(write on blackboard):
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(pointing to "ordinary mind" on blackboard):
. . . . . I guess we are all quite familiar with this. However, I don't think many people are familiar enough with it to give it the contempt it deserves. (Now I've looked around before the lesson begins <smile>, and don't feel very judgmental today, so I'm not gonna tell anyone to leave the page; as a matter of fact, by virtue of your being here, I'm gonna give you the benefit of doubt and agree to keep going, but not without first mentioning that this is an adult class for children only. I'm asking for tender hearts and open minds; in other words, a suspension of beliefs and tendencies.)
. . . . . Ordinary mind basically is the Pandora's box mankind opened long about the creation. Before we acquired the knowledge of good and evil, it would be correct to say it was extraordinary mind, though I suspect anyone who has spent any time on these pages recognizes my theories that God is a Spirit(noMind) Who Is beyond mere words, and that the creation resulted either from the attention we have given it in the framework of our ordinary minds or, much more doubtful, the attention of say the anti-Christ. One of its more valuable items, so far as what we might call conventional wisdom (or even ordinary mind) is concerned, is "common sense". (I discovered a copy of my little treatise[NOT] on common sense [under the title "Let's Blame It All On Ann Landers"] and posted it here.)
. . . . . Before I continue in this vein, let's take a look at what the Bible has to say about the mind and its most important function: its interaction with the heart, resulting in what we can, for the purposes of this discussion, call the soul. (2012 note: reads like i think i know what i'm talkin' about huh?) Interestingly, in all fifteen instances "reins" appears (in the King James Version), the Hebrew and Greek words used basically translate these days as "mind". In Psalms 7:9 David observes, "the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins." In Psalms 26:2 he writes, "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." In Psalms 73:61 we find, "My heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins." In Psalms 139:13 David writes "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb." In Proverbs 23:16 we find "Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things." Isaiah 11:5 records "And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." Jeremiah 11:15 says "LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, . . ." Jeremiah 17:10 says "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 20:12 states "O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, . . ." Finally Revelation 2:23 concludes ". . . all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."
. . . . . These verses seem to clearly indicate that the soul with which we ultimately are concerned is what results from the manner in which we direct our heart by way of our mind. There is much to be learned from these very few references to our soul in the Hebrew and Greek, most importantly not just that the heart is directed by the mind (an allegation lent some credence by the references in James 1 where James write that people are "enticed" of their lust, which then conceives and brings forth sin; i.e., covetous thoughts cross the mind, we dwell on them, they enter the heart and we act upon them), but that the heart can be likened to a horse and the mind to the reins that direct it. When we change our minds and maybe even yank on the reins, so to speak, if that horse is steadfast (call it hardened; it surely can get to the point that the bit is between its teeth) on its way, the big brute might not even acknowledge the yank, but the reins (we can say "rider" just to keep it simple, but that's the scary part about this theory) believe a correction has been communicated. And the thoughts, of which many arise from the heart, further seek to convince our minds that the horse has changed its course, while in fact it proceeds with speed undiminished even down that broad way that leads to destruction. Does not Jeremiah write in chapter 17 verse 9 that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"? (And yeah, I've changed my mind <smile> about that verse, if you've been paying attention, though I prefer to say I continue to be led to truth by the spirit of God which dwells in me. That it still is a key verse in the Bible to me indicates the validity of my strong sense of it earlier in the development of what I consider to be God's doctrine.)
. . . . . And before we change course in conversation say, let's look quickly at conforming to the ways of the world: yeah, one quick peek at the broad way that leads to destruction. I suppose most cultures at least used to consider people old enough to procreate old enough also to know the difference between right and wrong. So for purposes of this lecture (i almost said discussion; at least think about it) let's say that when we're old enough to vote, for the most part, our hearts are going down one path or another that is let's say acceptable to the majority. Minds let's save for a bit later.
