1993-03-19-Faith Over Adversity

Session

Opening

TARKAS: It is good to see so much love in this room and so many gathered to hear the loving words of a lesson which we hope will prepare you for the days to come. It is our hope and our desire that you all seek the stillness and practice your prayer and worship. That was a lovely prayer and it adds much energy to your being and to those you pray for.

There are many gathered here to assist us and to assist you in your endeavors to bring our messages through clearly. Ted is a little nervous but he will be able to receive our thoughts and communicate to you our feelings and messages for this evening.

We will open up the session to a few questions and then we will follow this with a lesson. Are there questions you would have from the previous sessions and the previous teachings or things you have read in other transcripts?

Dialogue

QUESTION: Tarkas, were you among those at the Indianapolis meeting this last Tuesday?

TARKAS: Yes, we often gather at each other's meetings.

Dreams

HUMAN: I asked a question about turmoil in the dream state. Since I had been coming to the teaching lessons, my life has been filled with love and I was feeling a lot happier but that my dreams would becoming very, sometimes, even violent. And Sebastian addressed that issue to me but after the meeting, the TR that spoke for Sebastian said there was more that could have been said and suggested that I ask you if you could comment on the big difference in the peace of waking and the turmoil that I'm experiencing during sleep.

TARKAS: There is always more that can be said. In the quiet time of sleep, the Thought Adjuster endeavors to bring into your mind impressions that would be valuable to you. But even in the quiet time of sleep the mind is not always quiet, or at rest, or peaceful. And sometimes these impressions intermingle with the Thought Adjuster's work and the end result is not the impression that was intended to be implanted. These things need to be worked out in the mind and the work re-started.

It is important when you aid the Thought Adjuster with your stillness and quiet times. Dreams rarely have any important significance. They are often the leftover fragments of things being swept from your mind. It is the unfinished work and the distorted work that needs to be cleared away so that the new and fresh impressions can be implanted for your future receptivity. The Thought Adjuster works hard and diligently to bring to you those things that will aid in your spiritual growth and future understanding of who you are and what you are in God's creation. If you go through periods of time when dreams seem extra vivid or wild and meaningless, it may only indicate a time of high activity. Is what I've said in any way helpful.

HUMAN: Very much. Thank you.

Materialization

QUESTION: I'd like to ask about . .. I feel real bad that I can't make the materialization in April but I'll be doing my healing work and I know that's very important as well. Is it possible that, if I'm not there, can I somehow be able to see Machiventa in my meditation? Or somebody else who isn't going . .. if that might happen.

TARKAS: You will, if you seek the stillness and pray and worship at that time, which is set now for approximately noon hour Chicago time . .. it will benefit you very much as well. But we do not promise that you would see a materialization of Melchizedek.

It, however, would not be long before you would have opportunities to visualize us if that is the decision and choice of the group. Or you could go to other groups that have made the choice to see their teacher. Although this may not be the full experience of being at Naperville when the Melchizedek materializes, it is a large portion of what the others will experience. In this way, no one will be fully left out in case they are not able to make that visitation.

QUESTION: I understand there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at that time. Is that just for those who will be present or will it be for anyone in the world who is receptive.

TARKAS: It has already been announced that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be to all those who are in any way interested in this mission and have interest in pursuing teachings as all of you have.

QUESTION: Thank you very much, Tarkas. At that time, I'll be out west. We've having a retreat for our group out west and we hope to have it on that weekend if we can. And we'll be as interested and receptive as we can.

TARKAS: You will no doubt have a very enjoyable time and we'll look forward to your returning. This group has not yet made a decision, although we have talked some at last session about whether you would like to visualize me or whether you would prefer not to. There are some pros and cons which you have already entertained and we may discuss this further so that in some point in time the right decision can be made.

QUESTION: Tarkas, when we go to Naperville for the materialization, is this just something people in our groups will experience, or is it something that could cause a stir among a lot of other people, and we might even see it on the television news.

TARKAS: There is always that chance. We do not encourage this but we recognize that possibility. It is our preference that this be viewed by those who are serious about this mission and for their benefit, but it is not in any way being contained to just those individuals and we are taking no steps to prevent anyone from attending.

QUESTION: Tarkas, I think this is a wonderful evening and a special evening because Marge is here with us. And we've talked about healing and doing that type of work and I know I'm interested, as well as a lot of others in the room. And Marge happens to be here this evening. Is there anything that we can do, lead prayer, or anything we can do to help Marge. What can we do?

TARKAS: There is much that you can do and much that Marge can do. We will talk tonight about faith, for you, if you would read the text, find many examples of healing that were stimulated by faith alone. Faith is that one thing which most moves the Father's heart, is the one lesson which could be learned to such a degree on this planet that it might be difficult to duplicate in the rest of your universe career.

We have said to you before that we are sometimes in awe of the faith that is possible from those who believe and yet cannot see. And it is in faith such as this that makes anything possible. That is perhaps one of the drawbacks that has been mentioned in making myself visible to you. Some say it may retard or slow down the faith that is possible from those who, through their own God-given gifts can reach out and believe what is invisible to them.

