Symptoms of Spiritual Pollution, Part 1

In this two part blog series I will lay out and discuss one of the biggest challenges that we as humans face which is to remain righteous for God.  In part one of this blog I shall discuss aspects of a person who does not live righteous (i.e. sinful living) for God a negative consequence is placed upon a person or a nation by God and this is called Spiritual Pollution.  The Bible discusses spiritual pollution as a negative consequence for not obeying God.  In Numbers 35, the specific reference was to “bloodshed,” and in our standards today we would call this violence or murder.  However, the concept of living unclean or unholy before God was a recurring issue in the writings of Moses and sadly is still occurring in the 21st century.

Numbers 35 verse 34 states “Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.”  Today, many Christians boast of returning to their Christian roots in one form or another.  This act is not exactly the same as the relationship Israel had with God.  However, there is a sense in which we who are Christians are called to live and hold accountable others to live according to God’s plan for our lives. Why? When we don’t do as God instructs us, there are consequences, both individually and collectively as a nation.

Spiritual Pollution is a deep seated or rooted problem that many people face and refuse to admit it. Spiritual pollution in a nut shell is "something" that a person embraces in their lives which does not bring glory to the Holy Trinity of God.  The Holy word states “Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city. She has not obeyed His voice” Zephaniah 3:1,2 a NKJV. I will now provide a layout to an understanding of this spiritual pollution.
 
The above scripture from Zephaniah 3 is a harsh aspect to understand.  This instruction given to a people who are described in the word as a shameless nation. In this two part blog, this word will serve to illustrate for the reader on a local level how one must guard against contaminating their spiritual life or consequences shall occur.  Christians are not exempt from all the worldly influences which is all around these people.

The holy word in Romans 12:2 commands or states to those who profess to be Christians “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  In a nutshell we who profess Jesus Christ are not to become spiritual garbage dumpsters. Christians are to sow the Holy Spirit and not sow the flesh.  Basically this means we’re to clean up our act so to speak recorded in 1 Peter 1:16 “Because it is written, Be Ye Holy, for I am Holy”.  When we as people chose to rebel against God and we chose to live open sinful lives we shall suffer penalties.  Some examples of these penalties for spiritual pollution imposed by God against both Christian and non-Christian’s are listed below:

1. Sudden chronic illness which come out of nowhere
2. Recurrent bad dreams and nightmares
3. Insomnia or unusual sleepiness
4. Behavioral problems in adults and children
5. Relational problems - Continual fighting, arguing and misinterpreted communication
6. Lack of peace, lack of joy, lack of hope, lack of prosperity, so on and so forth
7. Restless, disturbed and angry children
8. Unexplained behaviors, explosive behaviors, unsettling behaviors
9. Ghosts or familiar spirits which are demonic apparitions (to which young children are particularly susceptible).
10. Poltergeists (The movement of physical objects by demons).
11. Foul, unexplained odors from unknown sources
12. Atmospheric heaviness, making it hard to breathe, atmospheric changes in temperature
13. Continual nausea and headaches


In the midst of the carnality of this world and ever growing sinful lifestyles around us we are commanded to live lives of purity, but sadly very few do this.  As humans first of all and secondly as Christians we need to become furious about incest, drug and sexual abuse, atrocities committed against children of our communities, and the evil corruption of our local and national governments.
Thus we are required to do a spiritual cleansing (i.e. repent of our sins) of not only our life but over our household as well.  Thus a spiritual housecleaning against occult curses (sinful activities) to receive the anointing and releasing of spiritual power which God intended us to have.

Later on I will point out the 7 steps to purification from the sinful life that one has lived.  First of all repentance of sins to God is foremost and a rejection of future sinful living.  Next comes the purification of heart – home – and family.  A way to obtain power of the Holy Spirit and the power over the devil and the demons is to have a repentant inner spirit.  The promises of God depend upon our direct obedience to his holy word.  As Christians we are to repent of our actions as well as our sins.  Sadly we as humans collect physical objects and these objects can carry spiritual significance and when we seek God, He will reveal to you through the Holy Spirit the defiled things that one clings onto their lives.  Now, the estimated value of all the occult items the Ephesians destroyed in town square (read Acts 19:18-20) was approximately $4 million U.S. dollars (in rate of today).

Repentance of our sins and sinful life keeps us close to the Lord Jesus Christ and prevents the devil in gaining footholds upon our lives.  As an example, pornography and such defiled acts are found in our homes, places of work and worship centers.  This act will grieve the Holy Spirit away from a person, and it will withdraw like in Samson’s life and you will be left powerless in the Spirit realm, just like Samson was.  Thus allowing the demons entrance into the life of the person to create havoc and promote further sinful acts to further defile the individual.

