Aug 11
17
Illusion, Delusion, or “Reality?” (Being Jesus Part XI)
I hope that girls doesn't fall off into the clouds!
Illusion, Delusion, or “Reality?”
…but from a “different” perspective
(Being Jesus Part XI)
Hopefully, since you’re still here, you’re being directed to keep reading; if not, this will most likely be a waste of your time.
To me, one of the more appropriate and exciting comparisons can be found in the Bible. It was made by a young man fresh out of the Jewish “School of Prophets.” The story has been and is a huge directional signpost for my life.
Elisha, who “attached himself” to the famous Jewish Prophet Elijah and appointed himself to be older man’s valet, gofer, “aide de camp,” etc, whose presence at times annoyed the great man.
Elisha followed Elijah everywhere. Elijah would say the equivalent of the modern day, “Get lost, kid, I’m busy. I’ve got people to see and places to go.”
Elisha’s response continued steadfastly. “No way, as the Lord lives, and your soul lives, I’m not leaving your side.”
So Elijah began taking a different tack. In a gentler tone he said:
“Look, kid, the Lord is sending me to Bethel. You stick around here and when I get back, we’ll get together.”
“No way,” Elisha persisted, “as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I’m staying by your side,” and off they would go together.
Finally, one day, Elijah declared that he’d had enough. “Look, kid, just what is it you want?”
Couldn't he just ask for a double?
“I want twice as much of the same Spirit that is in you!”
“Whoa, kid, you’ve asked for a very hard thing. But I’ll tell you what. If you see me when the Lord takes me up, then you’ll get what you ask. If you don’t see me go, you won’t.”
There are two reasons I say Elisha’s comparison of himself to Elijah are both exciting and appropriate. First, Elisha saw that there was no way he could pull off the special miracles Elijah was doing …not in his own power, no siree. So he paid close attention to everything about the great man.
When Elijah finally asked the question, Elisha was ready: “I want double the Spirit in you!”
Elijah gave him the conditions. Elisha met them and a quite amazing fact that you can prove for yourself by reading about the careers of both men, in the latter part of First Kings and the early part of Second Kings.
After Elisha witnessed Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind and Elisha received the great prophet’s mantle. Elisha performed twice as many miracles as the record attributed to Elijah. Count them, it’s rather amazing.
The second reason that the comparison is apt and even more exciting is that it can apply to us. We have ample historical record beyond even the accounts the writers of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) reported that, indeed, Jesus performed many miracles. This brings us to the point I have made previously which seems to irritate some folks:
No matter what your own religious perspective about who/what Jesus was/is and what he did (or still does), that is, Hindus generally think of Jesus as a Great Teacher- Guru-Ascended Master; Muslims, a Great Prophet, and Christians, the Son of God. Some people form a view that corresponds to all the variations of the foregoing – listen up:
A comparison between you or me and Jesus, unless we’re a bit crazy, brings us quickly to the place, “I can’t do what he said I would do unless I have even more of the same Spirit that was in him as a man.”
An example of Religious dogma and tradition.
Oops! “Houston, we have a problem” (a huge problem, loaded with religious dogma and tradition), remember I said to hold onto your hostility for a later chapter. We have arrived!
Note: all the foregoing and what follows I extrapolated (and edited) from my book The Unrecognized You, Discovered (sub-title: What Now?) available FREE by going to the menu bar at the top and clicking on the tab “Books” and then scrolling down and clicking on the link just below the simulated cover. See why I chose to make this slightly abbreviated copy in the note at the end of this article.
To some, making any comparison of ourselves with Jesus is blasphemy, outright, and then comes righteous indignation.
But wait, comparison to Jesus is exactly what he called for …and why the narrative about Elisha/Elijah is so exciting to me is that Elisha wound up performing twice as many recorded miracles as Elijah, as we recall.
What can we do with the same dynamic concerning ourselves as related to what Jesus did? Jesus said, remember, ANYONE …that’s you, that’s me, who believes enough will BE and DO what he was and did – not only that, but more than he did. Jesus said that and I am merely quoting. Put down those stones!
So, my friends, to whom/what are you going to pay attention – religious dogma or the words of Jesus himself?
Here's a photo of Brad just before the battle of Gettysburg.
