ACV9 6769. And Moses feared, and said, Surely the word is known. That this signifies that he was among alienated memory-knowledges, and not yet in truths so as to be safe, is evident from the signification of “fearing,” as being not to be in safety, for then there is fear. That he is not in safety is because he is not in truths; for they who are in truths are in safety wherever they go, even in the midst of the hells. That they who are not yet in truths are not in safety is because things not true communicate… Read more »
Amended Task: To notice when I am in fear or anxiety, and feel unsafe. To remember this spiritual principle and observe what arises in the life of my mind. My first response to the whole reading was an experience of dissociation with a part of my life spanning years. It folded over itself, as though it never took place. It felt like a moment from the ‘Matrix’ movie. Time, space and the people involved seemed immaterial. My second response was resistance and confusion trying to set a task, despite my chosen passage feeling clear. Mainly a sense of the layered… Read more »
John Talbot
December 20, 2023 8:54 pm
Logopraxis 6754 to 6797 6756 As regards “brethren,” they sometimes signify the goods, and sometimes the truths of the church; when the celestial church is treated of, they signify goods, and when the spiritual church is treated of, they signify truths, because the celestial church is in good, but the spiritual church in truth. And in ancient times all who were of the church called themselves “brethren.” They too who were of the spiritual church called themselves “brethren,” from good (see n. 3803); but the men of the internal church did this with a difference according to the quality of… Read more »
Judy & Len Robinson
December 20, 2023 3:16 pm
ACV9S6-Judy #6766-2….”but in the internal sense the subject treated of now is the progress of Divine truth with the man who is being regenerated. This progress is such that the man is for the first time enabled to discriminate between falsity and truth; for from the truth in which he is he can see falsity, because it is opposite; but he cannot at this first time settle differences between the truths of faith within the church; in order to be able to do this he must make further progress, for man is enlightened successively….” Principle: Regeneration of the spiritual man… Read more »
6756. Those who belonged to the spiritual Church did indeed call one another brothers on the basis of good; yet there were differences in the ways that members of the internal Church did so. Those differences depended on the nature of the good, and so on truths since good derives its specific nature from truths. Principles: Truths that are applied to daily life results in good outcomes. All good derives from the Creator, the Lord God. Task 1: Start the day with an acknowledgement that Love is at the heart of Creation through appreciating the video The Heart of… Read more »
Mandy Millar
December 17, 2023 10:44 pm
6758. And he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man. That this signifies alienated memory-knowledge endeavouring to destroy the truth of the church, is evident from the signification of an “Egyptian” as being memory-knowledge alienated from truth (n. 6692); from the signification of “smiting,” as being to destroy, here to attempt to destroy, because falsities cannot destroy truths; and from the signification of a “Hebrew man,” as being the truth of the church, for by a “man” is signified truth (see n. 3134), and by a “Hebrew,” the church (n. 6675, 6684). Principle: Falsities attempt to destroy truths but… Read more »
Hal Rosner
December 17, 2023 2:14 am
AC 6751 When he is being regenerated, a man advances in the things of faith almost as he advances in the truths not of faith when he is growing to maturity; in this growth, sensuous things are the first plane; then memory-knowledges; and upon these planes judgment afterward grows, with one person more, with another less. During man’s regeneration, the generals of faith, or the rudiments of the doctrine of the church, are the first plane; then the particulars of doctrine and of faith; afterward successively things more interior. These planes are what are enlightened by the light of heaven;… Read more »
6765 When a man is being regenerated, he is let into combats against falsities, and is then kept by the Lord in truth, but in that truth which he had persuaded himself to be truth, and from this truth he fights against falsity. He can fight also from truth not genuine, provided the truth is such that in some way it can be conjoined with good; and it is conjoined with good by means of innocence, for innocence is the means of conjunction. Hence it is that men can be regenerated within the church from any doctrine, but those pre-eminently who… Read more »
Spending two weeks with a newborn and a three-year-old gave me a wonderful example of the innocence of childhood. Observing them gave me some insights into innocence. The total trust and certainty that Mum and Dad will take care of their every need. The baby just for food, comfort and love and the young boy also in reliance for all information about his world. Daddy can do anything, fix any problem and answer all questions. If I regain that amount of trust in the Lord as I mature, I will be in a good place. As I get older, I do find myself… Read more »
Denyse Daurat
December 14, 2023 3:23 am
6756.5 The reason why in ancient times those who belonged to the Church called one another brothers was that they acknowledged the Lord as their one and only Father and received a new soul and life from Him.