Now the Old Testament speaks about a defiled (spiritually polluted) land more than 15 times.  Sadly our homes as well as the land resided upon can be spiritual polluted, which allows the demons even more access.  I will provide some examples to note: Viking’s place of sacrificing slaves in Lund, Sweden, Aborigine’s barren circles in Australia, stones arranged in a circle in Czestochowa, Poland.

The freemasonries secret rooms, Satanists meeting places for sacrifice, chambered barrows, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples etc.

In part 2 of this blog I will continue the discussion of spiritual pollution within the lives of people especially Christians.  I will further advance the defilement of the homes which embraces the spiritual pollution that we face in our lives.

Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist

Demonic Influences And Holy Angels Of the Lord

Per your request from some of you I will give some more examples of possible side effects from a demonic attack. There are many of them but I will name a few before getting into the subject at hand.

1. A compulsive desire to blaspheme God

2. A revulsion against the Bible, including a desire to tear it up or destroy it

3. Compulsive thoughts of suicide or murder

4. Deep feelings of bitterness and hatred toward others without reason - Jews, other races, church, strong Christian leaders

5. Any compulsive temptations that seek to force thoughts or behavior that the person truly does not want to think or do

6. Compulsive desires to tear other people down, even if it means lying to do so; vicious cutting by the tongue

7. terrifying feelings of guilt even after honest confession is made to the Lord

8. Certain symptoms that may appear suddenly or leave quickly and for which there are no physical or physiological reason; symptoms such as choking sensations, pains that seem to move around and for which there is no medical cause, feelings of tightness about the head or eyes, dizziness, blackouts, or fainting seizures

9. Deep depression or despondency

10. Sudden surges of violent rage, uncontrollable anger, or seething feelings of hostility

11. Terrifying doubt of one's salvation even though they once knew the joy salvation

12. Seizures of panic or other fear that is terrifying

13. Dreams or nightmares that are of a horrific nature and often recurring; clairvoyant dreams that may even come true are most often demonic

14. Abnormal or perverted sexual desires

15. Questions and challenges to God's Word

16. Sleeping or eating disorders without physical cause

17. Most compulsions and obsessions

18. Rebellion and hatred for authority

19. Bizarre terrifying thoughts that seem to come from nowhere and cannot be controlled

20. Fascination with the occult

21. Involvement in criminal activity

22. Extremely low self-image (unworthy, a failure, no good, constant undermining.

Remember these are just more that I could think of but their are many other signs out there and they can be very subtle which is very scary.

Now let's discuss the subject at hand:

The first goal of demons in my opinion is to prevent us from receiving God's love and ever lasting life in Heaven..getting saved. Their sneaky are to attempt to get people to turn away from God. They do this through many forms of temptation, harassment, and also from distorting The Word Of God. Demons lie to us and work hard on our minds so that we are lying to ourselves and thinking awful things of our self worth and our ability to do things right. And pleasing to,God.

Another form of attack is accusation and criticism. Demons will interject condemning thoughts into the minds of believers. They absolutely love to conjure up the past with thoughts of, “You really failed at so much..” or “You really messed up”. Demons are on a mission to destroy us. They work together and strategize. They go after our weaknesses especially times when people are physically and/or emotionally weak. They attempt to affect all areas of a person’s body, soul, and spirit. They don’t play fair.

We know that we are made up of body, soul and spirit. Again the soul in itself is made up of mind, will and emotions. Becoming a believer means we must have surrendered our will to the Lordship of Jesus Christ our savior. But the mind and emotions, we might not have fully surrendered to our Lord. In these circumstances either knowingly or unknowingly we are allowing the devil to have a legal hold on our mind or emotions.

There are several ways by which demons oppresses people. Afflict: To inflict something hard to endure. Harass: To annoy or disturb persistently, to wear out by frequent attacks. Influence: To exercise indirect power over in order to sway or affect. Oppress: To lower in spirit or mood. Torment: To cause severe suffering of body or mind. Torture: To punish or coerce by inflicting excruciating pain. Worry: To disturb one or destroy one’s peace of mind by repeated or persistent torment. Wrong: To inflict injury on another without justification.

A demon can keep you in chains and isolate you by attacking the mind. That is the devils playground. But God has the final say and power to end it all. Rev 20:10 and the devil who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Demons are not God but sometimes they become the object of worship.  Behind every idol, there is a demon or an evil spirit. Sometimes we cherish certain beliefs which are not true.  This can become a form of idolatry.

