or harvest seasons.

Spirit of Truth

Bill Bricker — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 15:25:28 -0400

The Spirit of Truth ~

When I look Within my mind, and I do my best to 'feel' the experience of sensing the Spirit of Truth in silent awareness, I can feel the presence that is truth at the bottom of each question, and at every turn in the road.

How about any of you -- do you feel the Truth living Within your mind?

(2059.1) 194:0.1 Urantia Book

ABOUT one o’clock, as the one hundred and twenty believers were engaged in prayer, they all became aware of a strange presence in the room. At the same time these disciples all became conscious of a new and profound sense of spiritual joy, security, and confidence. This new consciousness of spiritual strength was immediately followed by a strong urge to go out and publicly proclaim the gospel of the kingdom and the good news that Jesus had risen from the dead.

UB:34:5.4 Urantia Book

When mind is thus endowed with the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it possesses the capacity for (consciously or unconsciously) choosing the spiritual presence of the Universal Father — the Thought Adjuster. But it is not until a bestowal Son has liberated the Spirit of Truth for planetary ministry to all mortals that all normal minds are automatically prepared for the reception of the Thought Adjusters. The Spirit of Truth works as one with the presence of the spirit of the Divine Minister. This dual spirit liaison hovers over the worlds, seeking to teach truth and to spiritually enlighten the minds of men, to inspire the souls of the creatures of the ascending races, and to lead the peoples dwelling on the evolutionary planets ever towards their Paradise goal of divine destiny.

Equal Possibilities

Bill Bricker — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 13:26:20 -0400

Equal Possibilities ~

We are all so different in the views of life we hold dear. Many of them are from our societal programming and limited understanding of how the Universe really works. But there is hope -- "but the possibilities for spiritual progress in the ascension career are equal to all."

5:1:4 [#1] Urantia Book

The mortals of the realms of time and space may differ greatly in innate abilities and intellectual endowment, they may enjoy environments exceptionally favorable to social advancement and moral progress, or they may suffer from the lack of almost every human aid to culture and supposed advancement in the arts of civilization; but the possibilities for spiritual progress in the ascension career are equal to all; increasing levels of spiritual insight and cosmic meanings are attained quite independently of all such sociomoral differentials of the diversified material environments on the evolutionary worlds.

The Right Path

Bill Bricker — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 17:34:22 -0400

The Right Path ~

I have found for myself that it is much easier for me to just go for what I think is right and true, each day -- do my best, which sometimes is good and sometimes not so good of an effort -- and just raise myself up the stairway of life step by step, day by day, and have faith in the fact that there is something special about life and each one of our personal decisions. I believe that each one of our lives is special in a very personal way because a Spark of God our Father lives Within our minds and Souls -- which makes God our 'Father' and also makes us all 'Brothers and Sisters' in the family of God. My secret foundation for a good life is found Within, not outside in the world -- so I like to go Within in my thoughts and meditations, inside my mind and Soul, and plug into what I believe gives me reason, and strength to keep doing my best, to do my best.

I use words for communications in the material world, and the beginning of the deeper thinking process. But at some point Within my thinking mind I can leave the words behind and still be consciously and feelingly connected to my personal intentions. And that's where I connect to that Inner power we call Spirit.

I think that's how I simply leave behind that 'FEAR' that seems to be lurking in the depths of some peoples minds -- I refuse to waste my time with the searching for it's beginnings in the dark corners of my mind. I go for the good stuff from my first conscious breath each day, and I go for the light that comes with being open to truth, and I like to share what I find with others.

Rise above the fear and step into the adventure and reality of doing the best you can today with what you have to work with in the world. After all, as we grow higher values and learn more truth, we always see more of the harmony and flow of the beauty in the world -- and I know that always makes me want to share the good things I've found on my personal adventure in life. We do learn as we grow in life's personal experiences, sometimes the easy way and sometimes the hardest way. So we learn and know from experience that it is always a good thing to learn to control our minds -- become the ever-growing master of ourselves as best we can -- as we live and grow from our life's personal experiences.

