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The Holy Bible: King James Version, Quatercentenary Edition The Holy Bible: King James Version, Quatercentenary Edition

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Quatercentenary Edition The Holy Bible: King James Version, Quatercentenary Edition

This 400th anniversary edition of the King James Version of the Bible is a reprint of the 1611 text, in an easy-to-read roman font instead of the black-letter type of the original. The original capital letters, many of which are pictorial, have been restored to each chapter in order to replicate the visual appeal of the early editions.

The 1611 text is followed page-for-page and line-for-line, and all misprints are reproduced rather than corrected. The large body of preliminary matter, which includes genealogies, maps, and lists of readings, is also included. The text of the 1611 edition differs from modern editions of the King James Version in thousands of details, and this edition is the most authentic version of the original text that has ever been published.

The volume concludes with an essay by Gordon Campbell on the first edition of the King James Bible.

About the Author

Gordon Campbell is Professor of Renaissance Studies, Department of English at the University of Leicester

Leather Bound: 1552 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (October 26, 2010)

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament Volume One The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament Volume One
The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament Volume One The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament: Apocrypha

The most esteemed body of books left out of the Bible, the Old Testament Apocrypha is of interest to historians, religious scholars, and ordinary laypeople alike. For more than 70 years this version, edited by R.H. Charles, has been the definitive critical edition. Out of print for years, Apocryphile Press is proud to make it available once more to scholars and the curious.

Paperback: 700 pages
Publisher: Apocryphile Press (November 1, 2004)

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume Two The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume Two
The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume Two The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume Two

Of all the books left out of the Bible, only the Apocrypha rivals the Pseudepigrapha in popularity and importance. This edition of the Pseudepigrapha was edited by R. H. Charles and was the definitive critical edition for over 70 years.

Paperback: 800 pages
Publisher: Apocryphile Press (November 1, 2004)

The Urantia Book The Urantia Book
The Urantia Book The Urantia Book

Love

Love is truly contagious and eternally creative. (p. 2018) “Devote your life to proving that love is the greatest thing in the world.” (p. 2047) “Love is the ancestor of all spiritual goodness, the essence of the true and the beautiful.” (p. 2047) The Father’s love can become real to mortal man only by passing through that man’s personality as he in turn bestows this love upon his fellows. (p. 1289) The secret of a better civilization is bound up in the Master’s teachings of the brotherhood of man, the good will of love and mutual trust. (p. 2065)

Prayer

Prayer is not a technique of escape from conflict but rather a stimulus to growth in the very face of conflict. (p. 1002) The sincerity of any prayer is the assurance of its being heard. … (p. 1639) God answers man’s prayer by giving him an increased revelation of truth, an enhanced appreciation of beauty, and an augmented concept of goodness. (p. 1002) …Never forget that the sincere prayer of faith is a mighty force for the promotion of personal happiness, individual self-control, social harmony, moral progress, and spiritual attainment. (p. 999)

Suffering

There is a great and glorious purpose in the march of the universes through space. All of your mortal struggling is not in vain. (p. 364) Mortals only learn wisdom by experiencing tribulation. (p. 556)

Angels

The angels of all orders are distinct personalities and are highly individualized. (p. 285) Angels....are fully cognizant of your moral struggles and spiritual difficulties. They love human beings, and only good can result from your efforts to understand and love them. (p. 419)

Our Divine Destiny

If you are a willing learner, if you want to attain spirit levels and reach divine heights, if you sincerely desire to reach the eternal goal, then the divine Spirit will gently and lovingly lead you along the pathway of sonship and spiritual progress. (p. 381) …They who know that God is enthroned in the human heart are destined to become like him—immortal. (p. 1449) God is not only the determiner of destiny; he is man’s eternal destination. (p. 67)

Family

Almost everything of lasting value in civilization has its roots in the family. (p. 765) The family is man’s greatest purely human achievement. ... (p. 939)

Faith

…Faith will expand the mind, ennoble the soul, reinforce the personality, augment the happiness, deepen the spirit perception, and enhance the power to love and be loved. (p. 1766) “Now, mistake not, my Father will ever respond to the faintest flicker of faith.” (p. 1733)

History/Science

The story of man’s ascent from seaweed to the lordship of earthly creation is indeed a romance of biologic struggle and mind survival. (p. 731) 2,500,000,000 years ago… Urantia was a well developed sphere about one tenth its present mass. … (p. 658) 1,000,000,000 years ago is the date of the actual beginning of Urantia [Earth] history. (p. 660) 450,000,000 years ago the transition from vegetable to animal life occurred. (p. 669) From the year A.D. 1934 back to the birth of the first two human beings is just 993,419 years. (p. 707) About five hundred thousand years ago…there were almost one-half billion primitive human beings on earth. … (p. 741) Adam and Eve arrived on Urantia, from the year A.D. 1934, 37,848 years ago. (p. 828)

From the Inside Flap

What’s Inside?

Parts I and II

God, the inhabited universes, life after death, angels and other beings, the war in heaven.

Part III

The history of the world, science and evolution, Adam and Eve, development of civilization, marriage and family, personal spiritual growth.

