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In this special Study Group session, Jeremy joins Derek to stand in for our brother Chuck, who is recovering from a serious injury. This episode is dedicated to Chuck, because so much of what we discuss comes directly from the values he’s embodied and passed on to our team. His friendship, consistency, and spiritual insight have helped shape this group and us personally, so today we honor him by living out what he values: friendship loyalty as a high Quality of thinking.

In this episode, we focus on another of Jesus’ private discourses that he offered prior to his public teaching career, while living as a “man among men.” He was employed for almost two years as an interpreter and tutor for an Indian merchant and his son while they traveled the Roman world. While in Rome, Jesus strategically sought out the gentile leaders in philosophy and religion. He offered instruction that served to prepare them for the teachings of the Christian missionaries who would soon be arriving in Rome after his death and resurrection.

Noah, Myth and Reality

Stories of Enoch In our last episode of Study Group, we looked at the story of Cain and how he departed from the second garden for the land of Nod. In this episode, we pick up the story with a study of Enoch, who receives prominent mentions in The Urantia Book. Not only was he the first mortal from Urantia to fuse with his Adjuster in “chariots of fire,” but he also has a seat on the advisory “council of twenty-four” on Jerusem, our system capital.

In this episode of Study Group we take a look at a well-known story from the ancient history of our world. The sibling rivalry between Cain and Abel was born from jealousy and resentment over the perceived value of their ritual sacrifices — Cain being a farmer and Abel a herder — and it ended sadly in the death of Abel. This tale is featured prominently in the Bible in Genesis 4. A small number of other mentions can be found in the New Testament. Cain is cast in an entirely negative light in all of these passages, and the “way of Cain” has become synonymous with defiance of God and the ways of sin.

Is Heaven boring? One of the observations we noted in our last podcast about life after death is that most beliefs in an afterlife provide very few details of what that life will actually be like. This is understandable, given that no one has been there and reported back, but typical beliefs usually describe an existence of endless bliss in one form or another. For many, this sounds like it could get boring after a while!

Where we go after we die is one of the oldest and deepest mysteries about human life on this world. The truth has been revealed and lost at different times in our planet’s history, and in today’s secular culture, many believe that there is no continuation of selfhood after death. Among those religions that do teach belief in life after death, only the ones that base this belief on the idea of resurrection into a heavenly realm are able to promise the survival of individuality and continuity of personality. But even these offer no real detail about what we’ll be doing in the next life.

Principles of Soul Growth In this, the third episode in our series about life after death, we pick up on the idea of the soul from the last episode and look more closely at what we can do to foster the growth of this dimension of ourselves. Jesus once counseled a young lad to not only feed the body, but to also learn how to “feed the soul,” while knowing that God is always with us and goes before us. (130:8.3)

Our Soul is the Secret

Survival is a Choice This is the first in a series of episodes where we take on the question: Is There Life After Death? This study is a follow-up to our previous podcasts about eternal destiny and realizing our true potential.

In this episode of Study Group, we explore our potential destiny beyond this lifetime, and how that reframes and adds meaning and value to our day-to-day life, even now. The key to these possibilities is the presence within us of “an actual fragment of the existential Cause of the total cosmos.” (107:4.7) In partnership with God, no limit can be placed on our destiny.

Realizing Our True Potential

🎦The Discourse on Good and Evil | Jesus’ Teachings from the Urantia Book https://youtu.be/raZwXpK82Yg?si=qXcMe-8q0KNZTHvJ

Returning Good for Evil

In Part 2 of our series on Conflict Mastery we take a look at a remarkable incident that occurred in Nazareth during the Third Preaching Tour (150:9). After speaking in the synagogue as a featured guest of honor, Jesus stepped down into the crowd to answer questions. This gathering included many enemies of Jesus, along with a number of “hirelings” who had been paid to cause trouble. They angrily expressed resentment that Jesus had performed no “miracles” in Nazareth, and with pointing fingers began to rudely jostle him.

Jesus and the Bully

Real Thinking Part 2

Real Thinking Part 1

The Seven Adjutant Mind Spirits

In this episode of study group, we’ll be looking at a fascinating evolutionary conundrum that can only be fully understood with the assistance of revelation. First formulated by David Chalmers in 1995, this puzzle has become known as the “hard problem of consciousness.” As he expressed it, it’s the problem of understanding “how physical processes in the brain give rise to the subjective experiences of the mind.” Interestingly, this has become one of the most contentious problems in academic philosophy of mind today.

