The Door

If you were called into the presence of the creator,

To Unite and become one,

What would you do?

There is a door,

It is open to All,

But no MAN OR WOMAN may pass through.

No physical bodies,

No pride, no greed, no sensual desire,

No names, no family, no possessions at all.

Would you go today?

Would you leave the drama called LIFE,

That is maintained in everlasting motion by those very things

That must be left behind?

It is funny what holds us to this earth,

Our loyalties and limitations keep us occupied

All of our days.

We have been given a gift in being able to witness

Both the birth of things, AND their eventual death.

We can see the continuance of this drama after life has left our bodies,

We can KNOW that we are more than physical beings

We can use this wisdom to free us from our limited Selves.

Peace,

Loren

Karma and Christ

A brief search for the words Karma and Christianity turns up many opinions of “those in the know”, about why Karma does not fit into the “Christian framework”. Most of these justifications combine the Law of Karma with a whole set of cultural traditions surrounding Hinduism as the Sole meaning of the term, without being able to separate the two.  (Admittedly, this almost always happens when people have a “need” to supply all knowledge to others, but don’t have the time to investigate things outside of a more honest context than a Wikipedia scan for ONE keyword.)

With widespread lack of knowledge over Eastern systems of thought I think it best that I share some of the insights gained from my investigation of Karma.

Firstly, Karma is an Observable fact about correlations between intentions and the experiences of an individual. This observation is neither a positive nor negative statement. It is empty of any permanent reality, as the path from one’s intentions to actions and experiences is changing moment by moment. One’s mental discipline, or lack thereof, plays a key factor in how successful one will be in bringing their best intentions into experience.

Contrary to the inaccurate depiction of the observation by leading Christian authorities, the reality of Karma tells us that at every moment our future experiences, both redeemable and un-redeemable, are rooted in our present and past intentions. “The power of life and death are in the tongue” if you will.

One who has turned toward God, should not contemplate the relationship between intention and action ONLY in the negative connotation. Our disposition toward the Light should allow us to see the benefits of acknowledging this reality, as it is the only way that we may inherit the Kingdom of God. It was by becoming truthful and aligning an intention toward Truth, that brought us to this wondrous life of goodness. When our intentions were, and are, less than perfect we could and DID only experience “the World”of suffering. This is observed by the reality that we must CONTINUE in the faith, or we suffer the life of a backslider. There is no in between, and temptation may hit moment by moment.

Why would anyone question this relationship?  “What you sew, that shall you also reap.” Once again, this is not negative ONLY; the positive acknowledgement of this is the Beginning of Wisdom. The Fruit of the Spirit is CULTIVATED. The seed is SEWN and then, only through intentional Cultivation does it bloom in the outer world. We are told to “work out our own salvation, with fear and trembling.” It is easy for us all to produce more worldliness in our experiences, as ignorance is the root of all destructive thoughts. (“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”)

The question is did we approach honest intention Once, at salvation ONLY? Or do we, through mindfulness of the inner world nurture the purity that was so apparent once?

All of Christ’s teachings are meant to stress the importance of how intentions rule the realm of our experience. He was dedicated to allowing the compassionate womb of his presence to cultivate insight into the Truth of our intentions. This is the definition of a True Servant.

Peace to you,

Loren

Blessed are the Poor

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." - Christ

The beginning of Christ’s teachings on connection with the in-dwelling Spirit, that provides the immediacy of God’s presence.

This first declaration is a Truth about how one gains access to “the kingdom”. As shall be described in the following words, the kingdom is the representation of wholeness provided by that very real presence.

To be “poor in spirit” does not mean to wear a frown on our faces, nor does it mean that we declare to other men our lack of things. It is a state of existential reckoning that all activity stemming solely from the external world is like eating food with no nutritional value whatsoever. There may be a lot of activity, but none of it will sustain us, nor give lasting satisfaction.

