I wasn’t in great shape. It was around 2006. My husband had died and I was running his theatre and pub. I was really tired and really sad. Death is the ultimate ‘F you’. Some of my daughter’s friends invited us to a weekend yoga workshop. The facilitator was this really great guy who had been a rock and roller fashion dude until one day he left it all to enter a Burmese monastery. In a very short time, he attained all the levels until just before Nirvana. He was an excellent teacher and a charismatic person of depth and wisdom. He said he had built a retreat on the Eastern side of Bali, a country I love. I knew I needed to go there. And so I did.

The retreat was beautiful and the buildings elegantly simple. I was blessed with a lovely space and a balcony. Very few people were there. Burgs, the Buddhist teacher, his partner in running the retreat-a petite Indonesian lady, his dishy assistant George, a young lad receiving treatment for some sort of serious malady and the hand full of various people running the place were the only ones there.

We were right on the water and the water stretched endlessly to the edge of the earth, populated only by the fishermen in their delicate red boats which danced like water spiders on the surface.

The gardener was also the masseuse and could affect intense maneuvering of the nerves with his finger tips that made me ping a bit but evidently, it is a good thing to have your nerves strummed like a guitar. I had lovely discussions and debates with Burgs and George under the starry sky and there was a gorgeous little pool you could lie in just on the lip of the land.

It felt really good to be taking this break and I think it made the difference for me making it through this intense period of my life, even as responsibilities were piling in London. I tried to trust and gradually I shifted into the beautiful Balinese energy. We were on the non-touristy side of Bali so it was peaceful and empty. I’ve been twice before and always have strong reactions. All electronic equipment stops for starters. Watches, computers, you name it. It’s a beautiful culture where blessings are said for life all through the day and the veil between dimensions is very thin.

Burgs returned to England and the schedule slipped away. I walked on the beach at night and over to the huge statue of Buddha. I found myself overcome with a feeling of all encompassing love for Buddha and I would climb up into his lap and call him Papa, Papa, Papa and tell him I loved him over and over as the dark sea kissed the sand under the moon.

One evening on the balcony of my lovely apartment, my jaw was snapping a little. I have TMJ, that’s temporomandibular joint disorder, from my forceps birth and my jaw would build up tension and then crack. Weird, eh? Then and an odd thing happened. In a really casual way, I asked my I AM Presence (or Oversoul, Higher Self, etc.) to fix my jaw. I included the North Star in this request, simply by staring at it intently, but not really thinking.

Suddenly my bones by their own accord began to adjust themselves.

My jaw slowly moved forward beyond any manipulation I alone could have achieved and with no direction from ‘me’. My tongue pressed on the roof of my mouth with the force of an elephant, spreading my skull. This continued for an hour. The mischievous person that I am, I saw dinner was being served down below and asked if I could go down. I felt the inner guidance give permission to go down but to avoid talking too much.

On the way down I passed the mirror and watched with fascination as the bones in my face continued to shift of their own accord. This was really happening. I went to dinner and for the most part, it stopped. I returned to my room and it began again. This carried on after I returned to London and for several months, though less and less. It often happened when I was in darkness, suddenly triggered when the lights went out on a plane, for example. I still have the snap, though significantly less. My chin is more forward and my face appears a bit wider. But that is not what this story is about.

One day I was doing Qi Gong with George on the deck. The deck was wide and open to the sky and the sea. There was a feeling of floating, blue above, blue below. George had put on some really wonderful music. He had led me through some exercises and we were now moving with the energy inside and out. George was deep in his practice. There was a stillness. Beautiful music, soft Balinese air, endless blue, synchronistic flow. I was in the zone and pretty blissed out. I formed a large energy ball and with two hands pressed it into my heart.

In that moment Christ, Kwan Yin, and Buddha appeared before me. Christ was to the fore, Kwan Yin and Buddha a step behind. I was not seeing with my inner vision but with my 3D eyes. They were right before me, surrounded by the deepest intense shimmering green light. Tears began to stream from my eyes. George, probably thinking I was having some sort of cathartic emotional release, went and sat at the edge of the deck, but I was unaware of him until later when I saw him sitting there swinging his legs.

Christ came forward and bowed his head. He took my hand. I curtsied deeply and took his hand. It was as if I had danced in this almost medieval courtly way 1000 times before. I was completely present in the experience, there was no inner witness or judgment, therefore it was not remarkable or unremarkable as we must have a witness to categorize. I was fully present and immersed, but there was a deeply ecstatic and transcendent edge to it. My heart had swallowed me whole. He took me by the hands and we danced. And then it was over and there were the blue sky and sea, tears still flooding from my eyes and George swinging his legs trying to appear nonchalant.

Later I wrote a song about it. I have been guided to sing the song about this experience so many times, as a bridge into the timeless world, but I am so disobedient to my guidance. As Alice in Wonderland says… ‘I often give myself very good advice but I very seldom follow it… ‘

I found writing the music to the lyrics difficult, my tune was like a folk song but overly simplistic and I gave it to a classical guitarist who wrote a medieval roundelay for it. It would be lovely for a group or choir to sing and includes two other similar experiences I have had but this one is unique in that I saw clearly in the human realm- not just heard or felt or saw with my inner eye.