Urantia Book (2062.11) 194:3.2

~Many things which happen in the course of a human life are hard to understand, difficult to reconcile with the idea that this is a universe in which truth prevails and in which righteousness triumphs. It so often appears that slander, lies, dishonesty, and unrighteousness — sin — prevail. Does faith, after all, triumph over evil, sin, and iniquity? It does. And the life and death of Jesus are the eternal proof that the truth of goodness and the faith of the spirit-led creature will always be vindicated. They taunted Jesus on the cross, saying, “Let us see if God will come and deliver him.” It looked dark on that day of the crucifixion, but it was gloriously bright on the resurrection morning; it was still brighter and more joyous on the day of Pentecost. The religions of pessimistic despair seek to obtain release from the burdens of life; they crave extinction in endless slumber and rest. These are the religions of primitive fear and dread. The religion of Jesus is a new gospel of faith to be proclaimed to struggling humanity. This new religion is founded on faith, hope, and love.

Diversity of Views

Bill Bricker — Mon, 22 May 2017 18:44:55 -0400

Diversity of Views ~

We all have our own ideas what this life means to us. And I personally think that if everyone has their own ideas, and they are not harmful to others -- why not just let them have those ideas, and not argue your own perspective so aggressively. As long as we all have our Spiritual roots plugged into the same Universal Father, why not let everyone have their own personal views of it all.

Privilege is won by those with self-control. Liberty without license is born in those who have mastered their own selfish desires. Freedom born of Power is only for those who have stripped themselves of their self-pride, and steadfastly refuse to use that power for their own self-enhancement. These freedoms born of personal self-control and unselfish desires foster a strong and peaceful civilization.

Morontia Mota ~ #6
~ To enjoy privilege without abuse, to have liberty without license, to possess power and steadfastly refuse to use it for self-aggrandizement — these are the marks of high civilization.
Urantia Book (556.8) 48:7.8 6.

Spirit Concept

Bill Bricker — Fri, 19 May 2017 12:43:00 -0400

Spirit Concept ~

I was born with a brain, and a body mind, and with these I was gifted with inherent talents that were potential. My brain, and body mind, cannot do more than they were created to do in my life. If I work hard, and pay attention, and have faith, I might just be able to develop all the potential that was given to me to use in life. Spiritually I learn each and every day about life and deep personal spiritual Values. I have free-will decision making power to make choices in my life. I can choose to cultivate deep Spiritual Values by using my personal experience in life. But there is no way my material brain, or body mind can be programmed with ‘Personal Spiritual Experience’, I have to live it, and feelingly experience my values to grow spiritually.

Morontia Mota ~ #3

Inherent capacities cannot be exceeded; a pint can never hold a quart. The spirit concept cannot be mechanically forced into the material memory mold.

Urantia Book (556.5) 48:7.5

What is your Opinion ~

Bill Bricker — Wed, 17 May 2017 14:00:21 -0400

What is your opinion ~

Something funny, well maybe not, happened this morning on a personal posting. On one of my writings from the Urantia Book, the one saying that God was a loving God and not a wrathful God. Someone on my Posting wrote how little I know because I'd probably not read Revelations which to them shows how God is a Wrathful God.

It's hard for me to understand how anyone could envision a God that was Wrathful or hateful, or angry, or needing revenge... what a scary universe that would be! People don't want their fear fooled with... I guess some like it. Even when I was a kid, and knew nothing.. I never would have envisioned God as mean or something to fear.

Just strange to me to be full of fear of God!!! A simple look up on one beautiful starry night will tell you that God has more on his mind then being vengeful and needing some sort of sacrifice to give us his love -- or wrathful and to be feared. Look at all that glory he's created and tell me he's not totally loving and supportive. In the end, God is active Love. No wrath or anger in real Love. Do you feel that hate or wrath in your love? I'd say not... just guessing :-)

2:6.6 41.4) The affectionate heavenly Father, whose spirit indwells his children on earth, is not a divided personality — one of justice and one of mercy — neither does it require a mediator to secure the Father’s favor or forgiveness. Divine righteousness is not dominated by strict retributive justice; God as a father transcends God as a judge.