On the other hand, in some cases faith is enhanced after a certain point of progress by the scene of that which you previously held of me within your mind. There is much that all of you can do, for we have had lessons on prayer and how the energy of your petitions are held in trust until they can be ministered according to the Father's will. The energy which is within this room, not only from all of you but from all of us as well could easily be mobilized to provide that loving service. It only takes the uniting of your hearts and the sincere petition to activate that petition and register it into the records, which are then administered by the agents of Michael, the Creator Son.

You are just beginning to learn some of these tools and, for the most part, you practice them on your own. But the time is coming when it is important to act as a group, for you will learn there are many things in group activity that are so much more powerful than individual action. You will learn to support one another for, as you all know, you have your good days as well as your lesser days. And when one is down they could use a little cheering up. And when one has gone through a period of strife, even a friendly voice and a cheery hello often moves them back to cheerfulness.

And so these are things which you can do for one another, and for those outside of this group if that is your decision. Let us open this to the group for further discussion. We have talked before about faith, but perhaps we could hear from you again.

QUESTION: I'd like to take just a few minutes to maybe put all our energies together and just say a prayer or make a silent petition for Marge. Can we do that now?

TARKAS: Yes, if that is your decision.

HUMAN: Could we just join forces? (group holds hands)

TARKAS: Cindy, would you like to lead this?

HUMAN: I have another idea that if we just take the silence and have each of us put our own petition in, in our silence, to Marge. How would that be, Tarkas?

TARKAS: That is fine.

(Pause for group meditation)

QUESTION: I'd also like to know if there is anything Marge would like to say?

MARGE: I'm feeling very light. It's good to be with you and to . .. (words lost)

QUESTION: Do you have a petition, Marge?

MARGE: Certainly I would like to get well, if it's God's will. I miss doing all the things I used to do. I have a lot of hope. I have faith that (words lost) It happened for a reason. And I think it's (words lost).

(Comments about the gladness of feeling Marge's hand move and hope for future progress.)

TARKAS: You are progressing well, my children. We're proud of the efforts you are making for one another.

Melchizedek Schools

QUESTION: Tarkas, in the papers there is writing about the Salem schools being re-established. Can you tell us about the timetables, if that is what time means, quantum or actual linear time, that you expect to see those schools staffed and ready to bring in students?

TARKAS: The time schedule has not been announced. We ourselves are not aware of it as a schedule that you would know in months and years, but rather in terms of things that must take place before. The unfolding of this is also not fully known to us. We know in general the steps that will unfold, but even we are sometimes surprised and amazed by the things that happen. And therefore, all of these either accelerate or decelerate. In your time frame, the coming of the Melchizedek schools, we can say, in general, that they are not that far into the future and, from the looks of things, we are continually impressed by the progress that is taking place. So let us hope that they will be upon us in no time. I wish that I could give you a more detailed answer but that oftentimes does not really help things.

QUESTION: Could you tell us some of the things that might need to occur before the schools are ready to start?

TARKAS: Some of the things have not been announced yet. You may note that we announce things only a little ahead of time, and that we try to have announcements on a regular and periodic basis. It was important that the Melchizedek materialization occur and be successful as one of the steps before the setting-up of the schools. The schools will need to be built, if that is the proper term, first also. The Melchizedeks will need to materialize in the flesh and walk among you. You might understand why the materialization, which will be shocking to some, is a prelude to them walking in the flesh among you. We shall see and perhaps have better projections after the experience of the April 24 materialization is behind us, and we observe more carefully how well prepared and how you conduct yourselves after that.

We are seeking to have you take this step in stride and not be emotionally upset or proceed with things that would draw lots of attention but have no substance. If all goes as well as we hope it will, it is expected to proceed at an accelerated pace.

QUESTION: Tarkas, from reading some of the transcripts I understand that the mission and the time of correcting is not only for Urantia Book readers but all the children of God. And I'm curious to know if leaders of government around the world are getting some extra help and some communication and teaching at this time as well as those of us who are everyday kinds of people and who are Urantia Book readers?

TARKAS: There are several missions taking place simultaneously. The one you know most about is the Teaching Mission. You are correct in seeing that this draws people from all walks of life, and of all backgrounds and preparations. Some are fairly well prepared by the Urantia Book in a cosmic perspective. But others are well prepared by their life experiences, however varied they may be. And all those who wish to participate will be gathered and, hopefully, trained in the techniques of spiritual growth and a balance in their mind, stabled in their outlook, and progressive in their action, for these will be some of the characteristics that will be required in the tasks that lie before you. Is that helpful?

HUMAN: Yes, thank you.

New Age

QUESTION: Tarkas, I've been reading about the apocalypse and the fact that it's imminent. On the other hand, reading the papers I feel that just the reverse is about to happen, a period of light and life. And I just wondered if you have any comments on this.