It has been said one shouldn’t share these experiences, perhaps it dissipates them, perhaps because they are sacred. However, I felt the need to share how close the other worlds are and how accessible if we truly desire it. I told my dear friend Anie this experience and she was overwhelmed that we could dance with Christ. Well, He is called Lord of the Dance! She wants to help me make a music video of the song with the dancer played many different women and Christ many different men, for we are all One with the Christ. Yeshua came to remind us of that. In sharing, I hope to help people tune their radios to a higher bandwidth. The veil between worlds is very thin and just takes a subtle shift for the ‘doors of perception’ to open wide to other worlds, vast and treasure filled.

Love, Stephanie

The Metaphysical Muse

God has a role for men and a role for women that He put within them when He created them and it is by nature that men and women live according to the Bible. No verse of the Bible will cancel out another verse or else God Himself would be contradictory in His writings making Him out to be a liar. We know that God is not a liar or else our salvation would be in jeopardy. Because of this knowledge what are the similarities and differences between man and woman?

Look at this Bible reference: Gal. 3: 8 "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying," In you all the nations shall be blessed "

Gal. 3: 9 "So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham."

Gal. 3:26 "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

Gal. 3:27 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

Gal. 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Gal. 3:29 "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Many people and Christians believe that men and women have the same authority and can both teach Bible doctrine in the church because we are all one in Christ. This Bible passage in the book of Galatians is teaching on salvation, blessings and our inheritance in Christ. The above scripture has nothing to do with our authority in Christ or our gender calling to teach in the body of Christ.

Galatians 3: 8 & 9 is talking about the blessings of Abraham being upon all of those who are in Christ through faith in His blood. Galatians 3:26 & 27 is speaking about our eternal salvation and the position we have as perfect beings before God by the work of the cross of Christ. Galatians 3:28 is explaining God's viewpoint on how He sees His family being all one regardless of being male or female or being Jew or Greek. God is saying that there is no difference between male and female when it comes to salvation, blessings and inheritance.

God does see a difference between man and woman when it comes to teaching Hid Word and having authority. See First Timothy 2:12 (And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence) and you will see that God definitely notices a difference with men and women when it comes to authority. Galatians 3:29 speaks of all believers in Christ as having the same inheritance regardless of sex or background because all of that changes when you accept Christ as your Savior.

Do not confuse your position in Christ given you by God when you have faith in Christ and become apart of the family of God enjoying the blessings of Abraham and your eternal inheritance as a reward for your faith with the natural role you have. Your role as men and women have been placed inside of you when you were created, therefore it is very natural to live out of this truth when you learn who you are as a person. The Bible tells you, who you are, study it and learn by God all about yourself.

There are many who claim to teach the Word of God. When we take many of these teachings and compare them to the scripture we find that the references that are quoted are indeed in the Bible. Oddly, what they are teaching is not. The problem is found when we find they are taken out of the context of the rest of God's Word. The references are twisted and manipulated to support a non-biblical idea or ideal. This is not only dangerous for the one hearing their message but the one delivering it as well! Anyone whose teaching does not direct you to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, God the Father, or Holy Spirit; is not teaching anything worth learning!

I say again, anything apart from pointing to God our Savior and Jesus Christ our Hope is not worth the time it takes to walk into the room or turn on the audio!

When the truth of God's Word is spoken, there is no need of convincing people of its accuracy or validity. Either it falls on good soil or it does not. Don't waste your time on foolish arguments or discussion over things that cause division within the church. People who try and draw you into these arguments are simply doing the work of the enemy, often from within the perceived church. Be careful of this and keep yourself far from them.

When you open your Bible and begin to study the Word of God, do not try and understand it. I know this seems to be contrary to the point of study but it is not. If you try and understand God's Word you will inevitably fail without God revealing his intention. Instead of seeking to understand, ask God to reveal His wisdom through Holy Spirit. God will give wisdom liberally to those who ask him.

Remember that the battle we are in is not that of flesh and blood but that of the spiritual. It is within our minds that the war rages on and it is up to each one of us to be filled with the Word of God and then the wisdom to use it in battle. We are not to be a complacent people, but a people prepared and battling evil.

I write today, yes sternly, but with much love in my heart for you. We are at war with the enemies of God! Above all things put on your armor and stand firm in the truth of God's Word. It is the very foundation of our hope and victory!

Are you inspired by the great qualities such as love, compassion, peace and forgiveness that were embodied by Jesus and other great spiritual masters? Would you like to bring more of these into your own life, and be part of the general evolution of human consciousness that is taking place right now?

Many people are doing this, and you can too. Let’s take a look at Christ Consciousness and how each of us can develop it within ourselves.

What Is Christ Consciousness?

First of all, Christ Consciousness isn’t only for Christians, although Jesus was an excellent example of a person who fully embodied it (as was Buddha and other great spiritual leaders).

The term is used to refer to those qualities associated with what many see as the divine mind – that higher state of consciousness that includes attributes such as peace, truth, kindness, love and a general feeling of benevolence towards others.

Many people believe that as a species, humanity is evolving towards a higher state of consciousness where these qualities will become the norm.

The Challenges Of Developing Christ Consciousness

You can practice developing this higher state in your daily life, by being aware of your reactions and thoughts, and seeking to replace them if necessary.

For example, you can deliberately choose not to judge another who behaves in a way you dislike. You can also forgive yourself and others for perceived faults, and try to keep a general sense of positivity and love towards life and other people.

