SOUL POTENTIAL

A V A T A R I N T e r n a t i o n a l. o r g A V A T A R I N T e r n a t i o n a l. o r g






STUDIES IN THE WAY




SOUL POTENTIAL



Throughout this work we will be dealing with many aspects of character and character attributes, and the mechanics of how these attributes work one with another to help us progress. Character and worthiness of endeavor are considered trademarks of a soul, and best fulfill a soul’s potential. Jesus encourages us to awaken to this greater soul potential, to awaken to “the Kingdom of God is within you” (1). Thus soul maturation, soul growth, the greater expression of the spirit of God within become much of the Jesus enlightenment teaching.
Some of this enlightenment process deals with planting new thought-seed. Nourished by the spirit of God this seed sprouts to form new foundation for the soul. On the individuals part this is an act of creation. To plant good seed becomes the promise made for harvest, an enlightenment act which encourages the spirit of God to be active within the soul.

One reality within our potential is choice, the experience of free will. Therein, wise choice contains the promise and potential for a better life. Jesus speaks throughout his ministry on wise choice, to always give consideration to wisdom (2), especially in decisions concerning the soul. With that thought in mind our potential begins to be seen as a soul asset, a precious commodity, a life to be built upon and not to be wasted. Regardless of how highly propelled or how lowly our circumstance, we are always left with some ability to act and perform within our best potential. It can be presumed that this is one reason Jesus spent extra time with the downcast, for by making a spiritual choice, receiving the message and awakening, they could change their whole life.
Even from the beginning it is not hard to see that the spiritual path ushers in a kind of discipline in choosing (3). We may have our faults, our weaknesses, but already the use of wisdom in our choices takes on importance. This develops responsibility, as opposed to careless attitudes. This develops attitudes for the good, as opposed to the sloppiness of whatever. Within this rub in circumstance called potential and expression we find ourselves midst “twixt and twain” armed only with our final will, our final soul-choosing that delivers our potential unto us.
For this reason we could say that regardless of circumstances one should not feel his or her problems are insurmountable, or that the good has come to an end (4). So many take the plight of current times and make them so much more than they are. Jesus repeatedly teaches us that within our potential as a soul more good is a promise that can be fulfilled in the spirit of God (5).
Therein, we try to look to the good in potential, to build a platform of soul strength based on this good. In the process many attributes such as love, knowledge, wisdom and faith will be touched upon by the spirit. In this work we will show how these basic elements in character work together for our benefit (5a).

We begin with the study of planted seed.


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THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND THE YEAST


Matt. 13: 31-35 (NIV) He told them another parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a
mustard seed, which a man took and planted in the field.
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows,
it is the largest of the garden plants and becomes a tree,
so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a yeast
that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour
(three satas, about 1/2 bushel) until it worked all through the dough.”
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables:
he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will
open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”

Thomas (96) “The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman. She took a little leaven, concealed it in some dough, and made it into large loaves. Let him who has ears hear.”

A good pinch of mustard seeds can yield many bushes, and will grow even unto the height of a small tree, large enough for birds to make nests. The mustard plant will spread throughout a field and is a reference to the expanding heavenly kingdom which will invasively spread across the land. Yet, even so, the mustard plant is hard to detect, and is then suddenly sprouting everywhere. The yeast is a similar parable, for it cannot be separated once it is mixed in the dough, and it will work throughout the dough to yield good bread.
Jesus tells us that God’s kingdom is expansive, and is viewed as within everything, as in the yeast, or abounding everywhere, as with the mustard plant. It is not locked up in a room. God abides everywhere, and He is within us and He is without us. Both of these parables give kingdom of God not as place, but in every place and as action, active presence, that once the seed is sown the sprouting becomes apparent, thence to the harvest when ripe.
Jesus may also be referring to himself as the leaven, the yeast that gives rise to what becomes eatable bread, or in Jesus’ case understanding that can be received into the mind. He also lends himself to the mustard seed, for once it begins to spread it is very hard to rid the field. Jesus gives us the new creation consciousness by telling us that the seed of thought which is planted yields a harvest after itself, that if one wants harvest then these seeds of thought begin the process, just as we see planted seed in the physical world.
This is more in line with participating in your own development as a soul, and lends itself to responsibility through participation. Cause and effect is also implied strongly, and this becomes one teaching Jesus repeats often. There are other factors, one of which is the preparation of the soil, and the questioning of are you good soil. Though he does not directly confront us, the culture of the soul to receive gives us the quality of the soil represented in the parable.