2:6.7 (41.5) God is never wrathful, vengeful, or angry. It is true that wisdom does often restrain his love, while justice conditions his rejected mercy. His love of righteousness cannot help being exhibited as equal hatred for sin. The Father is not an inconsistent personality; the divine unity is perfect. In the Paradise Trinity there is absolute unity despite the eternal identities of the co-ordinates of God.

Everything we ever wanted to know about Personality

Bill Bricker — Sat, 29 Apr 2017 12:50:31 -0400

Everything we ever wanted to know about Personality ~

Thinking about personality and what it does for our lives is endless. I can't even imagine my life without personality -- Being Personal with Life ~

112:0.1 (1225.1) THE evolutionary planets are the spheres of human origin, the initial worlds of the ascending mortal career. Urantia is your starting point; here you and your divine Thought Adjuster are joined in temporary union. You have been endowed with a perfect guide; therefore, if you will sincerely run the race of time and gain the final goal of faith, the reward of the ages shall be yours; you will be eternally united with your indwelling Adjuster. Then will begin your real life, the ascending life, to which your present mortal state is but the vestibule. Then will begin your exalted and progressive mission as finaliters in the eternity which stretches out before you. And throughout all of these successive ages and stages of evolutionary growth, there is one part of you that remains absolutely unaltered, and that is personality — permanence in the presence of change.

112:0.2 (1225.2) While it would be presumptuous to attempt the definition of personality, it may prove helpful to recount some of the things which are known about personality:

112:0.3 (1225.3) 1●. Personality is that quality in reality which is bestowed by the Universal Father himself or by the Conjoint Actor, acting for the Father.

112:0.4 (1225.4) 2 ●. It may be bestowed upon any living energy system which includes mind or spirit.

112:0.5 (1225.5) 3 ●. It is not wholly subject to the fetters of antecedent causation. It is relatively creative or cocreative.

112:0.6 (1225.6) 4 ●. When bestowed upon evolutionary material creatures, it causes spirit to strive for the mastery of energy-matter through the mediation of mind.

112:0.7 (1225.7) 5 ●. Personality, while devoid of identity, can unify the identity of any living energy system.

112:0.8 (1225.8) 6 ●. It discloses only qualitative response to the personality circuit in contradistinction to the three energies which show both qualitative and quantitative response to gravity.

112:0.9 (1225.9) 7 ●. Personality is changeless in the presence of change.

112:0.10 (1225.10) 8 ●. It can make a gift to God — dedication of the free will to the doing of the will of God.

112:0.11 (1225.11) 9 ●. It is characterized by morality — awareness of relativity of relationship with other persons. It discerns conduct levels and choosingly discriminates between them.

112:0.12 (1225.12) 10 ●. Personality is unique, absolutely unique: It is unique in time and space; it is unique in eternity and on Paradise; it is unique when bestowed — there are no duplicates; it is unique during every moment of existence; it is unique in relation to God — he is no respecter of persons, but neither does he add them together, for they are nonaddable — they are associable but nontotalable.

112:0.13 (1226.1) 11 ●. Personality responds directly to other-personality presence.

112:0.14 (1226.2) 12 ●. It is one thing which can be added to spirit, thus illustrating the primacy of the Father in relation to the Son. (Mind does not have to be added to spirit.)

112:0.15 (1226.3) 13 ●. Personality may survive mortal death with identity in the surviving soul. The Adjuster and the personality are changeless; the relationship between them (in the soul) is nothing but change, continuing evolution; and if this change (growth) ceased, the soul would cease.

112:0.16 (1226.4) 14●. Personality is uniquely conscious of time, and this is something other than the time

perception of mind or spirit.