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7.14.2007

WEALTH IS MURDER OF THE POOR

"The superfluities of the rich are the necessities of the poor. Those who retain what is superfluous possess the goods of others.”

"Now we can see how ridiculous it is to define violence in physical terms alone. For a man killed by a bullet is no less dead than a man who has died from a disease resulting from eradicable poverty.
When you stop to think of it, poverty is no longer inevitable; therefore it is intolerable.
It is no more a private tragedy;
it is now a public crime."
William Sloane Coffin

JESUS' WAY IN A HELLISH WORLD: MILITANT BROTHERLINESS

All of the following quotes come from
Peace and Nonviolence (Quotations from),
compiled by Monk Ed Guinan.

"It must be militant, massive nonviolence, or riots." Martin Luther King (not from Guinan's book)
"We have to become twice as militant and twice as non-violent, twice as tough and twice as tender, as only the truly strong can be tender. That’s what we need—a new covenant with God and with Christ for a new kind of manhood. To this new covenant we must devote a great deal of thought."
Willaim Sloane Coffin

"And who will provide what is most crucial of all—example?"
Phil Berrigan

"For until the adversary in power knows that non-violent men are willing to suffer for their beliefs, he will not be truly willing to listen to them, knowing he can count on their ultimate acquiescence to his power if not to his opinion."
William Sloane Coffin

"If men are not willing to practice the way of non-violence with the same kind of commitment and recklessness of cost or con­sequences as they practice the way of war and as Communists work for Communism, clearly non-violence will not work."
A.J. Muste

"Soldiers in the horror of battle offer solemn testimony that life is not a hunt for pleasure, but an engagement for service; that there are things more valuable than life; that the world is not a vacuum. Either we make it an altar for God or it is invaded by demons."
Rabbi Abraham J. Heschel

"Therefore the problem becomes—how to instill convictions strong enough to resist dehumanization in oneself, in others, in structures. How to instruct him in non-violence as a way of life, as mark of the new man, as instrument of human revolution and social regeneration?
"How to teach him the realities of power in all its nuances, from the will to dominate others to the will to exploit whole nations and peoples? How to toughen him SO that one will understand and accept persecution, contempt, ostracism, jail, or death on account of conscience and (above all) on account of the suffering brother’? How to infuse him with such sensitivity to human rights and dignity that one will confront violence in every turn of his life—in himself, in the culture, in the State? How to convince him that Christ’s man must integrate word and act, in full recognition that this might lead him to death, even as it did his Lord?"
Phil Berrigan

"We have chosen to say, with the gift of our liberty, if necessary our lives: the violence stops here, the death stops here, the sup­pression of the truth stops here, this war stops here."
Dan Berrigan

"Non-violence, in essence, means taking a stand in favor of life and refusing to delegate individual moral responsibility to another person or group; it means taking control of one’s life and aiding others in doing likewise. Non-violence is an attempt to find truth and love even in the midst of hatred, destruction and pride."
Ed Guinan

"Peace is the great concept extolling love among men, who discover that they are brothers and decide to live as such."
Paul VI

"Non-violence is meant to communicate love not in word but in act. Above all, non-violence is meant to convey and to defend truth which has been obscured and defiled by political double-talk."
Thomas Merton

"Mere words about peace, love and civilization have completely lost all power to change anything."
Thomas Merton

"Unearned suffering is redemptive."
Martin Luther King

"The luxury of a leisurely approach to urgent solutions—the ease of gradualism—was forfeited by ignoring the issues for too long."
Martin Luther King

"“If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
Martin Luther King

"Only love and sacrifice can engender love and sacrifice. This chain reaction is essential to the non-violent struggle."
Thich Nhat Hanh

"...Our struggle's purpose... the destruction of fanaticism and inhumanity, which are the real enemies of man."
Thich Nhat Hanh

"By accepting extreme suffering, one lights the fires of compassion and awakens the hearts of the people, as Christ did."
Thich Nhat Hanh

"The task of the non-violent action is to fight the injustice and to liberate men, those who suffer the injustice as well as those who are responsible for it."
Hildegaard Goss-Mayr

