“Rejoice in the consciousness, whereby you experience and in the eternal soul within, whereby you know. The attributes of a god repose within you, and they are yours to command, if you will but call them forth.

“Be kind to your body, which is the vehicle of your pilgrimage and the chariot of your conquest. Keep it in health and strength, that you may enjoy life with vigor. It was not meant that the body should be neglected, and in fact the Law ordains that recompense be made for a neglected body. A body made weak by dissipation and gross from fat-living is an abomination unto the God of Life.

“On Earth, the body is equally as important as the soul. Keep it clean and in good health, that it may fittingly serve the purpose of the soul. The nearest approach that can be made to complete bliss on Earth is to enjoy the blessing of good health.

“If you would reserve health unto yourself, even into the ripeness of old age, avoid the allurements of intemperance and dissipation. These are the bewitchments of the wanton and harlot, and not easily avoided.

“When she spreads her delicacies before you, when her wine sparkles in the cups, when with sweet smiles, she induces you to cast care aside, then the hour of danger is at hand, and therefore, let prudence come to your aid. If you give heed to the sweet words of the temptress, then you are

deceived and betrayed.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:17:4-8)

Rejoice in Our Consciousness

It is true that all living beings have consciousness, but the level of consciousness humans have is higher than all other physical beings on earth. We should rejoice in that fact. We should also make every effort to increase our level of consciousness. To a large degree, that is what spiritual development is all about. Do not confuse intelligence with consciousness. Some people are very intelligent, but only average in consciousness. Likewise, some people of average intelligence have high levels of consciousness.

Attributes of God

It is true that the attributes of God are within us, but they are found in our dormant spirit, not in the body or mind. We must awaken and develop the spirit in order to activate those attributes.

Vehicle of Your Pilgrimage

It is appropriate that the quote refers to the physical body as a vehicle. Many people think their physical body is their true self, but it isn’t. The spirit is the true self, which is why it is so important to awaken and develop the spirit. Still, it is true, as the quote says, that we should do our best to keep our bodies strong and healthy. Nobody can avoid illness and injury entirely, but we should avoid them as much as possible and take the necessary steps to heal when we are ill or injured. Whether that means visiting a doctor or another type of healer is up to the individual, but we should not ignore them. There are many cases of people, some well-known, who ignored sickness or injury and died as a result.

Serve the Soul

I do not agree that the body is as important as the soul (or spirit), but it is important. We should keep it clean and fit that it can serve God. The idea that it serves the soul makes no sense, but it can serve God. That is, in fact, what God wants us to do while we are stuck in the physical realm.

Avoid Temptations

It is true that it is not easy to avoid temptations and intemperance. In this case, intemperance can mean excessive drinking of alcohol, or eating unhealthy foods. There are many temptations on earth, including sex, greed, and jealousy. We should make every effort to avoid such temptations. When we fail—and we all do occasionally—we shouldn’t give up, but instead ask God to give us the strength to avoid them in the future.

“A mean man is one who walks in unmanly ways; he has womanly weaknesses, much magnified, without womanly virtues. He forever seeks faults in the ways of the wise and the good.

“He lacks generosity and compassion; he winnows the dust off his storehouse floor to save a few dirty grains. The heart of a mean man is as the sands of the wilderness, which swallow up all the pleasant flowers that fall and bring forth nothing in return.

“He who rises eagerly to claim praise for a successful undertaking and just as readily casts blame on another when it goes awry, is not only mean, but also a weakling and a hypocrite unto himself.

“None is worse than the mean man who has riches and estate, for he rides heavily on the backs of his servants and waxes fat on the sweat of their brows.

“He is without compassion or feeling, and the ruin of his brother brings him no sorrow. For the increase in his riches, he secretly rejoices in the death of his father; but the mean man, being also hypocritical,

will be loudest in lamentation.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:14:1-5)

The Mean Man Seeks Faults

A mean person seeks faults in the ways of the wise. A smart person will try to emulate the wise, but a weak or mean person criticizes instead. As a result, the mean person makes little progress, especially on the spiritual side of life.