This of course can be easier said than done, considering all the challenges that we’re exposed to on a daily basis. And nobody is going to be 100% positive and loving all the time, so don’t beat yourself up because you’re not. But all the same, it’s good to be aware of your ‘default’ reactions, and to seek to treat yourself and others in a more loving way. This worthy goal is made easier with the help of brainwave entrainment.

What Is Brainwave Entrainment And How Does It Help?

Brainwave entrainment is the process of exposing the brain to a stimulus such as pulses of sound of a certain frequency. The brain has a natural tendency to match (or ‘entrain’ to) frequencies that are similar to its natural range. For example, if you listen to a recording featuring frequencies in the alpha range (8 – 12 Hz), your brain will begin to produce brain waves that predominantly fall into this range.

There are three types of sound-based brainwave entrainment recordings: binaural beats, monaural beats and isochronic tones. They work a bit differently, but all have a similar effect (although some people prefer isochronics, since they seem to work more efficiently).

So, how does this help with developing Christ Consciousness?

Well, this state of being has been found to involve the production of brainwaves in the high beta range (beta brainwaves fall in the 13 – 25 Hz range). So by listening to a brainwave entrainment recording that is designed to trigger these frequencies in the brain, it becomes easier to access the exalted feelings you’re seeking.

And with practice, you’ll be able to access a state of Christ Consciousness more easily even without the recording!

SECTION 1-FROM ATHEISM TO CHRISTIANITY

1) Did Man’s Imagination Create God, or Did God actually Communicate to Man that He exists through our Imagination?

2) If so, most so-called Religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Confusianism Taoism, and even Agnosticism are really Philosophies, because they still feel that God is unknowable even though He might have communicated with us. So they had to develop their own Way of Life, which could include their Interpretation of what a God might be like if He existed without really knowing Him..

3) In some Primitive Religions today, there is even the Belief in Many Gods, each God representing some control over some aspect of Human Life.

4) There are only 3 Major Religions in the World who came up with the conclusion that there is really only One God. They are 1) Christianity, 2) Judaism, and 3) Mohammedism.

5) Each of These Major Religions have their Own Book Expressing Their Beliefs.( Christianity, The Bible; Judaism, the Old Testament of the Bible; and Mohammedism, The Koran. ). OVER

6) But the Koran was written by one Messenger of God, whereas the Bible (Both the Old and New Testaments) were written by Many Messengers of God. So which Book would you tend to Believe?

7) Christianity, I believe, is the only one that effectively deals with Evil. Judaism has the Scriptural Structure for it in Genesis, but it tends to ignore it by believing that at the end of time a Messiah will come and Save Everyone, and we will live Peacefully on our Present Earth according to a Jewish Internet website I read.

8) Christianity believes that Evil is really caused by Original Sin (Genesis 3). And the answer is in Believing in Jesus Christ, His Life, His Death and His Resurrection for the Forgiveness of, and Penalty for our Sins. Proof of all this can be found in the Four Gospels in the Bible about Jesus Christ written by Four Different Messengers of God, and also in my Booklets “Who is Jesus Christ” and “The Logic of Christianity” published by Amazon, which also could be bought from me individually for 200 Pesos.

9) Another interesting point is that even two of His Step Brothers ( Their Letters can be found in the Bible, James and Jude) accepted Jesus as the Son of God, and even God Himself.

SECTION 2 – A TIME FOR A CHANGE?

1) God Chooses you. You don’t choose Him. John 6:35, 37-40, 44, 65b-65.

2) Remember Your Roots. Genesis 3.

3) This is War, Romans 7:15-25.

4) Power (Jesus Christ) is in your Corner. Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-21.

5) Learning to Walk with God. 1 Peter 2:1-5, Hebrews 5:13-6:2, 2 Peter 3:18.

6) Seeing God as Father. John 1:12-13. Mathew 7:9-11, Romans 8:14,16-17, James 1:17-18.

7) What would Jesus Do? Phillipians 2:5-11, Ephesians 5:1-2,8, Romans 12-2.

8) Living with the Holy Spirit (Receiving Inside Information). John 16:13-14, 1 Corinthians 2:10b-15.

9) We Will Receive Spiritual Gifts. Ephesians 4:7,11-13,16, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:11

10) The High Price of Commintment. Luke 14:27-34, 9:23-24.

SECTION 3 – STRENGTHENING YOUR FAITH.

1) Spending “Set-Aside Time” with God each Day. Psalm 5:1-9, 11-12.

2) Reading the Bible. Psalm 19:7-10, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12.

3) Memorizing Scripture. Psalm 119:9-11, 13-16, 54-55, 92-94, 140, 143.

4) Prayer. Luke 18:1-8, Mathew 7:7-11

5) Keep a Journal. Psalm 77:2-13.

6) Praise and Worship God Often. Psalm 103:1-5, 8-12, 17-18, 22.

7) Meditation and Quietude. Psalm 37:4-7, 34-40.

8) Confession and Repentance. Proverbs 28:13-14, 1 John 1:6-9.

9) You need to Belong to a Church Fellowship. 1 Corinthians 12:12, 15-20, 24b-26.

10) Accountability. 2 Samual 12:1-13, Psalm 16:7-8.