Task: Remember the first commandment and strive to practice it.
6767.2 That ‘to kill’ denotes to take away spiritual life
Task: To become aware of when I ‘kill’ my spiritual life
So far…I’ve worked out that I kill my spiritual life when I am identified with my natural desires (or affections). I’m currently working with one of the seven deadly (natural) desires: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. I have problems with many of these but am just working with one in particular at the moment. Results to follow…
I have had to observe my behaviour or my identification with natural desires in hindsight as I have no clarity or consciousness when I am in them. In hindsight I see that when I am in these desires I kill the spiritual life within myself. When I am in these desires, only I exist and the Lord has ceased to exist – there is no thought of him. In hindsight I have also seen how my natural or hellish desires act to construct a false understanding of my life. From evil only falsity in the understanding can arise. The falsity… Read more »
Liz Coggins
December 11, 2023 7:06 am
6767: sayest thou to kill me? That this signifies “wouldst thou destroy my faith? Is evident from the signification of “killing” as being to destroy; and from the signification of a “Hebrew man” here meant by ‘me’ as being one who is of the church……. [2]…..”the day of killing” denotes the time of vastation of the church, when there is no longer any faith, because no charity. I’m very moved by this but not sure why…….What does it relate to in me, to my attitudes and behaviour to my internal self; and in my attitude and behaviour towards other people… Read more »
Submission The task has led me to see that protection against the destruction of faith (in me), lies in being intentionally connected to an understanding of truth, and an affection for it – in specifics. And that faith itself seems to be more an experience than a thought process; seems hard to define, yet can be known inwardly. I notice that when I gently reach inwards with thoughts around a specific truth – even a single word, like ‘Watch’ or ‘Lord’ – something reciprocal can start, a kind of feedback; and an experience of affection for that truth begins to… Read more »
Janna King
December 10, 2023 2:16 am
AC:6767. Sayest thou to kill me? That this signifies “wouldest thou destroy my faith?” is evident from the signification of “killing,” as being to destroy (of which below); and from the signification of a “Hebrew man,” here meant by “me,” as being one who is of the church, thus also faith, for faith is of the church, and these two things are so united that he who destroys faith with anyone, destroys the church with him. This also is “killing” him, for he who takes away faith, takes away spiritual life, the life which remains being that which is called… Read more »
Submission: I have spent most of this period experiencing the ‘burden of falsity’ that brings on dark states of despair. Finally now the Lord is allowing me to shift into observing that process in response to the promptings of the task. It has led me away from a specific falsity (related to my proprial sense of responsibility for the lives and regeneration of others) and into a glimpse of the Lord’s management of the lives of the people I love. The task also brought me around to genuine prayer (pleading for the Lord’s mercy,) as well as gratitude to Him.… Read more »
AC 6766: And he said, Who set thee for a man, a prince, and a judge over us? That this signifies perception that he was not as yet so far advanced in the truths of faith as to settle differences within the church. in the internal sense the subject treated of now is the progress of Divine truth with the man who is being regenerated. This progress is such that the man is for the first time enabled to discriminate between falsity and truth; for from the truth in which he is he can see falsity, because it is opposite; but… Read more »
The whole purpose behind asking the Lord to enlighten the understanding of the Word (in me) (SS 57-59) is so that He can lead me to a state of seeing and accepting in Mutual Love the variations of “Churches” in others, however far apart those “Particular” understandings of the Word may be (AC 6637 [2]). This is to be in a state of The New Commandment (John 13:34) which charges me to love one another as He, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His Divine Human, or the Word with us, Loves every created soul. The perception which followed, sitting with… Read more »
ACV9 6769. And Moses feared, and said, Surely the word is known. That this signifies that he was among alienated memory-knowledges, and not yet in truths so as to be safe, is evident from the signification of “fearing,” as being not to be in safety, for then there is fear. That he is not in safety is because he is not in truths; for they who are in truths are in safety wherever they go, even in the midst of the hells. That they who are not yet in truths are not in safety is because things not true communicate… Read more »
