Spirit of Service

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

Jesus says, “The greatest” among you shall be your servant.” (Matthew 23:13)

Freedom

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

Freedom is a word often misused and misunderstood.  The freedom of politics can lead to war, carnage, and death.  The freedom of religion, can lead to peace, harmony, and everlasting life, but ideas of freedom steeped in religious ideology, dogma, or narrow fundamentalist views can lead to the same destruction that governments have unleashed. Colin Powell is no stranger to the devastating forces of war and terrorism, he is a decorated four star General of the United States Army, served as Secretary of State during the Bush administration, and is one of the most respected citizens of the United States of America. Honor, integrity, patriotism, courage, and leadership, are words that define the essence of Collin Powell.  His hard work, successful military career, service, and integrity have earned him a great deal of respect in the hearts of most Americans and many people around the world. He is also one of the most well known members of the Republican Party and many believe he could have run for the Presidency. For this reason, his recent endorsement of Barack Obama was a shot that rang out around the world, not because he endorsed the candidate of the opposing party, but because he asked a single question that reveals the heart of true freedom that lives beyond political or religious ideologies.

A Canaanite woman called out to Jesus, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But Jesus did not respond. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” Jesus replies, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Jesus responds, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15:22-28)  This is a defining moment in the teaching of Jesus.  He is Jewish and believes that he is sent only for the redemption of Jewish people, but he clearly sees that this Canaanite woman, who had completely different religious beliefs, had a deep and abiding faith. True Freedom, true faith is transcendent of religious or political ideology. In this moment, Jesus reveals that God is the source that gives to everyone equally regardless of the limiting ideas of religion.  This Freedom cannot be constrained or held by any concept of freedom.  Collin Powell’s question reveals this same Truth.  What did he ask? And how can this help you realize and even deeper understanding of the teaching of Jesus Christ?

Heart of Freedom

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

There are two very different seeds being sown in the fertile ground of American Freedom – the seeds of hope and possibility, and the seeds of fear and divisiveness—seeds of light and seeds of darkness.  According to a recent CNN article, at a John McCain political rally in Iowa, Arnold Conrad, the former pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church in Davenport Iowa delivered the invocation by saying, “There are millions of people around this world praying to their god—whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah—that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons. And Lord, I pray that you will guard your own reputation, because they’re going to think that their God is bigger than you, if that happens.” In this context Pastor Conrad was asking Christians to pray for a McCain win. The pride and the prejudice of this rash statement reflects the gross ignorance of the nature of God and teaching of Jesus Christ running rampant throughout Christianity in the United States and around the world.  Would Jesus condone such blatant hypocrisy?  Is there One God or multiple Gods? If someone is in deep in prayer, Holy Communion with God, does it matter what their religion is?

Jesus continues, “With their ears, they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise the would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it.”  (Matthew 13:15-17)  You can be completely blind with your eyes wide open and see clearly with them closed. You can have the gift of sight and be blind or you can be blind and have the gift of sight! Jesus clearly points to a deeper Truth, so profound so close to the retina of your eye that it is difficult to perceive. The Democracy of the United States and the process of voting for a new President is based on the fundamental truth – that all people are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights.  Fundamentally, this means that everyone who lives in America has the right to choose.  But there is a deeper freedom that lives beyond this idea of freedom.  How can the blind rhetoric of Pastor Arnold Conrad, reveal the deepest Truth of Jesus and his infinite teaching of Light?

Peace

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Throughout history there have been many non-violent protests and demonstrations in the name of peace and freedom. Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and the Dalia Lama demonstrate the unlimited Grace of peace, love, and freedom of non-violent non-cooperation.  Non-violent activism has taken the form of hunger strikes, sit-ins, marches, refusing to sit in the back of the bus, and camping out in the branches of an ancient tree.  Yes, environmental and peace activism has taken many forms, but rarely has it taken the form of public nudity. In this context, it is no small wonder that Gennifer Moss, also known as The Peace Rider, and Earth Friend Gen, has captured global headlines with her shocking public appearances skating and riding her bicycle in the nude.  Even though her nudity violates no public law, her outrageous stand for peace and the environment has been the source of public outrage and has resulted in her arrest on several occasions.  Of course, the natural question arises – Why is she willing to expose herself to such intense public ridicule? 

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)     She made national headlines this week, when the Portland Oregon police department was flooded with calls reporting that a woman was riding her bike nude.  In a recent interview, Gennifer explained that the purpose of her frequent nude appearances is to bring attention to the necessity of peace for ourselves and the planet. Gennifer intimates, “Peace begins with ourselves, our minds, spirit, hearts and souls, and our bodies are an integral part of ourselves and I was created in God’s creation and no part of me is obscene.”   On the next page you might be even more shocked by a miraculous photo of her that is simply mind blowing! How can her outrageous stand for peace and the mysterious picture on the next page help you understand the teaching of Jesus on and even deeper level? Wow!!!!!!!