Anyone who has experienced poverty, has found their mind changing gears into survival mode. There are no more luxuries; all activities are based on necessity. Any activities that do not end in sustenance serve only to weaken you mentally and physically, eroding the possibility of your survival.

There is a natural, imminent, and coherent re-prioritizing of any previously held values that do not meet the criteria of survival.

What is it that creates this poverty of spirit?

During all ages, the mind of man has been conditioned into using modes of consciousness that create dualistic understandings of things, and then chooses one side or the other to cling to. This act of clinging, naturally creates blindness to two things; The real nature of things as we perceive them, and the complete realm of possibilities in which we can relate to these things.

The act of building unhealthy attachments creates a distinguished “self” with limited deterministic attitudes, intentions, and actions based off of the way in which we originally perceived that which was external to us. This fractures the continuity of being, that we were created to operate out of, and the realm of all of our actions, and the accompanying results, become ever increasingly drained of vitality.

In our age, the fundamental notions that we inherently cling to have their roots in materialism; the philosophical theory that regards matter and its motions as constituting the universe, and all phenomena, including those of mind, as due to material agencies. Our fascination with matter has birthed a paradigm where all things can be answered by and are validated by objects.

The study of materialism will have to wait for another day, but the point is that this prioritization of what the material world has to offer, even to the exclusion of that which is immaterial, is what creates poverty. In essence, one’s “self” generates this spiritual poverty by it’s primal instinct to maintain relationship with that which it thinks is sustaining its existence.

Is one “blessed” BECAUSE they are poor in spirit?

No. One is blessed when the existential realization of this poverty drives him to seek a way out of this cycle with such fervency that his life and well-being are unarguably dependent on it. One is blessed when he finds that LIFE is found ONLY in that which informs the materialization of matter; the Immaterial, the all encompassing, The Spirit of God, the kingdom of heaven.

Who has access to “the kingdom of heaven”?

ANYONE…. who has stumbled upon this immediate crisis of existence along their journey from birth to death. ANYONE….who challenges the roots of their own thinking, and looks inward to where the Spirit is waiting to be unleashed. ANYONE….who touches upon authentic intention in seeking from where the source of all existence comes.

Peace and Love to you!!

Loren

The Sower and the Seed Pt.2: The Dynamics of Truth

When a society's perception of reality has become so fractionalized that  they become satisfied with knowing Truth only as facts, then they have sacrificed the ancient safeguards that ward off deception from every angle.

I know that all of us have met that person that claims to hold the Truth, but it is obvious to everyone but them that they have no real connection to it. To them,Truth is a fact or stance that they defend or find superficial comfort identifying with, and yet that very Truth has found no authentic expression in their everyday life at all. We call it Hypocrisy, and it holds more power to divide people than any other force we know.

Ancient Traditions from Hinduism, to Buddhism, to Christianity have long addressed this kind of reality as delusion and blindness. The Accurate account of Truth has always been defined by having at least three factors as a seal of authentic Truth. Truth will always have an Intellectual, Emotional, AND Experiential element if a man is to find any valid assurance at all.

As we will see as we explore the  relationships of the "Sower and the Seed" parable one by one, it is the reality of these dynamics that make all the difference in one's relationship with God, Truth, and Life itself.

I wanted to establish the framework of all understanding of Truth first to see how these things relate to the "primary teaching" of Christ. I am comforted to find this very framework evident within the teachings of Buddha, Confucius, and all the ancient traditions.

Please take the time to read The Sower and the Seed Pt.1: A Teacher's Responsibility if you haven't had a chance to already.

The Sower and the Seed Pt.1: A Teacher's Responsibility

Sower with Setting Sun by Van Gogh

There is a teaching by Jesus that he calls The Primary Teaching, stating that you must fully understand This teaching to receive any and all other teachings of his. This Truth is known as the "Sower and the Seed", and can be found in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8.