Part IV

The life and teachings of Jesus including the missing years. AND MUCH MORE…

Excerpts

God, …God is the source and destiny of all that is good and beautiful and true. (p. 1431) If you truly want to find God, that desire is in itself evidence that you have already found him. (p. 1440) When man goes in partnership with God, great things may, and do, happen. (p. 1467)

The Origin of Human Life, The universe is not an accident... (p. 53) The universe of universes is the work of God and the dwelling place of his diverse creatures. (p. 21) The evolutionary planets are the spheres of human origin…Urantia [Earth] is your starting point. … (p. 1225) In God, man lives, moves, and has his being. (p. 22)

The Purpose of Life, There is in the mind of God a plan which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life. (p. 365) This new gospel of the kingdom… presents a new and exalted goal of destiny, a supreme life purpose. (p. 1778)

Jesus, The religion of Jesus is the most dynamic influence ever to activate the human race. (p. 1091) What an awakening the world would experience if it could only see Jesus as he really lived on earth and know, firsthand, his life-giving teachings! (p. 2083)

Science, Science, guided by wisdom, may become man’s great social liberator. (p. 909) Mortal man is not an evolutionary accident. There is a precise system, a universal law, which determines the unfolding of the planetary life plan on the spheres of space. (p. 560)

Life after Death, God’s love is universal… He is “not willing that any should perish.” (p. 39) Your short sojourn on Urantia [Earth]…is only a single link, the very first in the long chain that is to stretch across universes and through the eternal ages. (p. 435) …Death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery. (p. 159)

About the Author

The text of The Urantia Book was provided by one or more anonymous contributors working with a small staff which provided editorial and administrative support during the book's creation. The book bears no particular credentials (from a human viewpoint), relying instead on the power and beauty of the writing itself to persuade the reader of its authenticity.

Leather Bound: 2097 pages
Publisher: Urantia Foundation; Box Lea edition (August 25, 2015)

The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English

The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English

One of the world's foremost experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumran community that produced them provides an authoritative new English translation of the two hundred longest and most important nonbiblical Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran, along with an introduction to the history of the discovery and publication of each manuscript and the background necessary for placing each manuscript in its actual historical context.

About the Author

Florentino Garcia Martinez

Paperback: 586 pages
Publisher: Eerdmans; 2nd edition (February 6, 1996)

The Nag Hammadi Library in English The Nag Hammadi Library in English

The Nag Hammadi Library in English The Nag Hammadi Library in English

This definitive edition of THE NAG HAMMADI LIBRARY is the only complete, one-volume, English-language edition of the renowned library of fourth-century manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945 It includes the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary and other Gnostic gospels and sacred tests. First published in 1978 and revised, expanded, and updated in 1999, THE NAG HAMMADI LIBRARY launched modern Gnostic studies and exposed a movement within Christianity whose teachings are in many ways – as bestselling author Elaine Pagels has shown – as relevant today as they were centuries ago. This edition takes into account recent developments in Gnostic scholarship, including the significance of the Gospel of Thomas as a source of the authentic sayings of Jesus. The translators include such prominent scholars as Elaine Pagels, Marvin Meyer, Helmut Koester, and Bentley Layton. The Chicago Theological Seminary Register called it “A tremendous achievement”.

Paperback: 549 pages
Publisher: HarperOne; 3rd edition (1988)

The Apocryphal New Testament: A Collection of Apocryphal Christian Literature in an English Translation The Apocryphal New Testament: A Collection of Apocryphal Christian Literature in an English Translation

The Apocryphal New Testament: A Collection of Apocryphal Christian Literature in an English Translation The Apocryphal New Testament: A Collection of Apocryphal Christian Literature in an English Translation

From the Back Cover This collection of apocryphal texts supersedes the best-selling edition by M. R. James, which was originally published in 1924, and regularly reprinted. Several new texts have come to light since 1924 and the textual base for some of the apocrypha previously translated by James is now more secure, as in several cases there are recently published critical editions available. Although a modest appendix to James's edition was added in 1953, no thorough revision has previously been undertaken. In this volume, J. K. Elliott presents new translations of the texts and has provided each of them with a short introduction and bibliography directed to those who wish to pursue further the issues raised in the texts, or to consult the critical editions, other versions, or general studies. The translations are in modern English, in contrast to James's deliberate imitation of the language of the Authorized Version. The collection is designed to give readers the most important and famous of the Christian apocrypha, together with a select sample of gnostic texts. Full translations of the earliest texts are printed.

About the Author

J. K. Elliott (Editor)

Paperback: 774 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; First Paperback Edition edition (December 22, 2005)


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The Birth of a Divine Revelation: The Origin of the Urantia Papers The Birth of a Divine Revelation: The Origin of the Urantia Papers

The Birth of a Divine Revelation: The Origin of the Urantia Papers The Birth of a Divine Revelation: The Origin of the Urantia Papers

Report on the origins of the Urantia Papers. Describes the evolution of events which led to the Papers. Includes biography of William Sadler, the human agent, an account of an associated group, (the Forum), and discussion of threats to the Revelation before it was published.. Offers a wealth of detail heretofore unpublished. Original scholarly research.

