© 2009 Johanna Beukers
© 2009 Association Francophone des Lecteurs du Livre d'Urantia
Jesus exalted love—truth, beauty, and goodness—as a divine ideal and eternal reality.
His advice was:
When the teachings of the 5th Revelation invariably teach us to do the will of the Father, it seems to me that moving towards listening to what prevailed, according to Jesus, to really change something during our earthly life, must certainly be achievable here and now, even if we do not succeed immediately. Are not the effort and the intention to evolve sure values in the eyes of God our Father?
At first, few creatures are aware of the happiness that can be felt when we begin this path that leads to perfection by doing the will of the Father. In his Sermon on the Mount intended for his disciples, Jesus recommended a behavior that is also addressed to every creature wishing to enter the kingdom. At UB 140:5.16, we read: “Being attentive and sensitive to human needs creates genuine and lasting happiness; at the same time, this benevolent attitude protects the soul from the destructive influences of anger, hatred and suspicion”.
By studying these teachings, we see that by applying a beginning of effort, we are immediately rewarded by a protection of the soul against these poisons of life that are hatred, anger and suspicion; in addition, a lasting happiness seems to invade us! Would it not be worth the trouble to try it by launching ourselves as quickly as possible into doing the will of the Father? I ask you…
And what about the following: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for their righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Be blessed when men revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and feel exceeding gladness, for great is your reward in heaven.” (UB 133:4.12)
How were the apostles able to manage these exhortations? Because it already seems more difficult to test and then to achieve. Don’t we have to have an unwavering faith in God to endure undeserved aggression without resentment or defense? But let’s not lose courage. God has thought of everything, because through Jesus, he offered us prayer as an indispensable tool.
Prayer is designed to make man less thinking but more realizing; it is not designed to increase knowledge but rather to expand insight. (UB 143:7.4)
“Prayer is entirely a personal and spontaneous expression of the attitude of the soul toward the spirit; prayer should be the communion of sonship and the expression of fellowship. Prayer, when indited by the spirit, leads to co-operative spiritual progress. The ideal prayer is a form of spiritual communion which leads to intelligent worship. True praying is the sincere attitude of reaching heavenward for the attainment of your ideals. (UB 144:2.2)
Prayer is the sincere and longing look of the child to its spirit Father; it is a psychologic process of exchanging the human will for the divine will. Prayer is a part of the divine plan for making over that which is into that which ought to be. (UB 144:4.9)
Isn’t it wonderful to have unlimited help at our disposal to better achieve our goal by trying to do the will of the Father.
Jesus said to the apostles: “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you, for everyone who asks, receives. When you pray, your faith is very weak (to the apostles). Authentic faith will move the mountains of material difficulties that can be found on the path of soul expansion and spiritual progress.” (UB 144:2.6)
By reflecting on all the facets that can inspire us and help us evolve in faith and happiness without succumbing to our sufferings and our earthly problems, would it not be stupid of us to let our chances pass to realize, with all the help that is so graciously offered to us by the Father, that the key rests in our hands if only we dare to push the door towards this rebirth?
2. That prayer which is inconsistent with the known and established laws of God is an abomination to the Paradise Deities. If man will not listen to the Gods as they speak to their creation in the laws of spirit, mind, and matter, the very act of such deliberate and conscious disdain by the creature turns the ears of spirit personalities away from hearing the personal petitions of such lawless and disobedient mortals. Jesus quoted to his apostles from the Prophet Zechariah: “But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear. Yes, they made their hearts adamant like a stone, lest they should hear my law and the words which I sent by my spirit through the prophets; therefore did the results of their evil thinking come as a great wrath upon their guilty heads. And so it came to pass that they cried for mercy, but there was no ear open to hear.” And then Jesus quoted the proverb of the wise man who said: “He who turns away his ear from hearing the divine law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.” (UB 146:2.3)
5. They who would receive mercy must show mercy; judge not that you be not judged. With the spirit with which you judge others you also shall be judged. Mercy does not wholly abrogate universe fairness. In the end it will prove true: “Whoso stops his ears to the cry of the poor, he also shall some day cry for help, and no one will hear him.” The sincerity of any prayer is the assurance of its being heard; the spiritual wisdom and universe consistency of any petition is the determiner of the time, manner, and degree of the answer. A wise father does not literally answer the foolish prayers of his ignorant and inexperienced children, albeit the children may derive much pleasure and real soul satisfaction from the making of such absurd petitions. (UB 146:2.6)
As we have already read above, Jesus advocated sincerity and a pure heart. It is therefore not necessary to have extraordinary intelligence to reach God.
Jesus taught what order of importance in prayers should possibly be favored.
Jesus taught that worship makes the worshiper more and more like the being he worships. I would not like to leave you without inviting you to read a few words on the prayer of worship.
Prayer is a reminder of the self — a sublime thought.
Worship is self-forgetfulness — a superthought.
Worship is the technique of turning to the One to receive inspiration to serve the many.
Worship is intended to anticipate the better life that awaits us, and then to reflect its new spiritual meanings on the present life. Prayer is spiritual support, but worship is divinely creative.
Worship is effortless attention, the true ideal rest of the soul, a form of restful spiritual exercise. (UB 143:7.7-9)
I pray that each of us may enter this universe of truth, beauty and goodness: a universe where the Father awaits his children with impatience and full of love.
Johanna Beukers