Heavenly Lord, last night you gave me a dream that brought me to your presence through my precious mother and my beloved bride. I will recall it here so that I don't forget it.

I was in a dramatic play. The ocean was the stage. I was in a castle on the beach as a player. I was an heir of all riches. Many of these were set up for display. They belonged to my mother and to my family since we were the children of the kingdom. I remember working in the dream to build this kingdom. I remember staring at the base of a colorful tree that was planted there. It was comprised of many spheres. I looked at it with faith until it grew up tall and straight and strong. And the person who pointed out to me that it had needed this nurturing was pleased at its growth. This person may have been your Holy Spirit. I am not sure what the plant represented but it was the right thing to do, caring for its growth, trusting in you, seeing your power.

It was good to have the family there at the beach with all of these riches, so unlimited. My cousin Joe was there, tall and handsome as always. It was the beach where I last saw Tommy before he died, our family reunion that Pascha. Lord, the fish we caught there. The food cousin Michael cooked. It was good to hear Aunt Barbara talking about going to the Easter service even though it meant she and the others with her would have to leave early.

I remember having dreams about that beach many years ago. Mom Mom and Pop Pop were there. Or actually, I was there, living along the beach. They had moved to a beach to the far north. I remember ultimately finding it. I remember seeing them and being so happy to have found them and the look of love they both gave me. I had missed them so much. Their smiles were so beautiful. And I remember even seeing Rusty, the Nide's dog there. Rusty could talk now. Heaven is a very good place indeed. I remember Rusty bighting me on the thumb when I was six. I cried all the way home. It was as bad as that bumble bee sting. But I still loved Rusty after all those years and there he was living with Mom Mom and Pop Pop of all things. What a delightful dream I had some twenty five or thirty years ago, not too long after leaving Mom Mom and Pop Pop's house, not too long after they had died.

Maybe that dream will help me understand this dream, which was even more wonderful. There was a symphony with the play, music that corresponded to my heart and the love and the riches that were there. This also was connected to Eden Road and the beach that was there. It seems they are a vision of heaven to me, gracious Lord. The one glory builds upon another. Like the tree I watched you build, it takes root by faith and knows no limit in the sky.

That is the reason my mother possessed such unlimited wealth, the wealth which also belonged to me. And in the play, or in reality, there was a woman, an actress, who pretended to be my mother. And she devised a plot to steal away these great riches. And when she took them I asked my mother what we should do before they were all gone. And my mother did save some of them and put them on display. There were five beautiful diamond necklaces and a sixth that couldn't fit into the display. These my mother kept and expressed to me that these were sufficient. The rest would ultimately be restored. She and I felt no loss at the stolen riches, even though they were so bountiful, immeasurable, because we knew that they would be returned. We knew this because we knew who we were. There was a power we possessed by which nothing was impossible for us. This was our inheritance.

I then looked around and realized that there were many places where treasures and memories could be found. As I saw them the music continued to tell me of the love they stored. Lastly I was with Lisa, my precious bride, entering a treasure room that was just for her. It was like an attick, where she could explore the love of her mother and father with lots of memorabelia. She wanted to go and be with them and stay. And then I turned to you and said, "Lord I can't understand the beauty of her great treasure but do show me as much as you can show me. Allow my heart to be opened and see." And there I saw her pouring through her piles of diamonds, enjoying something heavenly, each one another symbol of your ineffible grace. And I had to let her go. But I could see her happiness. And to the extent that I was able I shared it with her. And I was overwhelmed by it and by the music that I heard in our souls and I began to pour forth in tears of great joy and love. And I woke up because I was crying out loud in my sleep, wailing in joy and in love.

Heavenly Father, this is but one of a number of dreams where you have showed me your love this way. And I thank you for both the memory of them and the comforting truth they foretell. I thank you that nothing can separate me from your love, not even death. But it is by death, in fact, that I have access to your great riches. It is not a price I pay so much as it is a means to my limitlessness, being now limited as I am. This is something I wish others understood about redemption. No one owed anything to anyone. Death is the gift of life because I need to be part of a new creation. Otherwise I will always be limited. And I would, in fact, die forever, two kinds of death, once to my limited life and then again to my abundance and all of your many treasures. Such is propitiation. Without this light Christianity is barbaric.

Heavenly Lord, this week the Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson is being watched by millions of people and Lent is here. You said in your word that a day would come when we would look on the one we pierced. I pray that in this also your redemption is not misunderstood. For it was not because of a debt owed by you or by us that you suffered as you did but because your love for us was so great that you forgave us each of our sins and these stripes represented our shame under the law, which was given to Moses on account of the hardness of our hearts. Some are worried that an uprising against the Jews may result on account of it. And I know there are those who are perverted in their thinking, particularly in Europe and the Middle East, people who miss the point entirely. But the purpose of your suffering was not for our condemnation. Our condemnation is only on us when we fail to accept the love you have always offered. And is there any greater sin than the refusal to accept love? But your word points to a better end. It is not a fruitless getsture. Rather you showed us in your word, which the Hebrew people keep to this day, that Israel would look on You, whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him (Zech 12:10).

