The Heir I Breathe

“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:11)

In the above verse, Jesus is revealing to us the relationship between the Father and the Son. This is the only true relationship that exists. However, due to our belief that we are separate from God (which is what the principle of sin is) we have accepted that this relationship applies to Jesus only, as the only Son. However, Jesus himself includes us in this relationship when he says,

“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you”. (John 14:20)

From this we can see that we are ALL the Son(ship) of God. This revelation (and relationship) was demonstrated for us through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

Just before he said this he had told the disciples that it was through the ‘Spirit of Truth’ that we would know this.

Spirit

The English word ‘Spirit’ is derived from the Latin ‘Spiritus’, which means breath or breathing. In Hebrew the word ‘Ruach’ was used, which means breath or wind. In the Greek it is ‘Pneuma’, which also means breath or breathing.

The physical cycle of breathing includes firstly the in-breath and then the out-breath. In Spirit (breathing), we find the relationship between the Father and the Sonship – firstly the in-breath (I am in my Father) and then the out-breath (my Father is in me), all in a perfect, harmonious rhythm of love, which is Heaven.

In this relationship, the Father and the Sonship are never separated, but are in an eternal flow of love from one to another, like a divine dance. However, this flow is not in the context of time and space – there is no separation. The Father is the universal life-source (in-breath), and the Sonship, the infinite, unique, individual expression of that life (out-breath). The Sonship however is never other, or another. Not a human-being or even a God-being, but God being. The infinite breath (flow/dance) of love and life, as you and as me.

The cycle (or flow) of breathing is only whole (Holy) when there is both the in-breath and out-breath. This is the Holy Spirit, the eternal flow or movement of love between the Father and the Sonship. God cannot be the Father without the Sonship, and the Sonship cannot exist separately from the Father.

The ocean provides a great picture of this relationship. The Ocean (the Father) expresses itself as infinite, individual waves (the Sonship). These waves can be seen deep in the ocean as well as those rolling onto the beach with unique expression. However, the wave always returns to the ocean and this cycle perpetuates itself with an ongoing, effortless rhythm. The wave is in the ocean and the ocean is in the wave. Never separated. Never other.

Know

In John 14:7 Jesus uses the word “known”.

“If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from now on you know him, and have seen him.” 

This is the same word that Mary uses when speaking to the angel Gabriel about conceiving a son.

“How shall this be seeing that I do not know a man”. (Luke 1:34)

This word is used in reference to sexual intimacy, similar to the rhythm, flow or dance of breathing (inward/outward motion). This word is a verb and is absolute and experiential. Jesus later tells us that this ‘divine dance’ is eternal life:

“And this is eternal life, that they would know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

Reality

This relationship is the Truth (Reality) of all men, however, most are ignorant of this. In the delusion of separation (called The Fall in the story of Adam and Eve), which is Sin, we have created an ego (false-self/unreality), which is the sinner (born of belief in separation), to try and manage life. It was this lie of separation and the resulting ego that was overcome and exposed for what it is (false/unreal) by Jesus throughout his incarnation. At Paul's conversion, God revealed that the Son was (already and always) in him (Gal 1:16), and thereafter he (Paul) referred to the ego as the “old man”. (Rom 6:6, Eph 4:22, Col 3:9)

Awareness

Christ is the “light (enlightenment) of all men” (John 1:4). Christ is the “Spirit of Truth” (John 14:17). Christ is “all and in all” (Col 3:11). “It is Christ in us that is our hope of glory (Heaven now)”. (Col 1:27)

What is it that Christ in us enlightens or causes us to realize?

“Everyone who realizes their association in him, convinced that he is their original life and that his name defines them, God gives the assurance that they are indeed his offspring, begotten of him; he sanctions the legitimacy of their sonship” (John 1:12 Mirror Bible)

The Good News of the Gospel is that all men are begotten (out-breath) of the Father. Jesus Christ reveals this to us.

Take a few moments, close your eyes and become aware of your in-breath and your out-breath. Become aware of the divine dance of love of the Father and the Son, which you are.

Be still and know God, your I AM.

נשימה

The Lord's Prayer - An Interpretation

My Father,
Infinite, absolute, indivisible Spirit,

My I Am.

Open the eyes of my heart,

That I would know the truth,

And experience harmony in all things.

Today, may I remember

That you and I are One,

And that it is so with my brother.

May I recognize my mistaken belief

That you and I have ever been separate.

For you are all, and in all,

From where the effortless rhythms of your life flow,

with infinite abundance.

Now, and for all eternity.

So it is.

התפילה הלורדים

Arise Shine

A Journey Through Israel

We began this journey overlooking the old city of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus and are ending it overlooking the fertile plains of the Jezreel valley from Mount Tabor.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem, in all her beauty and majesty, broken, full of division, inner conflict and chaos, has been abused and harmed by many, but each time, has stood up and tried to reclaim her former glory.

