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jesus gospel

Why is there not a Gospel of Jesus existent that predates Paul?

Did you know that during the time of Paul and the apostles, there were many oral traditions and Gospel principles that were different from those of Paul? Why is there not a Gospel of Jesus existent that predates Paul?

Paul invented Christianity.

jesus sports figurine

Christmas Markets Germany

We arrive in Munich and our guide makes it clear this is Bavaria. Bavarians favor autonomy from Germany and even have their own language. I have been here many times but looking through sober eyes now, I find it more vibrant, clean and sophisticated. We spend 2 days with Nancy, an excellent guide who has already emailed me to remain in touch.

I have a mini-group of just 26 so this is like a vacation for me. It is a first time abroad for some and I love to learn from them as they notice things with child-like enthusiasm that I do not.

This is the hi-tech land of engineering. We pass a 9 story Mercedes dealership with new cars stacked to the shape of an Advent tree. We also see the BMW factory. I wish I could work here with 7 weeks vacation per year, 340 different work schedules to choose from, a gym, spa and its many other benefits. We stop for hot apple strudel and visit the well known sites.

Here is the 100th Christmas tree with 2500 candles. Our welcome dinner at Haufbrauhous is a delight with yodeling, alp horns and sausages of everything-wurst. The group toasts their steins of natural beer made only of barley, water and hops.

It is time to move on to the enchanting storybook villages. This is a magical time to visit. No country celebrates Christmas with more passion than Germany. As we head to the alps, the morning sky looks like a pale bruise. Soon a blizzard engulfs our coach but we have an experienced driver named Eno who we fell in love with by trips end in 7 days.

We arrive at Neuschwanstein and ride by horse and carriage up to the famous castle. (This is the one Disney fashioned its own after.) I have seen more castles than I can count around the world but this medieval knight's fortress with gothic spires is spectacular. Built in 1869, it looks brand spanking new with decorated rooms intact. The 388 steps inside are well worth the climb. There's hardly anyone here whereas summer can draw 5,000 tourists each day. In winter, this fairytale castle becomes dreamlike surreal. That's why I enjoy traveling off season.

Pity poor Mad King Ludwig II who designed this worlds largest, most extravagant, expensive and opulent castle for himself. It's a sad story of the 6th king who lived here only 4 months. The people loved him as much as the German Tourist Board does today. His family however, did not. They sought to declare Ludwig insane and hired a team of psychiatrists to prove such. Although he was prone to depression and insomnia, no doctor could find him mentally unfit.

After short rule, his body was found in the lake and the family stated it was suicide. But the body of his psychiatrist was also found so most agree it was murder, particularly since an autopsy was refused. Later it was determined that Ludwig was gay, so the "fairytale king" was truly a fairy.

We stopped in charming Oberammergau, famous for its Passion Plays every 10 years. The wood houses are painted with fairytales: Hansel & Gretel, Red Riding Hood, etc. We then toured Nuremburg with an astute guide who brought the city to life before our eyes from 15th century to its destruction in WWII.

Some went off to the Toy Museum or Torture Museum while I set out to explore the world's largest Xmas market.

With giant lit trees, double carousals, horses with bells, over 400 stalls of food and crafts, this is a s festive as it gets! I graze my way through on white chocolate bananas, fruit breads, glazed grapes, dipped pretzels, pink marzipan pigs, licorice angles and all types of roasting sugar coated nuts. Shaped gingerbreads are omnipresent and the aroma of warm sweet Gluh-wine fragrances the air.

I'm on a sugar high and head for the crafts. Shopping is a blood sport here through narrow lanes but MasterCard is my armor and I find all my toy treasures. There are giant nutcrackers representing every occupation, unique mangers and 29 trillion ornaments. At dusk the illumination begins. I pause for a dinner of 6 bratwursts, Bavarian cheese and a pyramid of sauerkraut to last me to 2012.

In Rodenthal we toured the Goebel/Hummel Factory. I anticipated boredom yet became fascinated to learn how precious each piece is. From 1871 to today, 700 artists create these tiny non-useful figurines. They are paid per piece and if a mistake is made, it must be broken.

The highest paid artists are the delicate face painters. I met one woman who has spent 12 years just painting eyebrows, another on lips and a man who has worked 10 years blushing cheeks! The eye strain must be like threading sewing needles for a lifetime and it takes 3 years apprenticeship to graduate to this level. Initially our guide assumed we were a collectors club when in reality we can barely afford a baby jesus.

Later in East Germany we visited Lauenstein Confiserie, a chocolate/praline factory that was so busy with the season, they hardly notice us. I tasted from the chocolate fountain nearly having a cocoa orgasm and confirm again that America can never produce this product as purely or satisfying as Europe.

The best of all towns was Rothenberg, population 2300 where our Hotel Prince was located right inside the fortified walls of Old Town. Our guided walk here instantly awakened all my 5 senses and made me want to linger for days. We tend to go over the top each year with our flashy decorations. Among the half timbered homes here on cobbled streets, it is quieter and softer. One is taken back to the Middle Ages with the pewter ornaments hand crafted and evergreens lit with candles.

Afterwards, our guide Claudia invites us all into her home. I go to buy a "snowball" for which this town is renowned. They are piled high like colored softballs in the windows. For over 300 years, these pastries were frugally made from scraps of fresh pie dough. Dipped in chocolate, berries or cinnamon butter, they melt in your mouth. As the sun shines, I remove my coat to a balmy 50 degress. How I wished it would snow.

We end our tour in the Student Prince town of Heidelberg with entrance to the famous castle and its 55,000 gallon wooden wine barrel. That night I reflect on a great trip, my last one for 2005. I write this journal so my wonderful little group will remember it all. With pride, I will always remember them; on time, patient, no complaints, generous tippers, polite to locals and friendly with each other. Perfect travelers I wish I could clone.
After hugging Eno goodbye, we exited with so many shopping bags that he now thinks he needs a trailer in tow of his coach.

This December, it was joyous to be transported back in time. It certainly brought me in touch with my inner elf. What a gift! Merry Christmas to all and wishing to see you in the new year!

