"What if...?" — Part V

From Part IV…

“Where are you, Lord?”

Inside you.

"How is that possible?"

With Me, all things are possible.  You have become a dwelling place for the Echo of my Eternal Presence, Adam.  No longer will you need to search outside of yourself for Me, for I AM in you...and a very present part of who you have become...

…for you have become one with Love, Adam.  In fact, I have become the Spirit of Love and Life within the marrow of your very soul.

And, now, Part V…

The Father gathered His cloak and carefully tied the ends off, so that none of the ashes contained within would be lost, and then tied the ends together, creating a sling of sorts.  Tenderly slinging His cloak across His Breast, The Father turned to Eve, who had tears in her eyes, and spoke gently into her very soul…

Eve…He did what he did because of his great love for you.  He could not bear the thought of you being separated from communion with us.  We could not bear it.  My Love for you in him was so great that he gave up everything so that your heart and soul could be won back.  And now, My Presence is alive in him once again, only more than before, as IT will soon be alive in you as well.  The Master has traveled to The Valley of Death to fight off the dragon and to reclaim Adam, that half of His beloved, who is there in this very moment.  So…be comforted, my child, for all is—and shall be—well.


Surmounting every obstacle almost effortlessly, The Master covered the distance quickly.  He was, indeed, well-trained.  His resolve ran strong as He drew ever closer to His destination.  In the Lake of Fire, which was in the center of The Valley, those free of committed sin could not be burned, for the nature of sin itself is the sole source of the fire's fuel.  Thus, neither Adam nor The Master would be injured by the flames.  But that was not the only danger present in that place.  For the fallen gods of old—those led apostate by the Angel of First Light—kept watch nearby, but far enough from The Lake so as to remain relatively unharmed by the fire.  In The Master’s great wisdom, Adam’s total banishment to a small island in the center of The Lake protected him from every ounce of evil until The Master, his Savior, could come for him.

Stealthily blending with the rocks, The Master moved forward with lightning speed.  Stopping momentarily to spy-out the territory before Him, He could see the hoards standing watch in the distance…seemingly just waiting for something to happen.  The Master smiled to Himself and arose with unflinching confidence, His Heart and Face set like flint to what awaited Him.  Drawing forth His weapon, the ancient Bow of Lament, The Master, now as The Warrior, stepped from the shadows and issued forth an eerie howl.

His zeal for His beloved was about to be unleashed.

To be continued…

"Stumbling Over My Feeble Attempts to Describe Jesus"

In His true and complete Essence, Jesus is unknowable.

Unfathomable, actually.  For He is beyond all words, all descriptions, all concepts.  

Anything spoken of Him, even that which I’m writing of in this moment, falls infinitely short of Who—and What—He is.  His Essence is within all that you can see, animating and sustaining it all, and yet He is also beyond all that you can see.  For He is The "I Am," The Ultimate Reality, The Uncreated, The Unmanifest.  He is everywhere present materially and yet so far beyond that which can be perceived. 

   

He is the result of no cause.  In fact, He alone is The Cause—of everything good.  He is limited by no condition, except by that which is congruent with His Seamless Nature. 

He is “Loving-kindness,” “Ultimate Goodness,” “Unchangeable Truth,” “Restorative Justice,” “Unlimited Gratefulness,” and "The Everlasting Breath of Existence."  Those are His Names.

As I stumble over my own words, I must, again, confess that words, concepts, things written of, and things spoken about Him, while absolutely essential, are metaphors and inadequate at best.  They are but “a finger pointing to the moon.”  Focus too much on the finger, and you may miss the true glory of That which shines from above, below, around, and even from within you.

Jesus is the Living and Loving Word.  And He has been calling to you since the day you were born.  Can you hear His Song?  It is He that awakens you from your slumbering that you might experience His Presence through His life-giving Words.  He is The Author of Life, The Friend of Friends, The King of Kings, and The Master of the Universe.

His Heart is moved by you.  Think about that for a moment…and, if you will, let it just seep down deep into the very DNA of your being.  The Heart of the Master of the Universe is moved by YOU.  By me, too!!  Though I be slain where I stand, I move His heart.  MAN!!  Do I have it made or what?

Open yourself up to Jesus, my friends, and let Him give you that for which you have been longing your entire life:  His very Self.

Your friend and fellow follower of Jesus,

Bling

PS  Part V of "What if...?" coming up tomorrow.  Peace out, y'all!  CU!

"What if...?" — Part IV

From Part III…

Just as the Master completed His Words, a brilliant light appeared, and a being, who wielded a flaming sword, stepped forth.  Placing His Hands on Adam’s head, and looking into his eyes, the Master Spoke with a tenderness hard to describe:  Be not afraid, Adam…for this is NOT the end.  I will find you, my friend.  And, with that, the flaming sword was swung, and Adam’s head was sliced from the rest of his body.  For a moment, Adam’s body just seemed to hang in mid air until finally it dropped to the ground.  Still holding Adam’s head in His Hands, and with tears still streaming, the Master looked into Adam's lifeless eyes and repeated the Words He’d just spoken…

Yes, I will find you...