TARKAS: This is a very often asked question. Very often, you do observe disintegration before new growth. And many who are pessimistic read these signs as an end, the beginning of an end. In a way they are right. It is the beginning of the end of the old way. What they fail to see is what grows up to take its place. Do you focus on both the positives and the negatives at the same time? Many people do not. Therefore, they see only the side that is crumbling and fail to observe that which grows up in its place.

This is the ending of an old age and the beginning of a new. Keep your vision focused on the new, for that is where the action and the future lies. Is that helpful?

Progress

QUESTION: Tarkas, can we hope to see some improvement in our lifetimes as far as the evolutionary religions fighting and killing one another?

TARKAS: If you will look closely, you will already see progress. It may be hard to discern for it is hard to look closely at the organized religions. They do not reveal their progress easily. But those who have an inner look can tell you of all the changes they see take place silently and secretly. And one day the doors will be opened and you will see it much more clearly.

It perhaps is more visible to you on the level of politics. Have you not seen progress in factions that have been warring for years to lay down their arms? Yes, there are many groups still fighting. But if you will watch the progress made in that level you can know that the same forces which bring people to at least tolerate one another and dissolve their differences will help them to, hopefully, one day love one another and to resolve their differences in their thinking toward their Heavenly Creator.

There are always the subtle changes that precede the obvious changes. And those who can read the times will see them before the rest. Be observant in your daily lives and be observant in the world affairs, and rejoice when you see even the smallest of progress, for it will gladden your heart to think that this world is growing, and growing in the direction which will one day, in the not too distant future, not fully solve but at least resolve some of the major differences and difficulties that you have long struggled with.

Do you have any further questions?

QUESTION: No, thank you. I believe that the collapse of the Soviet Communist system, which has relieved a great deal of tension in the world . .. I've been suspicious that you had a hand in that. Would I be correct?

TARKAS: There were many hands in that, and not all on our side. Many courageous people stood up for their beliefs and their dreams and they were support. And they will be solved, whatever these matters be, differences of religion or politics or social adjustment. Does that answer your question?

QUESTION: Tarkas, I understand that we're each going to receive a teacher. Is that correct?

TARKAS: Yes, the time will come when, as you progress far enough that each will receive an independent teacher. I will remain as your group teacher for the foreseeable future for we have much work to do yet. And as you know, I can't be with all of you at all of the right times. And I have assistants whom I have in training who will step forward to help out as you become better prepared. And as you have observed from other groups, that after a long period of preparation, the time came when each of them were told that they had received a personal teacher. It could be that some of you already have, but we are not ready to make that as a general statement. You have a further question?

QUESTION: Well, if we're all going to be teachers, it would be good to know what we are going to teach.

TARKAS: You will not all be teachers. As the plans unravel and as we tell you more in the future, you will see that in addition to teachers there are many who support and many who provide other tasks. None of you will be asked to do what you are not best prepared for. Those things that you may volunteer or be asked to do will be well within your experience and your needs. But as a group, you would have some who teach and some who would support in other ways. And thus you might be thinking in your own mind: ‟What is it I wish to do? How might I help others.” Some of you have already taken an interest in healing, and I'm sure that you can come up with other avenues of service as well. Does that clarify?

QUESTION: Yes. But if we are do the Father's will in doing these things, whether they be healing or teaching or whatever, this has already been established what we're going to do. It isn't necessarily up to us. Is that correct?

TARKAS: The choice is always yours, for the Father has given you free will. And even the Father loves you so that He would not take it away. But it is between you and the Father how you decide to exercise that will. Even we do not give you assignments unless we're sure you've resolved this, that this is your will, and the Father has agreed. But we will keep close tabs as you work these things in your moments of prayer and stillness and worship with the Father. We are not ready for that stage yet. It's just that you might be thinking ahead. It is not time to make those decisions yet.

Teaching Mission

QUESTION: What stage are we in?

TARKAS: In some ways, I would have to say that we are at the very beginning stages. We have covered some of the basics, such as seeking the stillness, in which you can commune with a variety of spiritual sources, whether they be the Father, the Creator Son, or one of us. And we have gone over the importance that you daily establish a communion with the Father in prayer and worship, and the important technique, and the powerful technique of praying for others.

We've gone over the spirit poisons, whether it be anger or resentment that you might hold for some other, or for yourself, the importance of learning to forgive yourself and forgive others, and to wash these feelings and reactions from your mind, cleanse your mind so you may be ready for sincere prayer and worship. There are yet many other lessons to go over. As you read some of the transcripts from Indianapolis and others, you may note what some of these might be. We are now just getting down to meeting on a weekly basis, and we hope to be able to cover more than just the basics at a more rapid pace.

Transmitting

QUESTION: Tarkas, as I've been seeking the stillness, I find that the communication I'm getting is registering with me as fleeting impressions in my mind. And sometimes when I end my sessions, I don't always remember what went through there. It's very fragmented. Can you give me some advice about being able to hold onto those messages a little bit better? Or do they go into my subconscious and aid me in that way. I'd like a little bit more understanding because I know I'm right at the beginning of something that's brand new, and I'd like to understand a little bit more about the concept.

