HE MAKES UP THE MISSING

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Might you feel like you have missed something in life? Maybe you share a painful longing for someone, or you fear missing a future event. Some of you may even suffer the loss of a facet of your living. In other words, you can no longer enjoy living as you once did, because of a present situation. If so, I thought to share one of my favorite messages of encouragement, that it seems, I rewrite in the spring of every year. I am ever the consummate perfectionist when it comes to sharing my writings, because they firstmost, are gifts of love to God and He deserves the best. Secondly, His saint's are the body of my God's Son, so I write with care toward you.

It happens that today is St Patrick's Day, which is my daughter's very favorite day of the year. Her name is Erin, which is the Gaelic rendering of "Ireland" and the home of St. Patty. So it is no wonder, my Erin should proclaim March 17, "the best day in all the year." The following is a story surrounding a miraculous event that took a place some years ago. This tale speaks of an occurrence of profound intimacy between Erin, God and myself. This recounted experience is one reason, I can write fearlessly on the subject of death, as I have been of late on our blog. With the reading of the last paragraph of the following message, I sincerely hope you will find encouragement in life's disappointments. I have red fonted this particular section, for it is profoundly pregnant with the hope, I wish you to share with me. Be blessed dear reader.


INTO A DAUGHTER'S HEART
If you have ever laid in bed and wept because of a person you will forever miss or occasions and enjoyments you have been deprived of due to one hard circumstance or another, I pray this story will soften your pain. I wrote this account a couple years ago and even today, it is one of my favorite writings ever. It seems even the original emotions, once so deeply felt as I originally typed this story out, have been made afresh as I read through it once again this morning.

I want to share a most extraordinary experience I had a few years ago, when God for one second took me out side the parameters of this world and deep into the heart of my daughter.
My only daughter Erin, upon entering the University of Kansas, received a letter from the Athletics Dept. inviting athletic freshmen women to try out for the KU Women's Rowing Team. Having been a recreational runner through out high school and being bold of spirit, Erin decided to give it a try. After many challenging hours of painstaking training, she was accepted onto the Novice Rowing Team. The following year for all her hard work, Erin was then elevated to the Varsity squad and awarded a full four year athletic scholarship.

It seems almost four years had gone by, since Erin had entered college and because of the distance and my lack of funds I was never able to visit my daughter on campus nor see any of her races. I knew that it was a "must" that I at least attend the last home rowing regatta of her senior year. This last race was an event, which included the KU Athletics Dept. putting on a large BBQ for all the rowing fans. Also included, was a ceremony honoring the parents of the graduating senior crew members, along with their daughters.

My ex-wife and Erin's mother, not being able to attend this event, just raised the stakes higher for me to be there. Three weeks away and after much prayer, I still saw no way, that I was going to be able to afford a flight to Kansas for the race. I was just heart broken and I was letting God know in prayer, how disappointed I was, when in the midst of my petitions, I received a phone call from my sister. She offered to fly me out to Erin's race. It seems, Jill, along with her partner and two of my other sisters were all going to be flying in for Erin's celebratory weekend. For a surety, they wanted me there also.

Lest I take from my dramatic event, I will tell you now, that we ended up with about fifteen Erin supporters in our crowd. When we left Lawrence Kansas following the big weekend, we found we were the talk of all the girls and their parents, as they marveled at the fun and exuberance we had in loving and rooting for our girl, Erin. All of us in the group were stone sober during our whole of our stay but because of our joy we were often asked what magic elixir, we might be drinking. lol

One other exceptional event I want to share, that lends support to God's miraculous ways, concerns an oversight of mine that became apparent at the Kansas airport. I found myself in a trying dilemma, when upon securing my reserved rental car, it was noticed my drivers license was expired. This negated any use of one of their rental automobiles. My daughter's apartment was a long forty miles away. As I was standing out on the curb, contemplating how I was going to complete my journey, a woman in a van drove up. She asked me if I had notice particular group of people waiting for a shuttle. I replied, "no" and then asked her where she might be going. She told me Lawrence, which is where my daughter lived and where the university is located. The driver, then told me to hop in, after I told her of my destination. Now, that's God's curb side service and it sure seems He knew, I would never once, be in need of an automobile the whole time I was in Kansas..

