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LIVING IN HEAVEN NOW
Do you ever dream of a quiet, serene place you can go to escape the chaos of the world, the empty lust of the eyes and the lies of illusions? Well, there is a place like that right where you are. You do not have to go on a vacation and spend a lot of money to get there. In fact, our dreams of river cruises, sandy beaches, and cabins in the woods, are the cries of our hearts for this reality. We all carry this place around with us, inside our spirit. It is not “out there,” “up there,” or “over there,” but in us. We carry this refuge with us wherever we are. It is not a mirage. In fact, it is more real than what you see with your eyes. It is another dimension surrounding us right where we are. It is moving into our heavenly mansion, with rooms called truth, quiet and stillness, and not having to wait for heaven to live there. We can go there any moment, and we all have been given the three keys to to unlock the door:
Awareness that we are already there.
Giving thanks in all things.
Listening to the Spirit of Truth.
Moving into His place is…
Living where we are in reality, away from the illusions of the world.
Having the “eyes of our hearts opened” to where we really are – in heaven with Him.
Moving into a room called truth.
It is a place of quiet and peace out of the bedlam and confusion of this messy world.
The pressure is off trying to force truth on others or make them see, as “All will know.”
It is listening to the Spirit speak to our souls.
It is living in the present where regrets of the past and worries of the future fade away.
It is living in heaven now, not waiting to die to get there.
Moving out of the bondage of time into eternity.
Sitting at a lavish banquet talking with the great cloud of witnesses with Father at the head of the table delighted with his family all around him.
It is hearing Father laugh at the pretense and pride of leaders trying to build utopia without Him.
It is the Kingdom of God where righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit reign.
It is where “It is Finished.”
It is being…
Who we are – living out of the transparency of our real identity.
Where we are – with full awareness of the present not living in the regrets of the past or worries of the future.
Where we fit – taking our place of significance in the new man.
With who we are with – listening intently to the person in front of us share their story.
It is where all True Selves connect and continue the adventure of discovering the infinite depth of real persons.
It is a safe place of transparency and honesty and true fellowship with no masks. (We sense this in some groups today and it is extremely valuable. It usually doesn’t happen in religious groups because religion makes us play actors to be accepted.)
It is silencing the world’s labeling forcing us out of our uniqueness and freeing us to live where we fit.
It is moving into total forgiveness where those who are forgiven much love much.
It is not trying to be good but seeing the good already in us.
It is total freedom from the law and moving into love.
It is freedom from,
Legalism,
Judgmentalism,
Guilt,
Religion. (Performance)
It is where mercy triumphs over judgment.
It is where “I am” connects with “I AM.”
It is total grace.
IT ALL STARTED for me one quiet morning on a drive across the city, I found my mansion and opened the door to a room called truth.
It began with wave of gratitude that swept over me driving to the men’s meeting this morning.
I was thankful for everything around me:
Getting to drive alone to the breakfast in therapeutic solitude.
For the cloud cover that made it easier to drive east.
For a good breakfast at Perkins.
For the music and the musicians who spent years practicing, the composers who wrote the songs and for the technical discoveries that made it possible to turn a switch and listen.
That I am too old to go fight in a useless war.
For a beautiful day.
For cars that work.
That I can still walk and workout at the gym and not have a walker like the guy who had a stroke.
That God can clean my mind of past regrets.
I was grateful for the kingdom of God that supersedes the absolute corruption of man’s governments.
For my little computer that works fine.
For a mind that can still think and write despite forgetting a few words.
For little children.
For family and a good wife.
For honest friends that let me be myself in a safe place.
For God’s provision over all these years.
I prayed for the school kids I passed who looked sad.
As Tolle wrote, “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
BUT THEN GRATITUDE TOOK ME INTO THE QUIET, PEACEFUL ROOM OF TRUTH – an awareness of reality in the middle of all the deceptions around us.
I began to thank God for the truth He taught me.
That it is finished for me and all people no matter the opposition.
That all are forgiven past, present and future including me.