He lacks Compassion

The mean person lacks compassion for others. He doesn’t help a neighbor who needs assistance. He does not give to a charity unless he gets publicity for doing so, which means he is feeding his ego rather than being generous. As the quote says, the heart of the mean person is like the sands that swallow up the flowers. Fortunately, this does not stop the flowers from blooming. Of course, this is about allegorical flowers, namely, good people.

Claims Praise

Mean people do love to claim praise for any successful undertaking, even if it is of no real significance. On the other hand, such people are quick to put down the accomplishments of others, no matter how great they may be. As the quote says, such a person is a weakling and a hypocrite. Sadly, there are many such people in the world today.

The Rich Man

A mean person who has riches today may not ride on the back of his servants, but instead, what we see today is that the wealthy pay workers as little as they can get away with, while they claim most of the profit for themselves.

Ruin of His Brother

The mean person does not feel sorrow at the ruin of his brother or sister. Instead, he tried to use it as an opportunity to claim what his brother left behind. This goes not just for actual brothers and sisters, but all of our neighbors.

So do not be a mean person. Show compassion, generosity, and love. That is what god wants all of us to do.

“Abandon the wrongdoer and the worker of iniquity to the dyke, that the rising floodwaters may engulf them; thus, their ways shall no longer cause disruption among the people. Let them be seized by the storm fiend in the midst of the rising waters.

“The lawbreaker and worker of wickedness are to be cast forth from the body of the people, that it remain healthy. The purveyors of filth and the fornicators will be met by the strong arms of Real Men. The day itself will stand up and make an accusation against their abominable doings, and

the night will spew them forth.

“If the sons of wickedness say, “Lend us your arm in the shadows; let us set a trap for the unwary, that his goods may pass into our possession. Let us strike down from behind and leave his body in the gutter,”or “Let us possess ourselves of his gold by sly means and thus become rich ourselves,” or “Come, cast in your lot with us, that by our joint endeavors we shall become wealthy,” walk not along the paths with such as they, for as they lurk for blood so shall their own blood be requited.”

The Kolbrin Bible(MPR:12:1-3)

Avoid Evil People

Some think that as spiritual people, we should embrace evil people and try to change them. While that sounds like a good idea, it isn’t practical because the evil doer is more likely to affect you than the other way around. Evil is strong in this world, so the smartest thing to do is stay away from evil people.

Seized by the Rising Waters

Allegorically speaking, the evil ones will be seized by the rising waters of spiritual growth among humanity in this, the End times. The “waters” of God’s Word and God’s Will, being the spiritual light that comes to us through the Spiritual Sun, will burn the evil out of people. Some of the evil ones will change and survive this, others will refuse to change and die.

Cast From the People

It is easy to say that the workers of wickedness should be “cast forth from the people”, but that is simply not practical in these times. When most people were spiritual, that could be done, but now, the spiritual must separate themselves from the majority of people to avoid contamination. While it may not be practical to do that all the time, we can do it when possible, and use mental techniques to block their influence.

Cast Your Lot With Us

The wicked people do ask others to join them in their wicked and evil ways. The smart person, and especially the spiritual one, will not fall for it. The quote says, “for as they lurk for blood so shall their own blood be requited.” This is a way of saying karma will catch up with them, it always does, even though it may not seem so. We often think that some evil people get away with it for their entire lives, but we don’t see the details behind the scene. They may suffer from horrid diseases that do not show. They may suffer through the death of loved ones. They may be robbed by other evil ones. Karma always does it’s job.

“If God has endowed you with riches, then regard them with pleasure, for the means to good deeds is in your hands.

“It is not sufficient for a rich man to give to the poor or to alleviate the distress of the needy. He who, having received abundance from God, doles out a pittance to the poor, does but salve his conscience and is not truly walking with God.

“It is the duty of the rich man to cast the weight of his riches in the balances, that goodness may outweigh evil.

“It is the duty of the powerful man to range his might alongside the forces of good in the struggle against evil. He shall protect the poor against the exploiter and defend the weak against oppression of tyrants.

“It is not so important to give to the poor man as to remove the cause of his poverty. To help the weak is good but of lesser importance than to attack their oppressor.