TARKAS: There is a limit to what we can tell you from our side of the process, and sometimes the best advice is that the experiences of others is better able to help you with this than we.

You are right that, in the beginning, our perceptions are perhaps fleeting. While in the TR role, you are concentrating on reception and not on memory. We have said before that it is sometimes helpful if you use a tape recorder so that later you can review and critique these messages for their content and for your memory, and for your analysis.

Do not take messages that you receive in the beginning as fully true, for they may contain some of your own thoughts as well as ours. Even (name of transmitter), who is speaking now, can make errors or include his own thoughts. It is important that you not set aside your rational critique, for these are not infallible. Continue in your efforts, for it is in practice you will work out many of the uncertainties that you experience now.

Be observant. But it is difficult to be both receptive and observant at the same time. I suppose I would reiterate once more to seek out those who have preceded you and listen to their experiences. They may not be the same as yours but you will see enough similarities, and perhaps enough advice can be given as to how they went from one step to the next, and this will help you in your own trials and errors in this process. Is that helpful?

Attunement

QUESTION: I'd like to know more about God's will vs. our will. Or are they both the same? And how do we know when we're doing God's will for our life and not our own will? Or are they both the same?

TARKAS: Human will and God's will are rarely the same in the beginning. That is the goal. It is not easy for you to discern God's will, for in the beginning your own will seems to be so dominant. But it is in the seeking to associate with God and to commune with God and to seek his will that you become much more receptive of his desires for you.

God's will is the optimum for you. If one could follow God's will, they would grow to their full potential in full development of beauty and goodness with the least amount of struggle and sidetracks which are unproductive. But it is not usually the case, and the sidetracks are not a real problem, for the Father can always compensate for those opportunities that you miss. He gives you plenty of time to slowly discern His will. The sooner the better, but it is not important. For even if you fail to in this lifetime, you are given more opportunities.

Ultimately, you will either seek His will and follow it, and begin to develop your full potential or you would choose otherwise. But that is not something we should dwell on, for we know that most of you have already made that choice and are well on the path to discerning the Father's will in your life, and what that means and what that is. We understand that it is yet foggy but do you not experience those times when you know with certainty what's right for you as brothers. And so that feeling will grow day by day until it is with you always.

QUESTION: Tarkas, I thought I learned there was only one will and that is the Father's will and it's only a matter of maybe becoming aware of it in you life, and I . .. understood that God's will for me is love or good or happiness or, even if I were to do something that is not loving and not good and not happy, it's still just one will. So, I don't know. You lost me a little bit with your explanation. Do I make sense?

TARKAS: God's will is only one, but I did distinguish that the individual has will which is free from the Father and it is the Father's will that this child of his be able to discern his direction and align his will with the Father's so that he might grow to the full realization of the Father's gift. Is that different?

HUMAN: Yes, but I still think it comes down to becoming aware that whatever I do that I'm not in it alone. Perhaps when you say our will, or human will, perhaps you are referring to our ego?

TARKAS: No, it is just that one of the gifts of the Father was a will that is free to choose.

HUMAN: Okay, now I'm with you.

HUMAN: I might be able to share something that has been helpful to me. One of my prayers or something I say is . .. we are following your direction in doing your will. The "we" of course is the Jesus spirit and myself. Jesus' spirit is with everybody so you can always say "we." We are following your direction, and by that we mean the direction of the Thought Adjuster. We are following your direction, because that is the direction which also is of each one of us . .. doing "your" will . .. that's the Father's will.

So at least for me it simplifies everything, makes it real easy. I've already decided to do the Father's will, so I just say we are following your direction, doing your will. And that really simplifies it for me, makes it sort of easy and puts the whole trinity, and me working with the trinity to do whatever God wants. So we've all decided to do God's will and we've made it our will. That's all we have to do, go forward and do the best we can, and we're doing God's will, with the Thought Adjuster's direction. That seems to work for me.

TARKAS: Do you not discern that the Father gave you this freedom of choice that you would not be puppets of His, but free will creatures. Now having given you this choice, he loves you so that he wishes you to follow Him for He knows the way. And it is as Father said, that by using this choice to dedicate your life to following the Indwelling Spirit that you will be led to the fullness of the Father's creation for you.

HUMAN: That's right. The Father didn't make robots. He made us to his own image and likeness, and that's free. He wants us to freely choose to do his will, to do truth, beauty, and goodness. And that's the glories and wonders of life that we can do that.

HUMAN: And it's wonderful. I assume we're just talking about moral decisions because we make so many decisions going through life, whether to buy a car or take a job. Is it correct that God has no interest in those kinds of decisions. Those are ours to make. Or is He concerned with those decisions as well as the moral decisions that we make?

HUMAN: It really includes everything because once you decide to love God and love all his children, everything you do is motivated by love. That includes everything you do.

