September 14th.

And the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Without the power and life of God who lived in Jesus' heart, he wasn't anything but another human, destined to live and die like all animals do. The abominators made Jesus into something he wasn't—the jesus god which has influenced all religions who have taken on the name since the truth of the new covenant was taken out of the world. They made Jesus who was hated and despised into an honorable and respectable god, someone easy to identify with and defend because he was good. Whatever gives agreement to the nature that is naturally within them to want a god who agrees with what they want to be is what they need and crave (to themselves be respectable and honorable, so they need a god like that), so they just made one up which suits them.

Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.
For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

The humans love to be respected and honored by the other humans who accept them because they have made an agreement to be like each other so they don't threaten each other. What does it mean to be respected and honored by God? The answer is in the testimony of the words preserved for us to read, that which the humans can read but not perceive, because it's not in their nature to be able to understand what God loves, respects and honors. To go away from what the humans love and run after, to go with what God is making His sons look like to the humans and to be willing to die to what we naturally love without fighting is to say that we believe the unseen God rather than than the human way (the observable, holdable, controllable), and are willing to count the cost and pay it.

I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

To become shameful, disgusting and loathed by the humans is what God loves because it is the most logical way of showing that He is against the humans, not for them. He isn't in their honorary service clubs or their social groups (churches), because they all conform to the standard they have created, which is the pattern that this world ruled by humans accepts. We know that the Father loves what the humans hate because that's what He made the firstborn Son into, and he is the example for the rest of the brothers who will live in the house of God, who is their true Father.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?

Loving others is only done because love, honor and respect comes back. Being loved, honored and respected by the humans is a need that's built right into the nature of the humans, which is God's will and purpose, so that His sons can have something to go against—some very real and tangible way to show the Father and their brothers that they love Him more than what they see, what seems obvious in the natural and to all the other humans who cannot hear the voice of the Father speaking to them. The devil was created for the purpose of giving His sons an authentic choice, as is demonstrated in the garden sequence with the humans and the serpent (the created being which offered the alluring choice to go against God).

Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

The Son is saying "Those of you who have ears to hear and want to follow me must seek to be as different as you possibly can from the animal nature that completely rules the humans, and wants to continue to rule you, because God hates the animal nature, and loves it when His sons reject it as the nature that defines them as mere animals—only because they want to be something better, for the Father's sake." God made the animal nature, and the serpent who tricked the humans—the ruler of the present creation and the adversary of the sons—so that His sons could actually turn away from it and in so doing effectively choose Him over what seems more appealing and true, that which is easier because it's built right into the son's nature to run after what they and the balance of humans naturally love.

For a time we will because we just can't help it. It's not for the purpose of sanctioning it, but showing us how utterly powerful and ubiquitous the power and force of the animal nature is that rules us, so that choosing the way of the Father over it is impossible. Choosing God is a real choice, not one that exists only in the theoretical sense. What this means is, if we want to follow the Lord then we have to be willing to lose everything in real terms, not giving up what is convenient to give up, and keeping what is important to us, all the while thinking we're doing God a favor by what we're "doing" for Him (whatever the animal has determined is the Lord's work).

It's not just 'things' we give up; it's everything—what we naturally want to be, keep and hold on to, what comes natural to us because of the instincts that are in us, what keeps defining us as animals as long as we are being led by it. It is our life and identity, our fear and deep psychological secrets—everything there is about us down to the core of who and what we are, that only we know about because those things have been kept safe in the vault ever since we understood that we needed to lock them up and put up the wall around that place. Each one has their own set of things they learned to love and hold onto, what their own particular wall is made of, to ward off their own particular demons. In psychological terms it's called building up a wall of defense that we feel comfortable and safe behind, because we built it and we trust ourselves. After all, we are the one who witnessed day in and day out the dangers particular to our own circumstance, so we know how to build it with the proper things that will keep out what we know to be genuine threats to us. At the same time we learned what gave the kudos we craved, what gave us the acceptance we needed all the time so that we felt even more safe. The two things work together for us as our defense fortifications and our offensive strategies, which make up the foundation of who we are once we become mature animals prepared to survive in our harsh, hostile world full of animals doing the same thing.