“The Law decrees that the lot of no two men shall be alike. If it were otherwise, Earth could not fulfill its purpose. But he who has riches or is powerful or handsome, he who has intellect and skill, should bear in mind that he possesses these under the Law. According to the bounty bestowed, so must be the return to the general welfare of man, and a proper accounting will be demanded by the Assessors in the Hall of Terror.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:9:1-6)

Regard riches with Pleasure

We should regard riches with pleasure, though not in the manner of a greedy person. We should be happy to have riches so that we can help those less fortunate. We also must not seek public attention when we help others. That is just feeding our ego.

Duty of the Powerful

Yes, it is the duty of powerful people to use that power to aid the forces of good and avoid the forces of evil. Sadly, we are seeing a lot of powerful people today doing the opposite. That must happen, though, because when the forces of good are growing in strength, the same must happen with the forces of evil to maintain balance. Fortunately, that need will end soon when God’s Judgment falls on all of us.

Remove the Cause of Poverty

It would be nice if we could remove the cause of poverty, which is greed. Some greedy people don’t care about anyone else and simply accumulate as much wealth as possible. Others, however, have a fear of losing everything. In both cases, we should not, as the quote says, attack oppressors. That will only make matters worse.

Intellect and Skills

Yes, those who have intellect and skills must use them to help others. It is more important, however, that we develop our spiritual faculties and use them to help others develop spiritually. That is truly doing good deeds.

“Lend your arm to the aged, and open your purse at the cry of the poor. Guard well against the urge to plunder the unprotected and from treating the destitute with harshness.

“If you are lacking in compassion, it is well to remember that today, one man be rich and another poor; yet, ere a year has passed the rich man may be working in a stable, and the poor man may be clothed in fine linen. Such are the balances of life, and it is, therefore, wise to turn a like countenance towards all men.

“Help the man in unfortunate circumstances, for anyone can fall into the pit of misfortune. Commit no assault upon him by reason of his weakness, nor turn his predicament to your own advantage. Fill his stomach with bread and drink. Provide a place for him to lay his head. Let your countenance be cheerful towards him, and let words of encouragement fall from your lips.

“Assess honestly the boundaries of the widow’s estate. The land that is lost to the plow is the waste of a man’s lifetime.

“Do not deride the clumsy speech of a lowly man. The fine phrases of the rich man may be pretty things of no substance. Sincerity is rarely bedecked with finery. What a man has in his head and heart is more important than the fine words that fall from his lips.

…

“The Just God turns a ready ear towards the outcry of the lowly. Therefore, the prayer of the poor man is greater than the might of sharp weapons, even though he is of no account among the people of his own time and destitute of the power of fine speech.”

The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:8:1-5 & 7)

Lend Your Arm to the Aged

While this can be literal in some cases, such as helping an elderly person cross a street, it isn’t limited to that. There are many ways to lend a hand to the aged. You can give them a ride, help them with shopping, do yard work for them, or shovel snow from their sidewalk in the winter. But the most important way we can help any person is to help them awaken and develop their spiritual faculties.

Open Your Purse to the Poor

This line definitely should not be taken literally. You should help the poor when you can, but you shouldn’t let them help themselves to your money or goods.

If You Lack Compassion

Yes, we should remember, as the quote says, that those who are well off today may be destitute tomorrow, and those who are poor may become wealthy. But you really shouldn’t show compassion for that reason. You should always show compassion for your fellow man. It is what God wants us to do.

Do not Assault the Weak

Some people think that might makes right and the strong should lord over the weak, whether their strength is natural or because of advanced weapons. That is not what God wants. That is not the way of the Chosen of God.

What a Person has in Their Heart

As the quote indicates, what a person has in their heart is more important than fine clothing or public adoration. We are seeing today that some such people are rotten to the core.

Prayer is Better than Weapons

Yes, prayer is better than the might of weapons. Nothing is cured with weapons. Nothing is cured with hate. But prayer has been proven to help cure many illnesses, even when the person being prayed for is unaware of it. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Praying for others is proper behavior for spiritual people.

“Man has the powers of reason and decision. A wise father delegates responsibility to his children, and God does not unduly interfere in the affairs of men.

“Man is the lord of creation and the heir to godhood. He can soar to the greatest heights, but also fall to the lowest depths. No man is wholly good, and no man is wholly evil. The scales are never completely weighed down.