About the Author

Through a series of unusual events the author came to recognize that our planet is experiencing celestial visitations today, and that this world is under the supervision of agencies which report directly to our Creator. As a result of these discoveries he had a striking spiritual experience late in 1967. Since that time he has devoted his energies to the study and purpose of revelation.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From Chapter 1: A man wanted to know the difference between Edgar Cayce, the so-called Sleeping Prophet, and the Sleeping Subject described by William Sadler in the Appendix to his book, The Mind At Mischief. The latter was suspected of being involved in the creation of The Urantia Papers. I shall describe the sequence of events which led Sadler to investigate the behavior of the Sleeping Subject, how that relationship developed into The Urantia Papers, and why Edgar Cayce could not have been the Sleeping Subject.

Paperback: 600 pages
Publisher: Moyer Pub (February 16, 2000)

The Birth Of A Divine Revelation

The Mechanical Origin
of
The Urantia Papers

Ernest P. Moyer

PO Box 1206
Hanover, Pennsylvania 17331
Early, 1997


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    TABLE OF CONTENTS    

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SPIRIT ENTRY
INTO
HUMAN MIND


PART I

THE FREEDOM OF THE PRINCE



Caligastia, your apostate Planetary Prince, is still free on Urantia to prosecute his nefarious designs, but he has absolutely no power to enter the minds of men, neither can he draw near to their souls to tempt or corrupt them unless they really desire to be cursed with his wicked presence. The Urantia Papers, Page 610.

I know a man who did not like the heavy portent of this statement. It truly disturbed him that spirits might enter the human mind. He solved his perplexity by interpreting the text differently. He stated that there was no comma after the phrase "corrupt them." Thus the last phrases were isolated from the former. He separated the thoughts. He then had the devil limited to drawing near to our souls to tempt and corrupt. Thus he reverted to the traditional and time-honored view of the actions of this apostate Prince.

I had developed a close personal relationship with this man, or thought I had, but my insistence on the literal significance of the statement caused him to deny that relationship. He drew cool and distant. Often since, I have wanted to ask if he ever heard of jots and tittles. He followed that old worn path of refusing truth by the smallest graphical notation, a habit practiced from long before Jesus.

Another man asked me if I could draw out biblical parallels for this statement. I replied that I could not do it with any one passage, but that several biblical passages showed the same revelation, as in John 14:30. Historically, we do not have a similar revelation stated so clearly and succinctly.

Our ability to recognize truth is not dependent on the source of the revelation. It matters not how we may hang clauses and phrases, dependent or independent, associated or unassociated. What we recognize as truth depends on that Spirit which dwells within us, the Spirit of the Father, and on our response to his Spirit. And it depends on the Spirit of Truth working with us.  Throughout our lives we may have learned to listen or we may have learned to reject. Or we may have learned to twist recognition into intellectually convenient forms.

The difficulty for that man was his dilemma between the recognition of truth and his fleshly fears. He was an intelligent man. He understood fully what the statement meant. He felt within himself the significance of the revelation. But he could not deal with the possibility that a spirit personality--a real, living being--might be able to enter our minds to tempt and corrupt. It scared him. He knew if such entry were taking place on a wide scale we were destined for true tribulation. He was intelligent but he lacked courage. It was easier to reject the truth.

If this rebel can enter our minds, can other spirit entities enter our minds? Is this a power possessed by all spirit beings or entities?


THE SPIRIT OF THE FATHER


Consider statements by the New Testament writers.

Rom 8:11 - If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you. 

The one who raised Jesus from the dead was the Father. His Spirit dwells in us. Is this the Holy Spirit, recognized as a separate personality, a person of the Trinity, whom the Father sends? Or is this a spirit unique to the Father, his Spirit? Few Christians have made this distinction because spirit entities and beings are lumped together indistinguishably.

1 Cor 3:16 - Do you not know that you are God's sanctuary and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 

Paul's remark shows that God, the Father, has a distinct Spirit which actually dwells within us. It is not a "force" that imposes a spirit attitude or feeling upon us, nor merely a "spiritual" influence. It is a spirit entity, a gift portion from the Father. He comes to live with us, and be with us. He actually dwells within us.

1 Cor 6:19 - Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own.

This verse illustrates the confusion in our historic record. Here we could believe that the Holy Spirit, with personality distinct from the Father, but ultimately originating within the Father, comes to dwell within us.

I do not wish to engage in debate of this possible difference, something we could never ultimately prove or disprove. Here I wish to develop thoughts which can lead us into better understanding of the actual entry of spirit entities into human mind. I shall break down some of the elements of this problem.

If the Spirit of the Father actually dwells within us does he dwell in our kidneys, liver, stomach or physical heart? I Cor 6:19 states that he dwells within our bodies. Paul was not intending that the Spirit dwelt within the physical mechanism. He meant that God's Spirit dwells within our minds. He lives where we have cognitive ability. This is really where the "heart" is, but "heart" means purpose and will according to God's purpose and will. It means a desire to know more of what God wants of us. It means a love for God. It is all those things which are centered around that Spirit which dwells within us.

Did God ask our permission to come into us? Would he ask an immature and primitive creature if he could come in? His Spirit is a free gift, bestowed upon us for the mere fact that we exist, that he created us. It is his way of drawing near to the lowly material beings of time and space.