STUDY GROUP- Inevitabilities of Character Growth (Part 3 of 3)

This is Part 2 of our continuing study of the “Inevitabilities” of evolutionary life. We are reminded by Jesus that a life of growth in spirit does not free us from trouble and difficulties, but he does promise to go with us through all of our “waters of adversity.” (159:3.13) He helps us to find the best way forward and cheers us on with his divine companionship. It is only through our challenging experiences that we are able to acquire the deepening grasp of reality and the desirable qualities of character that are to become true and enduring soul attainments.

STUDY GROUP- Inevitabilities of Character Growth (Part 1 of 3) The “problem of evil” has long been a matter of religious and philosophical debate, even going back to the days of the ancient Greeks. If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world? Over the next three episodes of Study Group, we’ll be approaching this question from the perspective of the Urantia Book’s presentation of “certain inevitabilities” that “beset all evolutionary creature life.” (3:5.5)

Discourse on the Soul

While Jesus took three of his apostles to the summit of Mt. Hermon to witness the event of his transfiguration, the other apostles remained behind at camp. James of Safed came looking for Jesus, hoping that he would heal his son. In Jesus’ absence, Simon Peter and Andrew both attempted to heal the boy, but failed dismally. Later that evening, in Celsus’ garden, Jesus explained why they had failed. Included in this instruction was his memorable remark that “spiritual work cannot be done in the absence of spiritual power.” (158:6.4)

STUDY GROUP - The Path to Self Mastery (7 Psychic Circles)

Growing in loyalty — the focus of this episode of Study Group — is an idea that has an interesting double meaning. Our loyalties grow, while at the same time they are also a condition for growth. In this study, we’ll be holding both of these perspectives in mind as we consider the importance of loyalty in our lives.

In this, the fourth and final episode of our study series on faith, we look to Jesus for his inspiring mastery of the power of living faith, as it joined his human and divine natures into a living revelation of the “divine inheritance” that can also be ours, “but for the asking.” (106:6.17)

Faith and Hope

Veronica of Caesarea-Philippi had suffered from a debilitating affliction for many years, but she truly believed that if she could only get close enough to Jesus to touch his garment, she would be healed. Her determination finally made this possible and her hopes were fulfilled. As Jesus became aware of what had happened, he wanted all to know that it was her living faith that made her whole — not the touching of the hem of his garment.

STUDY GROUP - True Faith (Part 1 of 4 part study on faith)

God’s presence is always with us, 24/7, day and night. Whenever we feel like having a talk, God’s loving fatherly attention will be fully upon us. Jesus discovered this at the young age of six, when he began to insist, after completing his formal prayers, that he be permitted to have “just a little talk with my Father in Heaven.” (123:3.6) In this episode of Study Group, we’ll be looking at prayer in this light — that it is “entirely a personal and spontaneous expression.” (144:2.2) We’ll learn how prayer (talking to God) serves as a means to expand insight and increase our soul’s reception capacity for spirit. It becomes our “avenue of approach to spiritualized self-realization.” (144:4.5) - CT

This episode of Study Group is inspired by a metaphor that is employed several times by the authors of The Urantia Book. The idea of a hammer and anvil, and the positive transformation of the material that is struck with the force of a hammer while supported by a solid, immovable anvil, is a compelling reminder that even our most painful sufferings can be essential for shaping our growth.

How do we validate the choices and actions that we carry out in our lives? Do they contribute to a healthy and growing sense of self-respect? Do we look to the outer world or the inner world for validation of our decisions? We introduce our study of this topic with some wise words from Bruce Lee, who well knew that the inner life is the arena of realization of our “true self.” The Urantia Book helps us to see that our inner life is also our source of originality and true creativity. Through the extraordinary gift of his spirit presence within our minds, God is offering us the opportunity for a real and growing relationship with divinity. It is in our personal relationship with God that we truly discover the power of love, and begin to realize that our feelings of self-respect are always determined by the capacity and exercise of our love for others. - CT

The Story of Dalamatia is the most ambitious study we have attempted so far, and this episode is only half the story. This podcast covers the first 300,000 years of the Dalamatia project when everything was going according to plan, up to the time of the Lucifer rebellion. Our next episode will tell the story of the rebellion and its devastating consequences.

