1993-09-05-Challenges

Session

Opening

The presence of God surrounds us. The love of God enfolds us. Wherever we are gathered together He is with us.

Peace and greetings to you all. I am JarEl. I am your Teacher, your friend, your guide who loves you and respects you.

Betty: Greetings, JarEl

Lesson

Challenges

JarEl: I am most pleased to be amongst you this day; to share your many thoughts and concerns about your growth, and your purpose in this Mission. Our message for you today concerns challenges. The word challenge depicts a contest, an event, forces equal competing with one another. In our spiritual lives we are faced with challenges, forces equal in the beginning, but because of the competition and the challenge, the growth is different. As in the challenge of a race one will cross the finish line ahead of another, but all will finish. The amount of practice and work that the winner had over the others determines his strength and ability to win. The amount of work that you have in your individual lives will determine the amount of growth that you have spiritually.

The vicissitudes of your existence are your challenges. One can practice for an event and be focused on that event, but until one has the measure of competition the full development of potential to succeed in that event does not take place. One can run by himself and increase speed and agility. But not until another runs with him and offers the challenges of competition does he realize the full potential of his development.

So it is with each of you. You face challenges daily. Challenges to enhance and push you forward in your growth. These challenges make you a better person individually. These challenges enhance the group as a whole. That is because each of you bring to this group a challenge. A challenge to overcome those backgrounds, belief systems, and ideas that are antiquated. To come forward into this modern day and deal with those issues, and our emotional backgrounds, and personality that hold back your spiritual development.

So we ask that you be challenged in this growth. That you challenge yourselves to be more than what you were. To be better today than yesterday. We challenge you to know; to experience love, truth, and beauty. We challenge you to find the ideals of Jesus, and practice those ideals daily. We challenge you to grow in love and service to the Father through serving one another; to love the Father through loving one another; to develop individually by helping one another develop.

As we are here to assist you so must you be available to one another for support and encouragement and enlightenment. This is our message for today: challenges. I will entertain any questions you may have at this time that will shed more light upon this discussion. Please proceed.

Dialogue

Stella: First of all thank you JarEl for being here. I'm honored. As I listen to these young people, I've gone through everything they have gone--all the problems and trials, and so forth. And I am reasonably happy, well set and all..so forth, but I do have--I have been wondering what do I do the rest of my life. I am in my 70's. I have always had a goal; always a challenge. But for some reason, I'm kind of almost at loose ends. Maybe you could guide me a little bit.

JarEl: Thank you for your welcome, and your gracious hospitality. We are pleased to be here in this home of love. As you say, you are into your 70's. This is a great number? This is a great age? You are but a babe, and yet you worry about the continuation of this mortal life. There is much ahead for you, dear one. Just think that you can be here to guide these new ones with your experience that you have lived these many years is a blessing. It is an experiential blessing. You hold within you certain knowledge and experience that will help these present and those yet to come. So please think not of yourself as you say, "over the mountain". Correction," Over The hilll"!

Stella: Well, sometimes I do--sometimes I don't.

JarEl: What is left in your life is abundance. What is left in your existence is the eternal goal: the journey to Paradise. You do not have to leave this mortal existence in order to begin this journey. You are well on this journey. Along the path you will encounter many issues that will require your reflection upon your past to facilitate overcoming these things. So, think not that you are not prepared to go into this future. You are well prepared. It is my wish that I could unfold you to you your whole journey, but this we are not permitted. We are not soothsayers and predictors. We see fairly clear with the spiritual eye the course that we must follow. Your course is for you. Does this help you?

Stella: Yes, thank you.

Competition

Violet: JarEl, going back to your lesson here. Are you saying that in this challenge our competition is still our past and our belief systems and our baggage that we carry and not the events that are going on around us? And not so much the dealings that we have to do with people? Is that what you meant by our competition?