. . . . . First let's briefly examine our development as human beings, with those ideas about the mind guiding the heart in mind (so to speak). We usually learn to walk and talk, then read and write and do things. All kinds of things. Early among them, we start to think. We also learn. And really, it's so easy to not think for the most part, to let other people do our thinking for us, especially in important matters like religion and politics huh? We naturally pick people kind of like us to respect maybe; yeah, we think they know what they're talking about. Thought is so important to our development. It's the only way we can change our hearts.
. . . . . Some of us grow up believing in God; some of us do not. But whether we believe in God or not, we still manage to develop what some call a world view, and non-believers certainly are capable of developing a compassion for others that transcends their warped view of reality. That view, while unique to each individual, still contains some amount of what we call common sense. I've mentioned some of these building blocks to world views on these pages, such as "It's a dog-eat-dog world", "You can do anything you set your mind to", "The world doesn't owe you a living", and "All's fair in love and war". The list is rather mind-boggling in its immensity. Much of it falls under the heading of common sense. Most of it is what I like to call ordinary mind at work, mostly drawing lines between ourselves and others.
. . . . . One of the more interesting, as well as distressing, facts I uncovered while doing some educational research was that the mental age tests sometimes cited in court cases involving the allegation of diminished capacity only measure to the age of eighteen or so. The tests are for everybody. The inference I got was that our minds are only expected to develop to that point; further, since our world view is more or less established around the time we reach our majority, we can assume that many if not most hearts and minds have left behind the tenderness, the flexibility of childhood. (A point which somewhat buttresses this view is the fact that mathematicians, presumably among the most flexible mentally, generally are acknowledged as not just past their prime but incapable of major works when they reach the ripe old age of thirty.)
. . . . . So here we are, at say twenty-two years old, and we're pretty much indoctrinated in the ways of the world, whether we believe in God or not. Those who do believe in God, of course, are usually indoctrinated in the ways, the traditions of some particular religion. And the common ground of every religion in the world is that each has developed doctrine of their own which not merely acknowledges but accommodates the ways of the world. Even Christians seem to have little place for Jesus' stern warnings, including the frightening admonition in Matthew 15:9 "in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men", tossing it away as a reference to the work-oriented teachings of Old Testament die-hards (and ain't that a turn of phrase).
. . . . . And the common ground of this indoctrination is the mental machinations, the rationalizations that we use at nearly every turn, mostly to conform us to the world in one way or another. And mostly these rationalizations are figurative lines that we draw between ourselves and the rest of mankind, lines that result in "gray areas" that are oh so useful in allowing our hearts to go blindly down the broad way that leads to destruction.
. . . . . Of course we've all heard stories of mid- and later-life conversions, stories of people whose lives changed radically and stayed changed; we've also all heard of people who "grew up right", who never lied or stole or smoked or drank. The common sense view of these two groups would be that the two groups are finally composed of the same type, i.e., people who want to be obedient to the God of their understanding. Certainly most people who try to raise up their children in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord" as Paul exhorts in Ephesians 6:4, when they see their children obedient to the norms and mores of society, mostly never consider that they are raised up in conformity to the world, a condition warned against by Paul in Romans 12:2, to say nothing of Jesus' stone cold commandments in the Sermon on the Mount, e.g., to not do as ordinary mind dictates. And even though we are warned many times in the Bible to not be respecters of persons, we kind of naturally respect people of seeming integrity and good reputation, especially when, as noted above, they are like-minded say.
. . . . . Let's look for a second at that verse in Romans: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." As I've mentioned elsewhere on this site, the transformation Paul mentions here actually is to "overcome the world (see John 16:33)", to be enlightened or perfected( see Matthew 5:48), while current Christian doctrine has virtually defined the salvation experience out of existence simply by the narrowing of its definition (though "broadening its definition" would be much more apt a phrase).
. . . . . Quite simply, what Jesus (and Paul) sought was not worldly, ordinary mind, however commendable the worldly manifestations of that mind as exemplified in trying to be obedient to even the precepts of God (never mind cultural considerations), but rather extraordinary mind. I recently heard a televised sermon in which the preacher claimed that when Paul wrote "We have the mind of Christ " he meant people who profess to believe in Jesus and try to be followers of His have the mind of Christ in them. What pap, what milk for babes, what a mighty example of people getting a preacher to tell them what they want to hear( see Jeremiah 5:28-31). Well, we could say that now we know the mind of Christ (unbearable compassion, huh?).