About the Author

Former Miss Wisconsin Suzy Davis has traveled the world for nearly 30 years,
initially as a flight attendant and now with her company

http://www.AdventuresForSingles.com

jesus tape

How to Hear From God

Most people tend to live on the shallow surface where our physical senses, thoughts, feelings, desires, and emotions are constantly being stimulated by worldly, carnal, fleshly ways. Because of this, we are not able to hear from God and be led by His Spirit, leaving ourselves wide open to fall for the many deceptions of the devil.

We want to hear from God so that we may be led to pursue the right things. Unfortunately, there are always four voices in every ones head at any given time; God's voice, the devil's voice, other people's voices, and the voice of our own flesh. So, how are we to be sure to hear from God with all the noise going on?

It really is very simple. If we want to hear from God, we need to shut up the other three. So, how do we do that? The first step is to distinguish each voice so that we know what we are up against.

1. The most obvious voice is our own and it speaks to us in a variety of ways. It is always telling us what we want, what we think, and what we feel. The Bible refers to our mind, will, and emotions as our "flesh nature."

2. Another voice that clamors for our attention is the voice of other people. They are usually telling us what they want, what they think, and what they feel.

3.The third voice is the voice of the devil. He is very subtle and speaks to us through worldly ideas and viewpoints that he has injected into other people.

4. The fourth voice is the voice of God and He speaks to us in our spirits. He does not speak to us in our minds. Unfortunately, that's where most of us spend most of our thought life. Again, the Bible refers to this as "the mind of the flesh" (Romans 8:7, AMP).

These are the four voices that we constantly hear and which voice we obey is based on our ability to discern. Obviously, we want to obey the voice of God if we are going to enjoy a successful life because the Bible tells us that we must be led by the Holy Spirit.

So, how do we hear from God and be led by His Spirit? Again, by quieting the other three loud voices screaming for our attention.

When we can find some peace and quiet we will be able to hear that one still, small voice, which is the Holy Spirit of God, wanting to lead us in the way we should go.

How then do we quiet these other voices and find some peace and quiet?

First of all, the devil is easy to shut up. Psalm 22:3 says, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Satan will have to flee when we begin praising God because the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. The devil is not gonna stick around while you shout "Hallelujah" to the Lord.

Just shout out your praise to God. Praise Him for who He is, praise Him for what He has done, praise Him for His promises, and praise Him because He deserves it. As you are praising God, you will not hear from the devil.

Other people's voices are also easy to shut up. All we have to do is get away from them. I realize their tapes continue to play in our heads, but if we can get alone somewhere and just focus on God, those tapes will stop, at least temporarily.

Our flesh is the more difficult to control because it never can get enough and is never satisfied. It is also the most difficult to control because it is extremely self-centered. Even still, jesus said, "Deny yourself and follow me" (Mark 8:34).

Your flesh doesn't want to follow Jesus. That would mean having to give up many things. It doesn't matter. We are to crucify the flesh (Galatians 2:20). It's just a decision.

When you quiet the evil triplets, the devil, other people's flesh, and your own flesh, it will be much easier to hear from God. Now, that does not mean you will hear an audible voice, although you may, but not likely.

God speaks in many different ways. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice and they follow me" (John 10:27).

Clearly, before we can know God's voice, we must be like sheep. What are sheep? Only the dumbest animals on the face of the earth. We must become like dumb animals, knowing nothing (in and of ourselves), being completely dependant upon God. This goes back to crucifying the flesh.

When we hear from God it can be something from His written Word (logos), or it could be His audible voice (rhema). We can also get His rhema Word spoken through a friend. Or, it can be nature, convictions, open and shut doors of opportunity, and the most likely, internal peace.

One way you will not hear from God is through your emotions. Emotions are dangerous ground because they are never consistent. They're up one minute and down the next. You can't make important decisions based on something so erratic.

Many times, you will not get a definite answer on something specific. The Bible tells us that we are to live our lives by faith. We are to step out and try things that we feel God is leading us to do. Maybe this will work, maybe that will work. We just have to step out see. "In the morning sow your seed; For you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good" (Ecc 6:11).

One thing is for sure, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23).

Trust God for direction as you take steps of faith toward what you feel He is calling you to. It won't be long until you know for sure whether it was really Him or not.

About the Author

Daniel N. Brown is a teacher of biblical success principles. Get his FREE report Christian Prosperity Secrets when you sign up for his FREE weekly newsletter...
http://www.http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com

jesus leadership

How Proper Leadership Coaching Will Help You Understand Your Inner Self

The most difficult thing is to look within oneself and understand they are. It is often observed that once a person faces adversity, he falls down and he keeps on falling to ultimately get lost into a type of wilderness.  Lack of proper guidance makes it difficult for them to take corrective measures in this matter. This is true for anyone, from a common man to a high profile celebrity.  History has plenty of testaments to uphold this fact; many leaders when struck with adversity, usually falter.  

In this backdrop, it is important to reinstate that proper leadership coaching can ward off such situations.  Proper leadership coaching helps an individual to understand their inner strengths.  It prepares them for adverse situations as well. Every individual is has some strength and some amount of weaknesses as well.  In due course of time, one should try to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.  Easy to say but difficult to perform. 

A leadership coach will guide as to you what should be your priority in life.  Giving too much attention to personal problems is an utter wastage of time and energy. It might divert a leader away from his real goal and by the time he realizes this, it might be too late to turn back.  Leadership coaching helps an individual to set their priorities in order, it helps them to understand their true potential, and it teaches one to effectively manage their time. 

Friedman who gave Bowen Theory laid emphasis on self –differentiation.  He believed that when a leader functions it has an influence on the entire system.  Therefore, it is important for a leader to be cautious in the decision they take and the way they carry themselves. Emotional balance is a must for any individual.  Almost every leadership coaching lays emphasis on emotional quotient of a leader.  Friedman argued that whether in a family or in an organization a leader will exhibit the same emotional behavior.  The real test of leader lies in his ability to shift focus between his family and organization.  Leaders should not distance him from the organization, as this would create a wide gap between him and his subordinate.    