I spent five days in my daughter extra bedroom that week and I would accompany her each afternoon to the river for rowing practice. In those five days, I was blessed to enjoy all of her day to day activities, meet all her friends and visit all her haunts. It could not have been a more enjoyable and precious time, even without my miraculous experience which was soon to come.

So the big day of the race and celebration has arrived and it is an absolutely stupendous day to spend on the river. The weather was warm and still with not a cloud in the sky. We watched all the early races, with Erin in our company, while anxiously awaiting the final and most important race of the day. I am weeping right now, as I begin my account of what shall take place during this next event; Erin's last ever home race of her rowing career.

Being an ex-professional photographer I had brought my old 35mm. camera with all the lenses so I might capture the events of that day. I was set up on the shore about fifty yards in front of the finish markers, in anticipation of getting that perfect shot. This was where Erin and her team mates will absolutely be giving it their all, during the final yards of the course. It was so amazing to feel the heightened anticipation within the crowd and more so myself, as the boats came into sight, a mile away. The closer they came the louder the crowd cheered and as the teams closed in to where I was, every one was standing, shouting and clapping as loud and as hard as they could. Just as the Kansas boat, which was in a narrow lead, barely passed where I was standing, I readied my camera with it's long telephoto lens on Erin, for that planned shot. Looking through the lens, it was hard to comprehend the beauty of the rhythm of eight girls rowing together, while exerting every last ounce of their energy and strength for the last few meters of their final race.

I tightened in my focus and moved from the whole of the boat to where I could just view Erin's form, filling up the frame. I fine-focused and as I hit the shutter button it happened! In one single, incredible mind altering, fraction of a second, God took me deep into Erin's precious heart and I experienced every moment she had given to rowing in the last four years. I felt in my own heart, every ache and blister she had ever suffered during those years. I gloriously experienced all the joy she had received and also the whole of the disappointment she had endured during her four long rowing seasons. I tasted deeply the spirit of camaraderie she shared with her many boat-mates along with the encouragement, sisterhood, and closeness that had grown strong between them. Incredibly, I also was given understanding, of all the days Erin had gotten up at five in the morning to train in the cold and rain plus all the evenings she dragged herself home after a second practice to do piles of homework. Piercing my heart, was also the pure pleasure she enjoyed, knowing how very proud her Dad and everyone was of her, on this day. I could truly go on page after page describing what I experienced and saw in that smallest increment of time, when my camera shutter opened and closed during that perfect shot.

I believe I was the only parent that day that had tears in their eyes at the finish of that race. My sisters and our group of friends really gave me some razzing hell, upon noticing my face awash in my tears. If only God would have allowed me tell them the reason. It seemed this miracle I had just experienced, was just too precious for Him, also.

So I end by telling you, until I have left this earth, I shall never forget how God took me beyond the dimensions of time and space that incredible and amazing day. Miraculously, He allowed me to enter into my daughter's heart and experience all that I had once feared, I had missed. I can't help but believe this most miraculous occurrence was a foretaste of what we will all experience on that day, when we are made complete in Him. Since that miracle, I have been assured many times in payer, that I need never feel sad that I have missed anything of this world, because it is all being kept in store to be enjoyed throughout eternity.

And people wonder why I cry sometimes when I tell them how much I love God. Who could ever give you a gift like that!

Jack

PS. There is a rain storm taking place over my key board right now, but I want to also tell you that Erin went from a walk-on to being named 'captain of the rowing team" and "Oars Woman of the Year." Today a plaque in Erin's honor, along with many photos of her rowing, hang on the walls of a brand new state of the arts boat house and training center. That new boat house stands in the very spot, where once, for the smallest instance of time, a glimpse of eternity was experienced. God is good.

