The Most Powerful Force in the Universe!

What is the most powerful force in the universe? A hurricane? A volcano? Stars? Black holes? Supernovas? Gamma bursts? The simple answer is, 'none of the above'. The most powerful force in the universe is L-O-V-E.  Why?  Stars burn out. Black holes suck. Supernovas and gamma bursts are a flash in the pan of eternity.  All are subject to the ravages of time and will eventually fade away... but Love is eternal. Love never fails. The one who made the trillions of stars, the Creator of all creation, the one who started it all identifies Himself as Love. Take it from the Good Book...'God is Love. Whoever lives in Love lives in God, and God in them.'

The idea that Love is the greatest power in the universe seems paradoxical, as we think of love as soft, gentle, kind, compassionate, and associate Love with images like flowers, hearts, puppy dogs and enamoured couples... hardly the stuff that shakes the cosmos. It is clear that we have a small minded view of Love. Why is the moon's orbit perfect, so that it does not fly off into space or crash into the earth destroying all life? Love. Why isn't the earth's orbit just a little off causing it to crash into the sun? Love. Why are the rings of Saturn 180,000 km in diameter and less than 1 km thick.. what keeps them in their beautiful form? Love. Why does the sound of crickets slowed down sound like angels singing (check it out.... this is amazing!!!)? Love. Why are flowers beautiful? Why do birds sing? Why do leaves go out in a blaze of glory, rather than just wither and die? Why are the most beautiful scenes on the planet scenes of natural beauty? Love. The invisible nature of God's love is made known by the visible beauty and wonder of the universe that He created.  Because God is Love, because God loves, He made you and me.  Whether you were your parent's heart's desire or an 'accident', God made you because of His Love... you are loved by God more than you could ever imagine! Whether you had a great childhood or suffered neglect and abuse, God loves you and has deep compassion for you.  He understands you better than you understand yourself and loves you far more than you could ever love yourself! Don't worry... be happy!!!

Having studied hundreds of near death experiences (I have a YouTube channel with virtually nothing but NDE testimonies.... check it out!), I can tell you that universally the most powerful, overwhelming, awe inspiring, humbling, enlightening awareness that people experience when they transition into the higher reality is the awesome power of God's Love. It changes people. They come back and tell about God's Love to anyone that will listen. They stop focusing on money and career and looking for 'a good time', and instead start treating those around them in profoundly new ways. Every opportunity to do something kind for another is a little victory. It is living who we were meant to be, because we were meant to be followers of God.

Feeling fearful? Perfect love casts out fear. Feeling powerless? Love. Give. Do for others. Speak encouragement to family, friends, and even strangers that cross your path... maybe God brought them near to you because they needed encouragement, a word of kindness, or just to know that somebody cares about them. Are you blessed with financial abundance? You have the opportunity to consume it on self or use it to bless others... which do you think will reap eternal rewards? One blessed young man did just this by the simple act of giving $100 to random homeless people... the results were powerful and moving. Give to the poor and help them in their distress. Can't think of what to do? Pray for others. No selfless act of kindness will go unnoticed or unrewarded. Of course the greatest gift that any person could offer another is entrance into God's holy family and eternal life by introducing them to Jesus Christ, the one who exemplified Love in his every action as an example for us to follow (a well known atheist - Penn of 'Penn and Teller' - once met a man who showed him the love of God. Penn was both appreciative and deeply moved, and said, "How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that?"). Tell them! It is the most powerful Love we can give!

It is only fitting that I close out with the beautiful and majestically poetic 'Chapter of Love",  I Corinthians 13:

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love."

"This is Love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 
I John 3:10,11

Love. Ka-BOOM!

Adventures in the Matrix... Who Are You?

Who are you? Who am I? Are we just humans struggling to get by in a difficult and challenging world? Are we to simply suffer the injustice and abuse that this world throws our way? Are we no more than a victim of our circumstances, of our own weaknesses and shortcomings? How we live our lives will be dependent on our choices and our perspective.

First, the fundamentals. Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Have you accepted him as your Lord and Savior? Have you made him your king and committed yourself to be a faithful champion for his cause (that is what it means to accept him as Lord)? If you have, BRAVO! Good news to come. On the other hand, if you have not done that, then the above is actually not far from the mark, regardless of the prosperity or success that you may appear to have. Why is that? Let me explain...