HUMAN: So if I were to decide to change jobs and move to another city, that's something I should try to determine what God's will is for that.

HUMAN: Sure. And he'll guide you in that.

TARKAS: God is going to listen to any of your concerns, any of your decisions. He takes more interest in things toward the spiritual end of the spectrum rather than the material but do not hesitate to take anything you are struggling with to Him, for He is always trying to help.

QUESTION: Tarkas, I'm so very thankful that I was introduced to the Urantia Book and so very thankful that I can be here in your class. And I'm wondering if those of us who are here and those of us who have been introduced to the revelation, if we are special in some way, or chosen in some ways. I often wonder "why me?". Could you address that a little bit for me?

TARKAS: That is a difficult question. It probably has many answers, almost as many answers as people. I'm not sure that I can generalize for all of you. It is true that the Father may choose certain individuals but he does not choose us against our will. And if He were to choose these individuals it might be because of some special skill that they have which is in alignment with His needs for his program that He lays out.

Many of you can look back in your lives and feel that there was a series of preparations. For although this seems to be coming together now, there were numerous years of preparations before this and whether the Father in some way chose you for your skills or for your receptivity or your faith, it would be hard to say. And it could be for all of these. All are welcome. And in another sense you could say the Father chooses anyone who is willing to listen. This is, in some ways, just the beginning so you will see that there are many, many people of this world who are on the path which in some years down the road will bring us together.

HUMAN: That makes me feel a lot of joy. Thank you.

HUMAN: It gives me the goosepimples.

Faith

TARKAS: I think we might have gotten off our lesson on faith. I think there was a point where I asked if some of you would be willing to share. I know that we have done this somewhat before but I thought we could perhaps go into it in a little more depth.

Faith is so important perhaps for some of the things coming up and it is a preparation for the things that will be unfolding in the near future that we wish to have you share among each other what faith means to you. Is there someone who would volunteer to start.

HUMAN: I'll start. My faith to me, and this is what I said the last time we talked about it, but for me the only definition that really fits, and mentally it's F for Father and A for and, I for I and the T and H for together here. In the here and now, God and I are together. And faith is knowing that there is no separation, that I am one with God.

For me that's just a knowing, a very deep inner knowing and it gives me a lot of strength. And that knowing is also a feeling, and the feeling for me is one of security, like being rocked, like being held, feeling safe and that the awareness . .. not the faith, because the faith is already there . .. but for me the greater the awareness of the faith of this oneness, the more secure that I feel when life's situations come about, whether they be what I call tests or rather the situation be guidance that I might get in a flash, or see a picture or even a face to carry through with that guidance as well.

TARKAS: And would you say this faith has changed or grown or amplified over the years?

HUMAN: I would say that for me, I've allowed, opened up or expanded into a greater awareness of what already exists.

TARKAS: And do you discern any factors which increased your faith or factors that decreased your faith from time to time?

HUMAN: When you say factors, what do you mean?

TARKAS: These would be things in your life, whether they be things that you practice or things that you do or think.

HUMAN: Well, a lot of it came when I was blessed to have Jonathan a part of my life because the teachings I received touched me in a real special way and opened a part of me that probably hadn't been open to this awareness before. And I also want to thank those who wrote the Course in Miracles because that book . .. it wasn't a book that I read . .. just like the Bible. I don't read the Bible. But I listened to the teachings and I applied the principles. We can read and we can study and we can know everything in our mind. But it's in applying what we know that brings us the growth. And so it was applying some of the principles in the Course in Miracles that helped.

TARKAS: And so you have spoken true for it is in the application of important principles that brings about a new experience within you that builds with time.

HUMAN: I would like to also open discussion . .. (words lost) . .. at another time, or maybe incorporate them somehow in our discussion. Somebody mentioned on the way back from Indianapolis that they think it's important that we grow together and to grow together is bonding, you know, and sharing a part of ourselves with one another, a deep part of our self. I think that's what we're doing here tonight. But someone brought up in the car the other night coming back from Indianapolis how . .. wouldn't it be nice if we could get together and share something that we did, some good deed that we did, or sharing some of our experiences that changed our life. I'd really like to know everyone in a deeper way and at a deeper level. And I'd like you to know me that way too.

TARKAS: We thank you very much for sharing, for it is by this that we are to love one another, to begin to discern that others have really experienced things much like ourselves and they become to us kindred spirits. They have suffered and they have experienced sorrow. They've experienced joys. And they've struggled with the same questions that we have. And we grow to appreciate them at a much deeper level.

HUMAN: Because when you know when Jonathan was teaching me as you are speaking to the group, there is something that I want to bring out that may help others. I would listen to Jonathan's teachings and they did help. But there was a whole lot more that I could do that I chose not to do. It was easy to listen to what was being said. It was very difficult to do a lot of the things that I was asked to do.