As I observe our culture today, I believe that it demands addressing this fundamental teaching. As this teaching uses an agricultural language as its symbology, we may understand the concepts, but have no real relationship with the depth of any part. Because of this aspect, we will place ourselves in the position of each of the major symbols being used.

In this post we will identify with the Sower. After reading the text we understand that the Sower is one who has Truth that must be spread to be effective. What we find is that, although Truth is the same in all situations, there are varying effects from the people in whom the Truth is given. We see that from the Sower's perspective, if we are honest, we can see how OUR ACTIONS and SKILL in conveying Truth can play a huge role in how it is received.

It is not just the Purity of the Message that must be considered, but also the appropriateness of the Method and Intended Recipient. Many people end up fighting battles and arguing with people because they have not considered these elements thoroughly. If one does not discern the condition of another person's heart accurately, he may end up becoming an enemy of one he is trying to befriend. It is imperative for a teacher of any kind to look for a Prepped Mind in their audience, as well as to Cultivate the Proper Context for receiving of Truth.

A Prepped Mind:  We must recognize that deeply experiencing Life to any degree will authentically generate questions and subtly bring rise to dissatisfaction with previously held personal "truths".  These experiences generate a deep sense of more, a curiosity of what lies beyond our understanding that usually culminates in the surfacing of an existential crisis. These symptoms are some of the foundational building blocks of authentic "listening".  This is the prep work that begins within the individual, and cannot be supplied by institutions of any kind.

Cultivation of Proper Context: If one has no authentic care for another person, that is experienced by that person on a subtle level. You could say that they "instinctively know" the difference between friendship and salesmanship. This fact alone leaves no room for the manipulation of reality that our culture uses in social transactions every day. Discernment will tell you whether or not a persons' mind has been prepped to "hear" Truth. There is NEVER any wisdom in argumentation or forced conversations, as it is scientifically proven that anxiety causes confusion and an expressed lack of clarity. There is no substitute for the context of an authentic loving relationship and the genuine enjoyment of each other's company.  One of Solomon's Proverbs says, "A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle." (Proverbs 18:19).

Unfortunately we have a culture of self-promoted teachers that have no discernment of these qualities, nor do they actually understand the implications of the Truth they speak. It is a rarity to find any discourse, Christian or otherwise, that is grounded in mutual respect and an understanding of these dynamics.  

Let this first post serve as a prompt to evaluate the way you do relationships. As it relates to relationships, we are all teachers to some degree. We give and take cues from our surroundings everyday. Even if you think you have nothing to say, try to cultivate your surroundings with Loving-Kindness and Compassion and you will have done more for yourself and others than you could ever imagine!! This is the Essence of True Teaching!

In "The Sower and the Seed Pt.2: The Dynamics of Truth", we will discuss the tri-fold aspects of Truth that must be present in "Knowledge".

Stay Tuned!!

The Good Samaritan: Christian, Buddhist,....?

As I was reading some Buddhist teachings today, I happened upon an analogous description that uses the exact substance and language as the "Good Samaritan" teaching of Jesus. I have included the both texts below. I included the Buddhist teaching first as it was written around 400B.C. The Gospel of Luke was written around the tail end of the 1st century A.D.

AN 5.162

And as for a person who is impure in his bodily behavior and verbal behavior, and who does not periodically experience mental clarity and calm, how should one subdue hatred for him? Just as when there is a sick man--in pain, seriously ill--traveling along a road, far from the next village and far from the last, unable to get the food he needs, unable to get the medicine he needs, unable to get a suitable assistant, unable to get anyone to take him to human habitation.  Now suppose that another person were to see him coming along the road. He would do what he could out of compassion, pity, and sympathy for the man, thinking,'O that this man should get the food he needs, the medicine he needs, a suitable assistant, someone to take him to human habitation. Why is that? So that he won't fall into ruin right here.' In the same way, when a person is impure in his bodily behavior and verbal behavior, and who does not periodically experience mental clarity and calm, one should do what one can out of compassion, pity, and sympathy for him, thinking, 'O that this man should abandon wrong bodily conduct and develop right bodily conduct, abandon wrong verbal conduct and develop right verbal conduct, abandon wrong mental conduct and develop right mental conduct. Why is that? So that on the breakup of the body, after death, he won't fall in to a plane of deprivation, a  bad destination, a lower realm, hell.' Thus the hatred for him should be subdued.

