Do Temptations Wane with Soul Development?

[DennisT]

Hello everyone,

I heard a preacher on the radio the other day (I know, you're already saying "why do you listen to that" ), and he said that you will always be tempted to sin, and the temptations will never go away nor will the be decreased. Now I don't agree with most of what orthodox teachers preach because of the Truths I have come to learn in recent years, but it made me wonder from a Divine Love perspective. If we continue to develop our souls through the great Transformative Powers of our Creator's Love, does that not mean that temptation should decrease if not disappear completely if soul development dictates?

Does temptation to sin have much to do with the Law of Attraction, where we are attracting lower level or even dark spirits who try to influence our actions, tempting us to sin? To me, the cure is to pray for more of the Father's Divine Love, therefore, slowly transforming my soul and attracting a better crowd of spirits, so to speak

What are your thoughts, my friends on the path Divine?

Love and hugs to all,

Dennis

[Joseph]

Hi Dennis,

Here is some "homework" for you ...

4 messages to review :

John: Nov. 4th, 1916

Ann Rollins: Jan. 9th, 1917

James: May 23rd, 1917

Helen Padgett: Dec. 4th, 1917

Hugs,

Joseph

[Doles]

If we continue to develop our souls through the great Transformative Powers of our Creator's Love, does that not mean that temptation should decrease if not disappear completely if soul development dictates?

Dennis, I'm not sure if I understood you correct on this. But I don't think "temptation" would decrease as a result of our soul development...in my opinion it's more a case of evolutionary maturity, or as we'd most likely called it: spiritual maturity. It's just like in our daily life, I think, there are things we simply smile upon as we mature/evolve along that were perhaps at some time in our lives to die for. So I don't necessarily think our soul development dictates the availability of temptations...rather how we respond to them.

[Jan]

Dennis,
I would like to add:

http://new-birth.net/tgrabjvol2/bible48.htm

I have the following part from above printed on my bulletin board above my desk to read frequently:

I only want to say that the faith that the preacher spoke of tonight as being possessed by Elijah is the faith that you must try to obtain, and then you will realize that you will be superior to all the worries and troubles that may come to you. This is the kind of faith that overcomes every obstacle and makes you a true child of the Father and one whom He will never forsake or let go unprovided for.

I think that an obstacle would also include temptations that help you to grow more in faith to God.
Love to all,
Jan

[jeanne]

Joseph and Jan....thank you for bringing these messages to my attention! Just what I needed! And to Dennis, for raising the question! Oh, life can be a struggle! Wishing everyone here abundant Divine Love....more than enough to resist all temptations! Love Jeanne

[DennisT]

Thank you for the posts, everyone!

Joseph and Jan, thanks for the specific messages. I have read all the messages before, but when you are living each day, they don't always come to mind when you're trying to recall them. However, as I read them again, it was comforting to know that my gut instinct was correct. I was also reminded by another preacher that "temptation itself is not a sin"' it's what you do in response to the temptation that might be inharmonious with God's laws. And I think that's much in line with what you posted, Doles, and I thank you for that.

If anyone else should stumble upon this thread, I sure would like to hear from you.

Love and hugs to all,

Dennis

[AlFike]

Gee Dennis, I think that the messages Joseph posted go a long way to answer your questions. We live, therefore we are tempted and as Doles points out, our temptations change as we grow older. Those beautiful girls in bikinis do not have the same effect on me as they did twenty years ago. I admire their beauty but my thoughts are purer than before. Is this the love in action or male menopause? Disciplining our thoughts is a challenge and necessary if we are to be mature in our spirituality. The soul can help in as much as the light within must have influence on our thoughts in positive ways but we are not immune to negative thinking and doing since free will is always in play. More prayer, more Love, more discipline. As long as we are on this earth plain, we will be tempted and we must choose our thoughts and actions in response. No easy solutions there, just more hard work. At least we all know that it is better to fight than to give in because the consequences of succumbing to negativity have far reaching affects upon our future

Good question Dennis and great answers everyone else. May we all bask in light and eternal happiness. It will come to each of us eventually. God bless for now.....Al

[Doles]

Is this the love in action or male menopause?

I'd go for the latter in your case, dear OLD Al..... Ok, Ok! That was my probably first attempt at comedy, so don't chop me off... But seriously, Al and everyone else, how do you know the difference in this case? Lately I get in the business of reminding myself or God ... ...whenever I do or want to do something good that I feel that's the real me because I feel the joy I get from it goes deep. But promptly thereafter doubt creeps in to let me know perhaps it's because I couldn't do anything else anyway, so I want to make myself feel better for doing something I purport to be good. In other words, it's simply me trying to remind God how good I am. So underneath the much laughter your line above may induce, I wonder what the thought process entails.

[Geoff]

As is sometimes the way, Mike Bailey contacted me about a message from Jesus he found in a book of Joseph's, and I denied any knowledge of it. Then, when Mike gave me five consecutive words so I could search for it on my site, lo and behold I had it. And then out of the mists of time came this relevant but UNPUBLISHED message:

The Father's Love is never far away when temptation strikes.

It has some very good stuff and in particular the issue of thoughts. I developed a "mantra" which I used maybe 15 years ago, even without ever finding this message. And that was to repeat endlessly "This is not my thought, please remove it Father". I found it totally effective, and that you can move beyond being tempted by thought. The only caveat is that you have to make the effort, both to ignore the thought, and to avoid any temptation in the physical, such as finding another route to work so you don't walk past the cake shop.

I have a few other unpublished Padgett messages here, and probably I should make more effort in this regard.

hugs
Geoff

[DennisT]

Excellent, Geoff!

The message from Jesus is exactly on point! And when Jesus said: "Then the secret of overcoming temptations is to have the soul qualities in such condition that the rapport cannot be made", this is what I was eluding to in my opening post.

This is such a wonderful message, yet it was not in any of the TGRA volumes? It is, however, in your publication, Geoff, around page 570.

Thanks again, and much love and big hugs,

Dennis