"Christ has not only taught this, he has lived it and furthermore has shown some techniques of how to live that force in a specific historical situation. He attacked the status quo of his time, those who betrayed men and were the privileged. He attacked the established Church of his time. He attacked the conscience of its representatives throughout the three years of his public life so strongly that they reacted in the traditional way with violence against him and crucified him.
He was not crucified because he did nothing, but exactly because he attacked the injustice of his time in a very clear and precise way and because he spoke the truth.
But he always respected men.
Neither did he join the established groups of his time nor the guerrilla who operated in Israel, and who wanted to liberate the country from the Roman occupation.
"He showed a new way of fighting evil and he was willing to accept the consequences of his action."
Hildegaard Goss-Mayr

"It cannot be affirmed that the powers that be, in any nation, are actuated by the spirit, or guided by the example of Christ, in the treatment of enemies; therefore, they cannot be agreeable to the will of God; and, therefore, their overthrow, by a spiritual regeneration of their subjects, is inevitable."
William Lloyd Garrison

"It will be our leading object to devise ways and means for effecting a radical change in the views, feelings and practices of society respecting the sinfulness of war, and the treat­ment of enemies."
William Lloyd Garrison

"In entering upon the great work before us, we are not unmindful that, in its prosecution, we may be called to test our sincerity, even as in a fiery ordeal. It may subject us to insult, outrage, suffering, yea, even death itself."
William Lloyd Garrison

"All such as pretend Christ Jesus, and confess him, and yet run into the use of carnal weapons, wrestling with flesh and blood, throw away the
spiritual weapons."
George Fox

"How to provoke chain reactions not of hate and death but of new constructiveness, of new quality of life."
Danilo Dolci

"A complete rejection of the present social order and a non violent revolution to establish an order more in accord with Christian values."
Dorothy Day

"When we fight tyranny and injustice and the class war we must do so by spiritual weapons and by non—cooperation."
Dorothy Day

Militant Non-Violence, William Sloane Coffin

"Now we can see how ridiculous it is to define violence in physical terms alone. For a man killed by a bullet is no less dead than a man who has died from a disease resulting from eradicable poverty. When you stop to think of it, poverty is no longer inevitable; therefore it is intolerable. It is no more a private tragedy; it is now a public crime."
William Sloane Coffin

"We have our own bodies and spirits and the justice of our cause as our weapon."
Cesar Chavez

"When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines what kind of men we are. It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life."
Cesar Chavez

"Therefore, let us render this service in the cause of peace: without measuring the sacrifices, try to prove that truth, love and faith, with the divine blessing, are capable of moving and breaking down the walls of Jericho."
Dom Helder Camara

"Daring to do what is right, not what fancy may tell you, valiantly grasping occasions, not cravenly doubting— freedom comes only through deeds, not through thoughts taking wing. Faint not nor fear, but go out to the storm and the action, trusting in God whose commandment you faithfully follow; freedom, exultant, will welcome your spirit with joy."
Deitrich Bonhoeffer

"Jesus added “as I have loved you,” meaning, “Just as I gave my all for you, you do the same for your colleagues. Dedicate yourselves to this task.” This was his last message."
Buddhist Vinoba Bhave

Heaven on earth (in a hellish world): Militant PeaceMaking

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Several models for those who conclude that Blessed, Beastly Blindness to; Divine, Disastrous Divorce from the world's misery is no longer desirable:

Imagine Heaven: Its key dimensions

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Dimensions:
  • Property rights
  • Laws
  • Infrastructure
  • Religion
  • Geographical boundaries
  • Time horizon / focus
  • Resource extraction
  • Resource distribution
  • Activities
  • How time is spent
  • What it looks like

Heaven on earth: Property Rights

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Property Rights

Imagine the "PROPERTY RIGHTS" among the following folks:

  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • Holocaust Rescuers
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Bhave, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

THE "PROPERTY RIGHTS" AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

  • All property is owned by all and by none
  • All property is owned by the born and unborn
  • First priority is "the least of these" born and unborn
  • Each individual is a steward
  • Each individual looks to the "Master" the still small voice s/he hears
  • Each indivisual gives the life s/he has to have brothers and sisters here the voice within them too

Heaven on earth: Laws

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Laws

Imagine the "LAWS" among the following folks:
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Teresa, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

THE LAWS AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

INDIVIDUALLY AND SUPREMELY -

  • Still small voice within
  • Heart / Love / Agape
  • Compassion
  • Empathy
  • Solidarity
  • Compassion
  • Wisdom

COLLECTIVELY AND SUBORDINATE TO THE ABOVE -

  • ALL JUST LAWS
  • ALL COMPASSIONATE LAWS
  • NO UNJUST LAWS
  • NO UNCOMPASSIONATE LAWS

Dietrich Bonhoeffer captured it divinely: “Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God – the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God.”