And, now, Part IV…

Eve and the Father arrived at the Place of Peace late in the afternoon.  Whoever had been there had, quite obviously, departed hours before.

Surveying the surroundings, the Father smiled.  It's been done, He said—more to Himself than to Eve.

"What has?  Eve asked.

The work of peace, the Father said, turning toward her.  My son, Adam—your next of kin, has fulfilled the requirements for redemption.  And now My Only Begotten has gone to reclaim him.

Eve looked at the large slab before them.  Perhaps this was the origin of the column of smoke they saw earlier.  The Father walked over to the slab and, handing Eve a hyssop branch, motioned for her to assist Him.  Opening up His cloak, He spread it out just below the slab.  Sweep, my daughter, the Father said with great satisfaction over the Day's work.



Adam awoke, but he knew not where. 

Adam, he heard in his mind.  Adam!

“Yes?”

It is I, Adam.  Be not afraid...for it is I.

“Where are you, Lord?”

Inside you.

"How is that possible?"

With Me all things are possible.  You have become a dwelling place for the Echo of My Eternal presence, Adam.  No longer will you need to search outside of yourself for Me, for I AM in you...and a very present part of who you have become...


…for you have become one with Love, Adam.  In fact, I have become the Spirit of Love and Life within the marrow of your very soul.

To be continued…

“The Night I Died”

In August of 1986, I dreamt I died and went to Heaven.

I think it was a dream, but I cannot be sure.

In my “dream,” I’m in the temple of the Most High.  It’s an outdoor temple, with lots of stone and columns and green viney plants, and before me is a set of steps leading up to God’s thrown.  In the moment of my awareness, I notice that I'm seated on one of the bottom steps and just gazing up at Jesus.  It's at this point that Jesus proceeds to come down to where I am and, with a touch of sadness, says to me:  "Dave…if only you’d just followed Me, we could have done so much more together.”  In that moment, I realize what a fool I’ve been and just lose it—and I mean lose it.  In my anguish, I cry out to God, as He wraps His Arms around me:  “Give me another chance, Lord!  Oh God, please, just give me another chance!  Please, please, please…give me another chance!”  I can hardly get the words out as I am so overwhelmed with grief over how I’ve wasted my life.

And then I woke up.

Or arose.

Did I die?  In a way, yes.  (And it was a good death!)  For, you see, I had been struggling for so long against God over the direction of my life.  I wanted to be in ministry, and He wanted me to study water biology and civil/environmental engineering.  He heard me, though—just as I heard Him—for He granted me a second chance—OUR second chance...TOGETHER.  And, now, nearly 25 years later, all I want to do is to be where He is, and, most recently, it would seem, He’s been hanging out a lot in third world countries where clean water and sanitation is a scarcity.  Oh that my Lord might do much and just let me tag along with Him!

Peace and blessings,

Bling

PS "What if...?" — Pt. IV is coming up tomorrow.  Lord-willing, of course!

"What if...?" — Part III

From Part II…

“To where?”

I will show you, but first you must put on the garments I made for you…they are folded at the foot of your resting place.  Eve looked and saw what appeared to be deer skins.  Having never worn such things before, she was not quite sure how to strap them on, but, within a matter of a couple of minutes, she had on what her Father had made for her.  Standing up straight, she noticed that she felt a little better.  These feel good, she thought to herself.

Are you ready?

“Yes, Father, I am.”

I AM, too, Eve.  Come…and follow Me…

And, now, Part III…

It took nearly a day to reach the outer territory on the far side of the Asiatic Scar, as it had been called from the beginning.  Adam marveled at the beauty of the mountainous terrain.  As there was snow on the ground, the Master had provided coverings to keep him warm.  He felt good.  And at peace.  

We’re here, the Master said.

Adam smiled, grabbed God’s Hand, and lowered himself to the ground.  Surveying the panoramic view, the valley below, and the lake in the distance, Adam drew in a great breath and just enjoyed every last drop of the experience.  It was a good day, he thought to himself.  A good day to do what he had come to do.  What he was destined to do...
For love...
For her...

The Master began the preparations at the stone slab, gathering wood and other natural materials, and Adam assisted, much to his own joy and to the delight of his Master.

A great many miles away, Eve trudged along behind her Father as they made their way through the difficult terrain.  The light of the moon had provided passage through the night, and now the greater light guided each step as they drew closer and closer to the Place of Peace, as the Father called it.  In the distance, Eve could see the towering mammoths of earth and rock.  She had never seen such formations.  Just a little while longer, my daughter, the Father said, encouraging her to press onward.  As they neared the outer territory, the Father saw the smoke as it rose in the distance.  Eve did, too, and wondered of the place to which they were headed.  She wondered, too, if Adam would be there.