Psa 106:37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

God's Angels Are Invisible But Everywhere

God has had angels specifically assigned to supervise and protect his Church throughout all of its history (Revelations 1:4, 16, 20; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). He has angels who are to always walk through the earth to watch and report back to him the overall conditions on earth (Zech 4:10; II Chron 16:9; Revelations 5:6). And God has angels specifically assigned to look after his begotten human children (Mattew 18:10 Acts 12:15). God promises: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (Psalms 91:11).” Angels are Good spirits that can manifest them self into a physical body. Good spirits linked to The Holy Spirit always speak the truth. Angels are everywhere my friends. God has us under protection.

In Job 38:4, 7, God is speaking specifically of the creation of earth. He says all the angels shouted for joy at the creation of the earth. This shows us that angels were created before the creation of the earth and probably before the material universe. The suns, planets and astral bodies are material substances. Angels are individually created spirit beings, composed solely of spirit.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Lavishly Loving the Lord

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred adenarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven-for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

(the account in Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8 is different from this text. The Lukan version involves a different woman, a different place, a different reaction from Jesus, and a different time in Jesus' ministry).

There is an old Puritan saying...."Til sin tastes bitter, grace will not be sweet."

What is the driving force of your life...your dominant life value? We know what the Great Commandment is (loving God with all of our being), but pride (the Great Sin) often derails us throughout the day. The above text stuns and arrests my attention whenever I read it, as I did this morning during my devotional. This is a picture of a woman loving the Lord lavishly.To me, it is one of the most moving narratives in the bible.

The Pharisee did a good and proper thing by inviting Jesus to lunch at his condo. I would like to think that there was at least a kernel of sincerity in this mans invitation, at the very least he was curious. Which is fine.

Enter a woman with a bad reputation, apparently well deserved. The kind of woman that any self-respecting Pharisee would shun. The kind of woman (or man) that most of the religious leaders of Jesus day were too "holy" to allow themselves to be defiled by being touched by her. It is interesting that somehow, I suppose, the host did allow her inside...unless she crashed the party!

Here is the utterly holy and pure God/Man who looked with such tenderness upon this notorious sinner as she began to let her tears roll down her cheeks and onto his feet, dried them with her long locks, kissed his feet, and then poured expensive ointment upon them. I have no words to adequately describe the beauty of this moment....lavishly lovingly the Lord perhaps.The host was scandalized and immediately questioned the integrity/identity of Jesus because He did not kick her away. What a contrast...

Reading his mind and/or grumblings, Jesus asked his host a penetrating question. It had to do with, on a deeper level, that a depth awareness of the ugliness of one's sinfulness will lead to a depth view of the beauty of divine grace."Til sin tastes bitter, grace will not be sweet." This dear woman had her nose rubbed in her sin 24/7, while the Pharisee stood proud by his self-righteousness.If the love of money is a root of many evils, pride is THE root of all sin.It can rear it's ugly head at any time, and take on many different forms.At the base of all sin is pride--which the antithesis of humility.
The Pharisee did not express gratitude to his Guest. Perhaps he thought he had done his good deed for the day merely by inviting Jesus to a meal at his house.

With no concern for proper decorum, she unselfconsciously pours out her love and gratitude profusely in a way that scandalizes everyone but our Lord. In light of this woman's actions, I feel a visceral yearning to do the same. But to do so, I must keep my eyes on the holiness of God, which reminds me of my current sinfulness, and as a consequence, clinging white knuckled to the cross moment by moment. We don't need the gospel only on the day we are saved. We need the gospel today, tomorrow, and throughout eternity.

I yearn....I deeply long to love Jesus as this woman did, but I fall so far short.

 How do we lavishly love a holy God? Be forgiven by Him. Daily and deeply. We daily bring our sins before Him and, with tears in our hearts, pour out our loving gratitude for such an unspeakably beautiful Savior and salvation. And we are quick to ask for forgiveness from each other, starting with our children and/or spouses.

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.

Dalai Lama: Reading a Jataka Tale on the ‘Day of Miracles’

Dharamsala, HP, India, 5 March 2015 - Since it was the 15th day of the first Tibetan month, the full moon day, early this morning His Holiness the Dalai Lama joined the assembled monks and nuns in the Tsuglagkhang at Thekchen Chöling for the bi-monthly Sojong or ‘restoration and purification’ ceremony. At about 8 o’clock he was escorted down to the courtyard in front of the temple, beneath a ceremonial golden umbrella. While most of the monks and nuns stayed upstairs in the temple, where they could follow the proceedings on a video feed, the temple courtyard was packed with lay-people; Tibetans and visitors from many parts of the world.

After reciting verses of homage to the Buddha, Maitreya, Nagarjuna, Atisha and the lineage gurus, His Holiness began:

“This Great Prayer Festival, which is held at this time every year, was established by Je Tsongkhapa in 1409. Although there have been times when we couldn’t observe it, in 1959, we escaped to India after the festival had taken place in Lhasa. Once in exile we were able to revive it. It reminds us of the Buddha’s great deeds in India. Today in particular we remember the occasion when he defeated six proponents of other doctrines in a display of miracles at Shravasti. There is also a tradition of recalling his deeds in lives prior to his becoming a Buddha, during his career as a bodhisattva, by reading from the Jataka Tales.”