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A REMARKABLE SOUL

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THE MATTER OF MAN IS THE MATTER OF THE WORLD 2

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“Be anxious about nothing” Phi 4:6

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matt 6:25



Why is man anxious? Is there a root cause to man’s anxiety? What does man fear?

With the further probing of this series, “The Matter of Man is the Matter of the World” we will try and discover the answer to these questions. However first, allow me to forewarn you. "The carnal man will make many inventions, rather than deal with the root cause of all his fears, all his phobias and all his anxiety. The dark rebellious soul hides in frustration and carries a vain bent toward corruption. The carnal soul within man can only embrace Truth, only when it is laid low. Thus there are many trials and much tribulation produced by the world of the soul to be reaped by the soul. Truly, in this regard, the bite of the serpent is its own antidote.

So, what is the corruption, which is the root cause of all the anxiety and all the fear in our souls? The root cause my friend, is “physical death” and man is, as uncomfortable looking at physical death, as he is staring into the brightness of the unobstructed sun." I write tonight with the hope, we might overcome the fearful soul, as we look at my death, your death, Adam’s death and the death, which visits all men of the earth. With this joint venture, just maybe, we might alleviate and dash away some of our fear, dismiss a few of our phobias and find relief from lot of our anxiety. Maybe, we will even be able to realize the reward of a greater rest and a truer peace. I believe we can do this, with an understanding of “physical death” within the framework of God’s plan and purpose for man. That is our goal. I hope you might stay with me as I share that which I have been blessed to see, as I have gazed through death's shadow and into my Saviors face.

Before continuing with some well hidden truths, on the subject of “physical death” and “man’s mortality,” allow me to share something of my incredible month of February. In an amazing journey of sorts, I have enjoyed a most wondrous and peaceful month. Whereby, God has taken me to a new and deeper understanding of his purpose in “physical death.” All the while, that I was being blessed, I knew this February was the very month a Christian lady prophesied, I would die. According to this misguided soul, I was to die in the second month of 2010, in judgment for my sins.

Well Jeepers! By Golly George,! I am here to tell you I made it! I am still breathing and it’s March, the other side of February. I should let you know, this one came to me last year and prophesied my demise, for taking apart some demigods with elitist names like Pastor, Apostle and Doctor? It seems some one got a little contrary, as you don’t turn the religious chaste system, upside down and not expect to get a few religious curses in return. Obviously, this sweet gal was really angry, upon seeing her idols cast under aspersion. So like any power hungry false prophet, she pronounced the worst of all judgments she thought she could, over me, “YOU SHALL DIE.!” Now, because this sweetheart believes, she has a real in with God. Plus she believes these God awful formulas put together by the doomsday prophet/teacher Doctor Stephen Jones*, she confidently picked the exact month, I should die. This was done in accordance with one of Jones' mathematical time formulas. So, within the time frames of this one of many judgment formulas, it was decreed “YOU SHALL NOT ONLY DIE. YOU SHALL DIE IN FEBRUARY!” Of course with these formulas, if the subject does not die in the predicted month, there is always the back up, of some kind of Ezekiel clause. This escape clause invented by Jones, proclaims, if a prophesy fails to find fulfillment in the predicted month you’ll damn sure get it the month after. So please my friends please continue to pray me, at least into The Fool’s Day of April (lol). I kid of course, however, if Jesus chooses to take me in March, please instead rejoice in my good fortune as my leaving this physical realm will be my gain. I think the Apostle Paul wrote something along that line, didn't he? The end of such matters is that, God is good in all He does. I believe that. I believe that, even when life’s events bring sorrow and despair, because our understanding vision is yet incomplete. Yes first and foremost, above all, GOD IS GOOD!”. In the utmost Divine wonderment, God is good toward all His creatures and we love Him for that!