“Some fell on the road; the birds gathered them up. Others fell on rock,
did not take root, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns....
others fell on the good soil and it produced good fruit.” Thomas (9)


So, we see Jesus in three different roles, and this gives breadth and depth to his ministry and identity. First, he enhances, he is the yeast. Second, he or his message is invasive, even irritating, and certainly disturbing to many. Third, he is the one who will be casting seed upon humanity, as in v. 37, “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man.” This is far more startling than at first inspection. Many of us are so familiar with these scriptures we think little about them. Yet, if we give thought to it this is a powerful message intended to change the consciousness of the world. In essence it brings the enlightenment message into the everyday, a place where everyman may participate should they choose. Jesus initiates the preparation of the soil, specifically the disciples, and the sowing of the seed, publicly and privatly expressed knowledge (6).
This last factor does concern the disciples in that they will be the first to have this seed sown upon the grounds of their soul. This certainly gives the disciples a special role within soul potential. However, Jesus does not specifically mention this at this time, but rather leaves the calling open, meaning any good soil will grow this good fruit. Yet, in the same statement inferring to the disciples with the question of, are you this good soil?
This gives us a clear indicator of the perplexities the disciples faced. Jesus is essentially telling them that they should be this good soil. Yet, if they are this good soil then they must also become part of sowing new seed, for they are the first, they are the disciples. They will become like the mustard plant moving into every field if possible. They must become this good fruit that will abound and yield ever greater crop. On a personal level this part of the private message must have given them pause to consider.
If we give thought to what attitudes the disciples had about this message, and their attitudes did vary, then we have to ask ourselves about our own attitudes. We are not here discussing the promise of the heavenly mansion. We are here placed at the beginning, where the work begins, the preparatory efforts that will bring us into soul development. With these few scriptures we really come to the beginning of the Jesus ministry, the grassroots if you will, the very seed.

Within this work we now need to give thought to what kind of seed we are planting. Negative thinking plants no seeds, or even bad seed-- an entanglement of thought, emotion and willfulness that serves no one well. It saps the strength of the good, and the positive cannot find its most excellent place. Conversely, if we see our journey more as one of the soul rather than one of immediate difficulty or circumstance, then there is a greater propensity to plant good spiritual seed, the longer term being continuous harvest.
Many try to find out what they can get out of life, or what life is going to give them. Most do not first think what they are putting into life. In living life everyday each person will plant seed which will be harvested on the morrow. Planting good seed everyday is intimately connected to the Jesus message. Our life grows in much the same way as the seed sprouts and then grows-- inward out and then upward. This is part of the core of The Way, and was a repeated theme in the work of Jesus.
Be willing, Jesus says, to plant good seed. He explains cause and effect by simple but accurate example, giving structure to thought itself, and essentially tells us how to build the mind, the enlightened mind that he comes extolling. The Way that Jesus taught revealed the cause and effect relationship of planting good spiritual thought-seed as an active practice.


Mt. 13: 32 The parable of the weeds was spoken privately to the disciples, and Jesus answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man*. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil.” (NIV).
*Anointed One




