Several months ago, I made this short video to put here. I never posted it, and for whatever reason, this morning I woke up thinking I should post it. I hope someone will find some freedom in it. If you have a few minutes, I'd love for you to take a look at it and give me your thoughts.
It’s Shocking and Should Leave You with Your Mouth Open
There all sorts of topics being talked about in the world. The 'juicy' ones are the ones that are 'shocking'. They are the ones where the movie star has some sort of love affair or secretly has an eating disorder. If you don't believe me, when's the last time you were in a check out line at your local grocery store? While checking out, you have your choice of a bounty of 'fresh kill' ready to meet the craving within our natural value system.
Most anyone exposed to Biblical teaching, preaching or personal study has heard the word 'Agape' being used. No one would disagree that 'Agape' is the Greek word for 'Love' when used as a noun. The study is extensive so I'm not attempting to 'can' what it means. Often, we also use the word 'Love' (Agape), when we attempt to 'describe'. In those cases, the word 'agape' is being used as an adjective or adverb. The descriptive word (adjective or adverb), as defined by Merriam-Webster means, "having the mouth open because of wonder, surprise, or shock".
Not very interesting so far, but this is why distinguishing the difference between noun and descriptive words are important. If our definition of 'Agape Love' does not leave us with our mouths open, in shock; it is not Agape Love. God's Love is so radical and so complete that it offends our flesh. To the flesh, it's the end of it's own value system; it's death. An example of this is that I was not saved 35 years ago; I was saved 2000 years ago when He finished the 'work'. Actually, it all happened from the foundations of the world. Our lack of presenting Truth as it is, waters down Grace. When presented in-correctly, it leaves people with a choice on whether to 'get saved' or not. There is a decision to make but it isn't whether to 'get saved' or not. The decision is to taste and see what He already did. I guess right now I just wanna say, "Preach the Truth Church! If your presentation of Truth doesn't leave people with their mouth open, in shock, it isn't Truth. God loves radically and the things we think separate us, may be the things that draw Him nearer."
Okay, so everything that leaves our mouths open and in shock is not Truth either. Of course. My point is that we should be slow to speak from a position of instruction. When we do speak, it should be of our real experience with God and of the Grace He has given. We find it so uncomfortable talking about our own frailty and issues that it leaves me wondering if most of what we know as leadership in 'The Church' has even made the choice to taste themselves. How would we know if someone is tasting of God's goodness? I can't say for sure, but I can tell you what it looks like in Paul, and sometimes myself. In Paul, he boasted in his weakness, so that Christ's power might rest in Him.
Okay, one final rant, "Don't worship the placenta!" Look for the Baby coming through our natural organizations and our natural lives. He comes to get us where we are, but it would be dysfunctional if we were to attempt to keep the placenta along with the baby. Discard the placenta as unimportant and fulfilling it's function! Prophecies and speaking in tongues are the same way. Our quest for knowledge will no longer be important once we grasp our real connection with God.
I titled this little article as "It's Shocking and Will Leave You with Your Mouth Open". Just remember this the next time you flinch when someone is sharing their experience with God. Also, be aware if you don't have this experience when they claim they're telling you about God's Love, because it may not be.
Peace2U, DavidIs there an After-Life? Part II
Important: Part I of Is there an After-Life?
Why do we resist change? What is it that makes us long for stability and more control over life? A little child instinctively has wonder about their surroundings. They explore everything! So much so, we have to teach them things like, "Don't touch, it's hot!" 
In learning not to touch certain things, I desire to make you aware we may have picked up an unhealthy fear of change, along the way. Where is our spirit of exploration? Why don't we embrace change? It's fear; our own fear. The answer isn't as simple as 'the Bible says not to have it, so we command fea to leave'. The answer is to take authority over it. This is done by being real, and present in the moment. We can't role the clock back to a time when we're five years old. We can't just cry for milk and our mother come running. There's a 'next step' to your evolution (journey), to your experience and it's likely you've never gone this way before. We won't re-invent any foundation, but we'll examine everything the house is being built, so it will be found on solid rock. My writing is to tell you of the land of the living. My existence on Earth is to stir you, and your existence is to manifest God, because you and He are connected in a more real way than our fears would have us believe.
Using the terminology 'after-life' may denote a mindset (or perspective) of keeping heaven just beyond reach (in the future); which is another way of grieving God's Spirit. God designed your life to be full of wonder and like it or not, it's right on track. 