Gospel of Luke: Chapter 10 Verses 26-37

26 And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"

27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

28 And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE."

29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Jesus replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.

31 "And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 "Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 "But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion,

34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them;and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 "On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.'

36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"

37 And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him,"Go and do the same."

Putting these two teachings side-by-side brings up many points to ponder.

What are your thoughts?

Meditation: Finish Me

Create in me a clean heart
Remove from me the idols that rob men of Your Goodness
The compassion I receive, I will distribute without prejudice
The strength You give me is not only for my family, but for weakness in every form
The encouragement You minister to my soul is intended to find its way into the darkest of circumstances

Break me apart that you can fashion me anew
Remove from me all traces of selfishness that I may be poured out upon the barren land
As my pride shatters, I see a new creature emerge
As my pretenses fade away, authenticity begins to bear fruit
Finish me, so that all that is left is you.

Meditation: Respond in Truth

"Sunrise Tree by Hassan9@deviantart.com

I must respond faithfully to Your Goodness
Your leading, Your blessings
Your teaching, Your challenges,
Your molding of my character,
Even in the face of this violent world.

In this way, it is You alone who is glorified,
Because I have done nothing Of myself,
By myself, or For myself.

Let all of my being and doing come straight from Your heart.
Let my only concern be with a deeply truthful response to You!!

A Meditation: Provision

Death shall not consume our dreams
Fear shall not swallow our future
Life is made to be overcome!

From the same hand that I am Dropped to the floor
I am Lifted up
From the same hand that I am Constrained
I am Pushed into the open fields of new experience
From the same hand that delivers Confusion
I am made Understanding
From the same hand that I am reminded of my Weakness
I am clothed in Strength beyond my capacity
From the same hand that I suffer loss
I receive the greatest gifts of all

Even Your hand is above reproach
I shall overcome by Gratitude and Humility
Even the Victory is Yours!

In Morning Reflection

"Prayer for Survival" used by permission of 'gilad (copyright 2004-12)

In morning reflection, I clearly see the height of my capacity to control my thoughts,actions and environments. Though these disciplines have never seen greater days in my life, in sober meditation on The Way, I gain no satisfaction from the disappointing reality of their expression from my conflicted heart and mind.

As I experience this reality, I hear and feel this beckoning to abandon the struggle that plays out between my understanding and my fearful framework of operation in this world. The pathway of peace and love is made clear, with the simple instructions to reject self interest and abandon myself into the all powerful flow of God's Provision.

There will be no peace while I allow my mind to make war with my heart through selfish desires. Anger, strife, negativity, and division must make way for unending Peace, Love, Faith, and connectedness to God's Creation.

May I Abide In You!!

In Meditation

The land of REST has no outer limits. It is infinite. There may be a point of entry, but certainly there is no exit except for the illusions constructed in our mind.

God has said "My GOODNESS does not cease because of your actions or intent. Go, and do thou likewise".

All of my limitations are just that...MINE. I have constructed them by fear, slothfulness, and learned helplessness. How "much I can take" is only relevant when I walk apart from my infinite Creator. Only by pride comes stumbling in this walk, and pride is non existent when my mind and emotions are connected to the infinite one.  He cannot be harmed, He has much room to absorb wrongdoing. If I do not, it is because I am disconnected.

Rise above fear...rise above strife...rise up!!!

Seek God with the Whole Heart

Normally we seek Truth with our intellect alone, while our hearts deceitfully reserve their loyalties for our idolatrous desires.

