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This was the vision.

Everything was black!

But within that blackness was a tall slender triangle that represented a mountain.

The triangle was also black.

But an even darker shade to show that even though the eye might not be able to see it, this ‘mountain’ existed.

Residing at the highest point of the mountain - the apex - where there was no more mountain to climb, was a single flame.

The ‘blackness’ in which the flame existed represented the ocean that is collective human thought.

In the beginning, as Life began, this ocean was empty and pure.

Collective thought - the home of every thought, idea, concept and philosophy that would ever be expressed - was a blank canvas.

But, as Life grew and developed, and as ‘humanity’ evolved, the ocean, once void, began to fill.

Not quickly at first.

But fast forward to today, when collective thought might be flooded with over 100 million Instagram posts in a single day - and to that we can add TikTok posts, Facebook posts, LinkedIn posts, Medium articles, podcasts, blogs, newspaper and magazine articles and so on - and it would be fair to say collective thought has been overwhelmed by a vicious, and all-to-often negligent, assault.

Anyone can express whatever they want about any subject and they can do this to a global audience.

And there exists in many an insatiable desire to be seen as clever and wise by others, and so, they must demonstrate this.

Being is no longer adequate.

We need to educate, promote and portray.

Our world is performance based.

Making noise and drawing attention to ourselves is the key to contemporary success.

Words speak louder than actions because we have begun to fear our great deeds might go unnoticed by the world.

People will tailor who they are, and even the things they say, not to reveal who they truly are, but to be deemed worthy of admiration by our abusive and exploitative world.

Our world considers reality TV to be trashy and fake, but this is what many people have reduced their own lives to - a reality TV program with them as the producer, director and star.

Today, collective thought is bursting at the seams.

It takes a daily battering, and there is no sign that the abuse will subside.

Our minds are under siege by the non-stop barrage of information that floods relentlessly into collective thought, making what was once empty and sparse, congested, polluted and crammed.

And the fact that much of the information we are exposed to on certain subjects is contradictory, means that the ocean of collective thought can be a treacherous place to swim.

People who enter collective thought as authorities and experts on certain topics can quickly become fools.

Reputations can be made and destroyed, as things once considered true, are rendered misleading and false.

The smartest can very quickly become the dumbest.

Interestingly, much of the human expression brought into existence each day is fuelled by two motivations.

To honour and promote ourselves and to criticise and judge others.

This is compelling because one of the ideas placed into collective thought by Jesus was that we were not to boast about ourselves or judge others.

Perhaps ‘influential’ is not a word we should use to describe Jesus.

‘Significant’, ‘famous’ and even ‘exploited’ would be far more apt given how well known he is, and how broadly and enthusiastically he is misrepresented.

For many, the man who called upon his followers to honour God and reject 'the world', has become their ticket to adoration and fame in it.  

After all, it was Jesus himself who declared that when God revealed the Truth it would become evident that 'the world' did not believe him.

And on this point our world has proven Jesus - without a doubt - to be correct.

When people place information into collective thought, they seek to ‘influence’ how we think about certain things, and how we behave.

To become successful at influencing the world, people must draw attention to the thoughts, ideas and concepts they want the world to embrace.

They need to shine a light on themselves and somehow draw the world’s attention to that light.

Jesus attempted to influence how we thought and behaved.

He tried to encourage others to live as he was teaching them and showing them.

He invited the world into a very specific and clearly defined way of life.

In fact, he referred to this way of life as the way.

And as the bread of life.

He taught the world that if we lived as he asked us to live, we would exist as a source of sustenance and nourishment to Life.

Live as he asked us to live, and we will have honoured Life and 'God'.

And this was the whole point of every Word Jesus placed into collective thought - he was asking us to make honouring Life and 'God' the foundation of everything we did.

Honouring God and Life was to take priority over choosing to live a life that embraced the world and the treasures it has to offer.

The message of Jesus was clear.

We could choose Life and its needs, or the world and its treasures.

But as a source of information in our world Jesus was unique.