I saw that the Spirit is feeding my soul right now. It is observing my thinking and emotions and separating truth from error. I am motivated to listen.
That my true self is alive and well and my Imposter is dead.
I don’t have to make it happen or figure it out.
The truth is true even if I don’t understand.
I don’t have to work out of my mind that constantly collects a hodgepodge of truth, lies, worries and trivialities; but I can listen to the Spirit of Truth.
The truth is true even when I don’t feel it.
I don’t have to will it to be true, because it is already true.
It is all true whether I believe it or not. (So I might as well believe it!)
I don’t have to defend myself to myself or others.
I don’t have to make it happen, it is happening.
I am living in eternity now, and now is eternity.
This moment is not time, it is living in eternity now.
It is living with all my friends who have gone on and all who live now. The great writers, composers, saints and fellow pilgrims are all connected in spirit, and I am connected with them.
I am not “on the shelf” as I lamented a few days ago.
I am (we all are) a significant contributor and occupy a special, unique place in the NEW MAN.
I am (we all are) needed to help complete the body.
Thank you:
That I don't have to be concerned with how others define me. When they define me, they are limiting themselves.
What I am experiencing this moment is what I need to go through to help me be aware of who I am.
In this place we do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already in us.
That when we make friends with the present moment, we feel at home no matter where we are.
I SAW…
The truth is such a marvelous thing. It just sits there as a refuge in the middle of all the chaos of the world, flesh and the devil. It does not change with the winds of time. It is true no matter what anyone believes, thinks, wills or feels.
Truth is the force propelling the universe.
Love is the glue holding the universe together.
The spirit of God is speaking truth to every soul right now whether they hear or not.
I do not have to force the truth on anyone or “make them see” because the truth is the force itself. It cannot be stopped by anything or anyone, eventually it will be heard by the souls of everyone as they come to the death of their imposter’s (false self) lies and illusions. No matter how deep we bury the truth, it will always come to the surface.
Truth is eternal, because eternal God is truth.
Hearing truth is living in eternity.
As truth is heard by souls, the new man will come together.
The kingdom of god is a wonderful solid rock that can’t be moved, and will outlive every manmade system.
Listening to and thanking God for truth takes us into the present moment – a quiet room of peace where we can go at any time.
We cannot confuse the Now (present moment) with what happens in it, because that's not what it is. The Now is deeper than what happens in it. It is the space in which it happens. So living in present tense reality is not focusing on things or happenings in it whether they be good or bad, painful or joyful. Now is the space – even eternity itself.
Gratitude takes me into the truth in the present. This eternal present is filled with the quiet stillness of truth and love. Living in the eternity now is an adventure of seeing more of infinite truth. It is like opening gifts of love from Father. The whole universe is a gift from Him, created for us to enjoy. Seeing Father’s hand giving priceless gifts connects us personally with Him. It is discovering together. Seeing the gifts from His hand and letting Him explain their beauty and purpose is intimacy. Thanks connects me with God, because I am thanking Someone, not just an object. The Spirit leads us into the “next thing” to discover.
I have already opened the gift of “It is Finished” for all people and am still discovering the beauty of His completed work which lets me see all as family.
I have already opened the gift of completeness and forgiveness for all people and can pass it on as a gift they already have and don’t need to earn, by being good or obedient.
I have already opened the gift of connectedness with all True Souls including those who have gone before and those who are living now.
I am unwrapping the gift of total grace and freedom from the law so I can move into love.
I am discovering the gift of mercy that overcomes judgments of others.
I am opening the gift of freedom from legalism, judgments, guilt, and religion.
I am opening the gift of freedom from my Imposter self and discovering who I am.
My “I am” is connected with His “I AM.”
If Now is eternity, it is all around us and we are living in “heaven” now and not having to wait to be there with Him. Now is moving out of the bondage of time. Eternity is not extended time, it is eternal present reality.
Present tense reality is the Kingdom of God – righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Connecting with present tense reality is listening to the Spirit speak through my spirit to my soul. It is transforming my mind with the truth that I am already in heaven.
So be still and listen, and you will be in heaven.
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