SECTION 4 – HOW TO DEFEAT THE DEVIL.

1) Watch out for the Subtle Sins. Ephesians 5:3-7, 15-20.

2) Break your Bad Habits. Romans 6:6-14, 18.

3) Don’t give in to Temptation. James 1:2-4, 12-16, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.

4) Overcoming Past Guilt. Romans 8:1-4, 15, 31-34.

5) Ignore Other People’s Perception of You. 1 Peter 3:13-16, 4:14-17, 19.

6) Control your Tongue. James 3:3-12

7) Don’t Compare Yourself with Others. 2 Corinthians 10:12-18, Galatians 6:4-5.

8) Faith in Christ, not Performance, Saves You. Galatians 3:2-5, 10-14

9) Avoid Exposure to Sinful Media. Psalm 101:2-8, Philippians 4:8

10) It’s All Right to have Doubts. John 20:24-29. 1 John 3:19-20, 24

SECTION 5 – A CHRISTIAN’S WAY OF THINKING.

1) Doing God’s Will. -Mathew 6:25-33.

2) Depending upon God’s ( the Holy Spirit’s) Guidance in Decision Making. Isaiah 30:15-21, John 14:15-17, 26

3) Look at the Christian Worldview. Acts 4:8-13, 16, 18-20.

4) Look at the Long-Term Perspective. Hebrews 10:32-39, Galatians 2:20.

5) Be Satisfied with Steady Progress. Philippians 3:12-21.

6) The Inadequacy of Your Willpower. 1 Corinthians 1:18-20, 25-30.

7) Our Dependence on God’s Grace. Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-8, 15b

8) There can be Greatness in the Little Things you do, Mathew 25:14-30, Luke 16:10.

9) Become Others-Oriented. Mark 10:35-45.

10) Devote Yourself to Christian Ministry. 2 Peter 1:3-11.

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SECTION 6 – SURE SIGNS OF GROWTH.

1) At Peace within Yourself. – Romans 5:1-2, Philippians 4:4-7, Psalm 4:6-8, Isaiah 26:3-4.

2) Being Content with What You Have. Philippians 4:12-13. 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

3) If you Find Yourself being More Humble. Micah 6:6-8, Proverbs 3:27-28, 1 Peter 3:8, 5:5-6.

4) Improving your Patience. James 5:7-11, Psalm 25:1, 3-6.

5) Having Overwelming Joy. Psalm 30:1-12.

6) Living a Simpler Life. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. Ephesians 4:25-32.

7) Having More Self-Control. 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.

8) An Increase in Your Faith. Luke 7:1-10.

9) Showing More Gratitude. Luke 17:11-19, Colossians 3:15-17.

10) Loving More. 1 John 4:7-11, 17-21.

SECTION 7 — NICE THINGS TO KNOW

1) Choose Faith over Feelings. 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5.

2) God is Bigger than Life, which means that God is Holy. Psalm 92:1-12.

3) Remember God’s Plan for Our Redemption. 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:2.

4) God is with Us. Isaiah 9:1-7.

5) God Gives you a Clean Slate. Ephesians 2:1-10.

6) Baptism Unites us with Christ. 1 Peter 3:18-21, Galatians 3:26-28, Colossians 2:11-12.

7) Jesus is Now our High Priest. Hebrews 7:23-27, 10:19-23.

8) We are now Part of the People of God. 1 Peter 1:18-23, 2:9-10.

9) You are Totally Devoted to Christ. John 17:6-9, 11, 13-16.

10) And Living More and More like Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

SECTION 8 – STEPPING OUT IN FAITH

1) Becoming a Disciple of Christ. John 8:31-32, 15:4-11.

2) Biblical Morality is the Absolute Truth. 2 Timothy 3:16.

3) Developing Spiritual Passion by Sharing Everything with Other Christians. Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-35.

4) Be Alert, During Dry Spells. Hebrews 12:1-3, 14-17, 28.

5) Be Yourself. 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6

6) Protect your Boundaries. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Romans 8:8, 10-13.

7) The Starting Point is your Family. Ephesians 5:22-30, 6:1-4.

8) This will Always be your Full-Time Job. Colossians 1:3-6, 9-12.

9) Build Relationships. Romans 12:9-21.

10) Control your Thought Life. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Romans 8:5-6, Galatians 5:16, 1 Peter 1:13-16.

SECTION 9 – A SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE.

1) Pray for Others First. 1 Timothy 2:1-6, Romans 8:26-28, James 5:6.

2) Fasting from Things you Enjoy Doing, To Concentrate on God More. Mathew 6:16-18, Isaiah 58:6-9a.

3) Put on the Full Armor of God. Ephesians 6:10-18.

4) Believe in the Miracles of Jesus and in Jesus’s name, you can do them too. Mathew 11:1-5, John 14:10-14.

5) Be willing to Witness Anywhere. Mathew 28:18-20, 1 Peter 3:15b-16, Colosians 4:2-6.

6) Learn to Forgive. Mathew 5: 23-24, 18:23-33.

7) Take Communion Seriously. 1 Corinthians 11:23-32.

8) Be Holy Spirit Filled. Galatians 5:17-25, John 7:37b-39.

9) Accept God’s Discipline. Hebrews 12:5-12.

10) Practice Helping Others. Matthew 6:19-21,24, 1 Timothy 6:17-19.