The Father is not a respecter of persons.

Acts 10:34-35 - Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted by him."

Would God deny us his spirit merely because we are less intelligent than another person? Or that we were born into one family and not another? Or that we are of a different race?

Therefore, we can conclude that he invaded us; he did not ask our permission. He came in without us knowing it. He did not invade to take advantage of us, but that he might help in our earthly struggles. If he speaks to us, and we obey, we draw closer to him and to his purpose. He does not violate our will, nor our thoughts. He is resident quiescently, fully compliant to our choices. His gift of life includes the privilege to do our own choosing. This he respects because his Spirit is a gift. And then, when we become more fully attuned to his presence, as we learn to adjust our thoughts to his thoughts, we begin to develop a closer relationship with God.

I Jn 3:24 - All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us. 

When we keep his commandments we bring our hearts and our minds in line with his will and his purpose. We want to do what God wants. It is our will to do his will. If we have this purpose he works with us to bring our thinking around to his thinking. We can oppose or we can attune. That is our choice.

Eph 3:14-17 - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love . . .

Here Paul distinguishes between the Spirit of the Father who dwells within us, and that spirit of Jesus, one mind and one purpose with him, through an attitude of faith in our hearts, which gives us love for him and for our fellows.

The Bible evidence demonstrates that the Spirit of the Father invades the human mind, a Spirit entity of high holy origin, the highest possible in existence.


THE SPIRIT OF DEMONS


Demon possession has a specific mechanism. The New Testament record testifies to that phenomenon.

  • Demons recognized Jesus as a divine Son of God, Luke 4:33-35. In one case he rebuked them; he did not want them to reveal who he was, Luke 4:41. They understood his status in the heavenly realms, and acknowledged his power and authority, James 2:19.
  • They knew he could judge them, and asked why he was here now, ahead of "the time," Matt 8:29. They did not want Jesus to send them "out of the country," meaning to celestial internment, Mark 5:10.
  • Jesus had the power to order them about, Matt 8:16, 9:32, Mark 1:27.
  • The New Testament writers believed they had degrees of wickedness, Matt 12:45.
  • Demons could control all mechanisms of the human body, including hearing and vision, Matt 12:22. In another case, after the demon had been cast out, a person who was held dumb could speak, Matt 9:32-33. Sometimes they were fierce in their possession, Matt 8:28, Mark 5:2-10.
  • An explicit remark shows that demons possessed human mind, Mark 5:15. The human mortals who were subject to them expressed the mind and thought of the demon, Luke 8:28. The demon took over the mind of the human.

From this evidence we can deduce several important characteristics of the rebel spirits:

  • They had personality, cognitive thought, purpose, objectives, and ability to exercise their power, even if evil.
  • They seized control of human mortals; they used methods which permitted them to usurp the personal volition of their human victims.
  • The New Testament reports show the demons actually took up residence within their human victims.
  • Their possession of human beings was recognized as sordid. They engaged in activity which violated the integrity and will of human mortals. They did not respect human kind. They fell prey to a depraved temptation to subvert the minds and bodies of those persons.

This behavior can be brought into better grasp by picturing human power to enter into animals, and to control their behavior. If we had such power, what human mortal would engage in such activities, except the most debased?

  • The demons were limited in the type of human mortals they could possess. Since they were not inhibited in behavior they would have randomly entered all persons if everyone had been subject to their entry.
  • They entered only mortals who were weak. This weakness was not physical; it was mental. Either the persons were mentally retarded, or had weak wills.
  • If their entry was strictly physical they could have controlled all humans, since that control would have bypassed human mind. This shows they entered human mortals through the mind. They assumed body control by control of mental currents.

All biblical evidence shows they possessed human mortals through entry into mind. They controlled mind to engage in their sordid activities.

 
But even so, no fallen spirit ever did have the power to invade the minds or to harass the souls of the children of God. Neither Satan nor Caligastia could ever touch or approach the faith sons of God; faith is an effective armor against sin and iniquity. It is true: "He who is born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not." The Urantia Papers, Page 610.

No true child of God was ever subject to fallen spirits. There is no danger even today of such invasion of human mind for those who are truly dedicated to God, and born of the Father. Only those who are not born of the Father stand in such danger.

This was the heart of the dire warning given by Jesus, John 16:2. Indeed, the hour would come when those who did not know him or the Father would offer a service to God by killing his people--a service to their "God."

An important question before us is the functional status of these rebel demon spirits. What role did they serve in creation?

  • The evidence shows that they did not travel to and fro between the celestial realms and this world, as do the angels. One of those rebels specifically asked Jesus not to be taken "out of this country." They were bound to this planet.

(The word translated as "country" is from Greek chora with the idea of empty expanse or large open region. The word is a feminine derivative of Greek chasma, from whence English chasmChasma in Greek meant a vacancy, gulf, or impassable interval, hence space in modern terminology. The Greeks used chora to denote the world, or the planet. This word is contrasted with Greek topos which we know in English topography.)