Leaders are those who dare to go to such places where nobody has gone.  He is visionary and has tremendous risk taking capability.  He should have positive attitude and should have a burning desire to achieve something distinct.  Such qualities many posses but at the end of the day many leaders find that they have reached nowhere.  They do not have any definite goal.  Here leadership coaching becomes handy. It not only helps an individual to develop leadership qualities but also helps them to understand their goal.  Consistency of purpose is a must for any leader.  A fickle minded leader will do no good to himself and to his organization. 

A leader need not run behind followers.  A leader should develop magnetic persona, which will attract people to them.  Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Prabhupad, jesus christ and others would never chase their followers but the followers where attracted to them as the followers always wanted to be in their company.

About the Author

Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Leadership for Years. For More Information on Leadership Coaching, Visit His Site at Leadership Coaching

jesus loves me bear

God's Love/hate Relationship With the World

In "Christian Clichés that Contradict Christ" I questioned the truthfulness of six Christian clichés concerning God's "unconditional" love. There was one more cliché that I wanted to mention but didn't have enough space, the very common saying, "God loves the sinner but hates his sin."

This particular cliché is actually more biblically accurate than the six I previously listed, because it attempts to affirm God's love for sinners while at the same time upholding His holiness. Yet like the six clichés I listed last month, this one also falls short of the full truth, and it can thus be misleading to people and damaging to Christ's cause. Why do I say this? One reason is because Scripture not only teaches that God loves sinners, but also that He hates them. Surprised? Read for yourself:

The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit (Ps. 5:5-6, emphasis added).

The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates (Ps. 11:5, emphasis added).

I have forsaken My house, I have abandoned My inheritance; I have given the beloved of My soul [God’s people Israel] into the hand of her enemies. My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest; she has roared against Me; therefore I have come to hate her (Jer. 12:7-8, emphasis added).

All their evil is at Gilgal; indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels (Hos. 9:15, emphasis added).

These verses of scripture are all in your Bible as well as mine! Your Bible declares that God hates "all who do iniquity" (Ps. 5:5). Since all unregenerate people "do iniquity," we can conclude that God hates them all. (Incidentally, this verse among many others leads us to believe that God's "free gift of righteousness" is more than just a legal standing of righteousness that results in no practical righteousness, otherwise God would hate His own children.)

But how can it be true that God both loves and hates sinners? The only way to reconcile this apparent contradiction is to once again recognize that not all love is the same. As I stated in last month's e-teaching, some love is conditional, what I referred to as "approving love," and some love is unconditional, what I referred to as "merciful love." From the standpoint of His merciful love, God loves sinners (see Eph. 2:4-6; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:3, and look for the word mercy). But from the standpoint of his approving love, God utterly hates them—they are in fact abhorrent to Him. Can you imagine how you would feel if you had created a race of people who inwardly knew just how to please you yet who ignored and disobeyed you continually, even using your name as a curse word? Might you not be somewhat upset with them?

Note that all of the above-quoted scriptures do not say that God only hates what people do—they say He hates them.We cannot separate a person from what he does.What a person does reveals his character—who he is. Thus if God disapproves of sin He of course must disapprove of sinners. God is so pure that His disapproval is very strong, and the word hate describes it well.To separate the sin from the sinner by saying "God loves the sinner but hates the sin" is potentially misleading.

Other scriptures declare that certain people—not just what those people do—are an abomination to God.See, for example, Deut. 22:5, 16; Lev. 26:29-30; Ps. 5:5-6; Prov. 3:32, 11:20, 16:5, 17:15. Beyond that, there are many other expressions of God's hatred of certain people in Scripture. For example, when we read, "the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah" (2 Kin. 23:26), we don't get the impression that we are reading about God's love for sinners.

Regrettably,very little is said of God's hatred or abhorrence of sinners among modern Christians. Most preachers, it seems, emphasize God's love for sinners, and their audiences consequently are often misled into thinking that God approves of them in spite of their sin, which couldn't be further from the truth. The truth is that God utterly hates them, but He is mercifully giving them time to repent and gain His approval before they die, and only in that sense does He love them. When they die His mercy ends, and they will then experience the fullness of His hatred. The people in hell do not think that God loves them. They all know that He utterly hates them. And the truth is that when they were alive He hated them just as thoroughly, but then He showed them mercy, or merciful love. If unrepentant people who are still alive knew how much God hates them, they would be astounded at His merciful love towards them.

This also indicates to us that God's holy hatred of sinners and His merciful love toward them are not contradictory aspects of His character. Rather, they perfectly blend together. God's mercy is magnified even more by His holy hatred, and vice versa. Preachers who want to emphasize God's true love for sinners must first emphasize His holy hatred for them.

If the history of revival teaches us anything, it teaches us that revival occurs when people are awakened, not to some false concept of a grandfather God who "loves everyone unconditionally," but when they realize their present precarious condition before a holy and wrathful God. For example,Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards, whom God used as a instrument of revival during America's Great Awakening in the 1740s, certainly didn't mislead his congregation about their slippery state before God. In his classic sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards simply affirmed biblical truth about God's attitude toward the unrepentant:

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment....O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder...

What a picture of God's anger and His mercy! Although Jonathan Edwards witnessed wonderful revival in his church and community, he was ultimately dismissed from his pastorate for holding to his biblical convictions. Only preachers who truly love their audiences and who aren't afraid of losing popularity and money can possibly preach such truth. Of course, Jesus was one of those kinds of preachers. Never once did He tell an unsaved audience that God loved them, and there is only one record of His telling one unregenerate individual one time about God's love for the world (and that is found in John 3:16). Rather, Jesus regularly warned sinners of God's wrath and called them to repentance (see, for example, Matt. 4:17; 5:22, 29-30, 8:11-12; 10:28; 11:20-23; 13:41-42, 49-50; 18:19; 22:13; 23:33; 24:50-51; 25:30). What Jesus told one person one time we have made our universal theme to the unsaved, and what He constantly emphasized to them we have kept a secret! Are we really being seeker-sensitive with our non-offensive evangelistic sermons, or are we actually ashamed of Jesus and His words? (See Luke 9:26.) Why are so many pastors afraid to tell the biblical truth even to professing Christians in the church? What does that reveal about those pastors? What does that reveal about their congregations?