You have been 'set-up'. 'Set-up' for what? Set-up to see. He wants you to understand your life is more than what you eat and drink, or how you or others perform. The mindset you should point others to Christ is harmful. Instead of pointing others to Him, why not just be Him? That is, if you are a Son. Ah, 'the stumbling block' that offends everyone who knows. Life is so much more than your experiences or how many children you have. It's more than the fact you may well be in crisis right now. Each experience, good or bad, is designed to reveal a 'greater' or 'higher' reality of your purpose and identity. The source of Life must be illuminated to understand your purpose, and can only be seen from the eternal perspective, so the distractions have to be embraced as such. The happenings of life, albeit precious, they are indicators of a 'higher' Reality (upper case 'R').
True Reality is revealed (seen) by Spirit. The term 'After-life' may seem 'right', but it's incomplete unless you understand 'after-life' isn't just after the body has expired. I suppose if your only definition of 'life' is based in time, then you would believe 'after-life' is waiting to be lived, after death. But, Spirit isn't waiting to begin, as if it were in line, at a check out stand. This may be news to you but you were Spirit before you were body. God already knew and loved you before you were a thought in your parents. Since this is true, you didn't come 'from' your parents, but you came 'thru' your parents. Live this moment as if Life were present and real, because it is. It's shining, steady and strong. It's illuminating, speaking to you, and if you're willing to go, you can experience life after death in every moment. In Truth, there is no 'after-life'. There is only 'Life' and it's available now. Death has been conquered. Sadly, we often choose not to experience Life until 'after' 'life', the very thing God gives to express Himself.
When you lose, you win. To die is gain. There is no end to His love. Don't just accept death as a natural occurrence, but understand every moment is an opportunity to experience Life, as God has so graciously given.
Important: Part I of Is there an After-Life?
Is there an After-Life? Part I
What happens after death? Is there another life waiting to be experienced? Is there a place we go? How about our bodies? Will we get new ones? Will we see God? Will we better understand the happenings of our Earth's existence? Will we recognize others? If so, how will we know them? And, how will they know us? These questions and others would drive us insane if we allowed them to consume us, yet they are important questions, with answers available in places we may not have looked. I will not attempt to answer each of these questions, but will offer a few thoughts that may help you find peace in each moment.
If I were to lose my arm, would I still be Me?. Of course! The answer is obviously, "Yes". What if I lost my sight? Or legs? What if it were you? What if you lost your job? Or your house? Or your spouse? Or a child? Would you cease being? You might wish you didn't exist but our greatest fears are often the things that bring our most powerful deliverance.
There are two things you can count on... first, God does not change. Second, things do. The confusion enters when we misunderstand the dynamics between God and our natural understanding. God is constantly changing form, speaking to us. When things change in our lives, we know things will be different, but that's my point. Mostly, we associate what is happening in our lives to define ourselves. Right or wrong, it's the way we're built as humans. When the human time expires, we won't have all the 'distractions' any longer. When the distractions are no longer present did we cease existence? Did our existence end when our time expired on Earth? Your time on Earth has nothing to do with who you are, except it's the house which you are temporarily living. And yet, the two are undeniably intertwined. As such, all it's experiences are designed (by God) to reveal Truth and your connection with Eternal God.
Allow me to get a little personal... If you've ever lost a loved one, you understand the pain you've felt, or at least you understand that you did experience pain. Perhaps you're going through the pain of loss now. Perhaps it's not a person you've lost, but maybe life isn't going according to the plan you had envisioned. The pain felt is real (with a small 'r') and is a clear sign, but who can read the signs? Anyone can read the signs because it's a personal conversation you are having with Eternity (God). Your connection with your loved one was/is much more than the memories you share and your connection with things in the natural are momentary, not eternal.
Well, let's get on with it. Is there an after-life or not? As long as you want to control your destiny by means of force or effort, there is only after-life, but for those who can connect to what I'm saying, there is present hope. This hope isn't delayed to a point in the future. If it were delayed, it would make the heart sick. In fact, we're born with a condition that delays hope but God, through His eternal wisdom, did something strange. He brought/brings hope to us, right where we are. To recognize it, takes viewing from the perspective of Spirit.
Important conclusion: Part II of Is there an After-Life?
Where is God?
It can be a harsh disappointment to discover God does not live in heaven, probably because we've invested for so long, in an idea that 'one day', we will live with God. We console ourselves and loved ones with advice that our previously departed loved ones and friends are now with God. Of course, our words are true, but not complete. In reality, God may not actually live in heaven, but instead, maybe Heaven lives in God! God is just as available now as He will be then, and He isn't off somewhere taking a nap until our natural lives expire. A key difference between living in the natural now and after death are; there are no more distractions to the present reality of an all present God.
Those who read me regularly know when I write an article such as this, it isn't intended to offend, yet I'm aware of the risks associated with talking about such sensitive subjects. Writing this piece, my intention is to challenge myself to 'rethink' God, and experience Him as He is, in each present moment.