Jesus wasn’t trying to influence others to live as he wanted them to live.

He wasn’t attempting to establish his own personally preferred set of rules for living.

And importantly, he was not educating people on how to ‘succeed’ in an abusive world.

Jesus was trying to encourage others to live as God wanted them to live.

He did not hold authority over the things he was saying.

He was not putting a spotlight on himself.

He claimed God was speaking through him.

He was putting a spotlight on God and the knowledge God wanted to place into collective thought.

Jesus' life represented an attempt by God to influence the world with his own direct Word and testimony.

When Jesus spoke, it was pure God.

He was not contaminating or polluting collective thought by offering his unsolicited opinions about God to the world.

He was not drawing attention to himself.

Doing this does not honour God.

It misrepresents and exploits him.

Jesus was not advocating for an 'idea' of God, a 'version' of God or a particular set of beliefs.

He was representing God.

His job was not to explain and define God - it was to make it clear how God wanted us to behave.

When anyone explains or defines God as they want him explained and defined, they become God's competition.

They offer themselves in place of God.

Like God, they fight for custody over how our world thinks about God.

But they do this without knowing him and without his consent.

This makes anyone who does this reckless and negligent in their mistreatment of God.

And God the victim of their exploitation.

Imagine forcing God to compete with our own voice when it comes to how he is understood by our world.

It is obscene to think that anyone would build such a cruel and exploitative relationship with God – misrepresenting him to get the attention of the world - but that is what everyone does when they place themselves before the world and declare, 'this is how I want God to be known.'

God is either representing himself - which means we are learning about God through his own direct Word and testimony - or he is being misrepresented.

When it is the latter, someone has used God to draw attention to themselves.

And if we build a relationship with any source of information on God that operates as a competing authority to him, we are no longer faithful to God.

We have committed adultery.

When it comes to how we know and understand God, we have chosen to surrender fidelity to God in order to play the field.

You see, amongst the immeasurable number of thoughts and ideas that have flooded collective thought since the beginning of time, is everything that has been placed there about God.

And every piece of information about God that exists in our world falls into one of two categories.

There is the knowledge God has brought into existence through his own direct Word and testimony.

And the information that comes from those who have offered themselves to the world as alternatives to God.

The flame at the apex of the mountain in my vision represents the direct Word and testimony of God.

This flame represents the knowledge that has been introduced into collective thought directly by God.

In collective thought, God's flame is a single flame.

No other source can ever add to this flame because no other source is God.

But in our world, we can exploit God to build a flame of our own.

God's flame is the light of knowledge and Truth that burns because God makes it burn.

God’s own direct Word, revelation and testimony fuels this flame.

And when it comes to every piece of information that exists in our world - whether it relates to God or not - the flame that is fuelled by God stands separate and apart from all others.

There are God's attempts to influence how humanity thinks and behaves.

And the flames that belong to the ‘princes of the world’.

The flame in my vision is pure God.

It can never be corrupted or contaminated because no other source can add to it. It is not compatible with any other substance or source.

But people can offer themselves as an alternative.

But no one who positions themselves in the role of master over how God is known in our world serves God.

They are helping themselves to God.

They put God to work so they are adored.

If anyone is explaining God as they want him explained, then they, and the things they have to say, exist in opposition to God.

They place 'knowing' God under their own custody. And when anyone does this, they make themselves master over God.

Like God, they ask for our trust.

We can choose their flame.

Or God's.

But our faith - along with our love and trust - belongs to the torchbearer of whatever flame has arrested our gaze.

Remember, God knows what it is like to experience Life as God. And he speaks from this position.

They don't.

Someone sharing their personal or institutional thoughts and opinions on God does not make God’s flame burn brighter.

It just means they have used God to spark a flame of their own.

Yes, God is their chosen area of influence - their niche, if you prefer - but they hold sole authority over the things they say.

What they spew into collective thought about God comes from them, and it exists because they have chosen to place it there.

God has no connection to this type of information or the one who introduced it.