Our hearts convince us that we can stage God and Truth within a marginalized compartment of our minds (satisfying God's supposed legalistic expectations for a relationship), while secretly working to fulfill its own self-made and culturally infused image of success.

Our heart will even falsely magnify that compartmentalized place for God and Truth to make us believe that our relationship is much stronger and more authentic than it actually is, all the while completely blinding us from seeing our particular Idolatries.


"The Heart of a Rose" picture used by permission of White Book

Be Anxious for Nothing

This walk over the past few years has increasingly become more about  being discipled by the Spirit of Christ Himself. With that being said, here is some insight into why Christ would instruct us to not worry as the "unenlightened" do.

Once you know a little about Christ, you will easily hear him say that he was only concerned with God's will, and not his own.  This is because "The Way" in which he claimed to BE was the way of complete "self" abnegation.  The acts of mankind that are less than perfect can be traced back to man's identification with a perceived individual "self". What made Christ able and equipped to do only God's will is that he was living completely out of his identification with God alone.

As we interact with the world out of our relation to the "self" we develop a false sense of control, of which truthfully we have none outside of our own decisions and character. It is here that we build our expectations of life, which in turn create our anxieties towards unfavorable outcomes.

Christ is brutally clear, "He that finds his life, shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it".
If you are trying to hold onto your "self" made life, it and you will experience an undeniable loss. If you will follow Christ's example and renounce your "self" made life, you will experience Life and Peace.  We are exhorted in no comfortable terms, "If a man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up HIS cross, and follow me". We can only pursue the life giving power of Christ in recognition of this self denial and death.

When we begin to destroy the "self", we will find it wholly impossible to concern ourselves with the petty worries that our flesh has distracted us with all our lives. Instead of bringing our "laundry lists" of concerns TO God, we will move on to the True Faith of concerning ourselves WITH God alone.  Only then, can we transcend the storms of life, because we no longer entangle ourselves in the affairs that rest Solely in God's hands to begin with.

I would like to take the time, over the next few posts to give the practical side and experiences of living out this Truth.

May This Find You In Peace!!

Loren

Where is the True Christ?

In our many engaging conversations lately, my wife and I have been focused on the concept of the "Authentic Jesus" of the scriptures.  It is amazing to see and recognize the great care and boldness with which Christ instructed his followers on issues of the greatest spiritual importance.

I am certain, as he has taught me, that the extent to which we are faithful to hear, reflect, and assimilate his divine truths will directly determine the success we experience within this Kingdom of Heaven. It is because of this knowledge that Christ spoke quite abruptly to the root issues that men and women deal with as we try to maintain a gratifying existence here on earth.

We have discussed  many of the "common" characterizations of Christ throughout the our generation, and how profoundly inaccurate they are in representing the basic purpose for his coming to this earth. As Christ came to cause people to break free from the oppression of their culturally planted worldviews, it is ironic that the most common views of Christ in our time can literally make his teachings compatible with any pattern of life we find ourselves locked into.

The most common characteristic we find within the current landscape is the "non-judgmental" Jesus.  This image is mainly justified by the often quoted text, "Judge not, lest ye be judged". This quote has been used by every person that has felt the sting of someone other than themselves pointing out what they already know to be true of themselves. I am no stranger to this feeling as well. And yet, left to itself, this misrepresented divine edict would stop Christ himself from accomplishing what he came to accomplish, AS WELL AS from saying most of what he said during his ministry.

I will address this Truth further in the next blog.

For now I would like for you to tell me your thoughts and experiences with Judging.

Peace

Loren



 

Getting in Tune 04-24-10

In worship this morning, I became very in tune to the Spirit of God.  It seems that sometimes our spirit must find the proper fervency to be receptive.  This can only be found when the cares and worries of earth have been pushed aside temporarily.  For me this happens with some basic supplicating verses that serve as the “tuning fork of my soul”  It allows my words and intentions of the heart to become one.  This is rare in everyday life.  I will sing until my mind becomes singular in purpose on these words, knowing my intention to enter into the Throne of Almighty God.  “Answer me when I call to You Oh Answer me…Be Merciful Oh Lord to me….” .  And another “Oh draw me Lord, and I’ll run, to you”.