Heaven on earth: Infrastructure

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Infrastructure


Imagine the "INFRASTRUCTURE" among the following folks:

  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • Holocaust Rescuers
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood

THE INFRASTRUCTURE AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

  • Luxuries converted into necessities (the "lady" shredding her dress for bandages)
  • From each according to their abilities, to each according to their need
  • All blessings shared in common
  • All problems shared in common
  • No gap between rich and poor

Heaven on earth: Geographical boundaries

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Geographical boundaries

Imagine the "GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES" among the following folks:
  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • Holocaust Rescuers
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Bhave, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

THE GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

Heaven on earth: Time horzon / focus

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Time horzon / focus

Imagine the "TIME HORIZON / FOCUS" among the following folks:

  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Bhave, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

THE TIME HORIZON / FOCUS AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH: WATCH OUT - THIS ONE IS TRICKY. THE FOLKS ABOVE ARE ACTING OUT OF LOVE - LOVE IS TRUTH AND WISDOM!!!

  • Present
  • Future
  • Infinite Future - Guarding the Unborn, their children, their children's children....

Heaven on earth: Resource extraction

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Resource extraction

Imagine the "RESOURCE EXTRACTION BEHAVIOR" among the following folks:
  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • Holocaust Rescuers
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Bhave, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

THE RESOURCE EXTRACTION BEHAVIOR AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

  • Minimal extraction as required for "the least of these"
  • Minimal extraction as required in protection of future generations

Heaven on earth: Resource distribution

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Resource distribution

Heaven on earth: Activities

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: Activities

Imagine the "ACTIVITIES" among the following folks:
  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • Holocaust Rescuers
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Bhave, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

THE ACTIVITIES AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

  • SERVICE: They live to serve the least of these born and not yet born (infinite generations)
  • HUMILITY AND EXPERTISE AS REQUIRED BY THE LEAST OF THESE: They live in extreme reverence to the sacredness of their ability to serve
  • REST AND REGENERATION: To the extent necessary for optimal service; LIMITED so as not to interfere with service. Think R&R for the heroic soldier.

Heaven on Earth: How time is spent

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

See ACTIVITIES

7.13.2007

Imagine Heaven: What it looks like

Heaven / Nirvana / Universal Joy in this Hellish World are all I or this site are concerned with, ever.

Heaven on earth: What it looks like

Imagine "WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE" among the following folks:
  • A "healthy" biological "family"
  • Holocaust Rescuers
  • On a bucket brigade at a house fire
  • Saving kids at an elementary school after an earthquake
  • Neighbors after a massive flood
  • Jesus, King, Gandhi, Bhave, Khan Ghaffar Kahn

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AMONG THOSE LIVING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH:

  • LOVE
  • SERVICE
  • MODESTY
  • INTENSITY
  • SACRIFICE
  • JOY
  • FOCUS
  • WISDOM
  • LOVE
  • SIMPLICITY
  • FRUGALITY
  • HUMILITY
  • POVERTY (think NURSES serving Doctors Without Borders in Darfur; think Amish; think American Indian before the Genocides)

EFFECTIVE RADICALISM IS INFINITELY DIFFICULT

Conservatism fights (with one's life if necessary) to keep things the same. In such a Hellish world this is unacceptable.

Liberality is NOT the opposite of Conservatism, as Liberals tend not to fight for ANYTHING with their OWN lives.

RADICALISM is the counter to Conservatism. Radicals want change so much with their Head and their Hearts that they will pay whatever price is necessary. Think King, Gandhi, Jesus....

Conservatism is EASY! Just hate every prospect for change, and anyone that represents it! NO IMAGINATION OR CREATION NECESSARY!