“No man can hold any desirable thing on Earth or attain it in the Regions of Light without the expenditure of effort. No man can foresee the future or know what test the Wise God has placed there for him.

“O man, mark this well. Never forget your goal of godhood, but vaunt not your godlikeness, for the beast dogs your footsteps, and an animal clothes your soul. You dwell beneath the dark shadow of the cloud of mortal ignorance. You live in a twilit dream state; you are deceived by your senses; you dream and say this is reality; you reason and are afraid. But know that all things real reside in God, and His wisdom stands beyond the bounds of reason. He has established the foundations of Truth and Reality for eternity.”

-the Kolbrin Bible (MPR:5:11-14)

Man Has Powers

Man has a variety of abilities (I like that word better than powers). Some abilities are physical in nature and come from the Demiurge who created all things physical. Others are spiritual and come from God. There is nothing wrong with using our physical abilities, as long as we use them in a way that benefits mankind and doesn’t violate the Laws of God. Some people think that we can only use physical abilities while on earth and must save the spiritual ones for the afterlife, but that isn’t true. Some spiritual abilities can and should be awakened, developed, and used while we are still physical.

A Wise Father Delegates

Some wonder why God doesn’t simply change the world back into the original spiritual form He always intended it to be. He doesn’t do that partly because He has given us some degree of free will and wants us to decide that is what we want. He also wants us to participate in the process just as fathers used to have their offspring participate in their business.

Heir to Godhood

It may be an exaggeration to say that man is heir to godhood, but good does want us to develop our spiritual faculties to their fullest until we reach that level of consciousness and spiritual knowledge that allows us to be in Heaven with God and the Angels of Light. The quote says none of us is wholly good or wholly evil. It is up to us to decide which side we want to nurture. As some Native Americans say, we have two wolves within us: one is good, and one is evil. It is up to us to decide which one we want to nurture.

We Must Make an Effort

As the quote says, we cannot hold anything desirable on earth or in the regions of Light without making an effort. In one of the prayers used in some Cosolargy services, it says that we must labor in this world as well as the next, and that is true. Nothing comes from simply sitting around and wishing for it.

The Beast Dogs Your Footsteps

It is true that the Beast and his minions are after us all the time. It is also true, in a certain sense, that our spirit is trapped in a mortal body. But, as the quote also says, God has established the foundations of truth and reality. So if we want to know right from wrong, good from evil, we must turn to God, not to human leaders.

“Consider yourselves, my children, and meditate on the reason for your existence and the purpose, for which you were brought into being. Contemplate your powers, ponder your circumstances, discover your inescapable duties and face your earthly obligations.

“Assume your burdens cheerfully, for they are not imposed capriciously. The One God has set a hard task, but it is not beyond your capabilities. Remember that every affliction, however grievous and

seemingly unnecessary, serves a purpose and end.

“O man, you are the delight and sorrow of your God; you have been set apart with peculiar favor and exalted above all other creatures. He has endowed you with reason, to maintain your dominion. He has bestowed upon you the faculty of speech, that wisdom may accumulate throughout your generations. He has exalted your mind, so that it may be perceptive of beauty and grandeur. He has ordained the Law, which circumscribes your life, and adjusted your nature to accord with your duties and destiny.”

-he Kolbrin Bible (MPR:5:1-3)

Reasons for Existence

There are actually at least two reasons for our existence. Our Spirit and Soul exist because God wishes it. Our physical body exists because of the Great Fall from Heaven symbolized in the story of Adam and Eve. That is the basic reasons, but there are deeper ones. Our Spirit exists so that we can awaken and develop it until we reach the highest level of consciousness possible. And while the physical body is not from God, we are still obligated to life a life of service to others, a life of love and truth. E are also obligated to help others do the same.

Contemplate your Powers

This is not referring to powers like those of politicians and despots. It is referring to the spiritual powers that God has given us. Remember that Jesus said that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed (a tiny seed), we could move mountains. That should not be taken literally. It means that if we have a little faith in our God-given abilities, we can do great things.