She has acted like a spoilt child at times and yet has hosted kings, many of them falling at her feet, all wanting to possess her. Many have.

She has so many stories to tell of both heartbreak and celebration and how men from all nations have flocked to her in their droves, declaring their love for her and bearing gifts, and others who have brought devastation – though at times, due to her own doing.

They have all wanted something from her yet all that she has ever wanted is to be loved. She has given herself to many in the hope that maybe this time she would be saved. And yet, when her savior did come, she did not recognize him, but instead rejected him and watched him die.

She had expected that he would come from the outside, in the same manner that the other kings had come – seen from her walls at a distance with a display of force and power – a knight in shining armor. Yet instead, he had been within her gates – the voice of peace, love and assurance that all was well.

Before he died, he wept for her, and said this, “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I have longed to take you in my arms and care for you, but in your fear and confusion, you were blinded to me. You will not experience my love and my life, Jerusalem, until you realize that within you, ‘I AM’ your every blessing”.

From there, we descended to the Dead Sea, taking her with us in our hearts. Not that she was not there before – only now we recognize her in ourselves.

Galilee

Like a baptism of sorts, we then ascended to Galilee, which name means to “roll away”. As the stones which we have built up in and around our hearts are removed, Christ is revealed there in all glory.

In Isaiah it says, “Jerusalem will be a city without walls… and I myself will be a wall of fire around it, and I will be its glory within.”

Galilee is the place of revelation, peace, healing and restoration.

Mount Tabor

When Jesus stood here on Mount Tabor he appeared in ‘radiant glory, shining with bright rays of light’. Just before this, he had asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter had answered, “You are the Christ”.

In John it says that the Christ is the light of all men and then in Matthew Jesus says that you and I are the light of the world. This Christ-light means to understand or know. But understand or know what?

Jesus came to reveal and demonstrate this to us. He said it this way: “On that day you will know that I am in my father, that you are in me and I am in you.” 

He then prays for this revelation when he says, “That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us. And the glory which you have given me I have given them; that they may be one, even (the same) as we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be (made) perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.”

That day that Jesus refers to is prophesied in Isaiah, it says, “Arise (or awaken) and shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon (from within) you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over its peoples, but the Lord rises upon (from within) you and his glory appears over (from within) you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (revelation)”

Finally, in Revelation 21 of the Mirror bible it says:

“And I saw her, in spotless magnificence, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of the heavens; having been fully prepared as a bride and beautifully adorned for her husband.

And a glorious announcement was heralded out of the Throne, “Behold, God’s tabernacle is with the human race!” He has taken up permanent residence in human skin to be with them in the closest possible association of oneness. They are his own possession; his tribe and he is their God inseparably entwined with them.

He wipes every tear from their eyes and blots out every hurtful memory! And death shall be no more. Nor any association with it; no more mourning and bitter weeping nor any reference to pain! For the former things have passed away!

And the one seated upon the Throne said, Behold, I make all things new! And he instructed me to write, because those words are true and to be relied on!”

That day, that Jesus spoke about, HAS COME, you and I are the New Jerusalem NOW – One with God. We are the eternal, infinite, perfect, complete, glorious, holy city on a hill, that cannot be hidden! The Throne Room of God is within us.

ברק

In My Name

　

 

God is love and divine mind and seeks full expression. He finds this expression as us. We are the personification (the Son) of God (the Father). He is the infinite and absolute and therefore, we are the personification of the infinite and absolute.

 

Jesus continually revealed this principle of being to us when he said for example, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) and "He that has seen me, has seen the Father" (John 14:9). This is the Christ-mind which is "all and in all" (Colossians 3:11). We are identical (the same identity) to Him.

 

"Truly, I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you ask the Father for in my name, he will give it to you." (John 16:23)

 

In the above verse, the name that Jesus was referring to was, I AM. This is the infinite and eternal name of God as revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:14) and Jesus identified himself as I AM (John 8:58). The word "ask" here does not mean to beg, but rather it is defined as 'to demand for something due'. As the personification of the absolute, we can therefore declare:

 

I AM love, therefore I will experience being loving

I AM joy, therefore I will experience being joyful

I AM peace, therefore I will experience being peaceful

I AM health, therefore I will experience being healthy

I AM wealth, therefore I will experience being wealthy

I AM success, therefore I will experience being successful

 

The above are conclusions of being one with the absolute. Whatever I AM we believe (feel to be true), will be given to us in our experience. When declaring ''I AM'', we immediately place ourselves in the first person. We cannot speak of someone else as ''I AM''. Now we declare the truth about our eternal identity and that must be experienced, with certainty! However, to speak of ourselves as I AM in the negative, is to take the Lords name in vain (Exodus 20:7). We do this when we declare, ''I AM sick, I AM poor or I AM weak'' etc.