Amended Task: To notice when I am in fear or anxiety, and feel unsafe. To remember this spiritual principle and observe what arises in the life of my mind. My first response to the whole reading was an experience of dissociation with a part of my life spanning years. It folded over itself, as though it never took place. It felt like a moment from the ‘Matrix’ movie. Time, space and the people involved seemed immaterial. My second response was resistance and confusion trying to set a task, despite my chosen passage feeling clear. Mainly a sense of the layered… Read more »
Logopraxis 6754 to 6797 6756 As regards “brethren,” they sometimes signify the goods, and sometimes the truths of the church; when the celestial church is treated of, they signify goods, and when the spiritual church is treated of, they signify truths, because the celestial church is in good, but the spiritual church in truth. And in ancient times all who were of the church called themselves “brethren.” They too who were of the spiritual church called themselves “brethren,” from good (see n. 3803); but the men of the internal church did this with a difference according to the quality of… Read more »
ACV9S6-Judy #6766-2….”but in the internal sense the subject treated of now is the progress of Divine truth with the man who is being regenerated. This progress is such that the man is for the first time enabled to discriminate between falsity and truth; for from the truth in which he is he can see falsity, because it is opposite; but he cannot at this first time settle differences between the truths of faith within the church; in order to be able to do this he must make further progress, for man is enlightened successively….” Principle: Regeneration of the spiritual man… Read more »
6756. Those who belonged to the spiritual Church did indeed call one another brothers on the basis of good; yet there were differences in the ways that members of the internal Church did so. Those differences depended on the nature of the good, and so on truths since good derives its specific nature from truths. Principles: Truths that are applied to daily life results in good outcomes. All good derives from the Creator, the Lord God. Task 1: Start the day with an acknowledgement that Love is at the heart of Creation through appreciating the video The Heart of… Read more »
6758. And he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man. That this signifies alienated memory-knowledge endeavouring to destroy the truth of the church, is evident from the signification of an “Egyptian” as being memory-knowledge alienated from truth (n. 6692); from the signification of “smiting,” as being to destroy, here to attempt to destroy, because falsities cannot destroy truths; and from the signification of a “Hebrew man,” as being the truth of the church, for by a “man” is signified truth (see n. 3134), and by a “Hebrew,” the church (n. 6675, 6684). Principle: Falsities attempt to destroy truths but… Read more »
AC 6751 When he is being regenerated, a man advances in the things of faith almost as he advances in the truths not of faith when he is growing to maturity; in this growth, sensuous things are the first plane; then memory-knowledges; and upon these planes judgment afterward grows, with one person more, with another less. During man’s regeneration, the generals of faith, or the rudiments of the doctrine of the church, are the first plane; then the particulars of doctrine and of faith; afterward successively things more interior. These planes are what are enlightened by the light of heaven;… Read more »
6765 When a man is being regenerated, he is let into combats against falsities, and is then kept by the Lord in truth, but in that truth which he had persuaded himself to be truth, and from this truth he fights against falsity. He can fight also from truth not genuine, provided the truth is such that in some way it can be conjoined with good; and it is conjoined with good by means of innocence, for innocence is the means of conjunction. Hence it is that men can be regenerated within the church from any doctrine, but those pre-eminently who… Read more »
Spending two weeks with a newborn and a three-year-old gave me a wonderful example of the innocence of childhood. Observing them gave me some insights into innocence. The total trust and certainty that Mum and Dad will take care of their every need. The baby just for food, comfort and love and the young boy also in reliance for all information about his world. Daddy can do anything, fix any problem and answer all questions. If I regain that amount of trust in the Lord as I mature, I will be in a good place. As I get older, I do find myself… Read more »
6756.5 The reason why in ancient times those who belonged to the Church called one another brothers was that they acknowledged the Lord as their one and only Father and received a new soul and life from Him.
