Jonathots … November 13th, 2018

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Jonathots Daily Blog

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We are sensual.

Though many proponents insist on portraying us cerebral or spiritual, when it comes time for follow-through, we are infrequently sensible and rarely angelic.

We strive for it. Sometimes we overwork our brains to the point of worry, or we contort our spirits in all forms of prayer and worship until we become obnoxious–even to ourselves.

WE ARE SENSUAL

There are five of them:

• seeing
• hearing
• smelling
• tasting

All of these four senses are located in our own heads–and that is candidly where we live most of the time. We focus on what we’ve seen, heard, the aromas we enjoy and the tastes that tickle our palates.

The only thing that even hints that we are not merely part of the animal kingdom is the fifth sense–touch.

We experience this when we leave our own thoughts, extend our arms and decide to use our hands.

It’s when the cerebral and spiritual are invited into our sensual control center to contribute something more expansive–inclusive.

THE POWER OF TOUCH

Therefore, if we don’t know how to use our hands–if our touch is either absent or brutal–then the four senses that dwell within the cranium will make us self-centered and certainly encourage isolation.

We were supposed to learn all of this when we were kids. Mom, Dad, relatives, older siblings, Grandpa, Grandma, aunts, uncles and even schoolteachers were there to instruct us on how to “handle” other human beings.

But what if we didn’t learn? What if the instruction was vague? What if we were encouraged by others–or by our own inclinations–to trust our other four senses, and leave touch to chance, or lust?

Is there any hope for the human race if we live our entire lives inside our minds, and fail to learn the power of touch?

What am I supposed to do with my hands?

When should I be “hands on?”

How about “hands off?”

What is the correct time to join hands?

Should we fold our hands in prayer?

Should we give a “hand up” to others?

These are all great questions.

Over the next multiple weeks, I would like to invite you to the Handbook on Hands–an opportunity to study our sensual selves, and find the cerebral and spiritual reasons to use our touch elegantly.

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Jesonian … July 14th, 2018

 Jonathots Daily Blog

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In Luke the 7th Chapter, a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to dinner.

Why?

As the story rolls out, it becomes obvious that it wasn’t a “special” invitation. Jesus arrived to a very generic, all-male environment, believing that he was a special guest, but was ushered in to be seated as if he’s one of hundreds at a Golden Corral Buffet.

You see, Simon wanted to be “the guy.” He wanted to be that fellow who was open-minded enough to extend an invitation to Jesus. But at the same time, he was sure to portray that he was not getting on board with the Carpenter’s crowd.

Nasty politics. Insincere feelings.

So Jesus plopped down to have dinner, thoroughly ignored.

Except for one woman. She was a whore.  Luke makes it clear that she was not an out of work prostitute, nor one who had decided to forsake her profession.

Matter of fact, we are led to believe that she had just come from the job site to see Jesus. She probably still had the smell of a man on her. She certainly had the look of evil to those religious men who had presumably gathered to consider the turn of some phrase uttered by a prophet a thousand years ago.

She brought a gift–ointment. She brought her tears, and she used her hair to dry those tears as they drizzled on his feet.

It was a sensual experience.

It was so intimate that the Pharisees, especially Simon, became infuriated that Jesus did not stop the awkwardness of the moment.

They whispered. “If he were truly a prophet, he would know what kind of woman she is…”

When Jesus realized they were critiquing the woman’s gentleness and mocking her right to be considered, he spoke up.

First, he asks Simon’s permission to speak to him. He doesn’t yell. He doesn’t offer counsel where it is not wanted. He asks for the grace to share.

And then he explains the three essentials to reaching people–whether it’s for God or for business.

He tells Simon, “When I came here you offered me no water, you gave me no kiss and you provided no oil. Yet this woman has given me the water of her tears, has kissed my feet with her warmth and anointed me with oil she brought in her alabaster box.”

Water. Kiss. Oil.

All humans need all three of these.

We need water to be cleansed. We need water to drink. We need water to be refreshed, instead of having things withheld, leaving us thirsty.

Simon thought they were going to have a great conversation over dinner about their disagreements. Jesus said, “You don’t get it, dude. It’s about water. It’s about offering a kiss.”

Intimacy.

I, for one, am sick and tired of ministry that has no connection. It takes more than three or four scriptures being read aloud for us to feel caressed.

The human race has not failed. Rather, the messengers of God have settled for meetings in dark rooms to discuss minutia.

The woman gave Jesus a kiss and he said it was good.

There is no ministry without intimacy. If you don’t plan on looking deeply into someone’s eyes, drying their tears and hugging them, then quit. Save yourself the aggravation of performing religious duties that have become meaningless.

And finally, it was the oil–the oil of gladness, the oil of healing.

It touched Jesus.

How magnificent is it to know that you are a woman who has just risen from the bed of being with a lover, and worked up the gumption to come to Jesus’ feet humbly, admitting your confusion, and know that you moved him?

Ministry is not about theology.

Ministry is not about church.

Ministry is not about praise and worship.

It’s about bringing the water for cleansing, the kiss for intimacy and the oil for healing.

Jesus did not come to Earth to explain Heaven.

Jesus came to Earth so we once and for all could make sense of Earth.

*****

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                $7.99 plus S&H

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G-27: Figments and Fragments … June 6, 2014

Jonathots Daily Blog

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After billions of years of evolution, the ushering in of humanity formed in the image of the Creator, a season of Utopia, a betrayal of trust, a banishment, a murder between brothers, an exile of the accused and the birth of a new son who brought promise, things calmed down.

And this manufactured serenity was viewed by most parties concerned as positive–except God.

For you see, God knew that we, as people, are best when hassled. We are more powerful when weakened. We are smarter when survival is at stake.

And yet, human beings began to breathe, work, eat, sleep and die. Many generations passed, following faithfully on the redundant path.

But in the midst of this malaise, a tragic miscalculation transpired. Although, as monkey-angels, we were pulled from the jungle and merged with heaven to have a heart, soul, mind and strength, each individual member of our race began to focus on one of these aspects, usually to the exclusion of the others.

We became fragmented, causing us to chase figments of our imagination. It is a problem that happened thousands of years ago and still persists to this day.

For you see, some people focused only on the heart, becoming very emotional and therefore tossed to and fro by circumstance.

Others became “soulish,” with a desire to study and worship perceptions of the supernatural, which often made them superstitious and bitter over their earthly lot.

Then there was a contingency that preened their minds with knowledge, which often became arrogance instead of a mission to eradicate ignorance.

And finally, a goodly number chased after strength, following a sensual lifestyle, which only dealt with things of the body.

We became incomplete people.

We segregated into our colonies of interest and even warred with one another because we believed our particular rendition of human behavior was more suited for the times.

We lost our way.

In the midst of a calm came a doldrums–a sense of hopelessness because of the aching sensation of incompleteness.

Let us be clear:

We are heart creatures. Our emotions cannot be denied, but instead, should be passed along to our soul, where they can be clarified. Once we’ve achieved this cleanness, we can renew our minds with information that is personal and not merely related to the experiences of others. Once the mind is given a mission, the strength can be directed in more profitable and healthier choices.

Yes, the goal of the human race is to use our heart to reach our creative soul to renew our extended thinking to pursue deeds of fruitful daring.

Unfortunately, things became calm.

People got lazy.

And the door was left open for confusion.

 

 

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After an appearance earlier this year in Surprise, Arizona, Janet and I were blessed to receive a “surprise” ourselves. Click on the beautiful Arizona picture above to share it with us!

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