SECTION 10 – FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

1) Make Decisions Wisely. 1 Kings 3:5-12.

2) Choose Priorities Wisely. 2 Timothy 2:15, 20-21, Proverbs 4:20-27.

3) Accept Unity within Diversity. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 18, 21-26.

4) Be Patient with the Unsaved. Romans 2:1-4, 11 Mathew 7:1-2, 2 Peter 3:8-9.

5) Disciple Our Children. Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Psalm 71:18, 78:4-7.

6) Be Generous. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 10-13.

7) We will have Victory over Death. 1Corinthians 15:42b-44a, 51-58.

8) We will Go to Heaven. Revelations 21:1-7.

9) Christ will Return. 1 Thesalonians 4:13-5:2, 4, 6

10) We will Live in Glory with God. Colossians 3:1-4. 1 Peter 1:3b-9.

In his book, Who Is Jesus Christ For Us Today, James Cone Ph.D., answers this question taking into consideration the dynamic interplay between social context, Scripture, and tradition from a Black perspective.

By the “social context,” Cone refers to the encounter of Jesus Christ in our ordinary everyday existence. It is the experience of Christ in the social world of injustice and oppression: a world of top-dog and underdog. It is the experience of Jesus in the midst of life’s absurdities that motivates one toward exploration of the Christological question, “Who is Jesus Christ for us today?

Cone cautions against assuming however, that the meaning of Christ is derived from or dependent upon our social context. He insists that the Scriptures must also be incorporated into our total understanding of the truth of Jesus Christ. He feels that this is vital because it provides us with reliable data about the Jesus Christ we encounter in our social existence.

Tradition, Cone declares, is “the bridge that connects Scripture with our contemporary situation.” He sees the Black religious tradition as representative of the Black Church’s affirmation of their humanity as well as affirmation of their faith at various junctions in history. This, he believes, provides the Black Church of today with a deeper understanding of the truth of Jesus Christ.

According to Cone then, social context, Scripture and tradition form the theological presuppositions upon which an investigation into the meaning of Christ should begin.

Who is Jesus Christ for us today? Cone poignantly points out that “Jesus is who He was.” The historical Jesus was the truly human Jesus who was also a Jew. His humanness and His identity as a Jew are both relevant and important for the affirmation of faith. Cone stresses that Jesus was not so much a “universal” man, but He was a “particular” man; a particular Jew who came to fulfill God’s will to liberate the oppressed. Blacks could relate to the historical human Jesus because He stood as a symbol of human suffering and rejection. Jesus too, was unaccepted and rejected of men; Jesus too, was beaten and condemned, mistreated and misunderstood; Jesus too, suffered from an unjust social system where the “little ones” were oppressed. Blacks identified with the historical Christ because they believed He shared in their misery and struggles. Without the humanness of historical Jesus, Cone contends that “we have no basis to contend that His coming bestows upon us the courage and the wisdom to struggle against injustice and oppression.”

Secondly, Cone suggests that “Jesus is who He is.” What he seems to be saying is that who Jesus is today is intrinsically related to who He was yesterday. His past existence affirms His present reality that is experienced with the common life. Thus, Blacks believed, not only because of the validity and authenticity of the historical Christ, but also because of their actual experience of the Christ in their everyday social existence. Christ in the present helped and strengthened them in their struggle for liberation in an oppressive society. The experience of Christ in the present enabled them to keep on fighting for justice even when odds were stacked against them. Their view of a just social order was inseparable from their faith in God’s liberating presence in Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, the meaning of Christ is taken further when Cone suggests that “Jesus is who He will be.” He is “not only the Crucified and Risen Lord, but also the Lord of the future who is coming again to fully consummate the liberation already happening in our present.” Black hope, which emerged from an encounter with Christ in the fight for freedom, is the hope that Jesus will come again and establish divine justice. The eschatological hope found in Black faith was not an opiate, but was born out of struggle in their present reality.

Finally, Cone asserts that “Jesus is Black.” He is not referring to a color but a state or experience of oneness. He draws an analogy between Christ’s historical Jewishness and present Blackness. Cone seems to be at least intimating that as the Jews were the elect chosen for divine liberation in history, so are Blacks chosen for liberation through Jesus in the present to be fully realized in the future.

Jesus’ blackness to Cone is both literal and symbolic. In the literal sense, Christ becomes one with the oppressed Blacks. He takes on their suffering and pain. Symbolically, He represents the Black experience.

This book is enlightening and educative in that it sheds a bright light on the subjectivity of Black Theology.

Every good Christian is familiar with the story of Jesus Christ’s Passion. If you are not a Christian, but have seen the movie, The Passion of the Christ, it’s difficult to forget the gruesome parts – His brutal chastisement, the arduous way to the cross, and the horrifying crucifixion. Most forms of media from early medieval paintings to modern movies show a fatigued, hunched over Jesus carrying the wooden cross to Golgatha (the place of the skull) where He was crucified. Yet, many scholars believe Christ only carried the crossbeam on which his wrists were nailed. Many others are traditionalists who agree that art confirms the “whole” cross view. Incredibly, the Bible never states that Jesus carried His own cross, except in the Book of John: Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha) (John 19:17, NIV). All of the other Gospels include Simon of Cyrene as the reluctant man who helps Jesus on the way to Golgatha. However, I believe Christ bore the partial or full weight of the cross.