RADICALISM IS ENTIRELY CREATIVE AND INFINITELY DEMANDING:
  1. THE NEW WORLD MUST BE ENVISIONED!
  2. NEW LANGUAGE AND ARTICULATION MUST BE CREATED!
  3. EDUCATION AND TRAINING SPREAD ON THE NEW WORLD!
  4. NEW TACTICS OF "WAR" FORMULATED WHERE THE FIGHTERS, NOT THEIR "ENEMIES" PAY WITH THEIR LIVES.
  5. NEW ARMY RAISED AND TRAINED.

I CHOOSE JESUS' WAY OVER CHRISTIANITY

These alternatives are not the same. These are two, distinct, mutually exclusive choices.

JESUS' WAY:

  • Love the Almighty
  • Love all humankind
  • Lay down your life for the least of these Jesus' / our family, as Jesus did.

CHRISTIANITY:

  • Profess Jesus Christ your lord and savior that died for your sins; who rose from the dead
  • OR, according to the Nazi Pope - be Catholic, go to Latin mass
  • And all the other dogmatic, dead, murderous, evil, Jesus-excluding crap

Any overlap of Christianity with JESUS WAY (Jesus Word, and His word alone) is arbitrary, random, capricious, incidental, variable, hypocritical, noncommittal and rare.

I CHOOSE JESUS' WAY.

I REJECT AND DENOUNCE AS COUNTER TO TRUTH / LOVE / LIFE
CHRISTIANITY AND EVERY OTHER ORGANIZED / INSTITUTIONALIZED / FOSSILIZED RELIGION TO THE EXTENT THAT IT DISPLACES
THE SOLE AND ENTIRE PURSUITE OF TOTAL LOVE / MILITANT BROTHERLINESS / "WORLD FAMILY" / "WE."

PROBABLY EVERY "RELIGION" CAN BE USED TO ACHIEVE A LIFE OF TOTAL LOVE / LIFE / TRUTH AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL USES IT IN THIS WAY - WONDERFUL. THIS IS THE POSITION OF GANDHI AND TERESA ALSO.

"GROUNDHOG DAY." 3RD, DOMINANT FACE OF "SALVATION."

Two faces of "Salvation" (from less than AWESOME Life / Love / Truth) are discussed in FRODO AND SAM. THE TWO FACES OF SALVATION.

A third face can be seen in the movie "Groundhog Day."

This 3rd face is expressed in the highly recommended practice of prayer within the "Our Father," and in particular the parts:

Among the murderous garbage put out by most "Christian" churches is the notion that we cannot "Save" ourselves from selfishness / disconnection from others / Error / Sin.
Groundhog Day shows us the nonesense of this position. The verses above show us the truth that we can and must, if we want Joy for ourselves and others, continually "Save" OURSELVES, Grow, Learn! This is indespensible to "Salvation." It may or may not be helped by deliberate intervention by others, in a "church" for example. Usually such Self-Salvation is dreadfully hurt by such intervention - because almost always it is a mater of the "blind leading the blind" as Jesus cautioned. Those who "see" are one in a million, literally. Beware.
"REMOVE THE PLANK FROM YOUR OWN EYE" JESUS TAUGHT.

7.12.2007

JESUS FAITH WAS REDICULOUS; UNIMAGINABLE - LOVE; ONLY LOVE.

Do you get it? I just did! After all this time and I just got it.

Jesus' total, entire, second by second, minute by minute, in all things, IN ALL THINGS "FAITH" was in LOVE / TRUTH / LIFE; ONLY THESE; NEVER ANYTHING ELSE. NEVER. NOTHING ELSE.

Come on now, see this. What do you and I in this society put our faith in second by second. Is it Love / Life / Truth - the Almighty forces of Our Nervous System / Nature / The Cosmos!?!!?

You and I do what we were taught. We ignore our natural faith in our inborn capacity for Love / Life / Truth. We worship instead:
  • Our mind
  • Our learning
  • Our institutions
  • Our relationships
  • Our "stuff"
  • Our "superiority" over situations and others
  • Experts
  • Elders
  • Bosses
  • Clergy
  • Etc....