 
  • If the demons did not travel to and fro between heaven and earth, and if they did not wish to be taken out of this "earth," at "the time," i.e. the Judgment, the implication is that they were residents of this world. If they were residents of this world they had origin on this world. They did not have origin in the celestial realms. But the transactions giving "birth" to the demon personalities are lost to our planetary record. We have hints of such transactions when the Sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, Gen 6:1-4, but the significance of those transactions is now viewed only in mythological terms.
  • They were not confused with angels by the ancients; those olden people recognized them as different. Neither did the ancients describe these episodes as "angelic possession."
  • If the demons were from this world, not the celestial realms, and if the ancients recognized them as less than angels, we could say they were designed by God for service in creation somewhere between human mortals and angels. We might designate them as "midway" creatures.

We should remember that at one time they were respected beings; before the rebellion they were assigned responsible tasks on this world.

 
The entire group of rebel midwayers is at present held prisoner by order of the Most Highs of Edentia. No more do they roam this world on mischief bent. Regardless of the presence of the Spirit of the Father, the pouring out of the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh forever made it impossible for disloyal spirits of any sort or description ever again to invade even the most feeble of human minds. Since the day of Pentecost there never again can be such a thing as demoniacal possession. The Urantia Papers, Page 864.

This revelation has several crucial components.

  • "Demons" no longer are on our world. Activities of fallen spirits is now limited to the Devil--our fallen Prince. He is still free on our world to prosecute his nefarious designs.
  • Disloyal spirits could and did invade the minds of some human mortals prior to the pouring out of the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh at the time of Pentecost.
  • The pouring out of the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh made it forever impossible for disloyal spirits to invade even the most feeble of human minds.
  • This is the definition of demoniacal possession: invasion of human mind without permission of the human host. No longer can any fallen spirit take involuntary possession of human mind. All spirit entry into human mind can now be done only through invitation and permission of the human mortal. If all "demons" have been interred, and only the fallen Prince remains, his entry into human mind is only through conscious invitation, not through involuntary possession.
  • The life of Jesus upon this world altered the conditions of spirit operation. When he poured out his Spirit of Truth he made it impossible for a true faith son or daughter to ever again be invaded by rebel spirit beings.

I have now offered discussion on three types of spirit beings or entities: the fallen Prince, the Spirit of the Father, and "midwayers," known in our historic record as "demons." The Spirit of the Father is the highest form of spirit entity in creation. The "midwayers" are the lowest, since they are next to human mortals in status. Both could invade the human mind. Therefore, it seems natural to infer that all other intervening orders of spirit beings or entities could also invade the human mind.

SANCTITY OF THE HUMAN MIND


Angels do not invade the sanctity of the human mind; they do not manipulate the will of mortals; neither do they directly contact with the indwelling Spirit of the Father. The guardian of destiny influences you in every possible manner consistent with the dignity of your personality; under no circumstances do these angels interfere with the free action of the human will. Neither angels nor any other order of universe personality have power or authority to curtail or abridge the prerogatives of human choosing. The Urantia Papers, Page 756.

The human mind has sanctity to all orders of loyal celestial personalities. It is respected. Only disloyal spirit beings would invade the sanctity of human mind. And only disloyal spirit beings would enter human mind at invitation. Angels would not engage in such sordid performances.

However, angels influence us in every possible manner consistent with the dignity of our personality. They are subject to the free action of human will. Nevertheless,

"The urge to pray so often experienced by God-conscious mortals very often arises as a result of seraphic influence."

Another crucial question now looms before us. If angels would invade our minds, or enter with our invitation, would there be a conflict between the personality-will of the mortal and the personality-will of the angel? The same question applies to any other celestial personality who might come into human mind. When the fallen Prince enters does his personality-will interfere with the personality-will of the human mortal?

It is the personality-will of the human mortal which gives sanctity to the human mind, and dignity to the human mortal. God gave us personality as distinct beings in his vast creation, and he gave us will. That is what we are. That is the way God created us. That is what he wants us to exercise and to be. Our personality molds our will. Thus we determine for ourselves our future eternal potentials. That is the dignity the Father gave to us as a free gift.

The technical question is this: Can spirit entities enter human mind without interfering with the personality-will of the human mortal? In order to enter human mind they must, in some manner, exercise power which makes their presence known. If they would come in and not act it would not be entry into human mind. They do not merely come in to passively page through the book of mind; the Devil already knows what is in our mind. He wants to go beyond that; he wants to control our minds. He wants to manipulate. He wants to use human mind for his evil purposes.

The many spirit communications going on about our world today depend upon "channeling" through human mind. The Devil can offer those communications only by manipulating the neural currents of the human mortal. Thus he takes over the tongue and the expression of that person. The content of the human mind becomes subject to his control. He alters the mind currents. When he produces these changes within the human mortal he violates their dignity. He imposes his personality-will over theirs.

Scott Foerster, one of those individuals I personally know, postulated that the phenomena he experienced in his mind were "projections" from the "spirit" who was his personal "guide." He recognized that if the "spirit" was manipulating his mental currents he had submitted himself to the personality-will of that "spirit." He fully understood that condition and did not want to admit that he might have submitted himself to it.

With this explanation an undefined "spirit" force is causing the projections. But this is not adequate to avoid the fact that the human mind is being manipulated from the spirit realms. Whether we see it as a "projection" of the spirit, or as an actual spirit presence, the effect is the same. Furthermore, for the "spirit" it may be merely a projection of his mind into the human mind.