JarEl: In part. To overcome the baggage that you say is in the past, is part of the challenge. When you were read the impressions of this one, it mentioned that factor. That you all come from different backgrounds, different belief systems. You hold within you different impressions, different prejudices that were shaped long ago. To overcome these things is a challenge. And for you to be here today in this group with the text is proof that you are overcoming these things. This is not clear to you?

Violet: That part of the answer is clear. But I was thinking more or less on your analogy of a contest and having competition in order to make us excel. Because we might get a little lazy. If we don't have competition. we aren't spurred on to accomplish as much. So, I'm wondering if this competition--to focus in on it a little bit better in our daily life. Then our competition really isn't what's happening around me and different people what they do to me. That is what is really my challenge there.

JarEl: The competition is these things. But you realize in this group setting with your brothers and sisters,you can compete in growth? You can compete in spirituality and development, but it is not a hostile competition. It is a helping hand. It is reaching back for another and bringing him to that place you are and reaching up to the one ahead of you and allowing them to bring you to that place of development. Competition in your work environment is different. You are competing for a product. You are competing for recognition of your worth as an individual in this work environment. There is a difference with these here. We are sparking one another. We are gauging one another to reach the goal of perfection in development. Do you understand this?

Violet: Yes, in other words, I should think of competition in a much more positive way than sort of the negative connotation that I've always held.

JarEl: Yes, indeed. You must become more positive in your thoughts and in your viewing. And this can only be done through development of spiritual mota.

Marlies: Good afternoon, JarEl. This is Marlies speaking.

JarEl: Good afternoon.

Marlies: We're kind of like leap froging with one another in that respect then. While we're sharing our spiritual growth with one another, we're all kind of leap froging forward.

JarEl: This is correct. You are developing by leaps and bounds. Your understanding today has surpassed what you understood yesterday.

Marlies: Thank you.

Betty: Is this part of the value in our sharing our writings and our impressions and the discussions prior to your presence.

JarEl: Yes, indeed. We asked this exercise for several weeks, and we asked you to participate wholeheartedly in it. Some of you are still to come about, but those who have not participated in their impressions can still benefit from that the others have contributed. So, you are all developing, but we would like input from each of you in this regard.

Betty: Thank you, JarEl.

Dora: JarEl, this is Dora. One of the challenges that I face, as you probably know, is that I took in two children last year--Tony's sister's boys. And the challenge that I have of assimilating them into my family, and having this family group. And be able to give these boys without stuffing them with it--a spiritual sense that God is with them, and that their mother is asleep. They are part of our family. By having them with me that has helped me grow spiritually, because it's teaching me how to teach my spiritual values to someone else. I know I may not be the best at times, and trying to teach my own children. I just wanted to let you know that I have felt that was a challenge in my life to keep the children with me through all the difficulties.

JarEl: Yes, this is a challenge to you, and to your mate. These little ones need the love and the structure of family in order to reach their full potential and to get over the loss that they suffered. You have done well in this regard filling in the empty spaces, and offering to them a hand to hold for security and guidance. Just continue in this vein. Open your heart more. Open your ears and listen to them objectively. Their needs will guide you.

Dora: Thank you. I know that when I took them that it was very strong feeling in me that it was part of doing the Father's will. That to reject children without knowing them is not correct.

JarEl: The love that the Father has given you has allowed you to embrace these as your own. Look at this; this is phenomenal for you. This is a great step for you, and you are to be commended. In your example, it shows others who are not of this group that you come in contact with that they can do the same thing. In your existence death is part, and it comes when we know not. In it's wake it often leaves those to be cared for, and unless you are moved by their plight with love and compassion then none will answer this call. The Father provides for us. So through your example it is hoped that others will listen to the call when those needs presents itself.

Dora: Thank you.

JarEl: All may speak. We are joyous to be in your midst.

Dora: The weekly sessions always help me, and Monday reading, and doing the tapes. They re-affirm my faith in the Father that He is helping us through the week.

JarEl: Yes. If we can in someway reassure you of the love that the Father has this would be a wonderful thing. Let us take a moment and close our eyes and reflect in the stillness just on love. See if you can perceive this energy flowing, here.

