From: Brother
David Stang TRUTHIST1@aol.com
To the Urantia Papers discussion group
Dear Urantia Book readers, believers, Deists, Disciples of Jesus Christ,
Michael,
Ambassadors of Jesus Christ Michael, and all others unclassified,
All of us, can certainly learn some great wisdom and spiritual truths from the
following two pages in our Urantia Book Revelation of Truth.
My emphases is minimal: just some added white spacings and one brief comment in
square brackets, [ ]
As we pray and focus in Spirit and in Truth, more contained in this text will
certainly be realized. Thank You our True Father God !
Paper 165 Page 1823 5. TALKS TO THE APOSTLES ON WEALTH
"That evening after supper, when Jesus and the twelve gathered together for
their daily conference, Andrew asked: "Master, while we were baptizing the believers,
you spoke many words to the lingering multitude which we did not hear. Would you be
willing to repeat these words for our benefit?" And in response to Andrew's request,
Jesus said:
"Yes, Andrew, I will speak to you about these matters of wealth and
self-support, but my words to you, the apostles, must be somewhat different from those
spoken to the disciples and the multitude since you have forsaken everything, not only to
follow me, but to be ordained as ambassadors of the kingdom. Already have you had several
years' experience, and you know that the Father whose kingdom you proclaim will not
forsake you.
You have dedicated your lives to the ministry of the kingdom; therefore be not
anxious or worried about the things of the temporal life, what you shall eat, nor yet for
your body, what you shall wear.
The welfare of the soul is more than food and drink; the progress in the spirit
is far above the need of raiment.
When you are tempted to doubt the sureness of your bread, consider the ravens;
they sow not neither reap, they have no storehouses or barns, and yet the Father provides
food for every one of them that seeks it.
And of how much more value are you than many birds!
Besides, all of your anxiety or fretting doubts can do nothing to supply your
material needs. Which of you by anxiety can add a handbreadth to your stature or a day to
your life? Since such matters are not in your hands, why do you give anxious thought to
any of these problems?
"Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;
yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If God
so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is cut down and cast
into the fire, how much more shall he clothe you, the ambassadors of the heavenly kingdom.
O you of little faith! When you whole-heartedly devote yourselves to the
proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom,
you should not be of doubtful minds concerning the support of yourselves or the
families you have forsaken. If you give your lives truly to the gospel, you shall live by
the gospel. If you are only believing disciples, you must earn your own bread and
contribute to the sustenance of all who teach and preach and heal. If you are anxious
about your bread and water, wherein are you different from the nations of the world who so
diligently seek such necessities?
Devote yourselves to your work, believing that both the Father and I know that
you have need of all these things. Let me assure you, once and for all, that, if you
dedicate your lives to the work of the kingdom, all your real needs shall be supplied.
Seek the greater thing, and the lesser will be found therein; ask for the
heavenly, and the earthly shall be included. The shadow is certain to follow the
substance.
"You are only a small group, but if you have faith, if you will not stumble
in fear, I declare that it is my Father's good pleasure to give you this kingdom. You have
laid up your treasures where the purse waxes not old, where no thief can despoil, and
where no moth can destroy. And as I told the people, where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also.
Page 1824
"But in the work which is just ahead of us, and in that which remains for
you after I go to the Father, you will be grievously tried. You must all be on your watch
against fear and doubts. Every one of you, gird up the loins of your minds and let your
lamps be kept burning. Keep yourselves like men who are watching for their master to
return from the marriage feast so that, when he comes and knocks, you may quickly open to
him. Such watchful servants are blessed by the master who finds them faithful at such a
great moment. Then will the master make his servants sit down while he himself serves
them. Verily, verily, I say to you that a crisis is just ahead in your lives, and it
behooves you to watch and be ready.
"You well understand that no man would suffer his house to be broken into
if he knew what hour the thief was to come. Be you also on watch for yourselves, for in an
hour that you least suspect and in a manner you think not, shall the Son of Man
depart."
For some minutes the twelve sat in silence. Some of these warnings they had
heard before but not in the setting presented to them at this time.
6. ANSWER TO PETER'S QUESTION
As they sat thinking, Simon Peter asked: "Do you speak this parable to us,
your apostles, or is it for all the disciples?" And Jesus answered:
"In the time of testing, a man's soul is revealed; trial discloses what
really is in the heart.
When the servant is tested and proved, then may the lord of the house set such a
servant over his household and safely trust this faithful steward to see that his children
are fed and nurtured. Likewise, will I soon know who can be trusted with the welfare of my
children when I shall have returned to the Father. As the lord of the household shall set
the true and tried servant over the affairs of his family, so will I exalt those who
endure the trials of this hour in the affairs of my kingdom.
"But if the servant is slothful and begins to say in his heart, 'My master
delays his coming,' and begins to mistreat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with
the drunken, then the lord of that servant will come at a time when he looks not for him
and, finding him unfaithful, will cast him out in disgrace. Therefore you do well to
prepare yourselves for that day when you will be visited suddenly and in an unexpected
manner.
Remember, much has been given to you; therefore will much be required of you.
Fiery trials are drawing near you. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and I am on watch
until this is accomplished.
You preach peace on earth, but my mission will not bring peace in the material
affairs of men--not for a time, at least.
Division can only be the result where two members of a family believe in me and
three members reject this gospel. [Read this well, in Spirit and in Truth; no further
comments are now needed.]
Friends, relatives, and loved ones are destined to be set against each other by
the gospel you preach. True, each of these believers shall have great and lasting peace in
his own heart, but peace on earth will not come until all are willing to believe and enter
into their glorious inheritance of sonship with God.
Nevertheless, go into all the world proclaiming this gospel to all nations, to
every man, woman, and child."
And this was the end of a full and busy Sabbath day. On the morrow Jesus and the
twelve went into the cities of northern Perea to visit with the seventy, who were working
in these regions under Abner's supervision."
May we all achieve more mind harmony, soul peace, and Spirit progress, in the
Living Truth of God and Jesus and we as One and becoming One,
Love, Light and Life,
Brother Dave
Brother David L. Strang
Online Network
http://ubron.org/ub.cfm