(point to second line on blackboard):
. . . . . It's interesting to me how most of the great people of the Bible are exemplified more by extraordinary spirit than extraordinary mind. Moses immediately comes to mind, a man "very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" according to Numbers 12:3; David was discerning and valiant but perhaps not even brilliant; John the Baptist was a non-conformist almost beyond compare who had the vision of a prophet because he was one, but whose message was near simplistic; Solomon was smart enough to seek wisdom and understanding rather than intelligence we might say; Paul alone really stands out as a monumental intelligence, aside, of course, from Jesus.
(write two quotations on blackboard):
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. . . . . Let's consider Jesus' message for a minute: It was pretty simple in a way, in that (regardless of what man's doctrine holds today) it was the same in the end for all people: Turn away from the ways of the world, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, love God with all your heart and mind and soul, and love your neighbors as you love yourself (see Matthew 4:17, Matthew 5 e.g., and Luke 10:25-28). Notice that it had to do with actions as well as attitude. I've said on this site that His first plan was for everyone to follow Him. Sell what you have and give to the poor and follow Me, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Yeah, i know, that's what i'm saying now, that everybody can enlist in the movement which will see the peaceful end of space and time, the return of humankind to the infinite. Yeah, He wanted to redeem all of mankind. Naturally people didn't believe Him, anymore than preceding generations had believed the prophets. Why not? Not because some didn't at first take Him to be at least a prophet. Actual multitudes, admittedly not the same to day. No, it was because the grip, the power of ordinary mind (finally) convinced them that His plan was madness. No, that's not right either: their hearts were moving with certainty down the broad way that leads to destruction, to hell. Multitudes of people changing their minds, but only for a moment. All ordinary mind had to do was nothing, dead certain that those would-be-pious hearts could keep the rider unawares that he didn't actually change course when, for one brief and shining moment, God's plan for him(and me) and mankind was oh so clear. (Certainly the church's stance, first that He was a madman, then the devil, had its place, but perhaps it's important to realize that even the church's approach was driven by ordinary mind.)
(have assistant pass out handout <smile>):
. . . . . This handout consists of a few Bible verses from a few chapters of Luke with added notes that I've been working on which seem (to me at any rate) to lend some credence to my allegations regarding what I've been saying was the focus of Jesus' ministry following His hearing God at the Jordan. (Where did i write about Him being the only one to hear the Voice, because that's the only place in the New Testament that such manifestations were not met with great fear and trembling?) They aren't all inclusive, indeed probably couldn't be, but do hit a few high points. Take a few minutes and look over them before I continue, please.
(Luke 12:15 KJV) And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Take heed, and beware of the rationalizations, the inclinations of ordinary mind. Lao Tsu said "There is no greater sin than desire."
(Luke 12:21 KJV) So is he (a fool) that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Actually those who are "rich toward God" do not lay up treasures. Note Jesus calling rich people fools, certainly in Luke 14. Well, acquisition is part of the ameriKan lifestyle, but those who seek to be obedient to God must despise the evil inherent in this lifestyle and work to change the status quo. (2012 edit note: well, working to change the status quo is not my strong suit now, and I think i hope it's enough to hate the evil) I'm convinced Jesus taught that to be rich toward God we must take to heart Lao Tsu's instruction that "The way of heaven is to take from those who have too much and give to those who do not have enough." Why? Stephen Gaskins said you simply can't expect people to be interested in enlightenment (read "salvation") if they're hungry. And in June of 2001 it was reported that eight hundred million people go to bed hungry every day, so hungry that twenty-four thousand people die every day of hunger.
(Luke 12:22 KJV) And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
Check this verse out. (also Matthew 6:25-34) Love everybody like we love ourselves huh? To hate evil, as the Bible instructs (Prov 8:13), we must hate our haves and have-nots status quo.