Lift up your hands. Love has its energy. It can complete the circle. It joins you one with another.

JarEl gives prayer: We thank you Father for these that come in faith and love, and share your presence with one another, and share your love with one another. We thank you Father for your indwelling of us through our Adjusters. We thank you for this opportunity to experience your love. How wonderful this feeling of sharing, upliftment!

Do we have other questions?

Tradition

Stella: I would like to ask a question about the religious meeting that took place this weekend in Chicago. Apparently there were 100's of representatives from various religions. What caught me is that in the paper that was written they left the word God out, because they didn't want to offend the Buddhists, Because they do not believe in the Divine Being. Isn't this giving way unto a minority belief rather than the large belief of the one God?

JarEl: This is true. The word God is how best we discover the Father. If this word is a stumbling block to the few, then the few must bring their understanding and perception to that level that allows them to participate fully with the many. It is not incumbent upon the many to subjugate their beliefs to accommodate the few. The majority feel comfortable with the term God. So this should be a representative expression of those who have come together for this purpose.

Stella: I didn't like it when I read it. I wondered whether you beings were there at all in Chicago watching the proceedings.

JarEl: I personally did not attend. But there were most likely Teachers present. We have not received a report on this occasion.

Betty: JarEl, I would like to introduce you to Emmy who is in our midst today. She is a member of the study group here in Stella's home.

Stella: Thank you, Betty. I should have done that!

Emmy: Hello, JarEl. Greetings.

JarEl: Greetings, Emmy. We perceived a presence, but your presence was joined with Stella. We welcome you, and we welcome your participation. And we trust that you will find within this group that which you seek, a better knowledge and understanding of the will of the Father. And that you may find those clues and guidance and direction that will help enact this will in your life. So I greet you and embrace you with love of Christ Michael and the Father, and those who are gathered in this room.

Emmy: Thank you.

Marlies: JarEl, I have another question. Dora's speaking about her children that she took in prompted me. I have two step-children that are not living in this state, and I love them very dearly as if they were my own. I would like to know how to pray for them, because they are not living in a spiritual environment in their home. I always pray for their spiritual growth, but there are times that I find that I don't really know to pray for that.

JarEl: When you pray, it is your desire and will that they are protected, and that they grow in spiritual knowledge and enhancement. Simply ask of the Father that they are protected and guided, and given the means by which to grow.

Marlies: Thank you, JarEl.

JarEl: As you know, all are possessed of angelic guides. Give charge to their guides to aid them in those areas that they need assistance.

Marlies: Thank you.

Dora: JarEl, this is Dora. I know that the angelic guides have been with my boys, and I always thank them every day that they are with them. I just know that they are there helping them.

JarEl: This is great that you perceive and believe that they are about the Father's business.

Betty: JarEl, does everyone have angelic guides?

JarEl: Yes, there are numerous beings who direct and guide your growth. Are all experiencing this energy that this one is experiencing?

Betty: What is it?

Dora: Douglas is experiencing energy?

Violet: What kind of energy is it? Is it a love energy?

JarEl: His hands vibrate.

Douglas: Is this healing?

Dora: Does the heat center in the palms of your hand?

Marlies: I feel the energy in here. (Marlies's palms.)

Closing

JarEl: Reach out and join hands. This is great. As we leave you this day in this wonderful experience, we ask that you continue to meet the challenges to your growth in this life. We ask that you step boldly into faith and belief. And let these words resound in your being. You are loved, and this love that you have you must give to others. Seek your growth through the lessons in the transcripts, and the teaching of the Urantia Book. Seek your growth by embracing one another in fellowship and love. Meet the challenge that we have offered. Let it spark you and pace you as you run this race of development. Smile; be happy; be joyous as you experience this love. Farewell. My peace I leave with you all.

(Farewell from the group.)

The energy of great love was felt by all. Many tears of joy and happiness were on the faces of all.