But he can do so only if his human servants "stand aside," if they make their personality-will subservient to his. Note the remarks by Mark Farley that he had to resign his will in order to let the spirit produce effects through him--to let the spirit "through."  (Refer to my paper on A Warning From Jesus.)

I personally know several persons who have subjected themselves to this spirit entry into their minds. At the time of this writing they would deny that the Devil has assumed control in their minds, just as Scott Foerster devised an explanation to remove the sting of the reality. They believe they have full control. They would vigorously deny it is the Devil. The phenomena they experience in their minds is viewed as strictly benevolent. They believe the phenomena come from benign spirit beings who have only their interests at heart. The Devil has conditioned them to believe they are the pioneers of a new world era, and that they serve important roles in the accomplishment of that new world.

In the present form of the phenomenon the fallen Prince is exceedingly subtle. He does not forcibly push his way around; he is much too careful for that. If he did so he would lose the voluntary contribution of the human subject; he would then enter upon the level of spirit possession. Many of the individuals who have invited him in today are highly intelligent, well educated, middle class professionals. They are much too smart to be forced into actions. If he tried to force them they would reject him. Therefore, he deceives them. He gives them attractive reasons why they should continue in their acceptance of his presence within their minds. Only after he has well established himself, and knows their minds thoroughly, does he assert such control that they become totally subservient to his master commands. He then will truly take possession of them. He will engage such power when his hour comes to strike.

For the moment, at the writing of this paper, he is preparing his cadre.

In order to permit the reader to obtain a better understanding of the operations of this evil spirit I shall offer detailed examples gathered from "spiritualist" performances. I shall then go on to an examination of the more recent techniques he employs to accomplish his truly diabolical, and devastating scheme.  Refer to papers continuing this series.

Ernest P. Moyer
October 6, 1995




    TABLE OF CONTENTS    



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Disclaimer

Disclaimer:
Some material presented will contain links, quotes, ideologies, etc., the contents of which should be understood to first, in their whole, reflect the views or opinions of their editors, and second, are used in my personal research as "fair use" sources only, and not espousement one way or the other. Researching for 'truth' leads one all over the place...a piece here, a piece there. As a researcher, I hunt, gather and disassemble resources, trying to put all the pieces into a coherent and logical whole. I encourage you to do the same. And please remember, these pages are only my effort to collect all the pieces I can find and see if they properly fit into the 'reality aggregate'.

Personal Position

Personal Position:
I've come to realize that 'truth' boils down to what we 'believe' the facts we've gathered point to. We only 'know' what we've 'experienced' firsthand. Everything else - what we read, what we watch, what we hear - is what someone else's gathered facts point to and 'they' 'believe' is 'truth', so that 'truth' seems to change in direct proportion to newly gathered facts divided by applied plausibility. Though I believe there is 'truth', until someone representing the celestial realm visibly appears and presents the heavenly records of Facts And Lies In The Order They Happened, I can't know for sure exactly what "the whole truth' on any given subject is, and what applies to me applies to everyone. Until then I'll continue to ask, "what does The Urantia Book say on the subject?"
~Gail Bird Allen

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The Oxford Study Bible: Revised English Bible with Apocrypha The Oxford Study Bible: Revised English Bible with Apocrypha
The Oxford Study Bible: Revised English Bible with Apocrypha The Oxford Study Bible: Revised English Bible with Apocrypha

This volume combines a cultural guide to the biblical world and an annotated Bible. Its notes feature the reflections of Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish scholars.

  • Twenty-three insightful articles on aspects of the history, literary background, and culture of the biblical era.
  • A special index of people, places, and themes of the Bible.
  • 36 pages of full-color New Oxford Bible Maps, with index.

Paperback: 1860 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition (March 12, 1992)

Nave's Topical Bible: A comprehensive Digest of over 20,000 Topics and Subtopics With More Than 10,000 Associated Scripture References Nave's Topical Bible: A comprehensive Digest of over 20,000 Topics and Subtopics With More Than 10,000 Associated Scripture References

Nave's Topical Bible: A comprehensive Digest of over 20,000 Topics and Subtopics With More Than 10,000 Associated Scripture References Nave's Topical Bible: A comprehensive Digest of over 20,000 Topics and Subtopics With More Than 10,000 Associated Scripture References

"Nave's Topical Bible, " the best known of all topical bibles, has been a valuable Bible-study reference and a best-seller for more than 75 years. It is a comprehensive digest of over 20,000 topics and subtopics with more than 100,000 associated Scripture references. The most significant references for each topic actually include the full text of the verse cited saving the need to separately look up each verse.

Because "Nave's "groups verses by "idea" (or "topic"), it offers a better overview of relevant Scriptures than a concordance, which only lists or indexes verses according to specific words. This edition also includes the helpful Scripture index (left out of some other editions), which makes it possible for the reader studying a particular biblical text to locate every topic and grouping of Scripture in "Nave's "whenever a particular verse is included. That way, it is possible for the reader to study either all the verses related to a particular topic "or" all the topics related to a particular verse it works both ways.