WALKING IN THE WAY



The working method for this paper is fairly simple. To harvest you must plant. An inspection of self and self’s behavior is needed. Some people are very good at planting seed to get desires fulfilled, for instance. Some are good seed planters with their children, but are not good seed planters relative to their husband or wife. Some plant good seed in their business life, but not in their home life. Some want to be successful, but do not plant seed and nourish successful behavior. As we can see from a cursory inspection almost everyone has areas of their garden, their soul, where they do not plant good seed, or there is no fertile soil to receive the seed.
One method which allows planting good seed is to take time each day and pray. Beseechment for assistance releases the power of the spirit of God within to operate on your behalf, and is an important element within the enlightenment process. In part, prayer has power for change because it contains the light of God. It is you who are doing the praying and it is primarily with you the spirit will deal. Prayer is part of a method of working that allows spirit to join with you and participate in your life.
Many will say, I already pray and do not get anywhere. That is because the prayer work is not proper. The praying is not so much as “make me more forgiving”, it is oriented to asking God to nourish the seed of forgiveness you are planting within. These are not prayers which ask for God to bestow upon you (anointing), they are prayers which ask God, the spirit of God within, to enliven seed you plant. This is an approach to prayer that for some is the opposite of what they have been taught. Simply put, God wants you to grow from within, not just ask Him to lay it on you.
Likewise, it does not take too much common sense to understand that nourishing seed with positive thought during the day, or even thinking the light of God into that seed, will produce growth (7). In short, Jesus gave us this enlightened cause and effect relationship as the first steps in The Way. As we continue to walk in The Way the walk should prove itself out, and as each soul may have witnessed to them by the spirit of God.

STEPPINGSTONES

Most of us have spent much time intellectualizing on how to get out of the cave of discontent. Yet, the simple fact is that to stand up and walk will allow a person to leave the cave, and they will no longer see the rock walls which enclose them. So, for this first part we are left with two main approaches to our spiritual walk: one is through prayer, the other deals with what seed is planted throughout the day. Prayer focuses on the spirit of God, and thus not the intellect. Seed planting focuses on our walk.
In other words, watching the mind to stay out of negativity is good, but having good seed for the day on which to focus is even better. This could be likened to a theme for the day. Simple steps often yield big results if done with reasonable application and expectation, and that is one reason why a theme for your spiritual growth is so helpful. It is the planting of seed that then allows the spirit to assert as the active principle. Prayer assists this active principle to better manifest. Thus, your seed list for the purposes of this section concern needs for soul growth.

1. Pray. Spiritual needs are revealed by your own spirit if you pray for that revealment. Pray for revealment. Focusing or praying for even a few seconds, or for a few minutes three or four times a day, can be very effective. Consistent daily work is more productive, regardless of the day you had before. Let each days progress be sufficient unto that day.

2. Eventually positive seed must be planted. It is best to work in one or two areas for the day. This might be gratitude combined with love. Perhaps willingness would be useful for someone who is dispirited. Plucking out bad temper is useful, but consideration for others and forebearance in the heart assists in a companion effort. (7a) So, one can see that building a positive platform is the greater goal.
Remember that by planting seed you are in fact opening a door for your spirit to respond. Allow the spirit to flow, to move, to provide substance. When you invite someone into your home you do not make demands, but rather sit with them, take comfort with them, wherein there is an allowance for easy discourse and friendship. This is the approach to take here.

3. Thus, positive seed planting allows your spirit to activate (sprout) and lead (grow) you into the harvest of your spiritual growth. This will involve revealed knowledge about yourself or about life. Sometimes this is revealed knowledge about character attributes.
Continue to plant good seed as you go through the day and as your spirit guides you. For some keeping track of daily work with a seed-planting diary is useful. These are not necessarily things you think of, but should be a more direct revelation from within, what your spirit is revealing to you, a chronicle of direct revealment. That is why short brief notes often work best instead of keeping a more extended journal.
Remember that you are planting good seeds of character (8), both within the heart and within performance, and that this is an important first step for good spiritual foundation.

4. One last note: many people have done seed planting as a spiritual activity, but this is usually folded into the faith walk only, or is for physical possessions. The gaze is outward for help, only beseechment. The inward prayer for nourishment, enlightenment or freedom from within, is often neglected. This walk is done within the context of enlightenment, not how much faith you can muster, nor whether you get your little red sports car. Faith has its proper place, but part of active faith is to set the stage for the enlightenment as well as the daily walk.

5. What might you expect? Simply put, insights into self, even greater revelation, and often lifting of burden occurs. These insights are more direct and given of the spirit. They carry a reality and substance that lends to true knowledge and power to change, and not just the intellectual understanding. These results are beginning steps into enlightenment.

copyright Avatar International, LLC, 2006

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