Lord, it is hard for me to see how anyone can fail to understand this. You said explicitly both "Me" and "Him." Who was speaking? It was You! This text, carried by the Hebrews to this day says that You are Him, and that they would see you being pierced and mourn, each family by itself, with their wives. And their wives by themselves (Zech 12:14). This was clearly not a condemnation to Israel. It was their liberty. For you stated quite clearly:

"In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity" (Zech 13:1). You were plain and clear, Lord, because you said, "'And it will come about in that day,' declares the Lord of hosts, 'that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.'" (Zech 13:2). Here you were speaking of false prophets, Lord, not true prophets sent from you. I suspect you may have been speaking of Jews who talk much about the Kabala, or perhaps, Zionists, who have rejected you by saying that you were a mere prophet at best, and not accepted that you were their Messiah. When in fact, your word is clear that you are "Him" (Zech 12:10), who was pierced. And it says specifically, "says the Lord of Hosts" so that it might be clear who was speaking when you said "Me" in the same sentence in which you said "Him."

So in this week in the news I see that in Israel this film by Mel Gibson in being banned. And I can understand how this treasure might be stolen from the people, but I also understand your grace. And I know, Lord God, that you will arouse the curiosity of the people as individuals, so that even if a nation rejects you on the level of a government and on the level of policy and law, that the people do not have to reject you in their hearts. If they are not led to you then they will have to be ignorant of what is otherwise a common cultural event. And if for no other reason I suppose they wouldn't want to be guilty of that. But by whatever means I do pray that they will see. But much more I pray that their eyes will be opened to the meaning of redemption and to the person it is that was killed, for who, and why, not so much by whom. But the question was asked, "who killed Jesus?" And the best answer was that you yourself killed him. For you said yourself that no power was given that you did not first give (John 19:11). But the greatest sin belonged not to the Jews so much as to one of the disciples, who actually knew who the Christ was, yet betrayed him. But as for the Jews and for all the nations who didn't know him he said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." And even so in all of this you gave yourself so that we might understand that death is a gift.

Heavenly Father, is there a way that I could explain this in simpler terms? I fear people will think Christianity is barbaric when they see this film. I wonder whether they will understand the import of heaven, of love, of abundance. I wonder whether they will know that it is not about being made forgiven, so much as it is about being made new. For surely you forgave even before the word began. Does God change? No, in your perfection you do not change because that which is perfect cannot change since it is all sufficient. But you revealed your heart by the passion to the extent that we can seek your face. And I see piles and piles of diamonds. And I see tears of love and joy. And I have seen my sin. And I have mourned on account of it day and night. But I have loved you. And I love you more for knowing your love for me, that you did this for me, to express your great and immeasurable love for me, only part of which can I know, since my heart is still so small.

Lord, I have not even seen this movie yet. But you know that I have lived it all of my life. And for me, since I have been devout, there is probably little new to see. But I pray your anointing over it for the sake of those who have not yet seen. I pray not only that eyes and ears will be opened and but also that they will see and hear. For we have already proven our blindness and our deafness that your word might be tested and found true. And how blind are these Hebrew people that they have had your word in their possession for so long but they have still rejected you. But I pray that that time should now come to a close. You have provided all of the evidence needed for any person of intelligence to see. You did not arbitrarily appear in this world 2000 years ago but you prepared us for this time with thousands of years of prophecies concerning you so that when you spoke to mankind we could all be certain who it was that was speaking, that what we call the scriptures would not be thought of as humanly created, but written by you. And this is truly good news for all mankind. I pray, Lord, that this should be a time when we should all read the paper.

Lord, many demons and false prophets have sought to steal these treasures. There have been idols and a spirit of idolotry all throughout this earth from the beginning. I think of Islam and the Quran. To them these are holy texts. But the Quran possesses no prophecy. And what's more it claims that the Hebrew Scriptures were distorted for their own political ends. But in your sovereignty you have given sufficient proof that the Hebrew Scriptures were not changed through the years as the Muslims claim. What's more, what political advantage would there be to including prophecies concerning your Son, which they rejected? You set your word as a testimony to all mankind. So I pray that those who know the Quran and seek to know the one great God perfectly, will also seek the truth, and understand the Muhammed was in truth a false prophet and that Allah is an idol, just as the God of the Jews who reject their Messiah also is an idol. I say this not because of any prejudice but for the sake of their deliverance from their folly. For you continue to hold yout your hand to any who would turn from their error. I pray that your Triunity would be understood. I don't say comprehended, but understood, because I know that the mystery of the Trinity is not in knowing you are Triune, but in comprehending Divinity at all. For we have enough trouble understanding who we are, much less who you are. We will never fully know either essence. For we are wonderfully made. And you are our maker. You will show us what you will.