In my opinion, the Shroud of Turin is the famous, large cloth is the true linen in which the temporarily dead body of Christ lay for three days. It bears the imprint of the body of Jesus. By careful analysis of the biological and forensic evidence, we can learn about how Jesus suffered.

Jesus was in such weakened condition from the scourging he could barely carry the crossbeam itself. On the backside of the Shroud two large straight diagonal abrasions are marked from the right shoulder blade down to the left. Jesus arms and hands were tied to the crossbeam. It would have to have been heavy for a person who had not been severely beaten, like Simon of Cyrene, to carry Jesus’ crossbeam. According to Dr. Pierre Barbet, early groundbreaking author of A Doctor at Calvary: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ As Described by a Surgeon, the crossbeam called the pitabulum would have weighed about 125 pounds and the large vertical pole-the stipes would have weighed 250 pounds. (Location 861, Kindle)

To make matters worse, Jesus’ arms and hands were tied to the crossbeam. So, he could not have walked a half mile to Golgatha without falling due to navigating the uneven, rough terrain with bare feet. The Shroud reveals evidence that Christ’s nose appears to be broken and his right cheek swollen – injuries consistent with one or several falls while bearing the crossbeam as long as he did. Under microscopic analysis, the Shroud shows dirt and lime particles on His face.

When Jesus and Simon arrived at the crucifixion site, the pitabulum and Jesus were set down on the ground. Then, Roman soldiers drove nails through his wrists. Afterwards, they hoisted the pitabulum and Jesus up on a wedge situated in the middle of the stipes (pole) which had already been set into the ground. Then a nail was driven through his feet. This type of cross is known as a “tau”cross in the shape of a “T”.

On the other hand, many of today’s Shroud scholars believe that Christ carried the entire cross. According to Andrè Marion & Gerard Lucotte, French authors of the 2006 groundbreaking book, The Shroud of Turin and the Argenteuil Tunic, Jesus bore the whole cross. Using computer modeling, which analyzed the back of the Shroud, they discovered that there were more than two abrasion marks on the Shroud; there were nine blood marks which correspond to the tunic Jesus was wearing (John 19:23-24). Marks on the tunic indicate a cross pattern, created by the pressure of the whole cross- the pitabulum and the stipes – on his back, despite the tunic which buffered the bruises.

What about the two diagonal bruise marks across his back? The new computerized data clearly shows more bruises that form a perpendicular cross pattern from his bruised shoulders to where the stipes met the pitabulum between and under both shoulder blades. Marion’s analysis of the Shroud and the Tunic of Argenteuil suggest that the upper part of the vertical beam was carried on the left shoulder, while the horizontal beam’s full weight fell on the right shoulder. This might have dislocated His shoulder.

But Jesus could not have carried a cross weighing 350 pounds. However, for Jesus to have carried the entire cross-the stipes (vertical pole) and the pitabulum (cross beam) -would have weighed much less. According to legend, in 326 AD, Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine of Rome made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to find the location of Christ’s cross. Witnesses remarked that not only did she find Jesus cross in an area below Golgatha, but the crosses of the criminals. She couldn’t determine which cross belonging to Jesus, so a terminally ill woman touched each cross until she laid her hand on the one which miraculously made her sickness vanish.

Helena took the relics related to the crucifixion back to Rome. In the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, the pitabulum of the good thief is displayed. It measures 180 cm long x 13 cm width x 13 cm high. Its weight is 20 kg or 45 pounds. It’s estimated that the stipes measured 250 cm long x 11.5 cm width x 11.5 cm high. Its weight is 25 kg or 55 pounds. So, the total weight of Jesus’ cross would be about 90 pounds. (From an anonymous article, Why Jesus Carried the Whole Cross and Not Only the Patibulum.) Interestingly enough, this evidence supports the fact that the bruise marks were the same size-between 11 to 13 cm long.

Jesus would have had severe trouble walking, restricted to a 45-pound patibulum mounted on just his shoulders with his hands and arms tied to it. By bearing the entire 90-pound cross, He would have had his hands free, while dragging some of its weight behind him. So, if Jesus bore a much lighter complete cross, it would have been the traditional “Latin” cross- a “t”.

It has also been speculated that Jesus had to carry the entire cross, because the filthy, used stipes, covered in blood and feces were pulled out of their holes in the ground and stored. This was probably done because in and around a holy site like Jerusalem, the religious law forbid anyone touching anything unclean. So, Jesus and the two thieves crucified with him had to carry both stipes and pitabulum. In more secular places around the Roman Empire, the filthy stipes stood in the ground waiting for its next victim. So, the tau cross was traditionally used and not the Latin cross, unique to Jesus.

Early experts who analyzed the Shroud of Turin believed that the condemned Messiah only carried the pitabulum because only two abrasion marks from his right upper back and the lower left back were visible. Today, using the latest computer technology, more evidence has surfaced that Jesus bore the entire cross by reexamining the Shroud of Turin, the tunic of Argenteuil and the good thief’s cross. The tunic Jesus wore to the crucifixion overlapped the marks on the Shroud. The measurements of the good thief’s crossbeam indicate that it weighed much less than previously thought, as probably did the stipes. With this evidence, it is more likely Jesus carried the whole cross, with the help of Simon de Cyrene, to the crucifixion site, validating the traditional artistic view of Jesus bearing the entire cross.