For the pastor or teacher interested in saving hours of time but not willing to give their second best, and for anyone wanting to be challenged by what God has to say about a given subject, "Nave's Topical Bible" is the passport that will allow immediate and successful entry to the many points of interest."

About the Author

Orville J. Nave, A.M., D.D., LL.D., compiled this magnificient reference work while serving as a Chaplain in the United States Army. He referred to his work as "the result of fourteen years of delightful and untiring study of the Word of God."

Hardcover: 1616 pages
Publisher: Hendrickson Pub (July 1, 2002)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Super Value Series) Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Super Value Series)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Super Value Series) Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Super Value Series)

Read the best of Matthew Henry's classic commentary on the Bible in one convenient book. Henry's profound spiritual insights have touched lives for over 300 years. Indexed maps and charts make this a book any pastor, student, Bible teacher, or devotional reader will treasure!

About the Author

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was a Presbyterian minister in England who began his commentary on the Bible in 1704. He completed his work up to the end of Acts before his death. Afterward, his ministerial friends completed the work from Henry's notes and writings.

Series: Super Value Series
Hardcover: 1200 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 30, 2003)

The Urantia Book The Urantia Book
The Urantia Book The Urantia Book

Love

Love is truly contagious and eternally creative. (p. 2018) “Devote your life to proving that love is the greatest thing in the world.” (p. 2047) “Love is the ancestor of all spiritual goodness, the essence of the true and the beautiful.” (p. 2047) The Father’s love can become real to mortal man only by passing through that man’s personality as he in turn bestows this love upon his fellows. (p. 1289) The secret of a better civilization is bound up in the Master’s teachings of the brotherhood of man, the good will of love and mutual trust. (p. 2065)

Prayer

Prayer is not a technique of escape from conflict but rather a stimulus to growth in the very face of conflict. (p. 1002) The sincerity of any prayer is the assurance of its being heard. … (p. 1639) God answers man’s prayer by giving him an increased revelation of truth, an enhanced appreciation of beauty, and an augmented concept of goodness. (p. 1002) …Never forget that the sincere prayer of faith is a mighty force for the promotion of personal happiness, individual self-control, social harmony, moral progress, and spiritual attainment. (p. 999)

Suffering

There is a great and glorious purpose in the march of the universes through space. All of your mortal struggling is not in vain. (p. 364) Mortals only learn wisdom by experiencing tribulation. (p. 556)

Angels

The angels of all orders are distinct personalities and are highly individualized. (p. 285) Angels....are fully cognizant of your moral struggles and spiritual difficulties. They love human beings, and only good can result from your efforts to understand and love them. (p. 419)

Our Divine Destiny

If you are a willing learner, if you want to attain spirit levels and reach divine heights, if you sincerely desire to reach the eternal goal, then the divine Spirit will gently and lovingly lead you along the pathway of sonship and spiritual progress. (p. 381) …They who know that God is enthroned in the human heart are destined to become like him—immortal. (p. 1449) God is not only the determiner of destiny; he is man’s eternal destination. (p. 67)

Family

Almost everything of lasting value in civilization has its roots in the family. (p. 765) The family is man’s greatest purely human achievement. ... (p. 939)

Faith

…Faith will expand the mind, ennoble the soul, reinforce the personality, augment the happiness, deepen the spirit perception, and enhance the power to love and be loved. (p. 1766) “Now, mistake not, my Father will ever respond to the faintest flicker of faith.” (p. 1733)

History/Science

The story of man’s ascent from seaweed to the lordship of earthly creation is indeed a romance of biologic struggle and mind survival. (p. 731) 2,500,000,000 years ago… Urantia was a well developed sphere about one tenth its present mass. … (p. 658) 1,000,000,000 years ago is the date of the actual beginning of Urantia [Earth] history. (p. 660) 450,000,000 years ago the transition from vegetable to animal life occurred. (p. 669) From the year A.D. 1934 back to the birth of the first two human beings is just 993,419 years. (p. 707) About five hundred thousand years ago…there were almost one-half billion primitive human beings on earth. … (p. 741) Adam and Eve arrived on Urantia, from the year A.D. 1934, 37,848 years ago. (p. 828)

From the Inside Flap

What’s Inside?

Parts I and II

God, the inhabited universes, life after death, angels and other beings, the war in heaven.

Part III

The history of the world, science and evolution, Adam and Eve, development of civilization, marriage and family, personal spiritual growth.

Part IV

The life and teachings of Jesus including the missing years. AND MUCH MORE…

Excerpts

God, …God is the source and destiny of all that is good and beautiful and true. (p. 1431) If you truly want to find God, that desire is in itself evidence that you have already found him. (p. 1440) When man goes in partnership with God, great things may, and do, happen. (p. 1467)

The Origin of Human Life, The universe is not an accident... (p. 53) The universe of universes is the work of God and the dwelling place of his diverse creatures. (p. 21) The evolutionary planets are the spheres of human origin…Urantia [Earth] is your starting point. … (p. 1225) In God, man lives, moves, and has his being. (p. 22)

The Purpose of Life, There is in the mind of God a plan which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life. (p. 365) This new gospel of the kingdom… presents a new and exalted goal of destiny, a supreme life purpose. (p. 1778)

