A portion of my testimony follows:
Back in '91 i had been in "search of" what i then called "the church" for almost 5 years, and had crisscrossed the country from NY to CA and WA to FL.......
Back in '91 i had been in "search of" what i then called "the church" for almost 5 years, and had crisscrossed the country from NY to CA and WA to FL.......
And during that time i knew in my heart that Our Father wanted me to give up my vocation but i didn't know what i would do if i did quit. However, the journey revealed much and simplicity became a beacon for me as i had left most possessions(which actually possessed me) behind when i began my search in earnest. i could load all my things into the back of a '76 ford courier pickup w/shell.
Then in November of '91, while in Colorado, "i quit"!
It was then that i said, "no more" to the "american(worldly) way". i had been an independent computer consultant, systems analyst who designed, coded, and implemented custom financial application software for small business, and then in November of '91 i was empowered to say "No More"!
At that time i knew in my heart that the "american dream" was just that, and would better be called "american greed", or "american delusion". And it seemed the "american churches" propagated that "american dream". The perversion of that which is Spirit was readily seen at that time, yet i had not yet "seen" that the earth was being destroyed by mankind's "imag"ination. That was not revealed until a few years later.
When i said "No More!" i just believed in my heart that a simple life would allow me to experience more, and would reveal more, of that which really mattered. i had realized that what truly mattered was not material things, or that which is temporal, but what truly mattered was that which is Spirit, for it had been clearly revealed only that which is Spirit is Real, for only that which is Truly Real is Forever.......
By January of '92 i was in Tennessee learning how to "cut wood and carry water". Sold my vehicle, and sold or gave away many other things that i did not "need", which included the money of all that was sold and most all of that which was on hand. And by March of '92 my "simple life" journey had miraculously taken me to the Copper Canyon area of Old Mexico. For the first three months i worked washing dishes in a hostel type environment located in Creel, Chihuahua and then for a year after that experience i lived in a shack with no plumbing, electric, or any other "thing" that would hinder my desire to live and experience "a simple and spiritual life" .
And that "simple and spiritual life" experience was a blessed time, indeed and Truth.
The "simple life" was a great teacher and many lessons were learned. Lessons that bore witness to The Truth of, "if you don't spend money you don't have to make it", "the simpler life became, the more life became", "less is more and more is less", "the things you possess, in Truth possess you". And during that time The Light of Truth began to reveal that, "the multitudes were but serving "time" in the prison that is this world for monies sake" so that they might experience what they believed to be "ease of life";-(
Which in Truth is self-life, which is no life at all ;-(
And The Truth of "The WHOLE(not just a portion) world being under the control of the evil one"(1John5:19) was clearly revealed!
i did have a great natural teacher while in Mexico, and my experiences with that teacher(my burro Feliciano) taught me, "if there is a problem in the life given me, "I" am the problem", and so it was that The Truth of "The "I(self,ego,id)" must die" was manifest, for the "denial of self("I")" is be One with The Creator(Our Father). Only then is the soul renewed, enlivened, and a common union with The Creator(Our Father) realized. No longer was it "I" will, but the cry of my heart, the cry of my being, was as it should be, "Father, not my will, But THY Will Be Done"! For "all things work together for The Good(not all things are good) for those who love GOD, to them who are the called according to HIS Will"!
That blessed time in the Copper Canyon area of Mexico revealed that to truly "know", to truly learn, is to experience. Mere reading can muddy the waters, for such "learning" can but feed mankind's "imag"ination.
And mankind's "imag"ination is the most powerful weapon used by "the god of this world", he who is "the father of lies", in his war against The Creator(Our Father, The Only True GOD, The Great Spirit) and HIS Creation.
That blessed time in the Copper Canyon area of Mexico revealed that to truly "know", to truly learn, is to experience. Mere reading can muddy the waters, for such "learning" can but feed mankind's "imag"ination.
And mankind's "imag"ination is the most powerful weapon used by "the god of this world", he who is "the father of lies", in his war against The Creator(Our Father, The Only True GOD, The Great Spirit) and HIS Creation.
Such revelation led to great sadness, for further revelation revealed that mankind's "imag"ination was destroying Creation(air, water, land, vegetation, creatures) and perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Love, Peace, Hope, Grace, Faith, Miracles,,,,,,, ALL that is Truly GOOD) ;-(
And such destruction and perversion will continue until the end, when "time is no more"!