HUMAN: That's also very normal. When God calls upon us, and in this case you have a teacher that you've already had. Just as Tarkas is the group teacher, you have an individual teacher that is giving you a plan and not everything can be done immediately. Some things take preparations, some things take time, some things take the right place, and that becomes more evident in your life, you're going to be able to do those things that you want to do. Just as God has directed all of us to be here tonight, we're not all at the same place nor are we at the same advancement as you are. But by the same token, we still have a lot to learn and we still are being taught each and every day. And a lot of times we don't do that every day.

HUMAN: Yeah. I don't feel that anybody is in any way advanced over anybody. I don't feel that. I feel that we all are the same . ..(words lost) . . and we all have different channels that are open more than others. That's all.

HUMAN: Our spiritual growth is unconscious. A person can be growing pretty rapidly spiritually and not be conscious of it.

TARKAS: And you have spoken well, for you are not able to see the things that we see or to adequately judge whether you are growing spiritually or not. In a small way you perceive that you have made progress or that you've grown spiritually but we can much better visualize the work of the Adjuster within your soul, which you cannot at this time do. And you would be truly amazed at the many things that the Adjuster has stored up for the future, for it is much richer than you realize.

HUMAN: What (name) was saying about knowing something, having faith and knowing. To me, faith is knowing in every fiber of my being that God is with me, and that I am going to be working with him without a doubt. But to put it in action is quite . .. that's really where I call upon my faith.

That's about the only thing that keeps me going sometimes because there's so many adversities . .. a lot of things pulling me down but I call upon my faith in those times to keep me going, to spark the fire within me, to give me courage, to help me do things I would ordinarily not be able to do or to respond to. And it has become a process for me, learning to accept or to open up to this unfolding of God's force within me. And I guess that's just what faith is for me, knowing that he's there with me, and it keeps me ever vigilant and on the lookout for more of his faith, for without it I can't do a lot of the things that I don't feel oftentimes that I could do, that I'm called upon to do.

HUMAN: Well, you know, as I conquer challenges, it feels very comfortable to know that everything I need to encounter this challenge, get over it, out of it, around over, or whatever is within me and all I have to do is mobilize that energy and I think that energy's called faith. So everything I need I have, and knowing that, I mean, that's the way I feel I will do it. So that's one way of faith.

The other way of looking at faith, to me, is that faith is a substance that brings about form and it's the light energy, really. You have an idea in your mind and you think about it, and you see the end product on one side and the thing that brings about form is faith. So if you believe strong enough, it will come about. It will come to fruition. So there are two varieties, to me, of what faith is.

HUMAN: To me faith has a lot to do, or is, the knowing that forever I will have the privilege of remaining on this journey to go back to the Father, to go from material life from the very beginning to become more and more spiritual until my Thought Adjuster and I return again to the Father.

Knowing this will happen for me and will go on forevermore is so exhilarating to me. It holds me up. It's a concept that gives me great confidence and great joy and a feeling every day to try anew and keep listening to the Father's will because it's going on forever.

HUMAN: I'd like to make a comment to that. I kind of think God put this compass within us and it only points in one direction, and that's home, or toward our Heavenly Father. So it shouldn't be all that difficult.

TARKAS: That is true. Your Thought Adjuster knows the way home. And he or she or it . .. there is no pronoun proper, of course, for the Father's spirit . .. will take you there.

Are there any others who would like to share?

Would you like to open it up again for some questions.

QUESTION: Could you speak to us a little bit more from your side about faith, Tarkas?

TARKAS: Faith is many things you have said. It is knowing, trusting, confidence, supreme trust in the Father, your Creator, that His will is the thing which will bring you to your full realization for you. The Thought Adjuster goes forth from the Father with this plan, this will in mind. He knows your full potential and your destiny and sets out to bring this about and lead you back to the Father, which is the completion of the first stage of the journey. There will be things that will come after your paradise ascent but these are not revealed.

Your faith is your reaching out to that Heavenly helper, the Father's spirit. It is the opening up of your heart which makes you receptive, which makes you compliant and amenable to the ministry of the indwelling spirit. When your heart is open and your faith is full, the work of the Indwelling Spirit is efficient and more sure, and your development toward your spiritual destiny is received at a rapid pace. Your faith is so important in your progress and your spiritual growth that we really cannot overemphasize it.

It is a difficult thing for humans to understand. (Words lost) . .. you think about it and share with one another, for it is in this and with things that will be coming up that you will grow to a deeper and deeper appreciation of what this means to you and to your soul growth.

Midwayers, Angelic Contact

QUESTION: Would you entertain a kind of mundane question about midwayers? I had kind of thought that Gorbachev might have been a midwayer because he caused things to happen that brought peace to the world. And I don't think it could have been done as easily without him. Is that possible that somebody could be a midwayer who doesn't even know he's a midwayer?

TARKAS: The midwayers are your unseen friends. They do sometimes participate in activities which you can see the results of, but they are not humans. They do not take on human form. Midwayers are quite helpful to us, for they have a special range of skills which are not duplicated in more spiritual beings. They are trusted aides and carry out many assignments which are of great help to us and to you. But you will not normally see any midwayers or discern with any clarity the work that they do. Is that helpful?