His Holiness mentioned that the Jatakamala and the Tibetan equivalent of the Dhammapada, the Udanavarga, were among the six principal texts of the Kadampa tradition founded by Dromtonpa. These also included Shantideva's ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life' and ‘Compendium of Training', Asanga's ‘Bodhisattva Grounds' and Maitreya's ‘Ornament of Sutras'. He suggested we take inspiration from the bodhisattva’s conduct as related in the Jataka tales.

“For a Buddhist teaching to become a Buddhist practice,” His Holiness advised, “we need to cultivate a good motivation, such as the wish to become enlightened to be able to help all sentient beings. With such a motive, our recitation of prayers and mantras and whatever else we do will be a Buddhist practice. Here in the twenty-first century we place great value on education. As Buddhists we need to be curious and sceptical. We need intelligence and logical analysis. On that basis our faith will be based on reason and we’ll develop a wish to be free of cyclic existence and to become enlightened for the sake of other beings.”

His Holiness quoted the Buddha as saying that his followers should not take his words for granted because he said them. They should check them, analyse his teaching as a goldsmith tests gold. His Holiness pointed out that while great beings founded other religious traditions, none of them encouraged their followers to question and verify their teachings the way the Buddha did.

His Holiness remarked that Tibetan Buddhism as a whole is part of the Nalanda tradition, that Nalanda was the source of Buddhism in Tibet the way a spring in the mountains is the source of a river. He said all the Buddhist traditions in Tibet, and even the Bön tradition today, trace back to Nalanda. He said Tibetans follow the this tradition not only in name, but in closely studying and comparing the works of the great masters from Nalanda University. Since Tibetan masters later compiled books of tenets, Tibetans became well-versed in the different philosophical points of view propounded by these masters.

“We have to examine whether an instruction is beneficial and if we conclude that it is helpful, cultivate it,” he advised. “The Dharma implies something that saves us from suffering, something that holds us back from suffering. It consists of corrective measures we can take to effect transformation within ourselves.”

He explained that as human beings we have minds that enable us to think. Animals largely depend on their five senses, but don’t think very much, whereas neuroscientists today suggest that we have far from fully explored the potential of the human brain. On the other hand it can work against us. His Holiness cited cases he has met of people who have everything they could want on a material level, who nevertheless remain unhappy. Animals that are not in obvious danger are generally quite relaxed compared to human beings caught up in preconceptions and projections that disturb their peace of mind. He suggested we use our marvellous potential to create happiness instead.    

As social animals we need love and affection from birth to survive. We are interdependent; we rely on others throughout our lives. If we show love and affection to others and help them, we help ourselves. Being honest and good-hearted brings trust and trust brings friends.

“All our religious traditions,” His Holiness observed, “teach love, compassion, tolerance and self-discipline. I have many Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu friends who are dedicated to helping others and living in contentment. This much they share, while they differ in their philosophical views. I admire the idea that having been created by a God who embodies infinite love, we have a spark, an inspiration to show others love ourselves. The Buddha, on the other hand, said that what happens is up to us. If we help others, we create happiness. If we do harm the result is suffering.”

His Holiness went on to discuss the 16 attributes of the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. He concluded that the Buddhist philosophical view can be summarized as dependent origination, while Buddhist conduct is non-violence; to avoid doing harm. To understand this requires study.

The reading of the Jataka Tales during the Great Prayer Festival had yesterday reached the Thirtieth tale. Today, His Holiness read from the Thirty-first concerning a Prince who with great courage overcomes an evil being. It ended with the King, the Prince’s father, concluding that his son had the requisite clarity, humility and compassion for others to rule the kingdom and confirming him as his heir.

His Holiness then led the assembly in a short ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta based on the common verse:

I go for refuge until I am enlightened
To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Highest Assembly
Due to the collection of merits accumulated by me and by others,
May I achieve enlightenment to benefit all sentient beings.
In conclusion he remarked:

“Just as we rely on food and drink to survive, we need to recall bodhichitta in order to become a Buddha. If you recite this verse regularly it will make your practice effective.

“Those of you who have come from Tibet, others who are still there and Chinese Buddhists, remember that it’s good to recite the mantras of Shakyamuni Buddha, Chenrezig, Tara, Guru Rinpoche and the Seven Line Prayer to him, the Praise to the Twenty-one Taras and Dependent Arising: A Praise of the Buddha by Je Tsongkhapa.”

Formal prayers of dedication were chanted and His Holiness returned to his residence.