So anyway, in this time of prayer I received a cleansing flow of mind and heart that is not of this world.  I am always mindful with God to find the solution to my ever wandering heart.  The Spirit spoke to mine to shut off the ways the world influences me, so that I can be influenced by the River of Life within.  I heard the Lord say that I am not to focus on what people don’t do, or where they have erred according to His Truth, but to listen inward for his Precepts and Directives.  If I will focus on His direction for me and How Christ walked it out, he will empower me with a wonderful influence in my world.

May he grant me the grace to enact this paradigm shift, as I know things are easy to agree with but not to commit to.

Once again, “If thine Eye offend thee, Cut it Out”.

The Mindset of the World

Whenever we engage ourselves as humans in the mindsets that are required to function successfully in the man-made world we are always at risk of any of these inferior thoughts stealthily usurping the commitments and priorities of the universal interests of humanity. We will either love the force fed values of our constructed reality that are pumped into us in every social possibility, or we will forsake those values that constantly prove to be fleeting and destructive and respond to the Universal values of God's provision for mankind.

It is an irrefutable truth that one must be spiritually blind or insane to demand Sex, Money, and Power over the far superior way of LOVE, FAVOR, and TOTAL PROVISION. Unfortunately, as children of God AND children of Men we have made many compromises in ignorance that have left us in a merciless loop of playing the "Game" that was designed for all of us to lose; some while laughing, and some while crying, but nonetheless we ALL still lose.

Religion vs. Reality

There is a great difference between what the scribes and Pharisees of any day have to offer, and what the Spirit of God gives to the Called.  In Jesus day he rebuked the “spiritual leaders” of Israel, by contrasting their own perspective of John’s ministry and the real differences.  The irony is that both Jesus and the Pharisees drew the distinction; the one from blindness and the other from Truth. Jesus asked them whether John’s baptism was of God or of men, knowing the contradiction that the leaders held. They could not answer, because if it was of God, then they admitted their own guilt for not dropping the sanctimonious charade and following after the real thing.  Once their guilt was on their conscience he began to upbraid them according to Truth.  He said that they had seen harlots and tax collectors come unto righteousness and even this did not turn them from playing religious games for power’s sake.

Imagine living life in the religious world and learning all of its sacramental actions and holy speech; giving yourself to the appearance of righteousness.  You have bought into the hierarchy of the temple and know that if you just continue to adhere you will move up higher in rank and the eyes of your peers.  In order to protect the promise of your elevation and respect, you adopt every form of manipulation of people and remove even the thought of God’s grace and mercy from the minds of your kinsmen.  You are willing to tear down your brother, steal from the needy to support your slothfulness, and wield the beautiful word of righteousness to destroy the progress of anyone stupid enough to try to remove themselves from the path of destruction and turn to the Lord.

Then…

Along comes a man full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom; shunning the religious order and all the demanded power associated with it, while he offers the way of Life to the untouchables of religion’s view, through simple repentance.  Harlots didn’t just follow John around; they sincerely confessed their depravity with tears and mourning for what the world influence can do to God’s children, and made vows to turn away from the ways of death.  They saw Instant change in their lives by faith, with no suspicion of religious conformity.  The tax collectors would hear the message of reconciliation and not only turn from financially oppressing their kinsman, but also make guilt-driven restitution to those they oppressed. The soldiers, who were accustomed to living large off of bribes and extortion of the oppressed, noticed lives being changed drastically and asked John what must they do to be saved. John told them, as soldiers, stop the racketeering, and stop testifying falsely against people for their own gain.  The soldiers would respond out of a convicted heart and gladly put away these things.