 

"And He said, So you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14).

The "sons of Israel" are those beliefs that we have about ourselves that take the Lords name in vain and keep us in the experience of captivity and bondage. The way to freedom is to exercise the Christ-mind and declare to these erroneous beliefs, "I AM has sent me to you!"　

 

 

על השם שלי

I AM

After spending 40 years in Median as a shepherd, which was a time of deconstructing the ego that was developed as a Prince of Egypt, Moses goes on a journey to ‘the far side of the wilderness’ and arrives at Horeb, the mountain of God. Here he would finally be introduced to Him-Self.

Horeb represents the place where our journey of seeking ends and the answer to all questions pertaining to life and godliness are answered. It is the place to which we are all called and where we are set free from our self-imposed slavery. Here we are able to worship God in the highest and where the rivers of living water flow. Here, the Light of the 'burning bush' reveals that the only answer to the ancient question, “Who am I” is, “I AM THAT I AM”.

In the ‘burning bush’ we find the oneness of God and Man. The fire is within the bush but they are not two as the fire never consumes the bush – it is not fire and bush, but a ‘burning bush’ – One identity, One ‘I’. It is holy (whole, perfect) ground. “On that day you will know that I AM in my Father, you are in me and I AM in you”. ‘That day’ is our Horeb.

God is the only ‘I’ that there is, the One Indivisible Self in whom we all exist. The ‘ego-I’ that Moses had created (which we all have done) was false and therefore not real. However, it is stubborn and will not easily let us go. The only way is Christ, our rod and our staff. The Christ-Way is the absolute identification with God – “I and my Father are One”. It declares that we are the I AM-Self, the God-Self, the Christ-Self, the True-Self. There is no other self in Reality. We need to know ourselves as God knows us – as Him-Self. Horeb was intended by God as the only stop for Israel on the way to the Promised Land, where they were to worship I AM.

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father is our True identity. For many though, climbing the heights of Horeb may seem like a step too far and that camping at the base of Mount Sinai, the place of law and separation may seem more palatable, but the Voice of Love will forever be calling your name from within, until you respond, "Here I AM".

יהוה

Exodus 3:1-14

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”And Moses said, “Here I am.”

⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

⁷ The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. ⁸ So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. ⁹ And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. ¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

¹² And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am that I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Be Still

God is Spirit. One Spirit – the ‘all-in-all’, the Absolute, Infinite One. Nothing exists outside of Him and everything has its being in Him. Spirit is indivisible and is therefore both the universal and the individual. Spirit has no opposite and is completely unforced, the Perfect Harmony of all things that pertain to Life and Godliness. Spirit is Truth. Spirit is Reality. Spirit is ‘I AM' (The Father).

The Soul is begotten or birthed by Spirit, however, they are never separated. Spirit and Soul exist in perfect union, which is called Heaven. In this sense though, Spirit is ‘greater’ or ‘higher’ than Soul. Soul is fully aware of Spirit and is where choices are made (The Son) and Spirit is experienced (The Holy Spirit). In creation, the Soul functions like a spotless mirror, reflecting the Light of Spirit into form. In other words, Spirit creates perfectly through the Soul, or the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit. Heaven on Earth.

The Christ-man is a Body in which the Union of Spirit and Soul exists and by which it is expressed. The Spirit, Soul and Body are One.

However, if the surface of this ‘mirror’ was to become marked or misted over, the reflection would no longer be True. It could even be that the Truth would not be visible at all. The difference between the reflection of Truth and falsity is merely a thin veil. The Christ-man would no longer function as Himself.

Nothing in Reality would have changed though and as long as One ‘mirror' remained spotless, the entire creation would remain Perfect, just not ‘seen’ as such by the others. The only remedy would be for this veil to be removed, however, those with the veiled ‘mirror’ could not be aware that this was required. They would need to witness the One and awaken to the Truth.

Today, if our lives are not bearing witness to (reflecting) the Truth, if we are not experiencing Heaven on Earth, it is only due to the thinly veiled mist covering the awareness of our Souls. We are all the Christ-man – there is no other type of man.

After the Fall (veiling of the Soul), The Tree of Life (Union) in the Garden was guarded by angels and a sword of fire, which symbolizes Revelation and Truth. This is the only way back into the Garden – the Revelation (Knowledge) of Truth – of Who we Are and always have been - the Christ-man. We are commanded in the scriptures to love the Revelation of Truth (Lord) with all our Souls - this is our hope of glory. The Apostle John received this Revelation in the vision of the New Jerusalem (amongst others).