Original link with photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1242-reading-a-jataka-tale-on-the-day-of-miracles

What Is Demonic Manipulation?

Demonic manipulation is a demonic enticement to do things you would not ordinarily do.

Demonic manipulation can also be defined as: the capture of one’s reasoning ability, forcing it to conform to the wishes of the manipulator.

In other words, if somebody wanted you to reason in a particular way, he could put a spell on you, thereby manipulating your reasoning ability in order to achieve his goal. The problem with demonic manipulation is that when the enemy makes you want something, you will want it so desperately that all other considerations become secondary.

Demonic manipulation can also be defined as a spell that cannot be seen, felt or touched, yet it is something you act on.

It sometimes will make you look away from that which is good and reasonable, while desiring that which is harmful and unreasonable.

A demon is believed to be a force that can be conjured and controlled. They are also believed to have the ability to possess or inhabit the body of humans and the only way to rid the person of them is to conduct deliverance and/or Exorcism. Demons are portrayed differently in different cultures. Some believe demons to be actual physical beings that can take the form of anything, including animals. Others consider the real demons as more of a spiritual force of evil battling for one's soul. They  have been feared and written about in almost every culture in one form or another for as long as history has been recorded.

Dreams are also a way these things like to attack. For some reason we are vulnerable when we're sleeping. I have mention sleep paralysis many times which I feel is a legitimate condition. But other times I do believe it's a form of demonic visitation. Like the Incubus/Succubus I wrote a two part blog about.

These demons used dreams to pursue and fight against the person to whom  they are sent. I know from  personal experience what demons try to do to a person while they are  asleep. I know what I know and what I have seen while being wide awake after woken up,from a terrible dream. Shadow demons are usually what harassed me but of course I'm just crazy. (Rolls eyes) It gives me a whole new meaning to the children’s prayer, “now I lay me  down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”For example, demons will  come into your sleep for the sole intention of weakening your soul, your belief in God's protection, while you are in the altered state of sleep.

These dark forces are always at work. They never stop. they cause humans to have emotional trauma. The most common are: emotional pain, depression, low energy levels, constant fatigue, suicidal thoughts and/or attempts, drug and/or alcohol addictions, unhealthy addictions, over eating, hearing voices in the mind, strange or weird thoughts that don't seem your own, being directed by an inner voice, most mental illness, mental or emotional instability, poor concentration, mood swings, multiple personalities, confusion, deep anger/aggressiveness, nightmares or any negative/terrifying dreams/day dreams, sleep paralysis, anxiety, paranoia, constant negative or fear-based thoughts and/or emotions, waking up tired after a full night's rest, criminal and/or violent behaviors, sexual abuse, mental noise (unclear thinking), dark thoughts and impulses, unexplained physical pain or problems without any known cause, constantly sabotaging yourself or others, negative beliefs, religious fanaticism, abusing or attacking others either emotionally, physically etc., energy stealing among people, limited/lower consciousness, feelings of giving everything up, feeling your life is being controlled by something outside of yourself, constantly trying to control or have power over others, loss of your purpose/path in life, loss of your power/soul and more.

The Apostle Paul offered this wise guidance "though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor. 10:3-6).

Keep a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and we do not ever need to fear what these enemies of God can do to us. The Armor of God is so very powerful. Wear it everyday my friends.

Written By Jennifer Lori Auld

The Ransom Was Paid

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son,that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 19:45)

"...you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Only God knows exactly the full price of the ransom that was paid....

On the one hand, Christ paying the ransom price to liberate us from enslavement to sin, Satan, and death (which is the heart of the gospel) is the ugliest, most obscene act ever committed. The infinitely pure, precious, and morally beautiful Lord of glory was brutally beaten and shamefully murdered--and that is just the tip if the iceberg, as we shall see.On the other hand, the self-humiliation involved in this Ransom was the most beautiful act of love ever committed.

Some folks have this notion that Jesus was the one who persuaded the reluctant Father to "let" Him come and  save us.You know, the "mean/vengeful" God the Father of the Old Testament..... No! Who sent the Son? According to John 3:16 the Father did! "God (the Father) so loved the world  that He SENT..."

In John 17,  from eternity past, God the Father and God the Son joyfully agreed between them that the Father would give the Son a gift......a gift the Lord Jesus eagerly anticipated--A Bride!

But "curious" gift....His Son would have to pay for it...and what a price indeed.(Please see vvs 2,6,9,12 for wonderful truth of the Father giving the Son a gift!)

They agreed that Jesus would pay the ransom for those who hated them. This is holy ground upon which we now stand, and I pray for the words to express such indescribability.