Is "Faith" in Love / Life / Truth exclusive of these just mentioned? We think so, but quite the opposite!

Love / Life Truth totally and brilliantly use all resources internal and external for their purposes.

But the opposite is never true.
When we put our faith in anything except Love / Life / Truth these three are fundamentally excluded from our existence.

7.11.2007

Moon explorers first left their "home world"

Especially in the early days of the space program it is true that virtually the entire world they depended upon, their entire safety net, was left behind. They left their old world for a new one. This was a price they had to pay. It was a price they were extatic to pay!

IMPEACH RATZINGER

This is the Pope from Hell from what I can see so far. In the face of Darfur, 18,000 children dying per day, 1 million killed by U.S. in Iraq... what is Christ's Vicar in the news for? Just what Jesus would do:

Pope, Restating 2000 Document, Cites ‘Defects’ of Other Faiths

Ratzinger effect boosts Vatican's cash-flow

Pope Set to Ease Restrictions on Latin Mass: Document Expected ...

This guy is from Hell from what I can see.

FRODO AND SAM. THE TWO FACES OF SALVATION

BORN SAVED: Sam it seems was born saved, presumably by being born into an Otherish family -
  • Otherish, no selfishness
  • Sorokin of Harvard in his study of Altruistic Love, "The Ways and Power of Love," found that most Saints come from profoundly loving families. Fogelman in her study of Holocaust Rescuers found the same. The apple does not fall far from the tree.
  • The "Fall" is NOT inevitable. Our environment does it to most of us.

SAVED LATER IN LIFE: Frodo was not saved from Selfishness / Detachment / Divorce-from-others until the final seconds as he hung by his fingers in the volcano, by Sam's Love, limitless Sacrifice / Otherishness -

  • Frodo was Redeemed, his Otherishness bought back from Selfishness by Sam's Love / Otherishness. Sam's Love was Therapy for Frodo.
  • Militant Brotherliness, my name for Nonviolence is this type of Therapy primarily.
  • This was the aim of Gandhi, King, Jesus.... They had limited success.
  • We cannot afford limited success anymore. We are out of time.

THE OPOSITE OF CONSERVATIVE IS RADICAL, NOT LIBERAL

See EFFECTIVE RADICALISM IS INFINITELY DIFFICULT

DIVINE: THAT WHICH NOTHING IS MORE WONDERFUL THAN

Definition - DIVINE: THAT WHICH NOTHING IS MORE WONDERFUL THAN

The Eskimos have 20 words for snow, different kinds of snow.

We in the states take our most valuable FEW words - Love, Divine - and use them for 2,000 inappropriate things. IN THIS WAY WE BLIND OURSELVES.

LOVE is COURAGE is CONNECTION is TRUTH

LOVE IS COURAGE IS CONNECTION IS TRUTH

As I attempt to understand the mystery of Love this is a big step for me.

LOVE - COURAGE - CONNECTION - TRUTH (as Gandhi used "Truth"- Species specific Morality)
  • are never separate,
  • THEY NEVER HAPPEN SEPARATELY!
  • THEY ARE THE SAME THING NEUROLOGICALLY, OR
  • THEY ARE SO INTERTWINED THAT THEY CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD SEPARATELY ONE FROM THE OTHER

7.10.2007

THAT FINAL INSTANT FRODO DIDN'T LET GO THE RING

Well, I just can't think of a clearer image of our madness / blindness / craziness. CRAZINESS!

There is Frodo:
  • Swimming in Brotherhood (Sam, Strider, et al),
  • Awash in the suffering of Selfishness / Exploitation / War / Greed (the Ring and its doing)
  • Etc.
  • ALL THE EVIDENCE IN THE WORLD OF THE WONDER OF LOVE / MILITANT BROTHERLINESS
  • ALL THE EVIDENCE IN THE WORLD OF THE HORROR OF SELFISHNESS / EXPLOITATION / DISCONNECTION / WAR

AND YET FACED WITH THE FINAL CHOICE -
FRODO IS BLIND TO ALL BUT POWER / STUFF / SUPERIORITY

WE ARE IN THE GRIP OF SOCIETAL MADNESS / BLINDNESS / CRAZINESS / INSANITY

GUARANTEED SEPARATORS FROM THE DIVINE: STUFF / SUPERIORITY / SYSTEMS

The Almighty, God, the Divine is LOVE / LIFE / TRUTH. Right? Soul, Solidarity and Service are the dimenstions of the Spirit in service and unity with, AND FILLED WITH the Almighty Powers. Right?