Moving on with this doomsday prophesy, let me say it has been all kinds of comical, this last half year and no more so, than with my predicted demise, Seems whenever there has been a discussion of any future plans or events concerning me, I and those in the know, laughingly quip, “best get it done quickly, best hurry because February's end is in site” (lol).

Not surprisingly, this sweet prophetess came over to the blog many times the last many months to see what the skinny was on SONSHINE. Best I could tell, over the last year, she would visit once or twice a month. She surely did not want me dieing in October or January, so she had to check and make sure her gallows prophesy was still swinging. Yes, this little lady had her money on February, so I was not surprised to see her visit the blog twice in the closing three days of that very month, just past. Now, I can't help but think her visitations make up a very sick kind of voyeurism. This sad sickness is oft embedded in the natural mind and has also been groomed well within most Christians, by the religious doctrines of man and the practices of the organized church. Heck, we might as well go the whole nine yards and say the idea of physical death, as the worst judgment possible, is deeply ingrained in the carnal minds, within us all. So in reality our sweetheart prophetess of doom was only speaking out of that which was in her heart. And that heart, which is Adam’s heart, is in us all. The whisper of, want of judgement by death, is part and parcel of the dark call of our souls. Truth be known, that whisper, that was in Cain, has sounded at some time, within us all. Well maybe, with the continuation of our series on the “matter of man”, I can help you understand and overcome Cain's whisper, should you still suffer it.

Before we begin looking at physical death, in that which I consider a right light, let me clean up the residue of my friend’s misplaced curse. Let me reiterate, this, the month of February has been far from cursed. It actually has been a glorious month filled with the mixture of thrill and rest as I have been pulled deeper into the amazing grace and love of God, through Christ Jesus. This last month, I have also realized many pieces come together as I catch, what I believe, the true measure of Adam’s nature, which is the measure our own human nature. I know many of you have experienced the "beyond delightful phenomenon", that comes with Christ revealing another facet of His ways. That which I speak of is the wonderment of the occurrence of being shown a new and deeper Truth in Him, Who is before all things, the holder of all things, and after all things. How often with the first glimmer of such a mind altering truth, we come to see that very truth illustrated every where we look. In God's goodness, evidence and confirmation brings affirmation to that which we were first given to ponder. So it is with my pondering of Adam, being mortal from the very get go, even before the curse. This finds its levity, because, maybe with this truth, we can look upon God’s purpose of physical death, in a more correct fashion. Also comes the possibility, we will no longer look at another human's physical demise as only wretched and the worst of all curses. Now wishing to let my dear false prophetess off the hook, let me ask a question for all of our consideration. Who upon hearing of the death of an enemy has not thought, "yep, he or she got what was coming." We think, “do dirty, get dirty!” Well that’s WRONG!, and hopefully with the furtherance of our series, we shall come to understand why it is wrong. For the child of God the curse is always turned into the blessing, just as February was one man’s cursed month, it was made my blessing. Ain’t God, just the best, when you know the goodness in all His ways. What a wonder it is, that He shares such with us!

I will now, make a supposition that might give you, dear reader, a glimpse into the gravity of of our exploration into Adam’s state, which by commonality of our humanness, is our state. In particular we seek the truth and significance of Adam's physical death, which is as our physical death. Again let us broach the question, “Why is it beneficial for us to understand the occurrence of death in the physical realm?” Well let’s try on the premise “by the rid of fear in our lives we make gain of peace and rest in our lives.” That is certainly good enough reason, so I will proceed by telling you, I believe all fears or phobias find their origin in the fear of death. Death is the very foundation, from which all fears arise. By the way “phobia” is actually the Greek word for fear. Today there are even secular psychologist and psychiatrists coming to realize the foundational fear in man is "fear of death." I am sure, we have all experienced the alleviation of a particular fear. That alleviation comes by an understanding or even the experiencing the object of our fear. In other words, how often, we find understanding or even the experiencing of a situation, event or object, alleviates the very fear of the same. I think it is likewise with the “fear of death." Thus, how much to our good, it would be, if we could presently, better understand "death, the mother of all fears." Even moreso how much better to would be, should we understand something of this state, before experiencing it. For the elect, the option of "understanding death" sure beats going into the "experience of death," crying and kicking in fear. Simply said, if we can understand God’s use of death, we can possibly, be made free from the fear of death. We might even recognize physical death as a necessary and good thing used by God in His purpose and plan for you and me and all of mankind. Also knowing, “Death’s Prophetess” will be reading this message, just maybe, with a possible new understanding, we can alleviate her, throwing any more death decrees at someone else, in the future. That alone would be a good thing :-))

