Christ Jesus

  • Beatitudes and fulfilling the law

    Some of you have encouraged me to record more of the Bible, so I am presently working on the Sermon on the Mount.

    The Beatitudes are in line with the keynote of this website: "Truth comes when it is needed." Similarly, the Beatitudes describe conditions of thought that are receptive to blessing. It is as if Jesus were setting the prerequisite - if any of these Beatitudes apply to you, you will benefit from my teaching.
  • Can universal love and intolerance co-exist?

    The following earth-shaking chapter in the Bible presents a challenge to any thinking person. On the one hand, it declares, for the first time anywhere, that God IS love. Nothing could be more universal! On the other hand, it makes a statement that has given rise to the worst intolerance among Christians! 

    {jumi [playerLink.php] [I John 4.mp3] [I John 4]}

    "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist." What gives? Here is my take:
  • Ezekiel's prophecy for our time?

    Today, the Prince of Tyrus, as described in Ezekiel, is alive and prospering, it would seem. In technology, medicine, politics, commerce, religion, etc. very ofter the inference is "I am God." These readings address the issue, and explain why the prophecy is inevitable.

    {jumi [playerLink.php] [Wednesday Readings/Ezekiel - Judgement of Prince of Tyrus.mp3] [Ezekiel's Judgement of the Prince of Tyrus - the inspired Word]}
  • Fresh look at a tiresome subject!

    Sin is an unpopular subject these days - "old" Christian theology has beaten it to death, and people are tired of regularly asking for forgiveness. It does not make a lot of sense, because there is no end in sight - just more sin.
  • Has your concept of God ever changed?

    We are taught that there is only one God. What we have not been taught is that we all have a different conception of God!! What blasphemy, they say. We have one, and only one Lord. But since we are all in different states and stages of consciousness... And since God is generally considered infinite, that is a rather large concept for each and every mortal to grasp uniformly!
  • How can God deny a good person?

    In our final recorded section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares that, to everyone who thinks they are doing good in the name of his Father, but who are not doing the will of his Father, he will give thumbs down! "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." YIKES!

    {jumi [playerLink.php] [Matthew/CH7 - Building upon a rock.mp3] [Matthew 7 - Building upon a rock]}
  • How to gain purity

    "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Well then, purity has got to be a thing to aim for! HOWEVER, it has been my experience that those who talk about it most, are most likely to cover their impurity, and end up at the short end of the stick.
  • Intangible less real is back-assward

    An idea or thought is intangible is it not? And yet it precedes an invention, an action, etc. 

    Our soul, our spirit, our love, clearly intangible - noone has ever found physical evidence for them, maybe for their effect, but not for them. We could go on and on about the very essence of our being...
  • Is food really the problem?

    Is it not worth noticing that the more attention society gives to the food we eat, the more unhealthy society becomes? The statistics are staggering regarding increasing obesity and its effects.

    Why has the wisdom of Jesus' teaching been totally ignored? "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile a man."
  • Living it instead of believing in it

    This morning I opened to Paul's letter to the Colossians chapter 2. If this is not a warning of church organization, I don't know what is! This is what I get:

    "As you have received the Christ, Truth, use it.
  • No Truth needed at a Super Bowl party?

    Is there anything in my life that is outside of the jurisdiction of Truth? Do I ever get a break from God? Silly, isn't it. But ironically church "culture" tends to cultivate this. A special place to worship, special times to pray, a life segregated into church activities and "other" activities...
  • Self-awareness just does not work here

    Self-awareness receives a severe rebuke in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus specifically calls out three activities commonly associated with "good" people, alms-giving, prayer, and fasting. In all three cases, he makes it clear that if you are aware of how you look, how righteous you look, you will have your reward, self-satisfaction? But in order gain God's ear, so to speak, to align yourself with the Principle of being, self-awareness must be gone!
  • Thumbs down to fashionable idolatry

    It is apparent that Jesus' audience was past the point of worshipping golden calves, but in the Sermon on the Mount he did address other forms of idolatry (placing more importance on material things than on the Principle of being): financial assets, obsessing about food and/or clothing.
  • Truth makes us free from what?

    This morning I opened to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (from Paul to the Galations)

    What's this all about? Free from what? Paul then went on to say "if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." "Christ shall be of no effect unto you, whosoever are justified by the law." Ouch!! to those faithful church-going types who do everything they are supposed to do...
  • Who is born of God and cannot sin?

    We have heard so much about being "born again." What's up with that? It is thought that once you profess that Jesus is Lord, or something like that, you are in! Then this morning (from audio selection below) I read that those born of God cannot sin. I'd like to meet that person. (btw - Elsewhere in the same book it says anyone who claims he is without sin is a liar!)
  • Would I recognize Christ if I saw him?

    I have, on occasion, wondered if Jesus were to appear in my life, would I recognize him? Surely it would be a powerful feeling, but perhaps, what type of feeling would depend on my state of thought at the time.