Task: Remember the first commandment and strive to practice it.
6767.2 That ‘to kill’ denotes to take away spiritual life
Task: To become aware of when I ‘kill’ my spiritual life
So far…I’ve worked out that I kill my spiritual life when I am identified with my natural desires (or affections). I’m currently working with one of the seven deadly (natural) desires: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. I have problems with many of these but am just working with one in particular at the moment. Results to follow…
I have had to observe my behaviour or my identification with natural desires in hindsight as I have no clarity or consciousness when I am in them. In hindsight I see that when I am in these desires I kill the spiritual life within myself. When I am in these desires, only I exist and the Lord has ceased to exist – there is no thought of him. In hindsight I have also seen how my natural or hellish desires act to construct a false understanding of my life. From evil only falsity in the understanding can arise. The falsity… Read more »
6767: sayest thou to kill me? That this signifies “wouldst thou destroy my faith? Is evident from the signification of “killing” as being to destroy; and from the signification of a “Hebrew man” here meant by ‘me’ as being one who is of the church……. [2]…..”the day of killing” denotes the time of vastation of the church, when there is no longer any faith, because no charity. I’m very moved by this but not sure why…….What does it relate to in me, to my attitudes and behaviour to my internal self; and in my attitude and behaviour towards other people… Read more »
Submission The task has led me to see that protection against the destruction of faith (in me), lies in being intentionally connected to an understanding of truth, and an affection for it – in specifics. And that faith itself seems to be more an experience than a thought process; seems hard to define, yet can be known inwardly. I notice that when I gently reach inwards with thoughts around a specific truth – even a single word, like ‘Watch’ or ‘Lord’ – something reciprocal can start, a kind of feedback; and an experience of affection for that truth begins to… Read more »
AC:6767. Sayest thou to kill me? That this signifies “wouldest thou destroy my faith?” is evident from the signification of “killing,” as being to destroy (of which below); and from the signification of a “Hebrew man,” here meant by “me,” as being one who is of the church, thus also faith, for faith is of the church, and these two things are so united that he who destroys faith with anyone, destroys the church with him. This also is “killing” him, for he who takes away faith, takes away spiritual life, the life which remains being that which is called… Read more »
Submission: I have spent most of this period experiencing the ‘burden of falsity’ that brings on dark states of despair. Finally now the Lord is allowing me to shift into observing that process in response to the promptings of the task. It has led me away from a specific falsity (related to my proprial sense of responsibility for the lives and regeneration of others) and into a glimpse of the Lord’s management of the lives of the people I love. The task also brought me around to genuine prayer (pleading for the Lord’s mercy,) as well as gratitude to Him.… Read more »
AC 6766: And he said, Who set thee for a man, a prince, and a judge over us? That this signifies perception that he was not as yet so far advanced in the truths of faith as to settle differences within the church. in the internal sense the subject treated of now is the progress of Divine truth with the man who is being regenerated. This progress is such that the man is for the first time enabled to discriminate between falsity and truth; for from the truth in which he is he can see falsity, because it is opposite; but… Read more »
The whole purpose behind asking
The whole purpose behind asking the Lord to enlighten the understanding of the Word (in me) (SS 57-59) is so that He can lead me to a state of seeing and accepting in Mutual Love the variations of “Churches” in others, however far apart those “Particular” understandings of the Word may be (AC 6637 [2]). This is to be in a state of The New Commandment (John 13:34) which charges me to love one another as He, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His Divine Human, or the Word with us, Loves every created soul. The perception which followed, sitting with… Read more »