So with the presumption of death as the mother of all fears let us look at a scripture that illustrates how the fearful soul is dealt with.

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Rev 21:8

How often the church goers, pass on by the “fearful,” in the aforementioned scripture, as if not even seeing it. For sure, the “eternal torment” guys, never mention the “fearful” in the group of sinners they want to see fried forever. Of course not, as that subjected group would surely include themselves. We, that have had our minds renewed to understand the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone” is God himself and "the second death" as being, baptized into the death of Christ Jesus, see a solution to fear, rather than a never ending punishment for fear. Hopefully this series can even hold a bit of the "Lake of Fire" in it, that our fears might be miraculously transformed into peace and love. I myself, along with many of you, have been cast into this awesome lake of fire and we are learning to float rather than struggle against it's insurmountable current. Some of you, doing this today in your lives, are even my inspiration.

Please bear my repetition as I report, it was some weeks ago, the Spirit began to stir within me and I began to get an inkling that the fall of Adam, is not as we have been taught and come to accept. As a result of that stirring, I gleaned over the last month a new understanding of Adam’s nature and resulting sin. I believe a great beneficial practicality can occur, when one begins to realize the discovered evidence, I am going to share with you, in the following weeks, Lord willing. I really believe we can come to a right understanding of death and thus alleviate much stress, angst and anxiety from our lives as mortal humans. Lord, we thank you in making all things good in time. You are truly amazing, as is also is amazing, your plan and purpose for each of us.

By God's grace, I will attempt to share with you, dear reader, a number of views and truths concerning death, as I have come to see them. Lord willing in our next blog we will explore further the “fear of death.” With the understanding of death, I believe we will certainly live better. Amen.

“The ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus, believed it to be, our omnipresent fear of death was the root cause of misery. The frightening vision of inevitable death, he said, interferes with one’s enjoyment of life and leaves no pleasure undisturbed.”**

"It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so universal as death, should ever have been designed by Providence as an evil to mankind."
Jonathan Swift

In His Sweet Lord Jesus,
Jack

* Dr. Stephen Jones writings were some we used to recommend in our blog sidebar. Many of his writings are wonderful but as it is with many with great knowledge, he has overstepped the bounds and become even megalomaniac in his thoughts and practices. I believe this sadly, to be the current state of Dr. Jones. His date setting prophesies of doom and gloom are anything but of God. Instead they are tools of the enemy, that would cast a false sense of power into the hearts of those that hold them. Basically, the guy has some very foul spirits at work in him right now, as he promotes himself and gathers a following. God help the man, and yes, with this, I’ll probably get another death curse. That curse will find is rightful and original place in the dust, that was cursed even before Adam.

** I rephrased a quote. taken from Dr. Irvin D. Yalom, professor of psychiatry Emeritus at Stanford University

HE DID IT IN SIX DAYS

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Dr. Gerald Schroeder, reveals how creation can occur in 6 twenty four hour days. This is not to be confused with the "new earth paradigm" held by the organized church. Although lengthy, this is an amazing talk. Please visit this link and see how Dr. Schroeder aligns science with creation. It's pretty incredible. But of course there is the rebuttal. lol

I have long felt the dimension of time is such that it will not be understood until we come face to face with the Timeless One. Still the conjecture and theories give threshold to greater fascination of our great God and His ways.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7143844201875642538#


Here is a shorter version of the same talk with illustrations.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7143844201875642538#docid=2846284361709250986

Rebuttal:

http://www.talkreason.org/articles/schroeder.cfm

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HE'S COMING TO GERMANY AND HE IS GOING TO STAND UP !