If you know the first thing about quantum physics or understand the variables of Einstein's formula E=MC2  (energy = matter x a constant, therefore all matter is really just concentrated packets of energy that give the illusion of being 'solid') then you know that matter does not really exist in the sense that we experience it... that all matter has no true substance. In addition, it has been scientifically proven that photons, electrons, and sub-atomic particles behave differently, depending on whether we are observing them or not (our consciousness and awareness affects the apparent nature of the "matrix" in which we live, so how real could it be?), therefore life is not as it seems. In reality the things of this world do not really matter because matter does not really exist... its existence is an illusion, a dream from which we will awaken when it's 'game over' and we pass from this dream state and transition into the real, timeless and eternal world. We are living in a Star Trek holodeck and don't even know it... our visit to this material existence shorter than the blink of an eye in the context of eternity. That is why all the possessions and material prosperity in the world are meaningless... they are an illusion, a dream, a vapor... they do not really exist. 'Vanity, vanity... all is vanity'. That is what Solomon was talking about. So what matters? So what is reality? Reality is in another dimension... a dimension that is eternal and timeless, not temporary and decaying. The only enduring and true reality is the spiritual dimension. In the true reality, God is on the throne, Jesus Christ is both Lord over all and Savior who gave all. There is a higher realm that is incredibly beautiful, vibrant and alive with music, filled with light and stunning natural beauty of which this world is but a pale reflection! There are millions of angels, and those who have committed their lives to him on earth are with him even now in the eternal kingdom that will last forever! In that true reality, there are also demons and a semi-impenetrable wall behind which is an outer darkness of pain, suffering and separation from God. Behind that wall is rebellion, pride, disrespect, abuse, hatred, and all that is not pure, good and light. We are born into God's kingdom as innocent babies but fall into that darkness the moment we have a knowledge of good and evil and knowingly choose evil. From that time forward Jesus is calling for us... knocking at the door of our heart, calling us to come back to him. Only when we choose to accept Christ as Lord, Savior and Redeemer is Jesus Christ able to reach through that 'impenetrable' wall and pull us back into his Kingdom of Light!

In that context, for those of us who have committed our lives to the Lordship of Christ, who are we? (if you have not, here's step one). Humans struggling to survive? Victims? No! Why not? Because we chose God over goods and choose to build up treasures in Heaven instead (we can't serve God and stuff ... not that stuff itself is good or bad, it is just a fleeting puff of smoke and not worth building your life around). When we choose to live instead as spiritual beings, as empowered sons and daughters of the most high God, He causes us to become more than conquerors! We have been raised up from death and hell and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. In addition, God  has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Not only this, but we were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.  Isn't this amazing!?!  See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

How are we to respond to the knowledge that God has been so gracious to us? Here is a clue... Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.  When we truly understand who we are, then we will do good to everyone we meet, clean up our act, and live good, godly and holy lives. How? By the powerful force of God's grace (not as a license for sin but as a force for good)... For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Living life right is no longer a battle when God has already won the battle for us. When we see who we are in Christ, we naturally choose what is right. Our key to victory is knowing our identity.

As direct decedents of the Creator of the Universe, as children of the Most High God, being a part of the royal spiritual bloodline of Jesus Christ, can we do any less than rise above the evils and temptations of the world? Tempted to give in?  You're better than that! You are royalty with a divine blood line! We have been made truly free from addictions like alcohol, pornography, drugs, ego gratification, etc., because the love and peace we are really looking to fulfill have already been given to us in enormous abundance by God! The need for those weak substitutes drops away because we have the real thing. Time spent in prayer and biblical meditation and study is time in sweet and precious union with our Father being filled with the very substance of GOD... refilling our love bank so we have to give! Since God is love, it is in our true nature to be that love as well... to give to those in need, to care for our brothers and sisters, and to do unto the the least of these all the good that we can, for that is our purpose. Giving is not only material (though it includes that)... it is also spiritual... giving love, light and truth to those blinded by the darkness of this world. Be a radiant light of God in this world. That is who you are! Don't settle for anything less. Rise above, and live victoriously! You can do it because you're God's descendant! Stand on who you are. Do that and you will be victorious! Once you understand your true identity, you will be empowered to fulfill your destiny!!!

The Most Important Thing....

Spring is one of my favorite times of year... a time when that which seemed dead 'springs' to life again. Wooden skeletons bud and the green leaves that follow bring life and fullness to the formerly sparse and barren forests and meadows. Beautiful and fragrant flowers spontaneously burst forth from trees and gardens. It is a time to appreciate the joys and wonders of God's creation... to 'stop and smell the roses', per se. It is a time of renewal, of new life, and of new beginnings. I am convinced that it is no coincidence that the Lord of Creation was resurrected from death to a new and transformed life during the spring... it is as if the seasons were invented to remind us of the new life that sprang forth from the grave outside of Jerusalem, twenty centuries ago, still so fresh and powerful these many years later.