John the Baptist, whom Jesus called the greatest man who ever lived (Matt. 11:11), never mentioned God's love when he preached the gospel (see Matt. 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-18). He sounded much like Jonathan Edwards, warning his audiences of God's coming wrath. Likewise, there is not a single case in the book of Acts where anyone preaching the gospel told an unsaved audience that God loved them. Rather, the biblical preachers warned their audiences that God did not approve of them, that they were in danger, and that they needed to make dramatic changes in their lives. Had they only told their audiences that God loved them and all they need to do was "accept Christ as Savior" (as do so many modern ministers), they may have misled them into thinking that God approved of them, that they were in no danger, were not storing up wrath for themselves, and had no need to repent. This is of vital importance, because salvation cannot occur without repentance. Jesus told His apostles to "preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Luke 24:47). We may be filling churches with evangelistic messages about God's love, but are we filling heaven?

God's love is greatly distorted when modern preachers, under the influence of pop psychology (whether they realize it or not) tell their unsaved audiences how Christ's death proves their value before God. "You were worth dying for" they say. Even the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is perverted to show supposedly that Christ gave up everything to gain what was of inestimable value—us! (Wasn't God blessed to get YOU?) Paul, however, stood amazed, not at how the cross proved the alleged value of a race of rebels, but how it displayed God's amazing merciful love, because Jesus wasn't dying for good people, but for ungodly sinners(see Rom. 5:6-10). His death saved us, not from underestimating our true worth, but from God's righteous wrath that we all fully deserve(see Rom. 5:6-10). Apart from God's holy hatred of sinners, His love for them is essentially meaningless.

Why don't we follow the example of Jesus and John the Baptist, telling the unrepentant the truth found in Scripture?:

God is a righteous judge,

And a God who has indignation every day.

If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;

He has bent His bow and made it ready (Psalm 7:11-12).

This is the biblical picture of God's love toward the unrepentant. His merciful love restrains Him from releasing the arrow that He has already drawn in His bow, the arrow that is tenuously aimed in righteous indignation at every sinner. This is a biblical example that would have fit right into Jonathan Edward's sermons, or John the Baptist's.

The unsaved inside and outside the church are under a huge delusion as they mistake God's mercy for His approval. They will be shocked at their judgment, just like the goats Jesus described in Matthew 25:31-46. They don't understand that God is very kind to His enemies, so they imagine that they are at peace with Him. What a tragedy it is when the church reinforces this delusion. I'm afraid that the bumper sticker that says, "Smile, God Loves You!" speaks volumes about modern theology and evangelistic preaching. Should we really be encouraging hell-bound rebels whom God utterly abhors, to smile

"God's Love/Hate Relationship with the World", the 2nd article on the conditional love of God ©2007 David Servant and ShepherdServe.org. You are welcome to repost this article as long as the article is unaltered and kept in its entirety (with all links and credits attached), and is not sold for profit.

About the Author

David Servant has been serving in ministry since 1979 as a church-planter, pastor, teacher and missionary. He has taught God's Word in over fifty nations and authored many books, inlcuding The Disciple-Making Minister, which has been distributed to Christian leaders all over the world in many languages. His ministry Shepherd Serve equips pastors and Christian leaders around the world.

jesus wants to save christians rob bell

Sentient Christians?

If there was ever a need for a more spiritual approach to life it is now. and it is happening. George Barna, religion pollster extraordinaire, has been seeing the shift from religion to spirituality for more than a decade now. The jesus seminar society has been challenging us to think about things that Jesus is reported to have said, (but did he?), while people like Bart Ehrman shock us out of our religious sleep. 

How is it that a Bible scholar, like Ehrman (American New Testament scholar and textual critic of early Christianity and the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) can become an agnostic? Or has he been tainted by the religious forest within which he lived and toiled?

Salvation (from religion) is becoming an increasing theme in the Western world where brain power has become no power!

While I didn't really get into Rob Bell's new book (Jesus Wants To Save Christians), I did love the title and it's prophetic call. Peter Toon, Anglican theologian and author extraordinaire, warned me several years ago about my getting lost in the minutia of Spiros Zodhiates tense of verbs that may never have been spoken. And if so, which translation has those "right words"? Thus my title above.

What we need are more sentient Christians.

Let God out of the BOX- or the BOOK!  

Sentience is the ability to feel or perceive subjectively- not literally, rationally, or Western. In eastern philosophy, sentience is a metaphysical quality of all things that requires our respect and care. Jesus was an Eastern-er! We need to look beyond the text. Why do you think Jesus spoke in parables? Why has is history explained and lived out in metaphors and myths? Consciousness ultimately is the ability to have sensations or experiences- intimae with the "Other". Remember, "a person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with a theory."

It IS HAPPENING! So, why not get on board and maybe we can achieve that "tipping point" wherein the new heaven and new earth arrives sooner than later?

About the Author

As a spiritual-futurist, I interpret current events in light of possible macro-universal forces at play leading up to 2012, but not limited to it.

jesus does stand up

Will the Real Christian Please Stand Up

Will the real Christian please stand up....... - By: Victor King

" Call yourself a Christian! "...... " What kind of Christian are you? "....." Hypocrite "..." He is not a good Christian "....." She is so proud but she goes to church "......" I cant believe he is a Christian "....." Such a disgrace to Christianity ".....

" Lousy Christian "......." He is so rude but he goes to church "...... " Worldly Christian "......" I was so shock to find out she is a Christian! "..... " Sometimes Christians can be the worst "....." I had a bad experience with that Christian "...." He is not fit to be a Christian "...."What kind of a Christian leader is he? "....." He is a Christian but he smokes "...." .She gossips about people and she goes to church ".... "I'm so ashamed to call him a Christian"....." He is a Christian but speaks a lot of vulgar words "..." They are not good Christians "..." What kind of testimony does he carry as a Christian "..." She is a Christian who does not go to church "..." Anti-Nomians "..." She is not worthy to be a Christian "..." So shameful, they are from a Christian family ".. " She wears so much of make-up just to go to church"....."They attend church but they are homosexuals"......

