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!

What is the meaning of life?

Can I answer any questions for ya? "Sure. What is the meaning of life? (LOL!)" Guess what? What if the 'unanswerable question' was (drum roll please...) answerable? Things that make you go "hmmmmmmmm..." Can life be full if it lacks purpose? No more than a bucket of holes. So how do we 'find our purpose'?

Part of the difficulty in answering the question is that we are all individuals, so everyone's 'purpose' is assumed to be slightly different. We are not islands, however. Is there a common purpose that we all share? Based on the common purpose, do we then each have an individual calling? Yes and Yes.

(Intentional Digression:) Now it occurred to me that there may be a subconscious resistance to the idea of having a purpose in life. Why? We may perceive that as being externally imposed. We just want to be 'free'. Is being 'free' and having a purpose mutually exclusive? (maybe this is why we laugh at the idea of finding the meaning of life... perhaps it is a nervous laughter, fearing we might be somehow bound by our calling if we took the time to figure it out). I am convinced there is an elegant and happy solution to this cognitive dissonance. Allow me to take a shot at it.

There was a man who lived long ago who was, and still is, considered one of the wisest men that ever lived. Through his wisdom, he gained great power and wealth. About four thousand years ago he built the great temple in Jerusalem, parts of which still stand today... you likely know his name... King Solomon, son of King David. In what reads like a private journal, he struggles with this very question (the book of Ecclesiastes). Oft quoted, was the dark side of this private struggle... "Vanity, vanity (uselessness), all is vanity". Drifting between glimpses of light and existential angst, he wonders aloud about the meaning of life. If this life is all we have, then we shall go as we came... with nothing. Looking at life that way, it could seem useless.

But wait! Over there, a candle burns! Where there are shadows, there must be light! As Solomon gazed at the candle, what did he see? (Puzzle piece #1) "... I realized that the best thing for them is to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. God wants all people to eat and drink and be happy in their work, which are gifts from God." Appreciate what you have. Let the glass that is half full quench your thirst, and be thankful. Find the good, and do it. Enjoy a good meal, a good friend, a job well done. Give. Love. Give love. But wait, there's more! What is his conclusion? (Puzzle piece #2) "Now everything has been heard, so I give my final advice: Honor God and keep his commands, because this the duty (i.e purpose) of all mankind". Why is this important? "God will judge everything, even what is done in secret, the good and the evil".

"Honor God". What does that mean? It is said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Learn about His nature, His grace, His love, His mercy, and then be as He is. Commune with Him. Get to know Him. Then encourage, inspire, guide, be an example to others. Look at the heart (not status) and find the good. Wealth means nothing. Power is fleeting. To quote the Apostle Paul, "I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing." Living in Love honors God, for God is love.

"Keep his commands". What does that mean? For Solomon, that was keeping the Ten Commandments, and all the other laws of Moses. Do you know what? This part is impossible. Surprised? Do you know why it is impossible? Solomon knew why. Earlier he had noted, "Surely there is not a good person on earth who always does good and never sins." Paul said it another way. "All have sinned and are not good enough for God's glory... no one can be made right by following the law. The law only shows us our sins". Solomon was the 'Bill Gates' of his day... he had it all. Was he a success? No. Not by a long shot. Despite all his wisdom and wealth, he died a broken man. Some of his sons turned against him. One even killed his brother. He had let pride and materialism win out. He knew that he fell short and his self condemnation destroyed him in the end.

Let's face it... if Wikileaks could see everything we ever did, we'd be toast. So, if "God will judge everything, even what is done in secret, the good and the evil", are we toast? Yikes! But wait...White horse to the rescue!

How so? There was another who was also known as the son of David, born in the city of David (Bethlehem), who came about 2,000 years later. The Word of God by whom all things were made was born in a manger. "In him there was life, and that life was the LIGHT of all people. The LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. There was a man named John who was sent by God. He came to tell people the truth about the LIGHT so that through him all people could hear about the LIGHT and believe...The true LIGHT that gives light to all was coming into the world!... to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become the children of God... They were born of God."(John 1:4-13). Now we are not talking about a candle here... this was the Great Supernova! The King of Kings and Lord of Lords came to our rescue. How? He brought with Him (through his life, death, and resurrection) the forgiveness of sins. Through hindsight, we have an advantage over Solomon. Jesus condensed all the Law of Moses into two commandments: (1) Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself. To that, he added one more. (3) "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

So what is the meaning of life? What is our purpose? Honor God, and Love (1), Love (2), Love (3). Using our individual talents and circle of influence, we each bring our own unique flair to this task, making our purpose special to God. Enjoy and appreciate good food, good friends, gainful employment. Treat everyone with respect and kindness (even if you think they don't deserve it). With the heart of a child, love God, have love and compassion for those around you, protect the innocent, and give generously to the needy. Then, may God bless you richly in Jesus Christ! That is my Christmas message to you all, this December 25, 2010.