Ransom, as defined in my dictionary, "something paid or demanded for the freedom of a captured person...to free from captivity or punishment by paying a price." The Exodus from enslavement in Egypt is a picture of the Greater Exodus--where the ransom is paid to liberate us from bondage to sin, Satan, and death.

Scripture repeatedly speaks of us being sold into slavery to sin, Satan, and death. Starting in Genesis 3 (where all 3 are introduced) to Revelation, we see God dealing with that triad of captors, and overcoming all three.

Before we talk about WHAT was paid, let us look for a moment to WHOM the ransom was paid. A number of early church fathers, and up through the medieval times, many thought that the ransom was paid by God to Satan.  The so-called "Ransom to Satan theory of the atonement", was based on the notion that the death of Christ constituted a ransom paid to Satan, in order to cancel the just claims Satan had on man.

How awful!! Thankfully, Anselm and others saw how incongruous this notion was with the bible and the nature of God. The clarity of thinking and teaching of Luther and Calvin rediscovered the pure gospel after the gospel itself was in chains for 1,000 years. Satan was to be pummeled, not paid, in this grandest of ransoms.God is the Creator of the entire cosmos and its owner and sustainer. God, not the Evil One, is the aggrieved party, who owns all...and God is the One that we have committed cosmic treason against.

That God did not provide a ransom for fallen angels, as He has for fallen humans, surely indicates that His redemption of us was/is entirely of grace and mercy (grace--receiving what we do not deserve,  mercy--NOT receiving what we do deserve, eternal damnation) Both God's love and justice are at the heart of His ransom of us. In .Deuteronomy 9 Yahweh reminds us that His choosing of Israel was entirely gracious. And He loves us, not because of any good He saw in us (we were  His enemies Rom. 5:8)) but because He chose to love us. Why? Because He loves us. Why? Because He freely chose to love us....we cannot go back any further! We can only bow before the Lord in worship.

However, once the Holy Lord freely chose to redeem and save us,He faced a divine dilemma  His nature NECESSITATED the shedding of His infinitely precious blood. That is, I say with respect, God was faced with a dilemma--He is all-powerful but that does not mean He can do everything. He cannot just wink at sin. His perfectly holy nature  made the atonement absolutely necessary...there was no other way. Don't you think He would have done so if it were possible, given the horror and dread Jesus felt in the garden, in anticipation of the unspeakable horror of the cross?.

Perhaps you have heard the phrase, "a kings ransom."  Simply a colorful way of referring to a whole lot of money! But suppose a king had been taken hostage. The more power, authority, and dignity the person has, then the higher will be the ransom price for his release. Thus, a kings ransom is required to pay the ransom of a king. Jesus is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords...the God/man.We sinned against the King of Kings, and the blood of goats and bulls would not suffice.

THE RANSOM WAS PAID FOR US, and it WAS PAID BY GOD, AND IT WAS PAID TO GOD.  He wrote the check to Himself, as it were. What does that mean? In order to free us from bondage, He had to pay the penalty FOR US....TO GOD.  .Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension paid the ransom, which He did not owe, and which we could not pay.

What kind of "currency" did God use to ransom us?

1. Jesus lived a perfect life FOR US...He paid the ransom by earning heaven for us.

2. He paid the ransom by taking our sins upon Himself

3. The most costly aspect of the cross/ransom is what is often misunderstood the most....the primary ransom that had to be paid was the punishment for all the sins committed by all of God's people. While on the cross bearing our sin, the unmitigated wrath of the Father was poured out upon His dearly beloved Son. Human language is inadequate to adequately covey the cursed, hellish misery Jesus experienced FOR US, as our substitute. He paid in currency we shall never fully understand.

The Father punishing the Son to satisfy the demands of His holy character and holy law, is known as "propitiation"...a word every Christian should know. hilasterion--in the Greek, conveys this pacifying of God's wrath by pouring it out upon His Son. Remember it is TO GOD that our ransom must be paid--He was the party offended against, and we became slaves. We could put the propitiation, and how it relates to our ransom, this way...

God Himself, punishing Himself, in order to save us from Himself. (That is the heart of the ransom paid for us)

The cross saved us from many things--GOD'S WRATH BEING THE WORSE.

God Almighty could not have given anything more precious or costly to Himself, than what He did give, in the propitiatory death of the Lord of Glory. He gave His Son to be a "burnt offering"..He gave EVERYTHING....paid the ultimate king's ransom.

The ransom was exceedingly high...infinitely higher than any ransom ever paid by man. Captivity to sin, Satan, and death was paid for by the infinitely precious blood of the Lamb of God. The true price that was paid is known only to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

That is crux of why we must confront and oppose this notion of ghosts.The captors were specifically targeted.(sin, Satan, and death)...then the full ransom price was paid.--FOR EACH OF GOD'S CHILDREN. Is it not unthinkable that after the Lord paid such a high ransom to defeat death, we turn around and act as if nothing had happened? Death is supposed to usher us into the  immediate presence of God--that was the intention in  paying the ransom...that we would be reconciled with God.