Sounds familiar???

Oh, I could go on and on but these are the words that were used to on Christians for many years till today. Why is there such a heavy burden for Christians? You rarely or would have never heard these words on people from other religions, if they do or say something Wrong, he / she as an individual would be criticized but not their religion, most of the time. But when a Christian does or say something wrong, they and their religion are being criticized and condemned. Is there a very high expectation on Christians? Is Christianity that hard?

jesus said in Matthew 11:28

" Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest... [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] "

Many of us think that 'Christians' are good and moral ones. We think that we have to be good in thoughts, deeds and words all the time. This could be our idea or other people's perspective of Christianity - JESUS IS GOOD so we have to be good. We have to be a good example's of JESUS; we are the ambassadors of CHRIST. We Christians have to be loving, kind, patient, generous, respectful, obedient, responsible, soft spoken, gentle, joyful, well mannered, faithful and many other good and moral deeds all the time. Many Christians suffers from great condemnation within because they think they have to be good and moral most of the time to show that they are good Christians.

They think that Christianity depends on their moral deeds and when they can't come up to that standard or they fail to do so, they condemn themselves and moreover people condemn them and the accuser, Satan also condemns them. How not to loose?! Usually most of them who feel condemned and think that they cannot come up to the standard of this "Christian Religion ", in due time they leave church or back slide.

Nothing wrong with being good or moral. I will show in a whiles time that you don't have TRY to be good but you have No choice but you would Want to be good but this time not in your goodness but Through HIS goodness with the help of the Holy Spirit. I'm sure the Holy Spirit does a Better work...Think about it.

So who are Christians???

and jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me [essentially and perfectly morally] good? There is no one essentially and perfectly morally good--Except God alone"- Mark 10:18

Christians are not good ones, moral ones or perfect ones......Christians simply means Anointed Ones.

( CHRIST ? ORIGIN Greek Khristos ?Anointed one' - )

" True Christians are Anointed ones; their Names expresses this: they are Anointed with GRACE, with gifts and spiritual privileges, BY the Holy Spirit of Grace" (Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible)

"It is God Who confirms and makes us steadfast and establishes us in joint fellowship with you in christ, and HE has consecrated and Anointed us, enduing us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit" - 2 Corinthians 1:21.

We are Anointed to be moral and good in thoughts, words and deeds. You know what I'm talking about, there was time when you use to have a certain bad habit (being rude, selfish, proud, vulgar, impatient, hot tempered, gossiping, lustful, ignorant, inconsiderate, lazy etc....) and now "suddenly" or "out of nowhere" you don't have it anymore or it is less active in your life.

Most of the time we don't how to explain or we never expected to be the person that we are now. It is the Holy Spirit that changed us. The bible says that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.... - Galatians 5:22 (NIV). Have you noticed it says ' the Fruit of The Spirit..... ' It does not say the fruit of your spirit or the fruit of the evil spirit. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is in you that gives you the qualities or the abilities to be good, do good and talk good. JESUS Himself was Anointed by GOD, " How God Anointed and Consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit with strength, ability and power; how He went about Doing good...."-Acts 10:38. How much more us.

The Holy Spirit is the One who does the good work through us and I'm sure HE will do a better job, amen.

Relationship takes time

Many of us venture to say that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. Did you know that a relationship takes time? GOD wants to love, fellowship, help and transform us unto HIS image in our Christian walk. Walking is a journey and journey takes time. We think that once we become a Christian, we immediately have to leave behind our bad habits, be holy, stay away from worldly people, worldly songs, movies, books and not dress up like the world. We even quote scriptures like "we are in this world but not of the world" and we are expected to change as soon as possible.

Now as a Christian we have to the read the bible, pray for many hours, go to church, lift up our hands, say "hallelujah" and start tithing. We also think that since we are "good, moral and faithful" people of God, we need to serve GOD. Once again, nothing wrong with all of these but if you have to do it or if you are obligated because this is your perception of being a Christian then its nothing more than religion and behavior modification. GOD does not want that, HE wants relationship and life transformation.

That's why HE gave the Holy Spirit to help us live our lives. Whatever happened to this verse??." It is no longer I who live but it's Christ (Anointed) who Lives through me". I love what jesus said in John 16:7, " I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you into close fellowship with you; but if I go away, I will send Him to you to be in close fellowship with you - John 16:7.

JESUS wants to have a close fellowship with us. When we know that we respond back not being obligated but with love. Now, we don't Need (obligated) to read the bible but we Want to. We will start doing things that we WANT to not need to. Other religion will Need to do their prayers, devotions and many other stuffs for their gods but we don't need to do it. We would Want to. We cant help it. We are in love with our God who lives inside us. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship and love.

" For without Me you can do Nothing" - John 15:5 (NKJV)

only jesus can make you to be the person that HE wants you to be. You can't do it by yourself. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do Nothing. - John 15:5 (NKJV) Don't be baffled or disappointed when a Christian does or say something wrong. They are just Anointed Ones. Christians have the Anointing to be better people. If we say that being 'in this world and not of the world means to be good and moral then I know alot of people of other religions who are good and moral or even better behaved than Christians. So are we trying to say that they are also in the world but not of the world?

The Only thing that we Christians have that makes us 'not of the world' is the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. That's the only explanation that can't be argued. Anything else then this, could be compared to people of other religions. We have the Anointing of God's Spirit. I have heard people saying that you have to be very nice, friendly and loving so people will know that you are a Christian. So does Christianity depend on our goodness? People are attracted to Christians not because of their goodness but because of the favor of GOD and HIS goodness that is in them.

For some reason people like Christians. Its a supernatural attraction. They are attracted by God's supernatural Favor or Grace.

Anointed to be Capable....

The bible is not cookbook. If you don't follow the recipe according to the cookbook then the food would not be good likewise many of us think that if we don't follow whatever the bible says then we are not good Christians. The bible is not meant to be followed. If we just need a book to tell us what to do and what not to do then JESUS does not have to come and die for us. We could have just followed the Torah or the law old testament, which no one could keep up to it.