Now, everyone that should not have noticed these things by religion’s view, had not only noticed, but had also partaken of the gift being offered in total contrast to the religious order of their day. Those who dedicated their lives to religion, by all logic, should have noticed these events… and they did. Now undoubtedly the leaders of their day may have never seen a person changed instantly by the preaching of the Truth, although they had been preaching from the same pages their whole lives.  It was not that there would be any doubt to the source of such power to them, but Self-Preservation would keep them from partaking of such “un-doctrinal things” as prostitutes experiencing the righteousness of God.  Instead of partaking, the leaders, who were too respected to grace the wilderness with their presence for fear of someone thinking they would condone such things, sent minions to test John according to the accepted paradigm or doctrinal acceptance of their day. The very thing that they took consolation in being their salvation had become the very thing that would keep them from the True Salvation of God. They believed that God’s salvation was to be demanded of God based on meritorious service and the upkeep of a polished religious appearance. The consequence of such belief was that they could offer no other salvation than the one that they had become servant to… the Traditions of Men.  In their Law there were winners and losers ( and only who they respected were winners ). In God’s Law, everyone can win by simple faith.

Jesus was telling the leaders that their condition was no different than the harlots and the publicans.  The Preacher and the Harlot are both making a life for themselves in contradiction to God’s will. The preacher is asked to give up his self-made way of life, just as the Harlot must give up her self-made way of life. 

In this lies the true test of Repentance, which is the path of Salvation; when confronted with your own ways, will you abandon them and embrace the Healer, or will you defend your practices to the death?

Even in our day, is the Gospel preached with such clarity?  If not… then are our leaders likened to the leaders of every generation? Things look a little different in our day but the principles are the same.

The Cyclic Nature of Light and Darkness

In this world every issue or idea is full of both darkness and light. There are both positive and negative dynamics in the make up of everything in our earthly experience. We have the option to focus on one or the other. The beauty of this truth is that Darkness and Light have a cyclic dance that they are constantly progressing through. One or the other will always be apparent to the human perspective at any given moment. In this world, it will be the darkness that naturally manifests existentially, until the light overcomes. This plays itself out in every detail of the Genesis account of the Hebrew Torah. It is also evidenced in the Hebrew culture in the fact that Darkness (sunset to sun up) begins every day. The western culture has lost the transmission of this truth with the adoption of a different calendar system. The Taoist tradition also utilizes the Yin and Yang, which symbolizes not only the presence of light within the perception of darkness and vice versa, but also the cyclic nature to how this plays out. No matter the ancient recognition of many religions of this truth, the follower of Christ has a colossal responsibility to its revelation in his or her life. The follower, by faith, must REALIZE that the light exist in EVERY situation and issue, and do this at EVERY point in the playing out of the thing. The challenge lies in first RECOGNIZING, and then, by faith, CLINGING to the principle of light from the BEGINNING to the END. All things will pass away, but the Word of the Lord stands forever (continues right on through and past any situation, including life as we know it).

The Eye of Compassion

The eye of Compassion will always see the outstretched arms of the needy and suffering, and be invoked to action.

Deception 11-13-07

This present realm that we occupy is made up wholly of a fractionalized and incomplete display of reality. At no time does a person consciously or unconsciously perceive every possible combination of dynamics that are interacting even within one foot of them, let alone on a global scale. Although this reality is not hard to comprehend, the human consciousness is not comfortable at all with this fact. Luckily, the human awareness, in its most awe-inspiring power, is able to push this fact far from any person’s attention, allowing them to gain a sense of “understanding” or “grasping” of any situation, idea, object…. The only problem is that while this does bring comfort to the present consciousness, it is a false sense of comfort, as it inevitably means that we are in a constant state of being deceived. Everything that we see and hold to be true can, by definition, be nothing more that a fraction of truth. Or, in other words, everything that is perceived as true is merely a thread in the fabric of a much larger truth.