I recently reformatted my YouTube channel to focus exclusively on people that have 'temporarily died' and visited Heaven (and sometimes hell), then were 'resurrected'... or is some cases visited Heaven/hell sans NDE. In sorting through which videos to post, I have watched countless hours where time and time again, people described a world so much more alive, present, beautiful, and full of love than the world in which we live today.  For all of its wonder and beauty, the physical realm is a mere shadow and reflection of the spiritual world that those who have been there will tell you without hesitation, is ten times more real than the world in which we currently seem to exist. It is also a world where angels and demons are in bold opposition, and where Jesus Christ is simultaneously loving and and approachable, as well as being Lord and King of the Universe. I encourage you to visit the channel and share in these amazing and telling experiences. My channel handle is Truthrabbit, as I have lived in the rabbit hole of truth for a while, and this is a dimension that many have no clue about.

The adventure and drama of the greatest movies ever made (greatest books, greatest video games, etc.) cannot compare to the power and impact of the spiritual realm. The good and evil of this present matrix is magnified a hundred trillion times in the spiritual realm. The place where God, Jesus, the angels, and the redeemed live is called 'the third Heaven'.  This is not sequential in time, but rather layered in space, as it were. The 'first heaven' is the atmosphere around earth... the air we breath, the blue sky. The second heaven is primarily the realm of Satan and his demons (though they frequent the first heaven, the earth, and under the earth), and reaches out into the stars and galaxies (Are 'aliens' actually demons? That is the subject of a separate study). The Third Heaven is a place beyond the known universe, in another dimension, and a place where Satan and his demons cannot go. Some tell of traveling through the stars to get there, while others are there in an instant, so time and space are actually made irrelevant by its unique nature.

As full of love, joy, peace and light the kingdom if Heaven is, the realm of hell is its polar opposite... full of darkness, pain, anguish, and regret, and completely devoid of love. Though I have doubted the existence of hell in the past (and still am not sure of its permanence, at least in its current state, as hell itself is cast into the lake of fire which is called the second death), I can no longer doubt that hell is real, based on the consistency of the 'eyewitness testimonies'. Once a person is there, there is no escape, no redemption, no second chances. It is a place so horrible and frightening that no description can fully capture the hopelessness, fear, agony and emptiness of this realm. What is even more alarming (per numerous accounts) is the number of people that thought they were going to Heaven that end up in hell! Our Lord was not just being dramatic when he declared, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it... Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" In this age of the church of Laodicea only a small percentage will actually make it to Heaven (one 'traveler' estimated that it worked out to about 2.5% of the population). If that is not a wake up call, I don't know what is!

People plan for vacations, they plan for retirement, they plan for the future... but few people plan for eternity. Of primary concern, above all the sandcastles of this world, is your final destination!  Commune with those who have visited Heaven and hell, and the preferred option and the importance of making sure you get there is crystal clear. One cannot take it for granted, and get lazy and lukewarm. First of all, make sure Jesus Christ is you Lord. That means you put Him in charge of your life, that you seek above all things to do His will... not (if it contradicts God's will) the will your father, your mother, your husband or wife, your kids, your boss, and specially yourself... the will of these are secondary and subservient to the will of God. How do you do this? Consistent time in His Word, consistent prayer, consistently seeking his direction, looking for opportunities to help others, to be kind, to be a blessing, to do good, to share the gospel, and then doing it. If you screw up, sincerely repent, commit to never doing it again, do your best to 'make it right', and then continue to be 'transformed by the renewing of your mind'.  Remember, only he that DOES the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of Heaven.

There is nothing more important in life than securing your final destination, and secondly, positioning yourself for the best possible outcome when you get there. Once there, your status is pretty much established, and there is not much more you can do to change it. Your choices now determine your destiny in eternity... whether you live forever in a glorious mansion living a life beyond your wildest dreams, or not. This is our 'final exam', the clock is ticking, and the bell could ring anytime, so stay focused on your heavenly treasures. The greatest achievement is bringing others into the kingdom and helping them to achieve spiritual maturity, and living a godly, holy life of praise, worship and communion with our Creator. When you finally get to Heaven, what could be more important, more wonderful, more fulfilling, than hearing the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant"!  That is ultimate apex of existence!