Jesus, The religion of Jesus is the most dynamic influence ever to activate the human race. (p. 1091) What an awakening the world would experience if it could only see Jesus as he really lived on earth and know, firsthand, his life-giving teachings! (p. 2083)

Science, Science, guided by wisdom, may become man’s great social liberator. (p. 909) Mortal man is not an evolutionary accident. There is a precise system, a universal law, which determines the unfolding of the planetary life plan on the spheres of space. (p. 560)

Life after Death, God’s love is universal… He is “not willing that any should perish.” (p. 39) Your short sojourn on Urantia [Earth]…is only a single link, the very first in the long chain that is to stretch across universes and through the eternal ages. (p. 435) …Death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery. (p. 159)

About the Author

The text of The Urantia Book was provided by one or more anonymous contributors working with a small staff which provided editorial and administrative support during the book's creation. The book bears no particular credentials (from a human viewpoint), relying instead on the power and beauty of the writing itself to persuade the reader of its authenticity.

Leather Bound: 2097 pages
Publisher: Urantia Foundation; Box Lea edition (August 25, 2015)

Zondervan Pictorial Encylopedia of the Bible, Vols. 1-5 Zondervan Pictorial Encylopedia of the Bible, Vols. 1-5
Zondervan Pictorial Encylopedia of the Bible, Vols. 1-5 The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (5 Volume Set)

From the Back Cover

The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, the result of more than ten years of research and preparation, provides Bible students with a comprehensive and reliable library of information. Varying viewpoints of scholarship permit a well-rounded perspective on significant issues relating to doctrines, themes, and biblical interpretation. Well-organized and generously illustrated, this encyclopedia will become a frequently used resource and reference work because of its many helpful features: - More than 5,000 pages of vital information of Bible lands and people - More than 7,500 articles alphabetically arranged for easy reference - Hundreds of full-color and black-and-white illustrations, charts, and graphs - Thirty-two pages of full-color maps and hundreds of black-and-white outline maps for quick perspective and ready reference - Scholarly articles ranging across the entire spectrum of theological and biblical topics, backed by recent archaeological discoveries - Two hundred and thirty-eight contributors from around the world. The editors have brought to this encyclopedia the fruit of many years of study and research.

About the Author

Merrill C. Tenney was professor of theological studies and dean of the Graduate school of Theology at Wheaton College.

Hardcover: 5 volume set More than 5,000 pages
Publisher: Zondervan Publishing House; Second Printing edition (March 15, 1975)

HarperColins Bible Dictionary HarperColins Bible Dictionary
HarperColins Bible Dictionary HarperCollins Bible DictionaryHarperCollins Bible Dictionary

The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary puts the latest and most comprehensive biblical scholarship at your fingertips. Here is everything you need to know to fully understand the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament. An unparalleled resource, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary explains every aspect of the Bible, including biblical archaeology, culture, related writings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bible‘s influence on Western civilization, biblical history, theological concepts, modern biblical interpretations, flora nad fauna, climate and environment, crafts and industry, the content of individual books of the bible, and more.

The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary features:

  • Contributions by 193 noted experts on the Bible and the ancient Near East
  • More than 3700 entries covering the Bible from A to Z
  • Outlines for each book of the Bible
  • 590 black–and–white photographs
  • 53 color photographs
  • An updated pronunciation guide
  • 72 black–and–white maps
  • 18 color maps
  • Dozens of drawings, diagrams, and tables

About the Author

Paul J. Achtemeier is Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. A widely respected authority on the Bible, he is the author or co-author of 14 books, former editor of the quarterly Interpretation, and New Testament editor of the Interpretation Biblical Commentary Series. Professor Achtemeier has also been chief executive officer and president of the Society of Biblical Literature, and president of the Catholic Biblical Association.

The Editorial Board of the revised edition of The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary includes associate editors; Roger S. Boraas, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religion, Uppsala College; Michael Fishbane, Ph.D., Nathan Cummings Professor of Jewish Studies, University of Chicago Divinity School; Pheme Perkins, Ph.D., Professor of Theology (New Testament), Boston College; and William O. Walker, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Religion, Trinity University.

The Society of Biblical Literature is a seven-thousand-member international group of experts on the Bible and related fields. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Amazon.com Review

For the maps alone, this book is worth it. Following 1,250 pages that describe and explain the people, places, terms, and events of the Bible from Aaron to Zurishaddai, the 16 spectacular maps detail the political entities and boundaries of biblical times, bringing the historic times to vivid life. A fascinating book, an impressive collection of scholarship, and a possession to cherish, the 188 contributors and five editors show what can be produced if you don't cut corners on excellence. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Hardcover: 1178 pages
Publisher: HarperOne; Rev Upd Su edition

Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary Old and New Testament Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary Old and New Testament

Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary Old and New Testament Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary Old and New TestamentVine's Complete Expository Dictionary Old and New Testament

A Nelson exclusive. Study the meaning of biblical words in the original languages-without spending years learning Greek or Hebrew. This classic reference tool has helped thousands dig deeper into the meaning of the biblical text. Explains over 6,000 key biblical words. Includes a brand new comprehensive topical index that enables you to study biblical topics more thoroughly than ever before.

Hardcover: 1184 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 2nd Edition edition (August 26, 1996)


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