(Luke 12:33 KJV) Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
'Sell what you have' and give it to the poor; as I've been saying, this was His message, His primary vision of the straight and narrow way by which mankind might return from whence it came. To day it's the same thing but He's saying "Get rid of the portfolio and everything but three months savings and let's try to help the food-oppressed." Or something. (see Luke 13:5[ below], 14:12-13[ below], 14:33[ below] and Matthew 19:21[ Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.])
(Luke 12:57 KJV) Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
Even today we "ignore the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith"(see Matthew 23:23[ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.][ and note( People who observe the doctrine of men don't pay attention to the truths of God. [see verse 13 et al and Luke 6:38 and note and Deuteronomy 15:7-8] [also in Luke 11:42] *judgment [also see Luke 12:57])]).
(Luke 12:59 KJV) I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
"As ye sow, so shall ye reap."( see, e.g., Job 4:8 and Luke 12:33[above])
(Luke 13:5 KJV) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Repent: Turn away from ordinary mind and change it all. (see e.g. Luke 12:33 [above])
(Luke 13:9 KJV) And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Seems to be just about time to cut it down. (This in reference to the tree of humankind that is the vision I had in 1978, addressed here.)
(Luke 14:12 KJV) Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
These two verses show forcefully His message to all. (see Luke 12:33 [above]) (also see John 14:27 [ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (remember how the world gives: it expects something back, like a return dinner invitation)] and Psalms 41:1 [ Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.])
(Luke 14:24 KJV) For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Remember how just about everybody was invited to this supper? Many are called, but few are chosen. People who heard His message and rejected it (as were the prophets' messages before Him) despite (or perhaps because of) a deluded belief in their righteousness (through grace or works or whatever) were first on His list to be last.
(Luke 14:25 KJV) And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Not indicating merely the quality of love we need to feel for Him (and God), but also indicating the need of the people He addressed (then and now) to put aside the responsibilities toward "close" neighbors and family imposed by ordinary mind and see the big picture with eyes wide shut say). (see verse 27 note)
(Luke 14:27 KJV) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
To "come after me" simply was to leave it all behind, perhaps most pertinently fears for the morrow (which simply don't occur [not the fear only, but the time as well] in heaven).
(Luke 14:33 KJV) So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
You can't put it much plainer than this; the key is to not do it as an individual but as a group, and obviously the group Jesus wanted to form was humankind. (see Luke 12:33 and note)
(Luke 14:34 KJV) Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
We are the salt of the earth. (see verse 35 note)
(Luke 14:35 KJV) It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (see A Brief Bible Study)
Seems God might cast us out (again), perhaps for good this time. Many are called but few are chosen. *promise. . . . . Okay, you've looked it over and probably naturally judged it. If there are any questions, send me an e-mail. Also I should mention that I have done a companion study, on the world's poor, which is posted here. Now let's go back to extraordinary mind for a bit. Hopefully not to oversimplify, two of the keys of all religions are to love God and not be entangled by worldly desires. (The Hindis, recall, view the entire physical world and all its inhabitants as "maya", simply translated "illusion". One of my personal favorites in this regard is Lao Tsu's admonition that "There is no sin greater than desire." [He was referring of course, to any type of worldly covetousness, not the desire he advocated we cultivate, the desire to love and serve God.]) Here in ameriKa we are so collectively caught up in worldly desires that individually we are happy to hear that "The snare is broken, and we have escaped." ( Psalm 124:7b) Strong delusions, pap for babes.
. . . . . Jesus was the biggest proponent of extraordinary mind the world has seen (duh). This makes Him the biggest adversary of ordinary mind. Examples of this abound, perhaps nowhere more than in the only sermon His disciples saw fit to label as such, the incomparable Sermon on the Mount. This sermon provides better evidence that my suppositions concerning the focus of His efforts are correct, I realize (and hope you do also, dear reader), better than any other collection of scriptures could hope to provide. It also provides a very clear picture, I think, to any perceptive (read "open-minded") reader of the extent to which man's doctrine has replaced His doctrine in our culture and world.
