Book Review - 'The Modern Fig Leaf' by Pablo Giacopelli

Having read Pablo's first book Holding On Loosely in a single sitting, I was excited at being handed a copy of his new book, The Modern Fig Leaf on a recent trip to Israel. This book is an open and honest account of a man who has journeyed through the many high's and low's of life all the while being embraced and tutored by the Lover of his soul. Pablo shares some of this journey and how his understanding of the relationship between God and himself has been transformed from separation to 'oneness' leading to freedom to live from his heart. This is a great read that many will relate to and learn from - I certainly have. Congratulations Pablo.

Craig Bowes

Book Review - 'Desire Found Me' by Andre Rabe

Over the last few years, Andre's message of Papa's love and our authentic design as mirrored in Christ has had a profound influence on my thinking, how I read the Bible and subsequently how I see and experience God, others and life. It was with great anticipation that I read Desire Found Me and was not disappointed, as once again Andre took me to another paradigm but with the same result - knowing that I am deeply loved by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, setting me free to love and experience life to the fullest.

This book explores and challenges many of our accepted perspectives of the Bible, who God is and who we are, through the lens of Memetic Theory in a simple, easy to understand manner. What emerges as one journey's through these pages is awe and wonder at our incredible God.

Craig Bowes

Break Free

When we are being our true-self, we have entered into Life. When we are 'being' a false-self, it is not being at all but rather 'non-being' or what the bible calls death. 

The root meaning of the word "hell" is to cover or hide. In this sense we can see how when our true-self is hidden we will experience hell and death. 

The Gospel declares the true-self of humanity as unveiled (un-covered) in Jesus - One with the Father in loving communion, free to be loved and to love - Heaven!

The Spirit of Truth leads us back from death to Life, from hell to Heaven. This awaits those who 'see' and believe and 'put off' the false-self, revealing what has always been true.

להשתחרר

Come See

In the beginning, God the Father made Adam just like himself. Adam lived in the Garden in blissful fellowship with the Father, the One who loved him. Adam knew that he was loved and therefore was free to love and be vulnerable in this blessed assurance. This was the Way of Life of peace, joy and perfect harmony of all things. The One who loved Adam cautioned him however, that if he came to believe in another way of life, that his existence would change for the worse.

In time, Adam began judging things as either good or evil, and life did change – his clarity of sight became confusion. He no longer saw the Father as the One who loved him but rather as one whom he could not trust. No longer could he be vulnerable but would have to fend for himself through the sweat of his brow. In this state, he could no longer live in fellowship and he found himself in a barren wasteland of fear and contradiction. Life for Adam had turned to death. This continued for a few thousand years.

Then, at the appointed time, the One who loved Adam sent his Son to the barren wasteland. Jesus, who was the Creator and of the same being as the Father, stepped into humanity as Adam was. Daily he was faced with the same confusion but responded, “No, I see what is true!” When those in authority asked him what he was doing there, he said, “I have come to restore your sight”. In their delusion and confusion however, they sentenced him to be crucified.

At one moment on the cross Jesus cried out, “Father, I know their confusion, forgive them." And then later in his pain and agony, “Father, where are you? I cannot see you!"

Within himself, Jesus confronted the confusion of Adam every moment of his life, he submitted to it and entered into it in his crucifixion and destroyed it in his death. Then three days later, he rose again...

Today, he says to you and me, “Come to me so that I can help you see the way that I see. I have restored the Garden to all. In the Garden, Adam saw my Father the same way as I have always seen my Father – as the One who loves me. In the Garden Adam saw himself the same way that I have always seen myself – as the One who is loved and is free to love. With this blessed assurance there is fellowship, peace, joy and perfect harmony. Come see."

בוא לראות

You Belong

The Prison

A long time ago, I remember being in a prison. It was huge and dark with walls that seemed to reach into the sky and had two massive gates. I wasn’t sure what the gates were for as I never saw anyone coming in or going out, but through them you could see a faint light in the distance. No one knew what it was but there was a deep longing to go there. I had a strange feeling that I had somehow been there before.

There seemed to be millions of others in the prison too - men, women and children all in one place. Everyone was miserable and without hope. Days were long and hard and nights were cold and lonely. We would try and survive – every man, woman and child for themselves. The Accuser and the Spirits of Fear had free reign there and would go around in the Darkness telling everyone that they would be alone in that place forever – that there was no escape. It seemed contradictory – millions of people together, yet alone. But it was so. In the Darkness there was confusion and fear which often resulted in conflict between the prisoners. It was the same every day.

Then one day, the massive gates flew open and Jesus walked in, surrounded by Light which seemed to be coming from within Him. There was another with Him, a female, whom He called Ruach. She moved effortlessly and at times it seemed like she just disappeared into the crowd. I realised that she must be Spirit. He started to walk through the prison telling everyone that everything was going to be ok. As he walked, the Darkness was replaced by the Light that surrounded Him. He walked around the entire prison, into every corner, until the whole place was filled with the Light.

The Accuser and the Spirits of Fear fled as they were totally exposed by the Light as there was no longer any Darkness to hide in.

After this, He told us all that we were free to leave the prison. No one there was really sure of what was going on, but for the first time, we could see around us, and there was hope and joy on everyone’s faces. People flocked through those prison gates and slowly started heading in all different directions. Jesus was the last to leave with Ruach by His side.

When I got outside, I wasn’t sure of where to go as I had never been outside the prison before. I was exhausted, starving and without any strength. “The light in the distance!” I thought, “I wonder if Ruach knows the way?” The next moment, I looked up and saw Jesus coming towards me – Ruach had a look on her face as if she knew what I was thinking. Jesus told me that He was taking me to a place called “Papa’s House” which was the light in the distance, and I would be safe and taken care of there, and so we started on our journey.