So it is, that those who believe The Creator are exhorted to "Cast down "imag"inations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD" HE WHO IS Our Father and Creator of ALL! For "mag"ination is of the mind of man, and but genders delusion, deception and lies ;-( And "the father of lies", delusion, and deception, is 'd'evil, he who is "the god of this world", "the author of confusion" and "every evil work" ;-(
And mankind's "imag"ination is 'd'evil's playground ;-(
And mankind's "imag"ination is 'd'evil's playground ;-(
The Life, Real Life, Life Eternal is only realized when The Holy(Great, Set Apart) Spirit is within us, just as natural life is only realized with every breath(spirit) we are given.
And The Life, Life Eternal is not of the "imag"ination for those who have received of The Life have not just read about The Creator(GOD) and HIS Son The Messiah, they have "experienced The Messiah and The Power(Our Father) that raised Him from among the dead".......
Thankfully this blog allows me to share that which i have "seen(experienced) and heard(received)" with others. And for those who have seen how "poor and needy" they truly are, such sharing will be "Faith to Faith".
Father Help! and HE does.......
So there is hope!
For Miracles do happen.......
Hope, not for this world or the earth, hope, not for that which is temporal, but hope that there would be those who would experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "Come Out" from among those who are destroying Creation(air, water, land, vegetation, creatures) and perverting that which is Spirit(Truth, Light, Life, Love, Hope, Grace, Mercy, Faith,,,,,,, ALL that is Truly GOOD).......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(destruction/perversion) that is of this wicked world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE(not just a portion) world is under the control of the evil one"(1John5:19) indeed and Truth.......
Truth IS, a lie never was and is not.......
Abide in Truth.......
And Truth IS, The "I(ego,id,self,pride)" Must Die!
In as much as i can 'see',
That which is of the 'I' in me,
So it is i yearn, and to Our Father cry,
For deliverance from all that is of the 'I'.
The 'I', born of "imag"ination and selfish desire,
As lust, greed, and pride, stoked a consuming fire ;-(
A fire burning out of control, as 'I' leads the way,
It's smoke concealing the fleshly mind that leads one astray ;-(
Yet even in the smoke, searing heat, and blindness of 'sight',
Truth can pierce the blackness of darkness, revealing "The Light"!
And nothing can hide from "The Light", so "Light" reveals the "I",
Allowing one to "see" clearly, and clearly the "I" must die!
But to live, yet die, seems an impossible task,
And so we need of "Our Father", the impossible to ask.
Help me to "deny myself(die to self)(die to 'I')" Father!
And as HE Helps, HE reveals more and more of "The Selfless One", The One Who leads His Brethren on "The Way to The Truth of The Life". He Who was, and is The Messiah, The Son of The Only True GOD, Father(Creator) of ALL!
And as The Messiah desired above all else, so also will His Brethren desire above all else, "Father, not my will, But THY Will Be Done".......
The poem above was begun in Creel, Chih, Mexico in '92, a time when i sought to live and experience a simple and spiritual life and it was there that i received and embraced Simplicity. Left Mexico in '93, yet returned in '04. Then on 1/26/05 the poem was completed, and 'completion' is near for each and every one of us. And for "the poor and needy", thankfully so.......
Translated, "corruptible to incorruptible" indeed and Truth.......
Home at last.......
Forever free from The "I(ego,is,self,pride)".......
All Thanks, Praise and Glory Be Unto "Our Father".......
And while there is breath(spirit) there is hope many will "see",
"see" The "I" for what it is, and then desire to be set free!
And that Spirit that was in The Messiah shall "set you free, free indeed"!
So, There Is Hope!
For Miracles do happen.......
Hope is there would be those who experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "see" The Light that is The Messiah, they will "see" that The Life is of The Spirit(not seen with the natural eye), and most certainly not of the flesh or fleshly mind("I").......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(darkness) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one"(1Jn5:19) indeed and Truth.......
Truth IS, a lie never was and is not.......
Abide in Truth....... francis
Abide in Truth....... francis
(Returned to this place called the u.s. of a. in June of '05, yet a return to the simplicity that is rural Mexico would be welcomed, however, i realize that in all things it must be "Father(Creator) not my will, But THY Will Be Done.......)
