[June 18, 2015] After sleeping soundly for 6 hours, I was awakened by a vivid dream wherein my sister and I were engaged in a heated argument with my brother attempting to “referee” by timing us so each of us could have our “say.” Upon awakening, I immediately realized that the dream was from the Spirit, letting me know just how petty and unreal everything we were thinking and saying was. I knew that it was “flesh” viewing flesh and reacting to flesh with flesh. It was life “in this world” veiled from the reality of life in the kingdom of God by our belief in two powers. Because I was saying things that I thought I had actually observed and felt, I knew the dream was not one of those nonsensical ones we so often have. I knew that I was to pay attention and listen to the “interpretation” from the Spirit.
Yesterday I had been listening to some of my contemplations. I believe this dream was my confirmation that what I have written in the past is indeed truth given to me by the Spirit and the encouragement I need to resume writing because God wishes to continue taking the gospel to this world through this vessel.
My first thoughts upon awakening from the dream was of the veil Paul refers to:
2Corinthians 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
I saw that I was to a large extent still living on the wrong side of that veil, that my mind was still “blinded” and that the only way to remove the veil is to continue to turn my heart “to the Lord” and away from the appearance world which seems “real” but which has no reality at all. I can see that my time and energy is consumed with attempting to solve the “problems” and meet the “needs” of the people in my world (particularly my three siblings who are growing “old”) when, in reality, there are no problems or needs—just my consciousness of them. But as I’ve already written (see The Trinity that Is You), when I take my attention away from those problems and needs and place it on God (who is Light), the problems and needs are “dissolved” by the Light—I see them as they truly are, having no reality except that which I give them by focusing my attention on them.
My past religious upbringing has taught me to be a good person by “doing” good things—that is the way to “please” God (as well as the people in my world). But I can see from the dream that I am really pleasing no one—not God, and not my siblings.
April 15, 2017
I started this contemplation nearly two years ago but never finished it. I read it today after finishing the contemplation entitled Freed from the Conscience and felt inspired to finish this one. Let’s look again at the last paragraph:
My past religious upbringing has taught me to be a good person by “doing” good things—that is the way to “please” God (as well as the people in my world). But I can see from the dream that I am really pleasing no one—not God, and not my siblings.
And that is always the case when we are living “under the law” or, as Paul says in the Scripture quoted above, when we are “reading” (or attempting to live by) the old covenant (the law that came by Moses); for the demands of the law are never satisfied. The book of Hebrews is all about why God “found fault” with that covenant and wrote His laws in our hearts. Under that old covenant, the veil was what separated the people from the “Holy of Holies” which housed the “ark of the covenant” which represented God. Only the high priest could go beyond that veil, and then only once a year and with a rope tied to him so that he could be dragged out if he were consumed by God’s presence—since no one could go in to retrieve his body. Remember, the people asked for this separation when God appeared to them on Mt. Sinai. They, like Adam in the Garden, were afraid of God’s presence and wanted Moses to hear from God for them and then tell them what God said.
Exodus 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
And Moses gave them what they asked for:
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Or we could put it another way and say that the sense of separation entertained by man’s carnal mind necessitated the law with all its rules and regulations about how to bridge that perceived gap between God and His offspring.
Scripture tells us that “the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:50) the moment Jesus took his last breath, thereby destroying the carnal mind of man (the “devil”) and delivering mankind from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). Without the carnal mind, there can be no sense of separation and hence no veil.
Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
When the “flesh” (the humanity) of Jesus went to the death, our humanity (“body of sin”; “old man”) died also:
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Without that sense of separation (sin), we are not afraid of God’s presence, not afraid to “enter into the holiest” “through the veil.” That “devil” has been destroyed, and we have been delivered from the “fear of death”:
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Like the prodigal son, we realize that “the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18) is where we came from and where we must return to. So now we “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” because “our hearts are now sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22) (see “Freed from the Conscience”). We are no longer under the law and don’t need a conscience telling us how evil we are and what we must do and not do to be accepted by God. No, the veil of separation has been rent, and we stand in His Presence feeling totally accepted and loved:
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
God has always seen us, his offspring made in His image and likeness, “holy and without blame” not only before the cross, but “before the foundation of the world.” Jesus didn’t die so that God could love and accept us; He died so that we could be free of our sense of separation (symbolized by the veil) and know that we are now, and have always been, loved and accepted by our Father.