HUMAN: I understand.

QUESTION: Jesus had a midwayer assigned to him from whom we received much information regarding his life. Is it possible that some of us have midwayers assigned to us? Individual midwayers?

TARKAS: There are not so many midwayers that we could have one assigned to most people on a regular basis. Much of their work is on an intermittent basis or on a special task basis. But this does not preclude the fact that you may, from time to time, have a midwayer associated with you on special tasks you are trying to achieve.

QUESTION: Tarkas, did you just mention that some were more spiritual than the midwayers, that there are others who are more spiritual? And my question is, what makes the others more special?

TARKAS: That may not have been the best choice of words but, by that I mean the angels are pure spirits and you have a more physical form. And the midwayers are somewhere in between, and they have a semi-physical form, a physical form that is not of your plane, with a spirit within, but not of the Thought Adjuster type. Therefore, when I say more spiritual, I am referring more to the angels than of the physical form such as humans or midwayers. Does that help?

QUESTION: Tarkas, I read in one of Andrew's transcripts, which are all very wonderful, that he said it was embarrassing to be called an angel. I don't quite understand what he means by that. I can't differentiate an angel from other celestial personalities.

TARKAS: Who was it that made this comment?

QUESTION: Andrew, I believe. I don't know if he was speaking in jest.

TARKAS: Andrew often speaks in jest. (laughter) He brings smiles on the faces of angels.

HUMAN: But I assume that an angel, to our way of thinking, is anybody on your side, I suppose. Any celestial personality.

TARKAS: No. We ourselves are not angels. We may be invisible like angels, but we are generally of a morontia form, either fused or unfused with a Thought Adjuster. The angels are of a special order, a creation of the Divine Minister or Holy Spirit who, much like the Holy Spirit or Divine Minister, are of a spiritual essence and have no physical form. Does that help you?

HUMAN: Yes, so if a person has a morontia form then technically he's not an angel. Angels are spiritual creations -- spirit creations rather.

TARKAS: That is true. Or you could say that they are an order of creation of the Divine Minister.

QUESTION: I just read somewhere that our guardian angels are with us throughout all eternity. So when we die and leave this world, that means our guardian angels take our soul and our something else and give it back to us when we're ready for it in the morontia world, so they really are with us all our life. And when I was a little girl, my grandfather, who was devout Catholic, he would make sure that I would never forget that I am surrounded by guardian angels. And I must have been; otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here. So thank you, guardian angels.

TARKAS: It is true the guardian angels do minister to you specifically. They have been sent by the Divine Ministry to make sure that you are protected as fully as it possible. And when you die, they take possession of your soul and make sure it is safeguarded in its journey to the morontia worlds. You will learn later a great love for these guardians, for they know you like no other, and they love you like no other, and you will have a good portion of your ascension destiny with these guardians, for many of them have the same destiny as you, and they travel this journey with you most of the way.

QUESTION: Do the iniquitous have guardian angels? Do the guardian angels care for those people who are deliberately sinful and iniquitous?

TARKAS: Are you referring to someone like Lucifer or Satan or someone who is mortal?

QUESTION: A mortal. Someone who has decided not to accept and pursue an eternal career.

TARKAS: Your text tells you that in the early stages of your development, and it lays out seven psychic circles of progression, that in the early stages that a guardian angels has responsibility for a large group. And those who pass the third psychic circle receive their personal guardian angel, and if one were to be iniquitous after that stage, your guardian angel would still love you and serve you to the very end. I'm not sure if that answers your question fully or not.

HUMAN: I don't know that I fully understand my own question, but thank you for talking with me about it.

QUESTION: Until the end. What does that mean?

TARKAS: I was referring only to the end of your mortal life on this planet. I didn't use that term to indicate anything further than that.

HUMAN: There is a prayer that, as little people, we are taught to say that went like this: Angel God by guardian dear, to whom his love commits me here, ever to stay at my side, to light, to guard, to be my guide. And many have learned that as little people and we say it often.

(Requests for copy of this by several)

HUMAN: Our angel is truly a devoted friend and is truly concerned about our avoiding spiritual dangers and helping us in our spiritual difficulties, and is with us all the time.

TARKAS: Thank you for sharing that with us. The angels are smiling for they haven't received this much attention in some time.

(laughter)

QUESTION: This is kind of a strange question, and I'm not really sure how to say this but . ... I'm told not to seek spirits and so forth, and I was wondering if, instead of praying to Father and to Michael and the spirit beings and those who would hear and assist, I have often wondered if it's okay to speak to our angels and thank them. I mean, I've done that, or I used to in days gone by, used to talk to them and thank them, and things like that.

TARKAS: Your guardian angels are your companions and they really appreciate words that you would speak to them as a loving friend. They are not to be worshiped and you do not pray to them directly, although they answer many petitions of prayers. But they certainly do appreciate being recognized and they do appreciate your words of thanks and love.