. . . . . Let's look at that big picture a bit more. Not only do preachers and commentaries provide reasons why particular verses do not apply to us ("That letter was written to unbelievers," "Jesus told that man [in Luke 18] to sell everything not because he was rich but because he lusted after money," the list goes on and on, ad nauseum) but they provide reasons why we aren't expected to even try and follow Jesus' doctrine, even though they will profess to believe it to be God's doctrine. Here's an example of man's doctrine: "(The Sermon on the Mount) is connected with the proclamation of the kingdom, and is to be interpreted by it. As the kingdom was rejected and is now in abeyance, so likewise this discourse is in abeyance with all its commands, etc., until 'the gospel of the kingdom' is again proclaimed, to herald its drawing nigh." What a relief! All of Jesus' "commands, etc." in the only recorded sermon by the Son of God may be ignored.
. . . . . That is a snapshot of ordinary minds. ("Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright[ "to be 'right on'" is one definition of "yashar"]; but they[ read "we"] have sought out many inventions.[ Ecclesiastes 7:29]" Indeed.)
. . . . . But I wanted to address extraordinary mind, not the common-sense approach encountered at all turns, then and now. We've seen that most of the extraordinary people in the Bible were of extraordinary spirit rather than mind, and it should be noted that Paul's intellect really was nothing more than ordinary mind of high caliber; this should at least serve to point out how pervasive ordinary, worldly mind is, despite how frequently and emphatically we are admonished to rid ourselves of it in the New Testament. (The Old Testament was much more action-oriented; today we call that doctrine the doctrine of works <duh>. Christians today believe that their salvation is by the grace of God, and that Christians are granted "new creature" status through a blind, subjective faith in Jesus; we neglect to acknowledge that the Greek word for grace translates as "especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life" [emphasis added]. And the deceitfulness of the heart cannot, perhaps, be overemphasized. I also found it interesting that of 170 occurrences of "grace" in the King James, there are zero occurrences in Matthew and Mark, one occurrence in Luke, and three in John; one-hundred fifteen references are elsewhere in the New Testament. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, John wrote, and surely God's grace was manifest in Him, showing God's divine influence on His heart by studying scripture, and also the reflection of the divine influence in His life, especially in the on-again off-again miracles, but also in the way He moved and spoke.)
. . . . . The most salient feature of extraordinary mind must be that it is driven by a selfless love of God and that same selfless love of all of humankind. (Matthew 22:37-40: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." [and don't forget Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.") Let's all read Romans 2:1-16 . . . Okay, notice Paul said that the thoughts of the Gentiles are the 'mean' (we might read "in between") of their heart and their conscience. The heart we know, first of all, is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9), so we have to be careful there. We also know (Matthew 15:19: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:") that our hearts are like going down one road of many after some arguable period of formation, and they can (maybe even must, at some point) become hardened to some degree (unthinkable things become acceptable); we can be sure that many of our thoughts arise out of them. We also know that we are born selfish. To be selfless is to be something extraordinary. Mother Teresa just came to me.
. . . . . We confuse this heart/mind/conscience stuff. We also fail to recognize how connected we are by ordinary mind, probably because of its inherently fragmented nature, united by its selfish service to each particular, unique individual. We are naturally self-serving, not Self-serving. To overcome this is to overcome the world; we are able to infer this not just from certain statements, however important, made by Jesus, but by many many statements made particularly in the New Testament by various writers.
. . . . . While many of our thoughts emanate from our hearts, they all too often are hearts formed ('forged' might be a better word, given how hard they become, especially to matters of religion) by the near ceaseless pounding of ordinary mind. Sometimes we hear the small voice of conscience, but too often we hear platitudes of ordinary mind, and lean on what are in effect empty sayings even of God when we are pained by our thoughts. And remember, for the most part your mind doesn't want you to change.