This much I know. I know that even if the Scriptures had not revealed your Triunity you would have revealed yourself to philosophers as Triune. They would have surmised that if you are perfect that you are lacking nothing that is good. They would have said that anything that lacks no good thing must certainly possess that which we know is good along with the unlimited number of qualities and possessions we may never come to learn of that are yours and which are good. We would know that among these known goods are love and power and knowledge. We would know that a good idea is not as good as a good reality. And we would assert that your love is infinite, since this we can conceptualize, and that it is real, though we realize we could never finish exploring it if we could even know a part of it.

Such is philosophy, and it would go on to say that since love is known to be better if it is shared, if there is an object of our affection, that in God this love would possess a beloved. What's more, the philosphers would say that God, as Love, would be both a Lover and a Beloved. And this is because the kind of love God would possess would be a perfect kind of love. And God alone is perfect. This they would have said was axiomatic because it stems from the notion of perfection itself. Just as we understand that infinity goes on and on forever, we understand that perfection cannot change, that it is all sufficient because there is no greater good. The greater good, by definition, would be perfection. Thus, God would not only have an object of love, he would be that object of love. It stems from the idea that God is love. And truly, if love is a quality of God, then God is perfect in his love if God is perfect.

Now we cannot prove that there is any such thing as perfection, or that there is any such reality is infinity. These are concepts. But both the Quran and the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures speak of God's perfection. And beyond that, so does the universe, which offers us no good explanation for our very existence and consciousness except that of an immeasurably powerful and personal God. This also the Vedas would agree with and to some extent the Tao Ching. And even the Universalists would have to have some concurrence concerning this. Thus philosophers and spiritual people of any background would have to admit that perfection is proven by revelation. Concept becomes reality in what has been shown to us. In this we find sufficient proof. Aided then by reality the philosopher can draw conclusions regarding the this notion of perfection, which although unfathomable, is God. And the philosophers would conclude that God is not only Love, but that since He is Love, He is both a Lover and a Beloved from all eternity, and indeed beyond the bounds of time itself.

Such is the Triunity of Eternal Love and Perfect Abundance. Similarly, they would say that if God was to do anything, seeing that some things that can be done are good, they would ask, "what would God do?" Now, doing assumes change, which is not inherant to perfection. So they would assert that God does not Do, God just Is. However, since some things that are done are good and God must possess these, it must be concluded that what God does is God Bes, and that God's Being is God's Doing and God's Doing is God's Being. Such is Perfect Love. In short, the philosophers would conclude that what God Does is God Gods. We need to understand Him as both a noun and a verb. For everything good that can be done must be part of his being, otherwise He wouldn't be perfect.

This is not to say that God creates many Gods. For perfection is exclusive because it contains all perfection in itself, the philosophers would say. That's by definition. And in this definition good reality is a better thing than a good concept. Thus, it is true, they would conclude that God is both one and Triune. For there is the God who Gods, there is the Godding of God, and there is the eternal same God who was the begotten God who was Godded. And all of these three Gods are but one God in the Being and Doing of God.

The philosophers would then conclude that creation is a part of the Being and Doing of God. That which is less than perfect can also be a good thing, if not a perfect thing. But since these things are good, they also would belong to that perfection which would contain all, by definition. For it is not appropriate that perfection would lack any good thing. God, of course, would be perfect with or without that which is less than perfect. Perfection stands in need of nothing. Imperfect goods add nothing to God. However, it is good that they can be included in His Being and Doing as parts. And it is in this, the philosophers would conclude, that we as humans find our part.

Finally, the philosophers would look for fulfillment from concept to reality since in perfection a good reality is better than a good concept. If they believed in their theory, which common sense dictates they must, they would look for some manner of its fulfillment. And they would expect, rather than be surprised, to find an all loving God graphting that which is less limited into that which is unlimited in some form. And that form would be found nowhere else than in the person of Jesus. Of course, because they are humble and avoid anthropomorphicising they would instinctively conclude that Christianity is a human construct. And since so many of them are evolutionists they would assume that it is mostly a residual of our savage nature comingling with new genes of artistic human ability that can sometimes bring man to write what seem to be divine things, such as the Book of Mormon, the Quran and the Bible. Since these are mutually exclusive that this is the case already proves itself, they would likely say. But there is only one set of Scriptures belonging to humanity that possesses the phenomenon of prophecy whereing prophecy has already been fulfilled. And that prophecy pertains to the very concept of perfection becoming reality that their philosophy begs them to look for, namely in the person of Christ. And some of the philosophers will begin to ask how, if God were perfect he would fail to communicate to that which is less than perfect. If God had not revealed Himself through history then God would have failed in His goodness. And that would be inconsistent with the notion that He is Perfect. They would, and should, therefore, look to the Christ and scrutinize over these things. And when they do they should find in them all the proof that you have provided. For it is the nature of man to place into the hands of men things that they believe and wish to promote, rather than the things which condemn them and are opposed to their national will. Those things are not permitted to exist even for a year when barbaric peoples rule, much less last for thousands of years and be esteemed as sacred.