John 3:18-19

“He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation-he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.]

19 The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. [Isa. 5:20.]”

Dear people of God, in today’s lead Holy Bible text, the Lord Jesus Christ says anyone who does not believe in Him as the Son of God has already received God’s Divine Judgement and sentence.

For those who don’t understand the implication of this statement, God’s Divine Judgement and sentence for anyone who rejects Jesus Christ as Messiah, the Son of God and Saviour of the world is eternal separation from God and eternal damnation in HELL FIRE.

Now, someone may ask, what is the fate of those who have never heard the Gospel? The Word of God answers this in Romans 2:14-16, “When Gentiles (unbelievers or Non-Christians) who have not the [divine] Law do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, since they do not have the Law.

15 They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their [moral] decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse [them].

16 On that day when, as my Gospel proclaims, God by Jesus Christ will judge men in regard to the things which they conceal (their hidden thoughts). [Eccl. 12:14.]

Dear friend, as you can see here, this is for people who have never heard about the Lord Jesus Christ until they died, including those who lived before the Lord Jesus Christ came as a human being into this world to save mankind.

This is quite different from the first case, that is, the individual who has heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ but for reasons of enjoying sin, pride, fear of rejection, fear of ostracization and fear of torment by family members, relatives and friends deliberately refuses and then rejects Jesus Christ.

Another person may ask, what about those who profess Christ and are living a double life of deliberate sinfulness in disobedience to God’s commands? There is yet another group of people who claim that once someone has accepted Jesus as Messiah, you can begin to sin as you like because salvation is eternal.

For these two aforementioned groups, there are two Scriptures we must examine, first in Philippians 2:12b, “work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).”

What this Scripture is telling us is that Christ died to save all mankind, the objective redemption of God (Christ) for all but we must EACH work out our own salvation with fear and trembling by avoiding whatever is offensive to God, which is the subjective redemption.

The second Scripture is found in 2 Peter 2:20-22, “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through [the full, personal] knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition is worse [for them] than the first.

21 For never to have obtained a [full, personal] knowledge of the way of righteousness would have been better for them than, having obtained [such knowledge], to turn back from the holy commandment which was [verbally] delivered to them.

22 There has befallen them the thing spoken of in the true proverb, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and, The sow is washed only to wallow again in the mire.” [Prov. 26:11.]

Dear friend, I can tell you that today many professed Christians who are living a double life of sin are dying prematurely daily and going to eternal damnation in HELL.

Their premature death is caused by satan, the same satan that encourages them to live a double life of sin here on earth. What then is there to gain in all these? Absolutely nothing!!!

Someone may now ask, but is it really possible for any one in Christ Jesus not to commit sin? Of course the answer is no because satan will always do everything possible to make sure a Christian stumbles.

However, let us see what the Word of God says in John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever COMMITS and PRACTISES sin is the slave of sin.”

Again, let us see God’s Word in 1 John 3:8-9, “[But] he who commits sin [who PRACTISES evildoing] is of the devil [takes his character from the evil one], for the devil has sinned (violated the divine law) from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].

9 No one born (begotten) of God [DELIBERATELY, KNOWINGLY, and HABITUALLY] PRACTISES sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot PRACTISE sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.

These two Scriptures make it clear that the person who practises sin is of the devil and God’s nature is not in him. To practise sin means to pre-meditate on the evil intention and then carry it out knowing fully well that it is sin.

In fact, for a genuine Christian, the Spirit of God will warn you even before you carry out the evil and also indict you after the sinful act, so there is no excuse whatsoever to commit sin.

This is why a genuine Christian MUST daily ask God in prayer for forgiveness so that the devil does not have any legal right to accuse you and prevent your access to your God-given rights in Christ as His child.

Dear friend, in summary, it is clear as the Scriptures has made us understand today that anyone who does not have the Lord Jesus Christ as His Messiah will not enter heaven. Let us recap:

1. If someone has never heard of Jesus Christ but commits sin, his conscience which God has given to all humans would judge and condemn him and if he refuses to make amends/restitution, he cannot enter heaven.

2. Anyone who has heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ concerning Repentance, Salvation and obedience to all God’s commandments in the Holy Bible and yet for reasons best known to him rejects the Gospel, that person will not enter heaven.

3. A person who professes the Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah but deliberately and knowingly makes a habit of sin is of the devil and will not enter heaven.

4. A person who strives to live a holy life in Christ Jesus must daily ask God for forgiveness for those sins he committed unintentionally and ensure to study the Holy Bible daily in prayer to know what God expects of us in our relationship with Him and our fellow humans and ensure to obey God’s commandments.

I must warn here, however, that if you hide under the canopy of unintentional sin and deliberately commit sin, you are only deceiving yourself because you are taking God’s grace for granted and exposing yourself to satan, the father of lies and deceit who can kill you prematurely before your God ordained time on earth and send you to an eternal damnation in HELL FIRE.

Dear friend, time is running out. God is waiting for sinners to repent and return to Him sincerely. If you claim to love God, this is not a difficult decision. You must repent and return now to God through Christ Jesus before it is too late.

May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.

In this article I’m responding to an article which speaks eloquently about a struggle Christians in increasing number are resonating with. Yet, it has been and is (emphasise, present tense) a very real struggle for so many of us.