. . . . . How bad is ordinary mind?, you ask. Quite simply, it is the devil incarnate. Yeah, I actually had a guy ask me if I was the devil, like I'd say yes if I was or like denying it would move him if his mind was made up so to speak. I told him what I've told others: that while I believe every sentient being has the spirit of God dwelling in him/her, I also believe we have the devil in us in the form of ordinary mind.
. . . . . God actually is a spirit, who really doesn't have thoughts like us, but instead an unconditional love that really is never-ending. It's unconditional, but that doesn't mean we've got it made. We have to get back to God (yeah, that's where it started, but it wasn't God who made us, but the ordinary mind of a whole lot of people believing in the world: Remember my old saw from Stephen Gaskins, that "attention is energy" thing? Well, it is. Realize that God not only has no thoughts, He has no words; when prophets and privileged people have heard His words, it is because enough people have believed it to make it so (well, gotta say i know i wrote in my journal about manifestations of Spirit; witnesses help huh?); likewise, when enough people didn't believe in Jesus He did not many might works " because of their unbelief "[ Matthew 13:58; see also Matthew 17:19-20 and Mark 6:5-6]; not that He didn't want to, the unbelief prevented Him from doing them). Yeah, we have to get back to God ourselves, and it's not an easy thing, to transcend time and ego in the "To die but not perish is to be eternally present." conundrum Lao Tsu left us so long ago; that's where the faith comes in, and maybe the best hope for the great majority is to do it together, for everyone to "Be still and know that I am God".
. . . . . Talk about crazy huh? Yeah, well; actually had a guy tell me (with no prompting) that I was a prophet. I told him that's my bad luck huh, cause we know how hated and persecuted prophets have been since the beginning. We also know how people (albeit in the thrall of ordinary mind) have ignored them en masse (at least before they killed them). And don't ask "who seeks to kill you?", because I know there's nobody alive today who'd like to see me dead today <small smile>.
. . . . . My next lesson might be about the ways we can expect Jesus to return: either as a peaceful lamb come back to bring the kingdom of heaven to a world full of faith, or a vengeful lion come back to send a world full of ordinary mind where it belongs. I'm gonna close with the not entirely inappropriate paragraphs with which I closed my first (would-be) Sunday school lesson:
. . . . . I don’t know about you, but when I read the Bible I get the distinct impression that Jesus gave a clear message( Another example of saying a lot with a little: "[Y]e have the poor with you always " is a saying that appears more than once; "whensoever ye will ye may do them good" only shows up once. [I've just got to add something: The only two three-word verses I know of are Paul exhorting us to "Pray without ceasing" in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Jesus admonishing us to "Remember Lot's wife" (and somewhere on this site i mention that the Greek translates "remember woman") in Luke 17:32. Perhaps the writers of these missives did intend to emphasize these verses in a backhanded fashion, but these verses (when considered with many more, like Jesus telling us to "Be ye therefore perfect...") to me seem to bring to light the amazement of the disciples at the harshness of Jesus' doctrine when they wondered in Matthew 19:25, Mark 10:26 and Luke 18:26 "Who then can be saved?"] The inconsistency seems aimed at drawing attention to it; in context, my fear is that our mission, perhaps the key to the mystery, is to do good to all the have-nots, not by paying a tithe to some church and feeling like we’ve done good [see Matthew 23.23], but by being prudent in our giving. I've said elsewhere on this site that Amerikans' lifestyles might not be too much impeded in this effort to Shelter And Feed Everyone. Feeding His sheep appears to not indicate spiritual bread [see paragraph following this (to see how "mad" i am__don't forget i printed some of these sermon commentaries and mailed them to the preacher at First Baptist Church Jackson Mississippi [where the mission statement came from too])]. I know the Lord loves obedience and not sacrifice, but anyone who doubts that Jesus loves obedience and sacrifice should take a quick self-check to see how hard that heart is [later: and a look here to see what "mercy, not sacrifice" is all about (showing mercy to the have-nots, "the least" so dear to the heart of Jesus)]). The message is simple: look out for a righteous judgment.
. . . . . Thank you for your time and attention.
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