INSTEAD OF

Simple.

WOULD. NOT "SHOULD!!!"

Jesus was all about WOULD not "SHOULD."

My beloved friend told me how her father told those he taught -

"Hold a pencil in front of you.
Now, "TRY" to drop the pencil.
See?
There is no "TRY."
There is only "DO," or do "NOT DO."

Well, this is why Jesus was all about WOULD. If you followed me you WOULD:
  • Love as I have loved
  • Do unto the least of these as you would do unto me
  • Love the Almighty Powers with entire heart, mind, soul, strength...
  • Love everyone born and unborn as yourself
  • Love your enemy
  • Love the stranger
  • Lay down your life for the least of these

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR "SHOULD"
IN JESUS TEACHING.
"TRY" TO DROP THE PENCIL
YOU HOLD IN FRONT OF YOU.
IF YOU FOLLOWED ME YOU WOULD....

7.09.2007

"MADDEST OF ALL IS TO SEE LIFE AS IT IS AND NOT AS IT SHOULD BE"

"Maddest of all is seeing life as it is and not as it should be." Man of La Mancha

JESUS USED PARABLES BECAUSE THEY ACTIVATE THE HEART

Most speech activates the Head, and in doing so it takes energy that otherwise could go to the Heart, the Kingdom of the Almighty / Love / Life / Truth / Heaven.

MOST SPEECH BLOCKS
HEART / LOVE / SALVATION /
HEAVEN / THE DIVINE

The parables of Jesus can only make sense, can only be decoded by the divine wisdom, insight, brilliance of the Heart.

Using parables Jesus both engaged,
enlightened and strengthened the Heart.

INSEPARABLE ARE JOY AND SUFFERING FOR LOVE.

But when Love is engaged -
INSEPARABLE are
JOY and SUFFERING
FOR LOVE.

WHEN JOY IS ABSENT,
OR SUFFERING IS AVOIDED,
LOVE IS DISENGAGED.

LIFE IS GIVEN TO SPEND FOR GOOD

Well, you have to believe one or the other of these:
  1. God, a sentient being, gave you life, or...
  2. Your Genes gave you life.

Either way...

LIFE IS GIVEN TO SPEND FOR GOOD:
1. GOD IS GOOD AND
WOULD HAVE YOU DO ONLY GOOD
2. YOUR GENES WANT
THE GOOD OF THE SPECIES

OUR REWARDS DIMINISH AS WE
STRAY FROM
SPENDING LIFE FOR GOOD

COWARDS SEEK TO PAY WITH OTHERS LIVES. HEROES PAY WITH THEIR OWN.

COWARDS SEEK TO PAY
WITH OTHERS LIVES.


HEROES PAY WITH THEIR OWN.

ANY QUESTIONS?

7.08.2007

Do we worship false idols?


JESUS' SOLUTION TO LIFE: AGAPE

This is a sermon I heard elsewhere, but the following catches the same informatino very well. From: feed_my_sheep

Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Him? If so, are you obeying His commandments (see John 14:15)? Are you feeding His sheep? Let’s look at John 21:15 again:

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. In the Greek, Jesus asked, "Do you AGAPAO me?" He was referring to AGAPE love... which is God’s love. Agape love is an uncompromising love. It loves whether or not the subject returns that love. It loves even if the subject returns hate. Agape love is an unconditional love. It loves even the un-lovely. It loves those who don’t want to be loved. If you truly love Jesus, feed His sheep.

The word "Feed" in this verse in the original Greek language means to promote the spiritual welfare of Jesus’ AR-NEE’-ON (little lambs). Would any mother give birth to a baby, then leave it to fend for itself? Of course not! When a soul comes to Christ, we need to embrace that spiritual babe and foster his/her spiritual growth. When a new convert (or even a veteran believer) comes to the church, it is imperative for you to wrap your arms around that person and agape them. Lift them up in your prayers. Let them know that somebody cares about them. They may not look or act like the type of person you would want to love... which is even more reason to agape them.