“Since you know it is going to turn people off, why do you write such things?” a question I’ve heard many times. Now, you can call me a rebel or a reactionary, but I will throw the ball back to you …a rebel against whom?
Answer: A rebel against those who cloak themselves in robes of religious leadership. Christian religious leadership, those who not only ignore what the one, whom they insist is “The Christ” said, but teach the opposite of what he said.
Reactionary against the system that is the great rebellion and which fosters those whom, in disobedience to the command of Jesus, NOT to do so, not only allow themselves to be called, but insist that others call them by titles Jesus said not to use.
Still reading, but find yourself cringing at the audacity of comparison of anyone with Jesus as the “Only begotten Son of God,” here’s a direct quote from the revered Book:
“As many as receive (the SPIRIT in)* Jesus, to them are given the right (accurately translated as “power and authority”) to become sons of God, born not of flesh and blood or the will of man, BUT OF GOD!”
In other words, folks, as I am so fond of saying, the thought didn’t originate with me, I’m merely quoting …and as the Bill Gaither Trio song goes, “Joint Heirs with Jesus!”
Is this the truth? ASK the SOURCE!
* NOTE: In context, this is exactly what the passage is saying. That is, anyone who receives the truth that the “Word of God,” the
“Creative Spirit,” became the man called Jesus, has also received the authority and the right to become a son of God. That there is an obvious difference between the “Only Begotten Son” and one of the many “sons” seems to be self evident and needn’t have a bunch of discussion, but that’s only because of our religious conditioning. BUT, that we’d ignore our promised sonship in favor of religious pew trapping, spectator nonsense? PULEEEEEZE!
I like "pews' they're soooo comfy!
What now? Let’s continue dealing with the, “How dare you?!!” issue, that is, the comparison with Jesus issue. If you haven’t jumped ship by now, and you are still reading this, you are almost ready to hear about ULTIMATE FAITH, but not quite.
Bondage to a religious system which includes antipathy toward the comparison, that is, a strong aversion to it (and which I readily confess I had for many years) is extremely difficult to get free from). How I got free, yes, escaped from the love/hate relationship with Christianity was a long struggle. Long, only because I kept resisting what I was being so clearly told and shown, that is, to come out of “her” (Christianity), and that Christianity is what Jesus referred to as the “Whore of Babylon.”
Now get this: The reason it was such a struggle for me was because I still wanted the approval of men and women (who were still stuck in the mire of the system) more than I wanted to obey the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF who was telling me to get out of it!
It is still a temptation, occasionally, but I understand it clearly …and I understand clearly how to overcome it. How? By staying in continual touch with the Commander-in-Chief. How?
…By continually asking, “What now?” …and exposing myself to my unconsciously, but very real and finally “realized” perceived dangers of being rejected by all those whom I love, including those who insist upon referring to themselves as Christians, Muslims, Hindus or whatever and of whatever stripe and banner.
Love those who hate you...Are you sure?
The Commander-in-Chief has instructed me to love them all …especially those who hate me. Not just a difficult task, an impossible one.
if I insist upon thinking my identity is this body-bag I occupy …but I don’t insist upon that at all. Just like Elisha, I know I can do nothing in the strength of the body I occupy, so it isn’t impossible at all.
Hear this: It is no longer “I” – it is Christ. Trust me, that is not Christianity. I am decidedly not a Christian, but neither am I a Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Adventist, Muslim nor any other religious label or banner concocted in the mind of man, any man or woman (no matter how great). Nor am I attempting to get you, or anyone else to fall in line behind my particular brand of nonconformity.
I AM, after all, a conformist to the individual call upon my life; to the ONE who calls, which only I can hear. My desire is only that you hear your own call …even if it seems diametrically opposed to mine.
Chaotic! Yes, but far less than the wars and arguments between the religious. You see, I know one thing and only one thing about your call. Your call will include that you love me as your brother even though your call is different in every other respect.
Note: The reason for this excerpt from The Unrecognized You, Discovered What Now is that in just the last three days I have received five separate e-mails from literally all around the world extolling the changes and healing attributed to reading the book – one from a man in South Africa claiming that his wife and he had read it three times since late last year – and that it brings new revelation each reading. So decided to read it again, sure enough… “I” couldn’t have written it …such insights!