Still, none of us are beyond learning. And God is granting us a fresh grace in this age to wrestle with others who themselves are wrestling.

Not many of us are gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender or intersex or another affiliation of sexual expression. Not many of us that I know, but the statistics tell me that my reality isn’t a true representation.

There are, therefore, many out there who are living a closeted experience, and, in present context, I’m not talking about those with secret addictions – the functional addicts in all strata of society. There are so many within the myriad forms of addiction that steal peace, kill joy and destroy hope.

And I have to say this… it isn’t just the addict who struggles. Just about every person has struggles. And when I discuss ‘struggle’ I mean a significant daily struggle – with nothing easy about it.

But an article by a gay man desperate for the church to stand up to help people like him, who – like us all – needs to find his way to God and inclusion within the people of God.

Would any of us get in God’s way?

This young man might refer us to these words of Jesus out of the gospel of Luke, chapter 5:

30The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; 32I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Verse 32, that’s all of us, anyone clothed in skin. Let’s not call out the LGBTI+ crowd as particularly sinful, and thereby call ourselves out as being Pharisaical. That’s what Pharisees did: highlighted everybody else’s sin, ignoring their own. Our task as Christians is to live real before God: our personal struggle (and each of us has one) is a cosmic challenge that only God can overcome. How helpless are we? Jesus calls the sinner to repentance – a personal activity, for each one of us, facilitated by an almighty and gracious God.

Verse 31, Jesus grants the Pharisees and scribes their truth (for it is not God’s truth) – ‘believe as you wish’ Jesus might say – for the sick are those who know they’re sick – Jesus cannot help the person ‘well’ in their blind stubbornness; the self-righteousness that threatens to reign in us all. And this is no comment on the vagaries of sickness – just that all are sick. All! It’s why all ought to be included.

Blessed is the one who knows they’re sick, who know they need the Physician, who seek the hospital.

And our job – mine in my case – is to simply be a guide for a person who hasn’t met God and who is seeking to meet God. They don’t need my unqualified opinions on the way there. We can give them resources as we listen, but just as we stand before God, we will all be held to account. Our responsibility is to not inhibit anyone’s passage to the Christ.

Therefore, we listen. We feel into their anguish – a reality, up to now and into the foreseeable future, of being estranged to God-felt compassion from the vast copse of humanity.

Ours is the challenge to stand up, as the young man says. It will cause us conflict, for that there is no doubt. But our lives are no longer about us; they are about the Lord’s business.

And the Lord would never condemn them like our fears and preconceptions might.

I want to say, as the article cited suggests, “If you are LGBTQI+ and need somebody to speak to, I just want to offer you a listening ear.”

Jesus’ message was entirely about the Father and not about himself. He did not make an explicit and overt claim to deity. He did not say in so many words “I am God.” What we do find are His claims to his deity. For example, Jesus said that he would send “his angels” (Matthew 13:41); elsewhere they are spoken of as “the angels of God” (Luke 12:8-9; 15:10).

There are many prerogatives which Jesus claims regarding His deity. Here’s what you need to know.

First, His claim to forgive sins. When the paralytic was lowered through the roof by His friends, Jesus did not respond with a comment about the man’s physical condition or his need of healing. Rather, his initial comment was “My son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5).

Second, Jesus speaks also of judging the world (Matthew 25:31-46). He will sit on His glorious throne and divide the sheep from the goats. The power of judging the spiritual condition and assigning the eternal destiny of all people belongs to Him. Certainly this is a power which only God can exercise.

Third, the authority which Jesus claimed and exercised is also clearly seen with respect to the Sabbath. The sacredness of the Sabbath had been established by God (Exodus 20:8-11). Only God could abrogate or modify this regulation. Yet consider what happened when Jesus’ disciples picked heads of grain on the Sabbath and the Pharisees objected that the Sabbath regulations were being violated. Jesus responded by pointing out that David had violated one of the laws by eating of the bread reserved for the priests. Then, turning directly to the situation at hand, Jesus asserted: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). He was clearly claiming the right to redefine the status of the Sabbath, a right which belongs only to someone virtually equal to God.

Fourth, Jesus is also claiming an unusual relationship with the Father. Jesus claims to be one with the Father (John 10:30); and that to see and know him is to see and know the Father (John 14:7-9). There is a claim to pre-existence in his statement in John 8:58, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Another allusion to pre-existence is found in John 3:13, where Jesus asserts, “No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.” There is also a claim to simultaneous and co-terminus working with the Father: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23).

Fifth, the clearest indication of Jesus’ self understanding is found in connection with his trial and condemnation. The charge according to John’s account was that “he has made himself the Son of God” (John 19:7). Matthew reports the high priest to have said at the trial, “I adjure you by the living God; tell us, if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63). Jesus replied, “You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64).

Sixth, Jesus also accepted the attribution of deity to him by his disciples. The clearest case of this is his response to Thomas’ statement, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Here was an excellent opportunity to correct a misconception (if that is what it was), but Jesus did not do so. Seventh, Jesus made his most emphatic statement in his words to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Believing in the deity of Christ is an important requirement for our salvation. Denying Christ is denying his death and resurrection and thereby denying the assurance of our salvation. We have to believe in what Jesus says: “I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME” (John 14:6).