Someone might argue by saying that there are many scriptures in the Gospel's that tells us to follow like ' Love our enemies and to do good to those who hate you - Luke 6:27, Let not your heart be troubled... - Matthew 6:34, Casting your cares upon HIM.... - 1 Peter 5:7, In the world you have tribulation, trials, distress and frustration; but be of Good cheer... - John 16:33, Let all bitterness and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful, helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you - Ephesians 4:31-32 and many other verses that tells us to follow or even when we are in church our Pastor tells us things to do or to follow.

Thank GOD for all these verses but it is not meant for us to follow. We need to understand that the bible is not a book of rules and regulations to follow (law) but it is there for us to know who we are in Christ, what we have in Christ and what Christ can do through us. When you read verses like ? Let not your heart be troubled, Casting your cares to the Lord and other verses from the Gospels, it simply means the You are Capable of doing it. You are capable of forgiving, casting your cares, not letting your heart be troubled, not worrying, praying in tongues and many other things that the bible tells us to do. We are capable of doing it because we are Anointed. The Holy Spirit Helps us to do it. The next time if Pastor tells you to believe, to confess, to rest, to pray, to forgive or any other things. GOD is trying to tell through your Pastor that you are capable of doing it because his Spirit is you and HE will make you to do it.

You don't have to follow it (obligated) because the Holy Spirit will help you and teach you in all things, " But the Comforter ( Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will Teach you ALL things. And He will CAUSE you to Recall ( will Remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. - John 14:26.

You don't have to stress yourself by thinking how to follow what the bible says or what our Pastor says. You are capable of doing it because the Holy Spirit is inside you.

Let's say, a billionaire marries a daughter of beggar, she don't have to try to become rich. She is capable and she has no choice but to become rich. She will start to walk, talk and dress like a rich person. Though it takes time, she will be a different person. As time goes on, she is no more thinking as a daughter of a beggar but as a wife of a billionaire How much more when the Holy Spirit who lives in you. As time goes on, we start to think, talk and act like jesus.

We are capable of becoming healthy, wealthy, moral and many other things that bible says that we can be. You don't have to try to be good, you have no choice but to become good because the Good Shepherd lives inside you and you will start doing good and moral things out of HIS goodness that HE has placed and stored in your heart. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart "- Luke 6:45

"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, helpless] " - John 14:18

Relax and let Christ live through you, amen

About the Author

From a gangster to a Gospel proclaimer.

Evangelist Victor King

TGIF Ministry (Singapore)
www.tgifministry.com
www.tgifministry.com

jesus christ superstar movie

Who's the actor who played Jesus in "jesus christ Superstar" the 1971 movie?

I know Ted Neely - lead singer for Deep Purple - did the vocals on the album, but who was the guy who actually played Jesus in the 1971 film?

The musical came to Atlanta a couple years ago, and Sabastian Bach played Jesus, which was quite interesting. But is this actor in the movie Ted Neely (I've never seen Ted), or is he just lip-singing to his voice? Just curious.

Ted Neeley

jesus did it experiential

Glimpses of Esoteric Christianity Part 5

The comprehension of Karma as revealed to the masses by Jesus is an improvement of the old interpretation and understanding of the principle of a previous dispensation of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," as given to the Israelites by Moses. To illustrate this, the law does not cause blindness as a punishment to an individual if he had blinded someone in the past. It does, however, make him aware, in some manner, of the wrongness of his actions--even if it does take blinding him if other means fail to make him realize his error. Should the individual realize his mistake, sincerely repents and compensate, then the lesson would have been learnt; he would be putting new forces into motion which offset the original negative impulse. Karma is not punitive. Negative karma is neutralized to some degree by implementing positive causes--these are the laws of grace and mercy at work. In contrast, even if it happens that balancing of karma should occur, and that the individual does not learn, repent and compensate for his wrong deeds, he might repeat it again or the "punishment" might just occur again and again, lifetime after lifetime, depending on the proportion and momentum of the original force, until all of its misqualified energy is spent. Also, undigested and unassimilated experiences are undergone repeatedly until the inherent principle which the experience is intended to teach is absorbed.

Every entity or group of entities create karma; hence, we have such collectives as "group karma," "racial karma," and "national karma." Karma functions under cyclic law and in accord with esoteric astrological configurations. Its effects are dependent upon the ratio of the forces put into motion and the situation with which the deeds were committed. Some effects are immediate, while others requires a passage of time for the force to return full circle, even deferring until a later lifetime. Karma, therefore, is conditioned in its full expression and is divided into two groups:

1) Ripe Karma, where the effects of deeds and actions occur in the same lifetime.

2) Unripe Karma, where effects of deeds and actions are postponed to a future embodiment.

According to one modern school of Esoteric Christianity, a dispensation had been given in our century by the Cosmic Directors of Karma for the spiritual aspirant to transmute his karmic sins and tendencies. This dispensation takes the form of an invocation (actually Hindus and Buddhist have been using similar techniques for centuries) to that aspect of the Holy Spirit called the "violet flame." This is the "consuming fire" of God mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. The violet flame when active in one's energy-field, transmutes the cause, effect, record, and memory of sin and karma until one becomes immaculate:

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isa:1:18)

The effects of the violet fire brings us that much closer to our perfection and ascension into our God-Presence. When freed from personal karma, the disciple is ready to take on a higher burden of transmuting world karma to some degree, to assist suffering humanity to march onwards towards the light. This was what the Master Jesus did. He transmuted part of world karma--esoterically "saved the world." Much still has to be done and the individual is still responsible for his sins and karma--the quality, nature, and status of his own energy-field, his soul-record--this was not cleansed by the death of the "savior." The Master Jesus "died" for the awakening of the collective consciousness of Man, not for the saving of any individual.

The overcoming of karma in one's life requires an understanding of the situations that one finds himself facing, and a constant vigil and check of all inharmonious expressions or our being. Moderation in all sensual activities assists greatly in reducing negative fruit, such as pain and suffering. Below we give some guidelines to negate karmic influences:

1) Invoke the violet flame on a regular basis.

2) Control of the mind and emotions.

3) Act, think, and speak beneficially.

4) Offer oneself to selfless service to humankind.

5) Be unattached to the fruits of actions.