Without question, it's impossible to live on Earth without knowing first hand the sting of death. From the time I was born, I was taught through society, to place value on 'time', by measuring every-'thing'. This fear-based thinking fails to realize God is not a 'thing', nor is my eternal self. This fundamental miscalculation is part of the premise which my human nature can not find God. We've all lost loved ones or had negative diagnosis' at a doctor; thus, our humanity calculates this as perceiving natural death as being 'like a shoe waiting to drop'. In error, we perceive death as final; but in reality, it's the beginning (if you want to know how to experience death and continue living, keep reading).
The Gospel removed the sting of death by revealing a greater dimension (one that is higher). Circumstances we face aren't in dispute because in the world, we all experience trouble. What is at dispute with our very own flesh is that in Christ, we not only see God, but we understand Him. If we are in Christ, we are also 'as' Christ... not a copy of Christ, but the actual real Christ. As we experience God, we discover and experience our true self, and we become aware of the folly of the flesh. Once the folly is exposed, we can choose to embrace the power of God or embrace the world, but make no mistake about it, everyone will have this folly exposed to them. If we are 'open' to The Spirit', some may describe this as 'hunger'.
A key difference between living in this body and without the body, are the distractions it faces. When the body's life is over, it's distractions are removed; thus, revealing what was already true and real (Your Eternalness). What if the harsh reality is true? God may not live in heaven as much as heaven lives in God. Believing Heaven lives in God changes everything in the present, which is always the meeting place. What does that do to our religion? Or, our reasoning? Or, our relationships?
What if the same were true with our loved ones? What if we missed 'Eternity' already living in them, while they were living in their Earth body? Would we see our neighbor different? Would we hold fast to our reasoning, or would we view each other, from here on, as part of God's creation, loving more unconditionally?
David Roberts
(David is available to speak one on one or to your group. Contact him for details.)
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How did we become so divided?
Unless you're just waking from a comma, you've noticed how divided we've become. It's apparent to me, we are quickly heading toward an impasse. An impasse is when 
different sides reach a point where it's impossible to reach agreement. When a jury is 'hung', they've reached an impasse. What if the whole world were to be on a collision course, a hung jury, where everybody 'knows' they are 'right'. Class, patriotism, race, religion, economic warfare... Imagine all these different opinions (and many more), seeking coalition together, and standing their ground at the same time? That's what's happening and God is the instigator.
We are all conditioned from birth to view our lives through the window of our personal partiality. I can't think of a single person who knowingly embraces a lie, yet it never occurs to us, we may also be walking in our own delusion (a partial truth, if you will). Whether you believe in God or not, or whether you think you 'signed up' for this or not, it isn't stopping Him from addressing this false reality in everyone.
Truth is revealed in all creation, and is as obvious as the nose on our faces, yet remains impossible to find with human eyes. This is true because we've assumed 'all we see and know' is 'all'. We've loved ourselves, our political opinions, our country, our church, the familiar, and our reasoning, to the point we defend it with our lives. Everything you believe which isn't viewed from the whole, is based from your own partiality. For the wise, it's understood why the starting line is often the start/finish line. It's simple; the race is over before it's ever ran, and running the race is to carry this simple truth while living life on Earth.
It sounds counterproductive on the surface, to believe the race has already been run, but we've presumed the goal is to accomplish something, taking for granted our quest is fueled seeking what we desperately need. What we need has already been provided; we are all loved unconditionally and we are all His children (before someone has a heart-attack, believing this truth is an entirely different subject). In seeing from God's perspective you'll understand we have all things in common, and His powerful compassion can be released in your life.
If you will let go of your favorite branch, you'll experience God. Don't be fooled; the question isn't, 'If'... you will let go. The question is, 'When?'.
David
P.S. Homework; take a few moments and meditate on photo above.
- Let go of your favorite branch.
My Advice on How to Vote
'Practice what you preach' is typically spoken as an indictment to a hypocrite, but give yourself some grace and "practice" what you believe. Every encounter you have is an opportunity to "practice" what you believe. Participate in relationships; and yes, even politics. Failing to experience all of life would be like loving only certain types of music. Sure, certain things 'feel' better, but true appreciation for diversity can only be seen from above.
By the measure you are open to God, the same is true with intimacy in your relationships, neighborhood and community. You can not connect with God and remain dis-connect-ed with your neighbor.
Your faith is not an excuse to dis-connect with community. You don't have to stoop to the human 'spin' tactics of political persuasion. Rise above the rhetoric and decide who you will vote. Then, create an atmosphere to allow others to do the same. Believe it or not, "you" matter; and "you" aren't wrestling with flesh and blood. You aren't wrestling with the electorate or the outcome of an election. If you are wrestling, you are wrestling with yourself, your ideas and dreams. The battle isn't for an outcome in an election, the way the world counts votes, but in "you" being free. The only mistake you can make is not to participate.