As we walked, I was somehow strengthened by the presence of Ruach. Still shocked at the events that had just taken place; I said to her that this was the most unexpected and extraordinary event ever. I then asked why it had happened. She spoke of Jesus with such tenderness and deep affection and answered me by telling me three stories:

The first was of a man who had discovered a treasure buried in a field. The man then went away and sold all his possessions and bought the field - all he possessed then was the field. She explained that Jesus had taken all that he had and had given it for me. “BUT”, she said, “YOU are all that he has ever wanted!”

The second story was of a woman who had ten coins. One of the coins got lost and so she scoured the house looking for the coin until she found it. When she found it, she was filled with delight. Ruach explained to me that although the coin was lost, it NEVER lost its value, and if it had been stolen, would NEVER have become the rightful property of the thief.

The third story was about a shepherd who owned a hundred sheep. One of the sheep wandered away from the flock and was lost. The shepherd left the flock in search of the lost sheep and when he found it, was overjoyed and called all the neighbours together for a celebration.

I began to see that although I was lost and imprisoned in the Darkness, now I had been found and set free because of the love and desire of Jesus, to take me home to Papa’s House. I wondered what to expect and yet knew it would be more than what I could imagine.

As we drew closer, high up on a hill, a magnificent building began to emerge. It was spectacular and beautiful. It had high walls of gold and jewels with gates of pearls and radiated a crystal-like light. The walls seemed to stretch into the sky. “That’s Papa’s House”, Jesus said, gesturing with His hand stretched out and a huge smile on His face. We were standing in awe of its radiance and majesty when a spec in the distance suddenly became visible. After a while, I could see that it was someone running towards us with his arms stretched out wide. “It’s Papa”, Ruach whispered, her voice filled with love and admiration.

When Papa reached us He threw His arms around us and danced around with laughter and tears of joy flowing down His cheeks. He embraced me and looked at me with a look of delight on his face, like a father who has not seen his beloved son for many years. He said, “I have been waiting for this moment for so long. Tonight we will have the greatest celebration the world has ever seen!” He then put his one arm around Jesus and the other around me as we walked and laughed the short distance to his house. Ruach seemed to be in the middle of the three of us.

With Papa being true to His word, that night there was a celebration feast of universal proportions! Papa, Jesus and Ruach were there, and the angels were there serving us all, BUT, everyone that was in the prison was also there. Somehow Jesus had brought us all!

The celebrations begun with Papa and Jesus dancing what can only be described as a “Divine Waltz”, gliding effortlessly across the dance floor, as one, like the first dance of a wedding celebration. The glorious music was being orchestrated by Ruach but it seemed to be coming from the dance, out of it. We were all standing around mesmerised by the beauty and grace that was displayed before our eyes, when Jesus called for us all to join in. With much fun, laughter and joy, we all danced together and feasted the night away. Papa was the life of the party!

Papa’s House

In the early days, living in Papa’s House, I felt like I didn’t belong there and would often walk down to the old prison. However, the more time I spend inside His house, the more I feel like I belong, and the less I visit the prison. From time to time though, I still do go there.

There are a few things that I have noticed however: firstly, those old prison gates are standing wide open and can never be shut again. I have come to realise that they were in fact never locked but that we were all too fearful to venture out. I had been keeping myself a prisoner.

Secondly, it is still filled with the Light. The Accuser who can only function in darkness, is still exposed as being powerless in this Light.

Thirdly, there are many who are camping outside those gates. They stay there because they are listening to the whisper of the Accuser – he repeats only one word – “You do not belong in Papa’s House!” By believing this lie, they stay there and are living as though they were still being held captive in the prison - in bondage.

After some time however, often having been camping myself, Ruach, who never leaves me, shows me the truth that I do belong and says it time to go back to Papa’s House and we turn and leave. When arriving back at Papa’s House, Papa is always outside waiting to embrace me with a huge smile on His face and never asks where I have been.

These days, living in Papa’s House is a great adventure. Every day, with His arms spread wide He says to me, “My Kingdom is vast, choose a direction and run free!” and Jesus and I head out to explore. We are now inseparable! Ruach is always with us suggesting this place or that, excited about revealing the hidden treasures in Papa’s Kingdom, and at the end of every day, Papa is waiting to embrace us and hear of our day’s adventures.

שייך אתה

Some of my thoughts:

 1. This story tells of the incarnation, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ:

·                     His incarnation – Jesus entering into the darkness of our prison (our

  fallen minds/belief in the lie) and shining His Light. 

·                     His death – Jesus’ exposure of and victory over the lie. 

·                     His resurrection – Jesus setting us free from the lie. 

·                     His ascension – Jesus leading us back into Papa’s embrace. 

2. All of humanity were included in the above, however, those that believe this will experience it.

3. The “Divine Waltz” of Papa, Jesus and Ruach has been danced since eternity past and is the “womb” of creation – where the dream and purpose of creation originated. We were all created to fully participate in this dance.

4. Darkness (belief in the lie) is instantly overcome by Light (knowledge of Truth). They cannot co-exist.

5. We are not born into this lie, but are taught to believe it through others, schools, governments, businesses, religions and other fear based world systems. 

6. Ruach (Holy Spirit) comes to reveal the truth (as unveiled by Jesus) and helps us to “turn and leave” the prison (belief in the lie) which is what repentance is. 

7. “Papa’s House” is not a place somewhere ‘out there’ in Heaven, but is IN each and every one of us. Papa shares His life from within us. This is the Kingdom. This life is the “streams of living water” that flows from within us.

8. It is only OUR belief in the lie, which stops this flow and prevents us from enjoying and fully participating in all that is already ours in Papa’s House.