All of this stems from the notion of perfection in its absolute sense. This is a second thing I would like for the many people who are going to view this film to understand. For the Bible reveals that you are Triune. And this is perplexing from an intuitive standpoint, because there are not many philosophers in this world. And certainly among the Hebrews there were not philosophers or we would possess their writings. Instead, we received your revelation, Lord. So that you revealed yourself as Triune even to the Hebrews when you first revealed yourself to Abraham as three men (Gen 18). And although the Muslims accuse the Jews of political expedience with regard to editing the words of the prophets so that, according to them, it was necessary for Muhammed to be a final prophet and to provide the Quran as the corrected and only true word written by the hand of God, I see this is not the case. Because Genesis 18 shows your Triunity, which the Jews oppose, and Genesis 17 shows that Abraham was the father of many nations, not just of one, and that in them all the world would be blessed. Ishmael also was was both circumcised and blessed. Your word says that twelve nations would come from him. What political expedience did the Jews have to say these things?

Lord, I do not doubt that after Christ was crucified that the Jewish people sought to edit some of their texts. I know that there are some significant differences between the Greek translations, which were made in the third century BC, that have been handed down and the Hebrew, which was mostly in the hands of the Masorites. But even so, it is mostly intact and that Christ Jesus is the Messiah of the Jews and that He is your Son and our God, this is evident from the hundreds of prophecies that remain. Only those with eyes to see but who are blind fail to see it. And the Hebrew scriptures you wrote, Lord, say themselves that your word was delivered to a stiff-necked people. How politically expedient was it for the Jews to say that? But it is repeated hundreds of times in the words which they have preserved.

All of this is to say, Lord God Almighty, that I pray that all nations will come to you seeking after the truth, that they will put away their predispositions and search both their hearts and the evidence which exists. How can they fail to see what is so marvelous in my eyes? Do not allow anyone who seeks truth with honesty fail to discover you. Let them beat their swords into plowshares. For your word is fertile. And the treasures which have been stolen must surely be restored. I ask that you accomplish this on the earth and quickly lest you return before your bride is prepared for you. I ask that you grow her up like a vine of glory, deeply rooted, strong, colorful and straight up to the heavens. I ask that you restore the hearts of the children of Abraham to their father so they can understand the God Abraham saw. Show your children Abraham's heart, dear Lord. Show your children the hearts of all the fathers. For you promised Him a great possession, even an eternal possession. Restore all things, dear Lord, Heavenly Father. Restore all things.

May the hearts of the fathers be restored to the children and the children to their fathers (Malachi 4:5-6), both the patriarchs and the church fathers, Lord. I consider Justin, who was both a philosopher and a father of the church, who explained the Scriptures to Trypho, a Jew. And there were so many other great church fathers, Lord. You preserved also their writings for us so that we would not be ignorant of the scriptures. You gave these fathers a love for your word. And you gave them also to us so that we would be able to see what kind of faith they had so that we could learn what was first taught by the church. Lord, you know that the church is split up into many denominations and beliefs. Lord, I ask that you restore them to the knowledge of the writings which these earliest church fathers left us so that they can put their prejudices behind them. For false prophets have stolen your riches, blind guides within your church, and we have been led to idols, even the church. And I ask that you deliver us from them all. For these fathers' writings came before the time of Constantine. Therefore, they should not be held suspect by those who distrust the Catholic Church. They are an early testimony to how the first church first thought, to how they believed, to their great reverence for your word, and to their faith, which in many cases led to their martyrdom. They stand as witnesses. And I pray that all who see this film will be led to their writings. For although the Bible alone is a sufficient testimony, we stand like the eunuch from Ethiopia in need of a guide (Acts 8:31). And the earliest church fathers are a reliable guide.

I stand as witness to your power, my Lord and my God. I know that my words are not ineffective before your sight. I know also that the people for whom I pray are the same people for whom you died. I simply ask that your kingdom come also on earth even as it is in heaven, so that this great play can lead all men to the treasures of your grace that I have known and to those treasures which are for them alone. For every person you have prepared a treasure. And my heart cries out with rejoicing to you, my God. I pray for this Lenten season, Lord. Prepare our hearts and our minds as we prepare to be buried and raised also with you to the newness of life and to your abundant and immeasurable glory.