God didn't give you freedom, just to vote a party line or fall in Rankin file for someone else agenda. He raised you above the fray and sent you into the world to be light and salt. The only mistake you could make now is failing to allow yourself to participate.
Don't confuse being a Christ follower with not being a part of the community. While doing so, give others the same respect. Use this season as a time to 'practice' what you preach.
What is Love? Part 3
Many times it's difficult being ourselves. Often, we bow to the pressures 
of performing on the stage of life. What's expected can easily become our most important thing. Transparency and willingness to be open are key to breaking free. Our homes and families are much healthier when we are fully ourselves, even though it can seem difficult, or even impossible.
A near favorite song came to mind as I read a friend's blog this morning and I would like to share it with you. The title is 'Welcome to my World', by Jim Reeves. When I hear this song, it's as if God were personally welcoming me into His World, His Reality, His Kingdom. Even though I'm living amidst the pain of the world I'm drawn to the voice that accepts me just as I am.
What is Love? Part ONE / What is Love? Part TWO / What is Love? Part THREE
(David is available to speak one on one or to your group. Contact him for details.)
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Vision, According to God
God has a mind and so does man. At the risk of oversimplifying, God's plan for you is to Trust 
Him, allowing His mind be your mind. Your interpretation of Truth is subject to your current mindset. If you're open to God, you'll receive openly, seeing from His point of view. If you are not open to God, your perception of Truth is cloudy.
Don't be discouraged if your view is of the world, because Jesus will re-appear to you, just as He seems to be hiding behind the clouds. The entire job description of God is to Be God. At first, your entire job description is to 'receive' (believe). Once you 'receive' (believe), your entire job description is to 'Be'. Shakespeare had it right: "To be or not to be, that 'is' the question." Both cannot co-exist simultaneously.
Are you rightly dividing The Word? Who cares! The question should be, "Are you honest, open and willing with God?" Be aware of your mindset. Admit freely if you are struggling. God desires to speak to you about you're attempt to hide behind fig leaves. Are you viewing from man's perspective or God's? Your interpretation (or viewpoint) will change depending on your current mindset (i.e., outer court, inner court, or most Holy Place). The way you define subjects like 'sin' offer an indication of your present reality of God; and self. Love is the greatest. We can only Love 'as' we are loved. Regardless of your mindset, it's out of the abundance of your heart you speak and have placed your hope. Manually changing your mind won't work. I like to use the acrostic, H-O-W. It takes (H)honesty (confession is good for you). Then (O)openness (be open to let go and change). Then (W)willingness (willing to go with God). It's then, His Love energy flows from God, then back to Him, in a never ending circle. If you want to experience the never ending Love of God, take Him at His Word.
Now; meditate on something. "Without vision, my people perish?" God freely wants to give you His vision, and it's much bigger than a ministry or church. It's love.
Always loving you, David
PS. God tore the veil from TOP down in restoring the Tabernacle of David. He literally came to live with man, where man previously could only 'visit' God. In doing so, He disarmed man's methods for getting needs met, openly putting them to a shame. Master builders (our natural minds 'and' self-righteous leaders) reject the finished work of the cross, possibly because the natural mind demands participation and credit. Saved by grace, our sin is remembered no more. From this point forward, if our condition has truly changed, we spontaneously cease 'asking' for forgiveness daily, and start 'receiving' it daily. Our entire mindset has changed from future to present.
How can you help an Addict? Stop being one
There are many addicts in the world. Tragically, there are also many who have a different kind 
of addiction, maybe more destructive. These have a never ending thirst to control the life and choices of others. Ultimately, all addicts have an unquenchable desire to control one thing, self. Even if self seems out of control, the addict demands control of this also.
An addict's high begins in the ritual: i.e... getting dressed and in the car, preparing what you'll say, imagining what they'll say, driving, pulling to the curb or parking lot, getting out of the car, walking to the door or having someone come to your door.
The high crescendos, only after all the circumstances are in order. Each person's ritual is different but it's the fantasy, created in the mind, being fulfilled. Remove the ritual (party), and the drug would not fully quench the mind's thirst.
Millions of people attend (or don't attend) services weekly, believing their ritual will crescendo higher than the week previous. These deny the grace of God and do not believe God has put them on equal standing with Himself. Likewise, millions attend (or don't attend) the same services, believing they are complete in Christ. Going to a meeting or not is nothing and neither right nor wrong. It's all between you and God.
Your spouse, Pastor or Sunday School teacher can't complete you. God's alone can do this greater work in you. It's okay if you decide to play the game or not, but if you think you're taking God like a drug, you are blinded by your own fantasy. The blood of Jesus has the power to transform you into His likeness, believe it or not.
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