6) Steer the mind away from sensuality by focusing on one's divinity.

7) Seek the spiritual wisdom and teaching in one's life-experiences.

Light

Light manifests in the mind of man as illumination, enlightenment, and an expansion of consciousness. Light, as Truth, is the illuminating mystery given to candidates of the Christian Mysteries who had previously undergone the required perfection, the period of spiritual cleansing. Those who were free from the stain of sin were offered the secrets of the Light for further advancement along the path of the ascension, for sinlessness alone were inadequate to lift man to the portals of the Kingdom of God and thus unite him with his "I AM Presence." In the gnostic work, Pistis Sophia, Jesus has this to say about the illuminating mysteries:

"But amen, amen, I say unto you: even if a righteous man hath committed no sin at all, he cannot possibly be brought into the light-kingdom, because the sign of the kingdom of the mysteries is not with him. In a word, it is impossible to bring souls into the light without the mysteries of the light kingdom."

In the same gnostic work the Christ initiate also reveals one of the main purposes of the Mysteries of Light which man should seek, rather than the baubles of this impermanent world:

"For this cause have I said unto you aforetime: 'Seek, that you may find.' I have therefore, said unto you: 'You are to seek after the mysteries of this light which purifies the body of matter and make it into a refined light exceedingly purified.'"

"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1Co:15:53)

The above verses refers to the etherealization of the physical component of man. It is a standard practice among the practitioners of Esoteric Christianity to surround themselves with light in their visualizations and meditations for alchemical and spiritual transmutation. Besides having the effect of healing and purifying the aura, the precipitation of light particles within one's being also accelerates the vibratory rate of our various sheaths, or bodies of the Soul and Spirit. The light that purifies and illumines should be constantly invoked by the spiritual aspirant. To purify and spiritualize the atomic particles composing one's being by applying divine fire is only part of the spiritual transformational process; however, the other part is the work of refraining from assimilating additional coarse matter. Jesus advises us to:

" . . . renounce the whole world and all of its association, that ye may not amass additional matter to the rest of your matter in you . . . "

This renunciation is not the actual giving or selling away of one's earthly goods and to live somewhere in poverty as an anchorite or as a vagabond. The rich man that Jesus advised to sell his goods and to follow him has a different connotation. "To be in this world but not of it" is the clarification of the precept above--in other words, detachment, earthly desirelessness, harmlessness, the living of soul-purposes, etc. One may be wealthy or poor, known or unknown--it makes no difference. It is how we live our lives that counts.

The Pistis Sophia, like the aphorisms of Patanjali, advises us to renounce various vices such as slander, pride and haughtiness, love of the world, cursing wrath, pitilessness, avarice, and sloth. To renounce vices and to acquire virtues, man should contemplate the holiness and sacredness of God, Nature, Life, and the intrinsic essence of all sentient beings. His attention should be reoriented from a materialistic three-dimensional perspective and habitual pattern to a spiritual outlook and way of life. By constant living from the spiritual standpoint, man acquires that state of harmony, that freedom from the chaotic mentality and emotionalism that characterizes the worldly man. Harmony is organization--organized thought, speech, action, living, and movement. The light of the trinity of the godhead stands at the door of the waking consciousness and knocks--and waits. Harmony within the four-lower bodies which reflects the harmony within the Tao, in conjunction with certain spiritual practices opens the etheric valves which allows greater influx of spiritual forces, magnetizing the lower sheaths of man's energy-structure with an abundance of power, love, and wisdom. Divine forces enter man's being via the sutratma, antahkarana, and the sahasrara chakra.

Once illumined by the Light of God, man becomes a living flame. He lives as a focus of Omneity's divine presence. Radiance, magnetism, and power of his Divine Self fills his aura till his "cup runneth over," and his very presence affects all with whom he comes into contact. It is the nature and desire of God to make men "his ministers a Flame of Fire" (Heb 1:7). Each enlightened person, as a Flame of Fire, ignites fellow souls slumbering in the mayagrammic world. This stimulation occurs by magnetic, and telepathic induction on all levels of being. We may allow the "dead" to bury the dead; but it is our personal task as torch-bearers to revive those that needs awakening and resurrection.

Light from a cosmological point of view, is the essence of all matter. It is the primal energy which manifests in substances that composes our universe. Matter is densified light. Between matter and the pure Light of Omneity are manifestations of God-radiance in varying intensities. Light was the first emanation of Omneity, it is the manifestation of the Supreme Godhead's first spoken creative impulse--"Let there be Light." (Gen 1:3). This fiat was not the creation of the sun and its radiating energies but something more subtle and lofty.

Light is often identified with the Word, the Pranava "OM," which is in a continuous reverberation throughout the cosmos. Hindu mystics call the Sound, "Sabda Brahma." The Sufis are acquainted with the existence of this Word-Light; they refer to it as the "Kalam-I-Aadim," meaning, "the Ancient Sound." Christian mystics, on the other hand, figuratively call it "the Rush of a Mighty Wind," and "the Sound of the Trumpet." Gnostics, Hindu and Buddhist Tantric mystics, and High-degree Sufis initiate candidates to the gnosis or marifat where the Divine Light and Sound emanating from one's very essential being, the very essence of God, are experientially seen and heard. Blind faith and beliefs are replaced with knowledge, experience, and conviction. One perceives God's radiant countenance face to face and is transformed thereby; no longer is the on-looker a mortal or lives as one but spiritually immortal as he "sees" his very SELF as "Sat-Chit-Ananda,"or "Existence-Consciousness-Bliss."

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matt 5:8)

"And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:26)

"And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live." (Ex: 33:20 )

"And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." (Ex 33:11 )

Indeed, after perceiving one's essential SELF, one's "I AM PRESENCE" one is never the same; one no longer lives as a man or as a mere mortal. One becomes the anointed, a Christ, an immortal god--the hope of Job and the Pure. Is this not what was requested of us:

" . . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

Or in other words,

"I AM the true model and I represent the true way of attaining that Divine State of Sonship. Become as 'I AM.'"