We begin to see that the truth the Father is bringing us isn't about abstract religious terminology that makes no sense on any level that we can understand because it's a million miles away from anything we can identify with. Rather it is about cutting into what *does* live in us, what does create these strongholds in us we protect like they are our treasure. In reality they are just the things that allow us to hide, so they may seem to be doing us good (that's how we will instinctively think upon them because they are what allows us to survive), and as animals they do us good. According to the Father's reality, where His own sons *don't* hide from Him, they do us harm, so we will have to learn to go exactly the opposite of what we originally did in building them up. We will have to learn how to tear them down so we don't depend on them for our survival, because they keep us hidden, when the Father wants us to be exposed.

Although, our instinct is to not want to identify with the Father's truth because it means giving up our fortifications, surrendering the contents of the vault where we learned we could hide so effectively from everyone (defensive) while we put on the show of whatever it was we wanted to be accepted for (offensive). Both strategies are about hiding and appeasing the utter fear that is in us to do all that, which was a perfectly reasonable course of action for us, because we saw the hostile world around us and so we just reacted to what it was we saw. And that became our life, whatever we clung to because we saw that it assisted us in hiding better, and appeasing that intense fear we learned we shouldn't show.

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.

In order to understand what the real Jesus was saying, you have to understand what you are inside. A "sinner who has broken god's law" is a totally abstract and confusing statement that contradicts everything in us. An animal, bound to the wild animal nature that needs to survive, which means loving itself all the time without even thinking (instinct) is something easier to accept because if we're honest we can admit that that's what we are. Why it's wrong is because being that means we cannot love anything *but* our selves since we are so thoroughly trained in practicing that strategy and are therefore entrenched in that condition. That's a harder thing to accept because it, ironically, goes against the thing that makes us love ourselves, so it's impossible to attribute that kind of negative thing to ourselves at such a deep foundational level.

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

A simpler way of putting what the real Jesus was saying is this: "If you remain an animal bound up to the wild animal nature, you cannot learn to trust, then love the Father because you will always be engaged in this process of loving your self so there will be no room for the love that must exist for something (some One) other than your self."

"I tell you who hear me" is a clue that the things he was telling those who were listening to him were impossible for them to do because they wouldn't be able to even hear unless they could hear, which by his own word was a special thing that they would have to be given in order to "hear" what he was saying. Otherwise they would listen to the words he said and "hear" whatever they wanted to hear, according to what they were willing to accept—what they had already decided was acceptable.

Our lives became saying yes to the animal who was willing to protect us from our hostile world. Saying no to the animal is not something we're going to be willing to do unless we feel it's worth it. It's not a matter of legalistic phariseeism, but obedience to what is in us showing us that it is worth it, because there is something beyond the reality we learned to perceive, what we can see with our eyes and hear with our ears and understand with our animal minds. The spirit of the Son is who will be teaching us what is evil, what keeps us unclean animals who cannot come near to God. Saying yes to him will be what the animal hates. However, it cannot give us anything except that safety and security which is temporary, because our existence is temporary, along with our fears and cravings and everything that goes along with our natural existence. Jesus wanted to deny the animal the right to lead him because he was given something from the Father, the special knowledge that can only come from Him which told him that it was worth it to not follow the animal. He was commended by the Father for wanting instead to do the Father's will and be found pleasing to him, even if he was the only one who believed it at the time.

In retrospect it's easy to make sense of it all and theoretically say that we wouldn't have denied the Lord. It was easy for Peter to make his grand exclamation about sticking by the Lord's side no matter what happened just as long as it was theoretical, as long as it all went according to what he could accept which was him in the garden pulling out his sword and fighting to the death. A shameful criminal arrest where Jesus didn't defend himself but willingly let himself be arrested wasn't what Peter had in mind. He didn't hear the words he told him about being given over to the authorities, beaten and killed which is the last thing Peter was willing to accept. He had to make a real choice when something was at stake for him that he didn't expect, nor did he want to give up. He drew the sword to protect Jesus in the garden because he was prepared to fight honorably for him. When he was asked to identify himself with Jesus when it would have made him look shameful, that was different because what he was being asked to give up wasn't decided by him, not on his terms—in a disagreement with what was inside him.

With the sword he could keep his manliness, his Jewishness, his honorable identity; fighting for the glory of Israel, a soldier protecting his master and Lord, fighting the good fight (according to the humans) even to the death. Defending Jesus by becoming the cohort and follower of a shameful criminal meant he had to lose what was naturally in him, what defined him on his most basic levels as an honorable human. That can be seen as even harder to deny than material things, because it's a lot more complex. In fact they all work together, because the need/craving/desire to hold on to all the things that we consider valuable is what defines us as the animal that cannot come near to God.