"...through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver those who fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." (Heb. 2:14-15)

"Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire." (Rev. 20:14)

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Cor. 15:26)

Physical death is the common lot for believers too, but it is transformed from being the "king of terrors" into being the gateway into the presence and rest of God. Physical death is abnormal, as it is the result of the fall. Like sin and Satan, believers still have to struggle with it, but as we breathe our last breath, we are done with the presence of sin, Satan and death. What God intended to be anticipated as the hope of certain reunion with Him, has been corrupted into an ongoing monster...as if the ransom had never been paid. What a wretched idea this notion of ghosts is. It belittles and denies the blood soaked Ransomer and His infinitely precious Ransom.

You've heard the truism, "You get what you pay for." The blood of Jesus is infinitely precious. Thus, we have throughout the bible, the centrality and certainty of hope. However, the notion of ghosts is a hope-killer.It belittles the heart of the gospel itself. It is a negation of the perfection of the Atoner and the atonement.

What will it take for us to take notice and make a stand? It was the realization of how "trapped spirits" threw into doubt the perfection of the atonement (the ransom did not accomplish our liberation from death) that, more than anything else, opened my eyes to how seriously dangerous this notion is...and how grievous it must be to the Holy Spirit--and why we must confront it. Thank you Lord for paying the ransom to free us from bondage to sin, Satan, and the grave.

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.

Dalai Lama on Buddhist Teachings Related to the Eight Verses for Training the Mind

Copenhagen, Denmark, 12 February 2015 - A group of Danish Parliamentarians representing all eight parties present in parliament were the focus of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s first meeting this morning. He greeted them saying:

“In 1973, as I was about to set out on my first trip to Europe, the BBC correspondent Mark Tully asked me why I was going and I told him that although I was a refugee I considered myself a citizen of the world. I have a commitment to promoting human values such as love and compassion, which rather than money or power, are the real source of peace of mind. Looking inward brings inner strength and self-confidence, which enables us to work transparently, openly and honestly.”

Remarking that all human brothers and sisters want to live a happy life he teased the parliamentarians that they seemed to be human too. As a Buddhist monk he is aware of religious traditions’ common aim to help and serve humanity, which is why he seeks to foster harmony between them. He told the group that he is now fully retired with no political responsibilities regarding Tibet.

“I appreciate your support and your concern for human rights in Tibet and elsewhere in the world.”

With regard to his homeland, His Holiness expressed concern for the ecology of the Tibetan plateau, labelled by one Chinese ecologist, the Third Pole. Asia’s major rivers rise in Tibet affecting the lives of 1 billion people downstream. He hoped the parliamentarians would support experts making an objective assessment of the current ecological situation there. He also expressed concern for the well-being of Tibetan culture, which, as a culture of peace and compassion, is something China also needs. He recalled a meeting with Chinese writers and intellectuals who told him that moral standards in China were lower than they had been for 5000 years. Xi Jinping recently mentioned in Paris and New Delhi the important role Buddhism has to play in reviving Chinese culture.

Finally, he said, India and China, the world’s two most populated nations, are neighbours. As long as China views Tibetans with suspicion she will continue to station large numbers of troops there. These troops are a source of apprehension on the Indian side. Therefore, normalizing the situation in Tibet has a bearing on peace in the region.

Asked what Denmark and the EU can do to support self-determination in Tibet, His Holiness told the parliamentarians that China is increasingly important economically and militarily. There is no point trying to isolate her. Reach out, make friends, overcome her suspicions, he said, remarking that this is true of Russia too. He reiterated his judgement that censorship is wrong, that the Chinese judiciary needs to be raised to international standards, because at present no one represents the peasant farmers.

When one member of the group voiced the paradox that His Holiness counselled them to reduce Chinese suspicions and yet merely meeting with him might stoke them, His Holiness replied:

“You can report what we discussed about the environment, that we are not seeking independence, that what we seek for Tibetans are the rights already provided for in the Chinese constitution. Don’t worry, we’ve had relations with the Chinese for more than 2000 years and I’ve been dealing with them since the 1950s.”

Reaching the teaching hall once more, His Holiness greeted the crowd:

“Good morning everybody, I hope you all got enough sleep. Today, we’ll go through an introduction to Buddhism and in the afternoon I’ll read the ‘Eight Verses for Training the Mind’.”