Knowledge is Truth (unlike perception), and with it comes peace, the stillness of Soul. Just like the Sea of Galilee, when still, perfectly reflects the light of the sun, so it is with us when we have this stillness of Soul, we perfectly reflect the Light of the Son – our True Selves – into our world. Jesus un-veiled this Perfect Truth, Way and Life.

“Be still and know that I AM God”  - Read Psalm 46

להיות עדיין

Truth Uncovered

Before anything was, the Son was face-to-face with the Father (I AM) in Love (Spirit). The bible describes Him as being permanently ‘turned toward’ the Father. He intentionally wills within his soul to remain focused on His Father and what it is His Father wills – that is, for Him to Be the Son that He is. This is the Obedience of Christ, the Light. This face-to-face union between the Father and the Son is Eternal Life which is called Heaven.

Adam, a Son, an extension of this union, enjoyed blissful Life in fellowship with ‘I AM’ within himself, living in the Light. ‘The eyes of his heart’ remained focused on 'I AM' and he enjoyed the reality of the ‘Obedience of Christ’. He was being his True Self.

Over time however, through deception, a change took place whereby Adams vision shifted from his inner ‘I AM’ to an outer ‘I AM NOT’. The separation within his soul from ‘I AM’ resulted in fear and the darkness that this created was such that he could no longer ‘see' ‘I AM’ within – he could therefore no longer be Himself.  In order to try and deal with the shame, he attempted to ‘cover it up’ by creating a false self, called the ego.

The ego-life was one of trying to overcome this ‘I AM NOT', however, this was impossible in the darkness. It was a life of pretence, reason, cause and effect, control, pain, sickness and poverty - an endless cycle of disappointment. This ‘covered up’ lie-life is called Hell.[1]

Then when the time came, the Father sent Jesus, His first-born Son, to Adam, to shine His Light into Adams darkness. Before being crucified, Jesus was ‘covered up’ in kings garb exposing the ultimate in Adams self-deception and three days later he left the grave clothes of Adams 'I AM NOT' behind in the tomb, revealing the Truth to him.

In the Light of Truth, Adam could once again ‘see’ ‘I AM’ within, choose to turn towards Him and Live in Heaven - the Father and His Son in perfect union.

האמת חשפו

---

[1] The modern English word Hell is derived from Old English hel, helle (about 725 AD to refer to a nether world of the dead) reaching into the Anglo-Saxon pagan period, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *halja, meaning "one who covers up or hides something" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell#Etymology_and_Germanic_mythology

Allow God to Happen to You

Love

God is Love. Only love. Everything that He has ever created has been created in love, including all of humanity. Not only have we been created in love, but are sustained by that love every moment of our lives.

God is Spirit. Not ‘a’ spirit, but Spirit - His love expressed. All of creation, including humanity, is a expressed form of Spirit or 'Spirit slowed down to the point of visibility'. Spirit is Oneness and therefore all things (and beings) are connected.

Spirit is love. God in action - relentlessly and tirelessly manifesting goodness in every microscopic detail of the universe, including our lives. The Fathers loving intention for creation is that it be good. That life be good!

Fear

Separation from the Father (called the Fall) is an idea that developed inside the mind of mankind over time. The result was fear and in order to try and deal with it, we developed an ego which thrives on gaining acceptance and control.

These three linked ideas - separation, fear and ego are false (an illusion), based on an incorrect perception rather than knowledge of the Father and ourselves. With ego firmly entrenched, mankind went about building a world (by the sweat of his brow) with all its fear-based mind-sets and systems.

We are not born with fear. This is not a part of our natural being – the Father created us in love, to be loved and to love. This is why fear feels so bad and uncomfortable (dis-ease) and love feels so good. Fear is something that we learn from our parents, friends, religions, schools, business and governments. 

Truth

Jesus is the only type of human that exists. He said, “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me and I am in you”. Separation from the Father is not possible in creation or hereafter. Humanity is the Sonship, of which Jesus is the first-born, the head and older brother.

Many within the Sonship are ignorant of the fact that they are Sons. Others believe that they can be if they try hard enough. This is ‘the absurdity of trying to get into a room in which you are already standing’.

The Choice

Spirit or Ego, Love or Fear, Allow or Resist, Surrender or Control.

Faith is 'allowing God to love you’. Ego will resist this as it cannot comprehend Spirit. Trying to fix the ego with Spirit will be fruitless as Spirit does not recognise the reality of ego. Oftentimes we try to fix the ego with the ego which as we can see is insanity - the blind leading the blind.

Surrender to the Spirit of Truth and allow Him to love you in every detail of your life. Give up the fight of the ego to manage life and control outcomes! Allow God to happen to you. The result is peace, rest and joy and a life that works and is abundantly good - your grand design and the Fathers eternal purpose.

לאפשר

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.