When speaking about the Art of Living, Rodan, the Greek philosopher, placed great emphasis on the value of friendship. In this episode of Study Group, we’ll review some of his wise words on this topic, which will lead into a consideration of angelic efforts to arrange human associations that are based on “real self-understanding and genuine mutual appreciation.” (39:3.4)

The Urantia Book reminds us that cultural civilization is dependent on “wise and vigorous leadership.” (81:6.37) Our capacity for leadership is based on self-mastery, and we are called upon, at the very least, to be the leaders of our own lives. In this episode of Study Group, we look at principles of leadership that can carry us from inner convictions to outer results. The inner leading of the divine spirit is always seeking expression through our decisions and actions, but the achievement of this outcome is a truly collaborative venture that requires OUR contributions of effort and initiative, combined with a growing desire for the “living water” of divine originality that flows 24/7 within us, so that “all things” may become new. (100:7.18) -CT

The Well of Living Water

Jesus’ “Instruction for Teachers and Believers,” from the Decapolis Tour, includes this intriguing statement: “Increasing happiness is always the experience of all who are certain about God.” (159:3.10) He was putting forward the message that the religion of the spirit is joyful and characterized by good humor, but this possibility of “increasing happiness” speaks to the heart of our human condition. Happiness can often seem elusive and fraught with psychological and emotional issues.

Jesus’ “Instruction for Teachers and Believers,” from the Decapolis Tour, includes this intriguing statement: “Increasing happiness is always the experience of all who are certain about God.” (159:3.10) He was putting forward the message that the religion of the spirit is joyful and characterized by good humor, but this possibility of “increasing happiness” speaks to the heart of our human condition. Happiness can often seem elusive and fraught with psychological and emotional issues.

Finding a high purpose in life is the key to fulfilling our highest potentials for service and spiritual growth. In this episode of Study Group, we begin by looking at the story of The Young Man Who Was Afraid. Like many of us at different times in our lives, he had withdrawn from the world and was struggling with feelings of fear and depression. After talking with Jesus, he experienced a new awakening of living faith. The consciousness of being a child of God vanquished his fears with love. From this and other teachings, we begin to realize that doing God’s will is truly our highest life purpose. A living relationship with God gives us the inspiration we need to evaluate and bring coherence to our plans, projects, and life decisions.

In this episode of Study Group we explore the revealed concept of morontia. As used in The Urantia Book (along with the related idea of mota perception), this term points to a “vast level” of reality that “intervenes” between the purely physical and the purely spiritual. (0:5.12) Morontia things and beings originate from a blended synthesis of matter and spirit. Knowledge of this level of existence is essential to a true understanding of reality.

In this episode of study group we ponder the age-old question of identity: Who AM I? In Jesus we find the full realization of human identity partnership with God. By blazing the trail to this achievement, he shows us the way and demonstrates what is also possible for us. Our journey begins with the recognition of freewill selfhood. In our relationships with others we learn the importance of love. This sets the stage for the discovery of God’s inner presence. Our experiences with loving relationships help us to understand that we can also develop an intimate loving relationship with God. This awakens a realization of our true nature as a beloved child of God and a treasured member of God’s universal family. This new sense of spiritual identity is the conscious awakening of our immortal soul.

In this episode of Study Group, we take a close look at the nature of authenticity and what it means to be an “authentic self.” While The Urantia Book does not include many direct references to authenticity, the constellation of values that are associated with authenticity are woven throughout its teachings.

In this episode of Study Group, we take a close look at the nature of gifting and how it contributes to the growth of spiritual truth and goodness in both our human relationships and our relationship with God.

In this podcast, we are responding to a question from a listener who asks about the ancient Sumerian temple figures who were portrayed with large blue eyes. This takes us into a study of both the origin of the Sumerians and the origin of blue eyes. The seemingly sudden appearance of the Sumerians, “with a full-grown and superior culture,” (77:4.7) has long been a mystery for archeologists.

As we approach the end of Thanksgiving week, we felt it would be appropriate to dedicate an episode of Study Group to the friendly nature of God, which we feel grateful for!

In this episode of Study Group we’ll be talking about what it means to “Walk in the Light.” Jesus tells us that he is the “light of the world,” and that this light is the “light of life.” He is calling us to follow him, which will bring us out of the spiritual darkness of a purely material existence and into the light of knowing God. How is spiritual light different from intellectual insight or physical light? How does our faith give us a “whole heart” as we explore new realms of spiritual reality and divine service? We’ll be discussing these and other related topics in this, our seventh in an ongoing series of studies of Jesus’ short sayings and watchwords.

In this episode of Study Group we take a close look at Jesus’ admonition to his apostles that “He who would be greatest among you, let him be server of all.”

In this episode of Study Group we look into the meaning of Jesus’ declaration to his apostles that he desires them to love each other as he loves them. What are the qualities of love that Jesus revealed and demonstrated during his life as a combined human and divine being? We begin by reflecting on the book’s descriptions of Jesus’ loving nature, including his graciousness, friendliness, and good cheer that he spread wherever he went. This leads into Jesus’ endeavor to reveal a “new concept of fatherly love” to his apostles. This is the quality of love that he encourages us to discover and manifest in our lives. This podcast is the fifth in our ongoing series of studies of Jesus’ short sayings and watchwords.