It is so intrinsic to the animal to protect its physical self, its things, and also the more intangible things like honor and respect among the humans, what creates the identity amongst the humans it thinks is valuable to maintain. It is hard to let go of that old man that wants to protect itself all the time. How many times have we read these words of Jesus, which have been reduced to metaphor and concept. We don't ever expect to be able to do the things he is saying do we? Can we understand how incredible that would be if we were free enough to not protect ourselves like we do?

I imagine not, because it's perfectly built right in to the nature that controls us to not be able to even recognize what is required of God. If we can't recognize it, then we won't have to give anything up that we actually, truly love (not just what we theoretically love); and that's what the nature of the animal is all about, surviving at any and all cost, in whatever way it's threatened. For Peter, he was willing to sacrifice his life as long as his honor was preserved. Identifying with Jesus when he denied him meant that both things were threatened.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

The words of Jesus are revolutionary, and they demonstrate the perfect wisdom of God, because they completely undermine the animal nature. It is the living word that Jesus hears, what lives inside his heart and is making him clean, the very life of God in spirit form, which is coming out of him in the form of his words and teachings.

If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

A man would be considered crazy to act like Jesus is saying that his followers will act in order to follow him, which makes it utterly impossible for a man to truly follow Jesus, unless he's called to. Otherwise he'll only be able to hang on to what defines him. This man would appear to have no understanding of value if he gave away his things, or his life, honor and respect to follow after a man who was killed. That's what Paul became and how he was regarded by the humans who lived in his time. He was later made into some kind of hero by the humans who turned what was good into what made the earth desolate of the truth and life which lived in Paul to make him what he was.

God only wants children who act like Him instead of the animal, the deceiver, which we are naturally prone to because of all the instincts that are living inside us. It's called suffering because it's hard to deny the animal in us. Before we were unable to even recognize the animal in us, so there was no conflict, because we were sons of the animal and we looked and acted like our father. As long as we're humans who are not chosen to be transformed away from the animal's nature, we will just stay that way. The sons' first step is to become aware of that condition, and then to slowly be pulled away from it. Now that we have another Father who has adopted us and given us all that He has, we start to act like Him instead of the animal, because of what we know.

Every father wants to see their own child looking and acting just like them, which is why we have the copy of the natural things to even slightly understand the spiritual things. Slightly is a key word here, because as animals we're dull and lifeless, totally unaware and unable to perceive the world where God lives, and moves, and has His being. When we don't protect our selves and our interests we are saying that we actually do trust God to take care of us; and we're acting like Him who gives mercy to those who wrong Him, because that's the opposite of what the animal is programmed to do. This is so far removed from the way the animal always acts because of instinct, that which can only protect its own interests, even when it says it isn't.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

Think of it as a coup against the oppressor that has ruled us all our lives, and desires to continue to rule us. Getting out of the prison of the flesh can only be done if we actually see the flesh as our enemy instead of our friend, and that's only the first step. It is the son's responsibility to see it this way instead of the way that comes natural and easy. Then he keeps listening to what the living word is saying, because it keeps telling him what to do next.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

The way to please God is to do the opposite of what we're naturally inclined to do, which is showing that we believe and not just saying it. That is not easy, but it is true faith. It's impossible for the animals to even see that it's even a possibility. The sons are given what's required to believe the impossible, and the opportunity to choose God over everything else, the opportunity to say in real terms that they love Him more than this, that, these and those.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

Peter hated sheep. He was a fisherman, and sheep were dirty and disgusting. They were noisy and stupid and needed to be tended to and fed all the time, led from one field to another, and protected from predators. Fish on the other hand were quiet and clean. The didn't need protecting, just catching. God took care of the fish and their multiplication and growth into something valuable to the humans, and Peter just had to do the work of gathering them up.

Not everyone's called for the same purpose, and definitely not to follow and serve another son of God who is demanding service to themselves, using what they know for purposes of manipulation disguised as something genuine, just because they're afraid and don't want to lose their own life. John, the one who leaned on Jesus, who apparently took so much comfort in human love and closeness, spent his last days isolated and alone, exiled on the island of Patmos.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?")

When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.

The sons must follow the Lord, not the other sons—that is the human way. Being a shepherd of God's flock necessarily means losing your life, because tending to the sheep is caring more about what's God's property rather than what comes naturally—being able to only be concerned about yourself, your things, your identity, respect and honor among men, your human family, etc. The first and overriding responsibility of the son is to his Father and the Lord who is the living word inside, teaching him, who will tell him what to do.