Teaching largely in English, His Holiness said the common message of all religious traditions is love, compassion, tolerance and self-discipline, despite their different philosophical views. In answer to the question ‘What is the Dharma? What’s its purpose?’ he said it is what saves and protects us from suffering. This applies to the Samkhyas, Jains and Buddhists who have no belief in a creator and the Zoroastrians, Hindus, Jews, Christians, and Muslims who do. They hold different philosophical views because people have different dispositions. They provide different ways to strengthen and approach the practice of love.

His Holiness mentioned that one of the ways he expresses his respect for these religious traditions is, whenever he can, to visit their sacred places as a pilgrim. In such a spirit he has visited Lourdes, Jerusalem and Fatima.

He also remains concerned for the 1 billion people who assert they have no faith, belief or interest in religion. He feels they are human beings, who also wish to be happy and so need to know about inner values like love and compassion. Drawing on Indian tradition, he suggests that education can incorporate secular ethics on the basis of common sense, common experience and scientific findings.

Turning to the origins of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness explained that the powerful Tibetan Emperor Songtsen Gampo had married a Nepalese princess and a Chinese princess. Both brought statues of the Buddha with them to Tibet, which sparked an interest in Buddhism. A subsequent Emperor Trisong Deutsan invited a top scholar from India’s Nalanda University to come to Tibet to teach and despite his advanced years, Shantarakshita agreed. He came and taught logic and philosophy as well as monastic discipline.

His Holiness explained that the basic structure of the Buddha’s teaching can be found in the instructions about the Four Noble Truths and the 37 Factors of Enlightenment, which are common to both the Pali and Sanskrit traditions. The 37 Factors include the 4 foundations of mindfulness, the 4 supreme efforts, the 4 means to accomplishment, the 5 strengths, the 5 faculties and the Noble Eightfold Path. He then went to some lengths to explain the Four Noble Truths with their 16 attributes.

Of the Four Truths, suffering, origin, cessation and path, the Buddha advised - know suffering, overcome its origin, achieve cessation and cultivate the path. Within that context the four characteristics or attributes of suffering are impermanence, suffering, emptiness and selflessness. The four characteristics of the origin of suffering are causes, origin, strong production and condition. The four characteristics that refer to cessation are cessation, pacification, being superb and definite emergence, while the four characteristics that refer to the path are path, awareness, achievement and deliverance. Studying these attributes contributes to wisdom, which is in contrast to the observation that the source of this body we have now is ignorance.

Corresponding to wisdom is altruism of which Shantideva advised:

Whatever joy there is in this world

All comes from desiring others to be happy,

And whatever suffering there is in this world

All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

His Holiness mentioned that the author of the ‘Eight Verses for Training the Mind’ Geshe Langri Thangpa was a disciple of the Kadampa Geshe Potowa and lived 1054-1123. He said he memorized the verses when he was young and recites and thinks about them every day.

The first verse shows that all the good things we achieve, higher rebirth, liberation or enlightenment, come about in reliance on other sentient beings. The second advises us to regard others as higher than us. His Holiness gave the example of comparing ourselves to an insect. It may be small and we may have the larger brain, but we can use our brain for extremely destructive purposes which the insect will never do, which makes us lower. Hatred, anger, and other destructive emotions arise in relation to self-centredness.

The third verse shows that whereas selfishness is harmful, altruism is mutually beneficial. However, in our daily lives we are habituated to the influence of destructive emotions. We need to tackle them so that when anger is about to arise, we pay attention and put a stop to it. The fourth verse advises that we view ourselves as the lowest, but that does not mean we should be demoralized. In combating self-centredness we need courage and confidence. What it does mean is that we should not look down on people like criminals, lepers or AIDs patients.

Verses five and six tell us that when someone criticizes us we should maintain compassion for them. We accept all the blame that falls on them and give them the victory. Similarly when those we have helped turn against us, we should be grateful to them for teaching us patience and compassion. The seventh verse sums up the method for offering benefit and joy to others. Verse eight, concerned with wisdom, tells us that although things appear to exist independently, in actual fact they don’t. When we realize this we’ll see them as like a mirage or illusion. In reference to this His Holiness remarked that when people ask him where to start to understand emptiness, he recommends they study Quantum Physics.

His Holiness recommended those who were interested in what he had taught to read the books of other great Indian Buddhist masters.

“Read them again and again. Read them and think about what you’ve read. If you are interested in the Nalanda tradition, study steadily and change will come. Study and think but don’t set yourself unrealistic expectations. Good night.”

On behalf of the several organizers Lakha Lama Rinpoche thanked His Holiness for coming and for teaching. He thanked the translators for scrupulously rendering the teaching into Danish and English and thanked all the volunteers for enabling the occasion to take place. The hall filled with warm and respectful applause.

Tomorrow, His Holiness will travel back to India.

Original link with photos: http://dalailama.com/news/post/1240-buddhist-teachings-related-to-the-eight-verses-for-training-the-mind