Redemption

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

Jesus says, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”(Luke 21:28)

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, is well known.  Barrack Obama and John McCain are even more widely recognized around the world.  All of three of them have very different personalities and political beliefs, yet in spite of their differences the common thread that binds all three together is their devotion to serving others.  In the context of the ongoing Presidential race these men recently came together to discuss the one man who was endowed with the infinite Grace to transform the lives of everyone living and dead.  This man has touched more lives throughout the centuries than any other single human being and you know him as Jesus Christ.   Of course, Jesus extremely well known; but there is another servant of God who is not as well known whose life is devoted to revealing the deepest Truth. She was born into the world as Antoinette Robinson, but a spiritual master named her Ganga-ji after the most sacred river of India – the Ganges. It is her voice that opened my heart to the deepest Truth that Jesus eternally reveals and it is her voice that offers you an opportunity to recognize something much deeper than the thought provoking conversation that unfolded between Rick Warren, John McCain, and Barrack Obama.

Jesus says, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28) Redemption is atonement.  It lives in the moment of remembering the Truth of who you are beyond the limitations of your physical form.  Truth is an illusive and often misunderstood word. In a YouTube video entitled What Does Your Life Stand For? Gangaji asks, “Do you know the Truth? That is the question. It is the hardest question of a lifetime.” Fundamentally, Rick Warren was asking both Presidential candidates –  What is the Truth? What does your faith in Christ really mean?  What does your life stand for? When you stop for a moment and contemplate these questions you have a rare opportunity to discover the deepest Truth for yourself.  How can these questions reveal an even deeper understanding of the teaching of Jesus Christ?

Wisdom Rock Foundation

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

Jesus says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Hello Everyone,

Wisdom Rock Foundation is moving to Ashland Oregon! I am in the process of moving to Ashland Oregon, which will reduce expenses and give me more time to write articles as well as offer you live online support!  A live online meeting schedule we be announced soon!!!

Unfortunately, this move is very time consuming and I have not had time to compose a new article.  I do greatly appreciate your participation and look forward to offering you a new article as well as an online meeting schedule within the next two weeks. Please stay tuned!

Peace is in You – Always!
Yours in Truth - Jill

Miracle

Posted by Jill Warner in Current Event Editorials.

Jesus says, “According to your faith be it done to you.” (Matthew 9:29)

As she sat on his lap, the beautiful braids of Marc Gonsalves’ five-year-old daughter danced with the sunshine that embraced his entire family. He gently caressed her innocent face while intense love for his family filled his heart. In an instant, his loving dream vanished as the chilling chorus of screeching tropical birds, insects, and animals of the surrounding jungle announced the dawn of a new day. Darkness mercilessly crept back into his conscious as the pressure of the ten-pound chain locked around neck bit into throat. His entire body ached from the pressure of small box that confined him; the same box that armed terrorists locked him in every night. The stark reality was surreal – he and his friends/colleagues were prisoners in the jungles of Columbia. It had been months since their capture by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), his family was thousands of miles away, and he did not know if he would get out of there alive. As the guards release him from his tiny prison, crushing despair paralyzed him, and as his friends approached, he could not lift his head. They intuitively reached out to hug him and his body convulsed into uncontrollable sobs. Hours later with tears still streaming down his face, the three men stood arm in arm mesmerized by a rainbow that suddenly appeared in the sky. Marc recognized it as a sign from God and its miraculous appearance transformed his despair into renewed faith. During his five years of captivity, even though it seemed like an unrealistic dream, the grace-filled moment of the rainbow instilled the lasting belief that one day they would all be freed from their captors.

Jesus says, “According to your faith be it done to you.” (Matthew 9:29) Faith is shift in consciousness. It is absolute trust in the unseen omniscient power of God. Through faith all things are possible. In spite of their hellish circumstances faith was the catalyst of their miraculous rescue. Captivity forced by FARC rebels or any terrorist organization is a living hell. As the famed politician, Ingrid Betancourt, who was held captive by FARC for six years describes, “Death was my constant companion. It was hell. It was hell for the body, it was hell for the soul, and it was hell for the mind…many things happen in the jungle that we have to leave in the jungle.” Ingrid Betancourt, Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell were among 15 people recently freed in a miraculous rescue by the Columbian Army. Not a single shot fired and no one was hurt. “God, this is a miracle” Betancourt explains. “Such a perfect operation is unprecedented.” The rainbow and miraculous rescue was not the only miracle of their profound faith. What other miracle did the hostages experience? And how can the hellish experience of the recently freed hostages deepen your understanding of the teaching of Jesus Christ?