Assume Burdens Cheerfully

Here I must disagree with the quote. God does not put burdens on us. Burdens come from the devils and demons who wish to keep us trapped forever in the realm of matter, so when they find people trying to develop their Spiritual Self, they burden them with illness, financial problems, or other burdens to discourage such development.

Faculty of Speech

The faculty of speech is indeed a very helpful ability. In the ancient mystery schools, advanced spiritual knowledge was also shared verbally. It was never put in writing. Even Jesus taught his apostles and disciples verbally. The various writing that forms the New Testament of the Bible were written hundreds of years after the physical death of Jesus.

Perception of Beauty

God has given us the ability to appreciate beauty. Not just the physical beauty of other people, but the beauty found in arts such as music and sculpture, as well as the beauty found in nature. The beauty of flowers. The beauty of birds and butterflies. Appreciation of true beauty is a spiritual gift that we should do our best to develop.

“The span of man’s life is neither long nor short, but sufficient for its purpose. Whatever benefits a man wishes to attain for his soul may be attained in his lifetime. A lifetime is sufficient to fashion the soul to ultimate glory or to ultimate horror.

“What end would a longer life serve? To the wicked, an opportunity for more evil, to the selfish, more time to hurt others and to the miserly, more time to lay up worthless things. The slothful ones would

rejoice, for there would be more time for their idleness, but the burden of the industrious would be that much greater.

“The good may say, ‘Why, then, should not our lives be lengthened and years added unto us?’ Know they not the goodness of the labor done in their lifetime shall have been sufficient, and no more is

required of them here? If they have served well on Earth, they are candidates for higher service in the Regions of Light, for the opportunity for service ceases not at death.

“To what end would you live longer, to do the things you have not done or repeat the things you have already done? What you have been unable to do will be done by others, and does not man experience repetitious pleasures with decreasing enjoyment? Would you increase your knowledge or develop your skill? Who, then, shall teach you more than is to be learned on Earth, or where on Earth can practice carry you beyond perfection? He who would go further must go to a higher place of instruction. The works done on Earth pass away, and the fruits of man’s labor are reaped elsewhere.”

-the Kolbrin Bible (MPR:4:29-33)

Man’s Life

The average span of man’s life is neither long nor short; however, there are those who die quite young, while others live to 100 or more. As for life’s purpose, it really doesn’t have one. The author of this section of the Kolbrin Bible is apparently one of those who believe that humans are sent to earth for a specific purpose, but that simply isn’t true. We are here because of the Great Fall symbolized in the Bible by the story of Adam and Eve being rejected from the Garden of Eden, which is another name for Heaven. This is not something God wanted to happen. It happened because of the fallen angels who created the physical universe, including our physical bodies.

Fashion the Soul

It is true that God wants us to develop our spirit and soul so that we can escape the horrors of the physical realm. That does not mean that the physical self can go to Heaven. As Jesus said, flesh cannot inherit the kingdom. Heaven is a realm of spirit, so only spiritual beings can be there.

A Longer Life

The quote says that a longer life would serve no purpose. That is simply not true. Very few people get very far in their spiritual development with a short life. While a longer life doesn’t guarantee they would do better, many would.

Who Shall Teach More?

The quote asks us who can teach us more than we can learn on earth with the idea that we can’t learn more elsewhere, or from anyone not on earth in physical form. In fact, when it comes to spiritual knowledge, which ultimately is what matters most, we learn it from angels and from God, through the knowledge He sends to us through the Spiritual Sun. The quote is correct, however, in saying that those who would go further must go to a higher place of instruction. That higher place is the spiritual realm. Few, if any, achieve the high level of Knowledge and Wisdom while in the physical world. Hat is why we all must continue our spiritual education after physical death in the spiritual realm.

Red heart shaped sky at sunset. Beautiful landscape with road.Love background with copy space. Road to love

“Think not, with the weakling, that nothing is more precious, nor, with the hermit, that you should reject it. Think not too highly of it, nor consider it worthless. Love it not for itself or for what you can get out of it, but for what you can do with it.