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"This guy's poor wife has no life. All she does, is follow him around the house cleaning the walls."

and

"Watch out Florian! He's coming to Germany and he is going to stand up!"


Oh my, what would ever possess a man? lol

He Might Even Carry You

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"Rush Into the Ark!" There it was, the four short words, making up the title of his latest grand expose. The author, who is a whirl wind of activity, gave clue to why his concocted message was of an unsavoury mixture. He had never learned the lesson that God never rushes and thus when we are truly called to follow Him, we will mostly certainly slow down. Believe me, God knows how to slow down ..... even stop. And one thing else, you don't rush into the ark, He carries you. For the best effort can never be ours.

Dear reader are you feeling harried and rushed today. A little time of silence, sitting at the Master's feet may be in order. Try it and see if things don't slow down in the rest of your day. He might even carry you.

"The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord," reads Psalm 37:23.
On the margin of his Bible at this verse George Mueller had a notation, "And the stops also." It is a sad mistake for men to break through God's hedges. It is a vital principle of guidance for a Christian never to move out of the place in which he is sure God has placed him, until the Pillar of Cloud moves.--

Must life be a failure for one compelled to stand still in enforced inaction and see the great throbbing tides of life go by? No; victory is then to be gotten by standing still, by quiet waiting. It is a thousand times harder to do this than it was in the active days to rush on in the columns of stirring life. It requires a grander heroism to stand and wait and not lose heart and not lose hope, to submit to the will of God, to give up work and honors to others, to be quiet, confident and rejoicing, while the happy, busy multitude go on and away. It is the grandest life "having done all, to stand."--J. R. Miller


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THE MATTER OF MAN IS THE MATTER OF THE WORLD

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”For the creation was subjected to vanity, futility and frustration. not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation will be set free from its slavery to corruption and death” (Rom 8:20,21 paraphrased)

He lay in a hospital bed, shut off from those whom he loved. His wife and daughter were just a few feet away, however, they might just as well have been a world away. He could not speak to them, nor could he hear them.

For ninety years, this man had prided himself, in his battle to stay alive. He had fought and survived three wars, although he suffered the lingering health effects that such wars bring. Still furthermore, he had overcome these war wounds with medicines and operations. The victor was still ticking, while lesser men of his generation had gone by way of the grave. On this day however, this proud old warrior would meet his Waterloo.

The old man in bed mumbled with incoherence and listened with out perception. Angst, born of frustration covered his strained face. The proud warrior would turn his attention from his tearful family and he would pick up his limp left arm with his right hand and the look of angst would turn to horror. The left side of his body was paralyzed, as was also part of his brain. The death stroke had done that which no war had been able. The frustrated old man, with the view of his lifeless arm was coming to the realization he was all but dead. The Commander was caught in the edge of the inescapable eddy, where life mixes with death and the quality of one’s living would measure the quality of one’s dying . No amount of conjured up will over matter would serve death’s angry victim any longer. The tried and tested Naval Officer had no choice but vacate the sinking ship, of his dieing body. His fearful angst would soon be over as God’s heavenly beckon would be heeded, as it is with all dieing men.

Sometimes I cry when I think of my Dad, just a few months ago suffering in this way, However after my cry, there is joy found as I realize my father’s sojourn is over and his soul enjoys the rest of Heaven's home port.