This possibility is the essence of the gospel--this is the good news--this is the kingdom come--this is the Resurrection--this is the Second Coming. This is the promised Kingdom of God that is at hand and not located in some astral realm or to be entered into in the afterlife or during the Apocalypse in the last days. It is NOW that the kingdom of God is to be attained by one and all--no matter what your religious affiliation. May all heed this and live a purposeful life.

Man's Divinity

Man's true nature and reality was a hushed subject that the Christ Initiate taught to the inner circle of his followers. Some of his statements concerning man are to be found in the gospels. His enigmatic sayings about his relationship to his father were statements of truth that applies to humankind collectively, and was never meant to indicate to the masses of any exceptionality on his part as a sole "son of God." As a result of this misunderstanding, perhaps deliberately, of the words of the Master, modern Christians worship the son in the form of Jesus and not in the light of the Christ divinity within. Throughout the centuries, the precepts of man's divinity have been overlooked, misinterpreted, and misrepresented. The human, mortal, sinful side has been unduly stressed and emphasized to a morbid degree. The Light shone in the darkness, but the darkness took no trouble to understand its nature and source. There are those that fear Light in the form of truth, for its nature reveals the true state of things--things which are uncomfortable to those who resent movements in an upward spiral by personal effort. Jesus and other prophets before him declared that men were gods,

"I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." (Psalms 82:6)

"Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." (Isa 41:23)

"Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" (John:10:34)

That we are more than mortals is echoed in the "Thou art That" proclamation of certain Hindu philosophies. This divine precept of man's divinity is shun by the followers of orthodox Christianity as a teaching of the devil and not acknowledged to be true because of their erroneous comprehension of the scriptures and the faith that they have upon the dogmas and creeds arbitrarily created by corrupted theologians. People are indoctrinated to believe in things that do not reflect reality, things that mostly cannot be verified by personal experience. Where there is a lack of intuitive understanding, where ignorance and fanaticism holds sway, the mind and emotions will cause the jiva or soul to stagnate in a bog of their own construction. This imposes self-limitation, self-restriction that is well depicted in Plato's Cave allegory.

Man believes what he wants to believe, and until he replaces beliefs and fancies with experiential knowledge of his divinity he will continue to experience the torments of "hell"--the pain, suffering, fear, and anguish. Herein lies evil, for evil opposes all activities that frees the soul from bondage to matter, from advancing on the path of evolution; and man unconsciously swims against the currents that would lead him to the other shore.

Man is considered by atheistic scientists as a being of matter; religionists sees man as a creation, a creature fabricated by the Source for glorifying and worshipping Itself by making Its creatures sing hymns of praise eternally, for the benefit of who knows whom--for that which is egoless requires no recognition of its SELF-existence, as It is in a state of completeness, of oneness with the hidden nature of its illusory elements as perceived by man. Prayers and worship are never for God's benefit but for the beings engaged in the revered adoration.

It is from the sages of the world that we learn of their personal experiences of what man truly is, and by following in their footsteps we come to know ourselves. The sages present methods with which the gnosis, the Truth may be known. By applying their methods we in turn gradually recognize the accuracies of their statements concerning man--some uttered while in transcendental states. The rationale of the statement of Jesus mentioned before--"I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" may be understood clearly through the intuitive sense.

Most people focus their consciousness, their attention excessively upon externals, upon a world of illusions, to the detriment of their spiritual unfoldment. This overconcern with earthly baubles drains the mind, body and soul of the energies that would call forth the treasures laid-up in heaven by man's obedience to the laws of the Voice of Silence. Christ is the cosmic nature within each individual; the so-called second coming of Christ occurs within the psyche where man experiences and manifests his internal reality in the world of form, in the sphere of Malkuth. To focus constantly within, as in meditation, and in certain forms of yoga, one retains the required amount of force to awaken and stimulate the Shekinah, the flickering fire of God's manifestation within man, residing in his heart chakra as the threefold flame of Love, Wisdom, and Power.

Man emerged out of the fiery core of the Great Central Sun, or "Parabrahm" in Hindu Philosophy, as a spark. The essential nature of this spark, this "unit" of Brahman, is divine. It is a manifestation of God-in-becoming. Out of this monadic spark the Divine Ego, or Atma, was formed and individualized as Self-consciousness. Its nature is threefold: it consists of the divine spirit, the life spirit, and the human spirit. The higher aspect of the Divine Ego is the Christ in man, which is the way to oneness with the Father in heaven, the Monad focused in celestial planes. This Monad is Ishvara in the Samkhya philosophy of Hinduism. The Divine Ego is the progenitor of the personality, the jiva, the manifestation of man in the lower worlds of matter. A portion of Egoic consciousness lies buried in the etheric heart awaiting the outer consciousness to acknowledge its existence and to manifests its essential qualities and nature in the physical plane. Its growth is dependent upon the personality offering it freedom of expression in its sphere of activity.

"God is Man, and Man is God." This is a metaphysical truism which should be mystically understood. If interpreted literally, this spiritual truth would seem blasphemous. God is eternal and infinite, so is man, for man as the microcosmos reflects the spiritual structure of the greater cosmos. God is acknowledged by enlightened individuals to be ineffable, indescribable. When contemplating man's true nature, one finds oneself in a similar position : Man transcends words, it is impossible to describe that which is actually beyond and void of physical, feeling, and mental structures.

Depreciation of the true Ego and the exaltation of the false ego are expressions of egoism. Indulgence of such mental states prevents spiritual awakening. Man wrongly identifies himself with the components of his manifestations in the realms of matter. For instance, he believes that he is the body, the feelings, the mind, etc. This misidentification stalls the unfoldment of the faculties and powers of his divinity which grows within man at the objective consciousness level as he acquires a greater perspective of his true being and expands his consciousness to encompass higher states. Egoism is an idol that man unknowingly places on the altar of his consciousness--and he worships this monstrosity; and each time that he thinks, speaks, and acts imperfectly, negatively, unculturedly, and destructively, he exalts the deceiver of men, the beast whose number is 666.

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

About the Author

Leonard Lee aka Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
Magickal Items from Indonesia: talismans, mustika pearls, kerises, etc.
Magickal Bezoar Mustika Pearls from Indonesia.

on jesus wadsworth philosophers series