“Forget not that life has but one purpose, one end and one objective, and that is the awakening of the souls of men. All things on Earth conform to that end. Earth without its perplexities and problems, its struggle and strife, its inequalities and injustices, would never develop the soul in a manner meet for its destiny. This is the answer to the riddle of ages. If all were right with the Earth, there would be nothing for man to do; as it is, there is sufficient to occupy him throughout his generations. When man himself is perfect, its purpose will be fulfilled, and then Earth, too, will be perfect.

“Riches cannot buy life, nor can gold purchase back wasted hours. Therefore, employ the future that you have left to your greatest benefit. Lament not that you were born or desire that life should depart. Life has a purpose and meaning, even for one as miserable as you, and the Law

may not be set aside.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:4:12-14)

Think not like the Weakling or the Hermit

I don’t think it is true that a weakling thinks love is more precious than anything else. Nor is it true that the hermit thinks love is worthless. The weakling is actually more likely to think that love is unimportant, while a hermit may value love greatly, despite being a loner.

Life Has One Purpose

Actually, we can’t say that life in the physical realm has a purpose at all. It isn’t where God wants us to be. It isn’t where we belong. It is true that we need to develop our spirit and soul so that we can eventually go to Heaven,

Perplexities and Problems

It is true that the problems, inequalities, and injustices on earth help us develop the strength we need to develop our spiritual faculties. The demons and devils of darkness try to prevent us from developing our spiritual faculties, so we need to develop the strength to resist them.

When Man is Perfect

It is true that when man is perfect, the world will be perfect also. Now that we are in the End Times, God is slowly changing the world into a spiritual world, which is the only kind of world that can be perfect. As the world changes, humans must change with it, or die, because when the world becomes sufficiently spiritual, physical beings will not be able to exist in it.

Riches cannot Buy Life

It is true that riches can’t buy life, but you wouldn’t think so by the way some try to constantly gain more and more wealth. In a way, this is understandable, because no matter how much wealth they have, they feel something is missing. They don’t realize it is spiritual development, not more wealth.

Love

Love is the one thing that can help all of us. God’s love for us. Our love for God. Our Love for each other. Even our love for animals. All forms of love help the world grow better and closer to God.

Yin and Yang fantasy with the angels on the clouds

“There is no constant state of life; all is movement and change. Therefore, it is well to build the structure of your life on a foundation of things, which are not easily removed. These are wisdom, skill, and knowledge, which once possessed cannot be taken away, as can hoarded gold and cherished chattels in the ebb and flow of life’s fortunes. Gold and silver are uneatable stones, but wisdom is the food of the gods. Skill and knowledge define the difference between the ox with the yoke and the plowman with the whip.

“Fear not the feelings which stir in the heart, for therein lie the greatest of life’s treasures. Taste their honeyed bitterness, and though you are consumed as you consume, something will remain, which is yours forever. Life is matured and mellowed by the treasures, which pain the heart, and without them, the soul cannot develop.

“With some, life is generous and with others niggardly, but whether you pass through the stages of life in a lowly or a high condition, your life will be neither wholly happy nor wholly miserable.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:4:5-7)

No Constant State

Nothing in life is constant, although many think otherwise. Everything is always changing and moving. Even things like rocks change all the time. Wind, rain, and other conditions cause change in rocks that may be too small to notice, but happen anyway. An extreme example is the Grand Canyon, which was created by a river wearing away the rock over many centuries.

Build a Foundation

The quote advises us to build a foundation on things that are not easily removed. The only “things” that meet that criteria are our spiritual faculties. That is another reason to awaken and develop those faculties. Only the spiritual is permanent. While some like to claim that matter is permanent, they are wrong. Matter is constantly changing form. And now that we are in the End Times, God is gradually changing matter into spirit, as it was always meant to be. Wisdom and Knowledge are indeed important and cannot be taken away, but true Wisdom and Knowledge is spiritual.

Skill and Knowledge

Knowledge, and skills do define the difference between Man and animals. So do Wisdom and Truth. As the quote indicates, one can have huge amounts of silver and gold, yet that doesn’t save him from decay and death. Only developing the Spirit can do that.

Life is Matured

Life is matured and mellowed by the true treasures which are spiritual, but the quote is wrong in saying these things pain the heart and consume us to some degree. The soul is developed by spiritual disciplines, not by earthly things.