I shared this sad and horrific story of my Father’s demise, that you might understand something of why the experience of physical death prods me. I am confronted with a desire to know more of God’s purpose in using the frustration of corruption in His great plan and purpose for man. As it would be, I myself, must awaken each day, with the realization this could be my last day on earth because of the mortal disease in my body. The subject of mortality is close at hand, however unlike my suffering Father, I am at peace, as to whether I live or die. Hand in hand with my peace, I have long lost the illusion of my will over any matter. So enjoyable is my current peace, I have not even the beginnings of a bucket list. In my heart there is not one wishful “to do before I die.” This in turn, brings me to the subject of today’s blog, where we will explore the subject of corruption in the matter of man, which is the matter of earth. This subject broached, will hopefully show us physical death was universal, even before there was an Adam. We will try to at least free Adam, the earliest member of our family, from the title of “the bearer of death.” When I speak of this "death", I address the physical version.

God formed man out of the earth. He then took this earthen form, made of the corruptible substance of the world and God breathed the pure breath of His very life into it. With my use of the word “corruption” and its derivatives please don’t mistake me as an old Gnostic, who believes the entire material world is evil. Far from it, the world with its corruption and disorder, when viewed with His purpose in mind is indeed full of His glory and to even be enjoyed. So with task at hand, I must now propose that Adam, the first man had death and corruption already working in him, even before he would eat of the cursed tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Death and the propensity to sin was already in Adam’s form.

I must also remark, that it is of late, I found out once again the organized church had failed me, and most likely you also, by teaching us falsely concerning. “the fall of Adam, which they say, brought the fall of the world.” The truth is, the first man was already fallen by his substantive nature, and he could only manifest into action his fallen nature. Simply put, Adam was made for such action. As I like to say, regarding the church’s faulty suppositions, “if the church teaches it, you can bet it is wrong.” There is but one reason to teach such wrong things and that being, there is a lying spirit within us and a false reality in the world, that ever entices us to seek lasting comfort in the temporal chaos and corruption of the material realm. The modern “Prosperity Gospel” and the old “Protestant Ethic” are built upon this very false reality and fed by the aforementioned lying spirit. Instead of living the lie, may we each come to realize, we are but sojourners, having left our first estate to realize through an earthly human experience the measure and increase of God’s Love.

In our human sojourn, physical death is but the shadow of our greater death, which is spiritual. Yet, through the enticing lure of the world, we are apt to focus on the physical rather than the spiritual. So it is, man has embraced the erroneous and traditional teaching of the fall of Adam. It seems, the enemy of our soul would like us to believe our natural physical death is the great penalty for sin’s action, when in reality it is spiritual death. The hidden secret is that disorder and death was already within the very nature of the world, and likewise in man, who was made from the very substance of the world. God saw in His omniscient wisdom that with His clean breath would come forth the inkling of His nature of which is immortal. So it is, God's pure spirit within the corruptible form of man supports the greatest of tensions. It is the unbearable itch that begs a bloody scratching. The immortal life of the Spirit is set within the being of the natural man that marches to the mortal song of the cosmos. The mortal man is made to seek immortality which only God possesses. Man must reach and he does so toward the appointed tree. With his reach Adam becomes astutely aware of his corrupt nature. "Grab anything to cover up!", He thinks and in a rush a few fig leaves are reached for. On and on man will reach, only to be thwarted in his desire to be saved from his wretched condition and cursed fate. The great Truth is man’s salvation is top down and comes not by man reaching but by God stooping. Oh, how many of us have learned this and we learn even a bit more with each passing day. To look upon the pitiful face and marred visage of Jesus is to know the stooping love of God. To know God coming as a Servant and coming as a Man to bear all of the sin and corruption in you and in me is to hear our souls primal cry, “HOW GREAT A LOVE, WHO CAN EVER MEASURE SUCH WONDER !”

In the past weeks I have attempted a number of times to free Adam from unwarranted blame with regard to “physical death.” I have written some lengthy messages and even posted one on SONSHINE for a day or two before removing it. Hopefully by sharing a small portion at a time, I can sufficiently convey why “physical death” is not to be feared. With this, I hope also to show, how life in every form is to be cherished and even enjoyed. Maybe we will then be able to read these words of Paul and realize this is, NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIVING.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Paul in his epistle to the Philippians

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