QUESTION: So then to pray to the Father and that kind of thing would be indirect way of thanking them without praying to them?

TARKAS: That would be an indirect way. But they appreciate your personal expressions too.

QUESTION: Just a thank you?

TARKAS: Yes, just a thank you.

QUESTION: Does it happen, then, Tarkas that during our lives our guardian angel might keep us from stepping in front of a bus, getting hurt, or might help make us turn a corner so that we would meet somebody that we really need to talk to, communicate with . .. make connections between people. Do things like that happen?

TARKAS: They are kept quite busy and all of those are possibilities. They have responsibility for guarding your life to the best of their abilities. There are occasionally circumstances beyond their control, but they do arrange many things. One of the things they do is, they arrange the meeting and joining of people, groups of people who can work together, and whose association can be very beneficial for the individuals and society at large. They truly are masters at their trade of arranging your environment to your betterment. Is that helpful?

Prayer

QUESTION: (Words lost, question about whether we should petition them or whether all petitions should be directed through Michael.)

TARKAS: The most direct channel of prayer is to Michael. There are, of course, as we already talked about, the indirect channel of praying to the Father himself. He returns this petition to the Creator Son and the universe from which it came. There are other indirect channels as well, but why would one need to go indirectly? You have all realized now that your Creator Son wishes to hear these things from you.

QUESTION: Tarkas, I have had several near death experiences in my life. Like I was almost killed by a horse and I fell into a barbed wire fence and he almost stomped me to death. A woman ran a red light and I went into a pole and the doors jammed and the car caught on fire, and they couldn't get me out, and I sat there cool, calm and collected while the firemen told me they were going to get me out, and it never entered my head that they weren't going to get me out. I didn't panic.

I didn't panic when the horse almost stomped me to death. I kept rolling every time he came down. I had a hit and run. A driver hit me. I was on crutches for eight weeks. I have had such numerous, almost death accidents, and I always put it to the fact that it was possibly not my time to go, it wasn't God's will to take me.

Is that possibly my guardian angel looking after me, or was it God's will not to take me. There has just been so many that I have escaped from, and I have always been real curious about this, and I've never really had anybody to ask about it until you.

TARKAS: Your guardian angels do their best to protect you. They do not arrange dangers, life-threatening situations, but, of course, the human often finds himself in these circumstances in which they do their best to extract you or protect you. Sometimes they fail. It is often not considered their fault. It does sound that you have had a more adventurous life than most.

HUMAN: Yes. Yes, I have.

TARKAS: But you are still here.

(laughter and comments)

TARKAS: So we shall say that your guardians have been successful.

HUMAN: Thank you, Tarkas.

QUESTION: Is it possible for you to share with us, Tarkas, what it feels like when you die? I know you've lived a physical existence similar to ours.

TARKAS: I assume that you are referring to, not the process of dying, but the after of dying. For the most part, of course, this is a totally unconscious period. Perhaps you really mean the final stages of death. This is not something that we can really describe. It probably is a bit different in all cases.

There are some similarities and you have probably read of these from people who felt that they were near death. But you see your experience could be falling asleep and awakening in the mansion worlds with nothing in between. I came from a planet in the later stages of Light and Life and oftentimes we did not experience the physical death, so I have no experience that I can relate to you that is akin to what you will experience.

QUESTION: How did you move from the physical existence to the morontia existence if you do not experience death?

TARKAS: Your book, text, the Urantia Book, describes this somewhat. In the time that draws nigh when your will and the Adjuster become as one, that, if you are on a world of Light and Life, you are invited to proceed to the morontia temple. And then, in front of family and friends, you prepare yourself for this eternal union, which occurs in a flash that dissolves the material body and leaves you as spirit. This is a beautiful experience for those who depart from the flesh in this way.

HUMAN: Thank you for reminding me of that. We read about that in our last Urantia Book reading.

TARKAS: The time is drawing late and so if there is one or two more questions . ..

QUESTION: Would you entertain a question about yourself? Such as, is it necessary for you to eat and drink? And sleep? And how do you travel? (laughter and comments)

TARKAS: Can you crowd in one or two more, too, before I say no? (laughter)

HUMAN: Your sense of humor has greatly improved.

TARKAS: We prefer not to talk about ourselves. We may drop tidbits now and then. Stay tuned.

HUMAN: You're delightful.

HUMAN: We're so glad you're our teacher.

Closing

TARKAS: Your laughter brings joy to our hearts, for we feel your friendship and your warmth. This is such a wonderful group for us, and we hope you realize that you are on a wonderful journey.

There are many things that you do not yet know about this journey, but we can see the faith that you have. This journey will be wonderful and productive . .. memorable . .. and you will serve yourself as well as your brothers and sisters in the end. So stick with us on this journey and we will try to teach you as much as possible.

Until the next time, may God be with you and . ... keep on smiling.

(Many thanks, expressions of love, good nights.)