Adam…come here, my friend, the Master said, beckoning Adam to His side.  Adam turned and walked over to where His Master stood.  Kneeling down and looking into Adam’s eyes, the Master spoke…

Adam…you are everything I have ever desired in a friend, and I am so pleased with you...with who you are…with who you are becoming.  Know that I love, have loved, and shall always love you for My Love is an everlasting love.  With tears streaming down His face, He drew Adam in and hugged him tightly.

After a few moments, the Master looked up and, noticing that everything was as it should be, Spoke once again to Adam...and to Himself...

It is time….

Just as the Master completed His Words, a brilliant light appeared, and a being, who wielded a flaming sword, stepped forth.  Placing His Hands on Adam's head, and looking into his eyes, the Master Spoke with a tenderness hard to describe:  Be not afraid, Adam…for this is NOT the end.  I will find you, my friend.  And, with that, the flaming sword was swung, and Adam’s head was sliced from the rest of his body.  For a moment, Adam’s body just seemed to hang in mid air until finally it dropped to the ground.  Still holding Adam’s head in His Hands, and with tears still streaming, the Master looked into Adam's lifeless eyes and repeated the Words He’d just spoken…

Yes, I will find you...

"Forty Questions; One Word"

This was from an old Facebook questionnaire.  It's amazing how much one can learn about oneself just by asking questions.

Blessings on all'y'all...

Bling

PS  Part III of "What if...?" coming up tomorrow...Lord willing!

Where is your cell phone?  Pocket.
Your significant other?  Jesus.
Your hair?  Graying.
Your mother?  Wise.
Your father?  Big-hearted.
Your favorite band?  Glad.
Your dream last night?  Illuminating.
Your favorite drink?  Lemonade.
Your dream/goal?  Service.
What room you are in?  Office.
Your hobby?  Training.
Your fear?  Quicksand.
Where do you want to be in 6 years?  Present/their/then.
Where were you last night?  Present/their/then.
Something that you aren't?  Unhappy.
Muffins?  Blueberry.
Wish list item?  Teachability.
Where you grew up?  Fairfax.
Last thing you did?  Exhaled.
What are you wearing?  Clothes.
Your TV?  Off.
Your pet?  Teacher.
Friends?  Life-savers.
Your life?  Bending.
Your mood?  Tranquil.
Missing someone?  Many.
Your car/truck?  Paid-for.
Something you're not wearing?  Watch.
Your favorite store?  Starbucks.
Your favorite color?  Red--no, blue!
When was the last time you laughed?  Minute.
The last time you cried?  Yesterday.
Your favorite superhero?  Spider-man.
One place that you go to over and over?  Here.
Your favorite sport?  Muay Thai.
Your favorite place to eat?  Porch.
What you are feeling right now?  Loved.
Quality you wish to possess?  Graciousness.

“What if…? ”— Part II

From the Last Time…

Are you willing to do such a thing, my friend?

Adam thought for a few moments and then came to a decision.  And it was the only decision for him.  “Yes,” he said, looking up at his Master.  “I love her, God.  More than I love my own soul.  I love her so much that I cannot bear the thought of her being separated from You.  So, yes, I will die in her place.  I will take her penalty.  But please do one thing for me, okay Lord?  Please take good care of her, okay?  And please tell her that I love her, that I have always loved her, and that I will always love her.”

THAT I will, my friend.  You can count on that.  So…are you ready?

“I am.”

And I AM, too, Adam.

And, now, Part II…

Adam looked up to see his Master smiling and reaching out His Hand toward him.  The journey awaits, my dear friend.  Adam extended his hand into God’s, and, with one great pull, he was hoisted up onto God’s Shoulders.  From that vantage point, it seemed, he could see for miles in all directions.  And, with that, they set out for a place that only God knew of...

Eve slept fitfully, dreaming of many disturbing things.  Horrifying things.  At one point, she awoke with a loud scream.  Realizing where she was, she looked and felt for Adam, but he was nowhere to be found.  A moment later, she heard a noise outside the hut, which startled her even further.  “Whose there?!!...Adam?!!”

It is I, Eve.

“Who are you?”

Don’t you know Me?  It is I.  Don’t be afraid.

“But I am afraid,” she said.  She did begin to breathe a little easier, though, as she finally recognized the soothing Voice of the One she had heard Speak to her so many times.  Though she’d never seen Him, He’d spoken with her many times.

What have you done, my daughter?

Eve said nothing.

Have you eaten from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?

“Yes,” she said softly.

Why?

“I thought it would make me better than I am.  The Great Serpent told me many things.  He lied to me, and I believed what he said.”

Lies are his native tongue, my child.  And hatred of you and of Me, his constant companion.  We must go now.

“To where?”

I will show you, but first you must put on the garments I made for you…they are folded at the foot of your resting place.

Eve looked and saw what appeared to be deer skins.  Having never worn such things before, she was not quite sure how to strap them on, but, within a matter of a couple of minutes, she had on what her Father had made for her.  Standing up straight, she noticed that she felt a little better.  These feel good, she thought to herself.

Are you ready?

“Yes, Father, I am.”

I AM, too, Eve.  Come…and walk with Me…

To be continued…