Peter’s reply to Jesus’ question, "thou knowest that I love thee," wasn’t really a direct answer. Peter was saying "Lord, you know that I PHILEO (not agape) you." The Greek word phileo means friendship, fondness, affection or personal attachment. Phileo love is qualified by a relationship or attachment of some sort. It is very conditional. It is not the pure, high AGAPE love that Jesus was asking for.

Sometimes, we’ll love our Christian brothers and sisters... but only if they’re doing what we want them to. We won’t love them if it is uncomfortable or inconvenient for us. THAT IS SIN! Look at what happens in John 21:16

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Jesus repeats his question to Peter. However, this time the word "feed" in the Greek is POY-MAH’EE-NO, which means to oversee or to provide their soul needs. You see, once a baby Christian progresses along the path of spiritual maturity, we no longer need to "bottle feed" them. I like the way Keith Green put it... we’re simply like the curb on the street. We keep them from running off the road. Although the primary responsibility for providing POY-MAH’EE-NO falls upon the pastor, we all play a part in edifying the body of Christ in love (see Ephesians 4:16).

Jesus also uses a different word for "sheep" in this verse. He calls them PROB’-AT-ON, which means sheep but, in its most literal translation, means a thing that walks forward.

The body of Christ does not sit still... we are moving forward, taking the gospel to the world. In order for us to effectively move forward, we must remember to lift each other up in a spirit of love. In fact, if we don’t receive support and fellowship from each other, we can’t walk forward. Not only that, we couldn’t do anything without the "mutual support" of our sisters and brothers.
I heard a minister say that if it was God’s responsibility to hold the church together, that He was doing a "lousy job of it." At first, I found that statement to be shocking. Later, I realised that the truth is, it is not God’s job to hold the church together. It is our job! Look at what Ephesians 4 says:

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) {fill: or, fulfil}

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: {in: or, into} {stature: or, age}

14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: {speaking...: or, being sincere}

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {blindness: or, hardness}

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

We see in verse 16 of Ephesians 4 that the body is joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies. You supply a little love, the next person supplies a little exhortation, the Pastor supplies preaching... etc. Each one of us has a role to play. Each one has a gift to use. Now, let’s move on with John 21:17

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

This time, Jesus used Peter’s word for love. Jesus asked, "Do you PHILEO me?" Notice that, when we can’t seem to make it to Jesus’ level, He will always meet us where we are. He did the same with the woman at the well, starting the conversation with a request for a drink of water, not with a diatribe about the woman’s sinful life (read the account in John 4:4-42).

Jesus goes on to tell Peter about the sacrifice that would be required of him, closing in John 21:19 with "Follow me." In the Greek, Jesus was telling Peter, "Be in the same way with Me" or "Join/Accompany Me." Remember Jesus taught (and demonstrated) that the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends (see John 15:13).

This is what Jesus did (see John 10:15). This is what He requires us to do... to be perfect (or, complete), as our Father is perfect (see Matthew 5:48). How can we be perfect? By being made perfect in love (see Ephesians 1:4 and Colossians 3:14).

Peter eventually caught on to what Jesus was saying. Jesus met Peter at the PHILEO level in John 21:17, but Peter met Jesus at the AGAPE level in I Peter 1:13-16 as he feeds the body of Christ.

If you love Jesus... if you really love Jesus, you will feed His sheep. As He took up the cross and died for us — when we were His enemies (see Romans 5:6-8, 10) — we must take up our cross daily (see Luke 9:23) and die on it. The cross is the first century equivalent to the electric chair. It’s not a shiny emblem that you wear like a piece of common jewelry. It is an instrument of death. To take up your cross (daily) is to kill the selfish and carnal works of the flesh (see Colossians 3:5-17) and be crucified with Christ... allowing Him to live through you (see Galatians 2:20).

Would Jesus walk over one of His sheep, callously ignoring it’s piteous bleating? No way! Neither should we. Make an extra effort to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to be ready to encourage the hearts of your brothers and sisters in Christ with love and compassion. Help them to walk forward and continue to promote their spiritual welfare (see Hebrews 10:24 and II Timothy 4:2).