Any support we offer to those who have given themselves custody over how our world should think about God, is not offered to God.

It is offered to one who is exploiting him.

To trust one who does this one must surrender trust in God.

Again, if God is not representing himself, he is being misrepresented.

God distances himself from any information concerning him that has been brought into our world by another - and the one who introduced it.

He wants nothing to do with them or the things they have to say.

And why would he?

Why would God ever consider placing how the world understands him under the authority of someone who does not know him, has not heard from him and who speaks of him without his consent?

Who benefits in such a situation?

Who gets the attention?

God does not stand united with any source that exploits him.

When someone misrepresents God, a flame that burns separately to God's, has been sparked.

Another alternative to God has made themselves available to us.

And the substance of such a flame can never mix with the substance of God's.

Such a merger is impossible because the two flames belong to competing authorities who operate with competing motivations.

One source is God explaining and defining himself.

Another is trying to have God understood by our world as they want him understood.

Both are vying for custody and control over how our world thinks about God.

Anyone can pollute collective thought and draw attention to themselves through their self-serving misrepresentation and exploitation of God.

But they do not add to our world's understanding of God as he knows himself.

Their flame does not shine a light on the Truth.

Their flame shines a light on their misrepresentation and mistreatment of God.

The wisdom that burns in God’s flame is fixed, reliable and true.

It is 'the Amen'.

And in our world, God’s voice - and everything that comes with it - must compete with every other voice that spews information about him into the ocean that is collective thought.

This includes any voice that belongs to one who exploits God by making him their ‘niche’ or area of expertise.

Like God, those who do this place a spotlight on themselves and the things they have to say about God.

They try to influence how our world might think about him.  

But their flame is not fuelled by God’s direct Word and testimony.

It’s fuelled by their misrepresentation and exploitation of God.

Somehow, this behaviour - deciding who or what we want God to be and then educating the world on this idea - came to represent ‘faith’.

But because God speaks for himself, the only true faith in God is the faith that looks to his Word alone.

If we honour an idea of God that has not been defined by God and established in collective thought by him, we are honouring a false God.

There are no 'versions' of God.  

Only God.  

And no matter how many people pollute the ocean that is collective thought with their self-glorifying personal or institutional perversions of God, faith in God only exists when our trust is placed solely in the things he reveals about himself.

Faith in God is established by our rejection of his exploiters.

Not our embrace of them.

To keep our eyes fixed on God - to ‘see’ - we must be blind to every other flame.

God's own Word and testimony is the flame in my vision.

Whenever our eyes are fixed on any other flame, we become blind to God.

Our faith, love and fidelity follow our gaze.

And rest where our eyes rest.

Any support we offer to one who exploits God fuels their flame.

They benefit from our adoration and praise.

Not God.

Faith and trust in God look to his flame alone.

As does an unconditional love for him.

People who ordain themselves authorities on God in our world are calling people to their flame - and away from God’s.

Historically speaking, God was the first source to place knowledge into collective thought concerning how we were to live.

He established his laws for living long before the influencers of today began their attempts to hijack human thought and behaviour in ways that suited them.

And from the moment he first spoke, faith in God was born.

The flame that was God’s own direct Word and testimony had been lit.

As had the only path to proving we loved and trusted him.

‘God’ alone can fuel this flame and he fuels it in whatever way he wishes.

His is the only flame that will not deceive, mislead or speak falsely when it comes to God.

How could it?

This flame is God representing himself.

It was through God's voice that the Word of God entered collective thought.

It is the only way it can.

And from the moment it did, people could look to God’s voice to know and understand him - and to identify the things he needs from us.

But the moment someone else chose to place their ideas or explanations about God into collective thought was the moment God lost sole custody over how he would be known by our world.

Someone acting without God's consent had chosen to place ‘knowing’ God under their own authority.

God was the subject.

But information about him was being added into collective thought against his wishes.

The first moment someone misrepresented God, was the moment God had competition.

The first alternative source of information on God was born. Custody over how God would be known by our world, no longer belonged solely to him.

Anyone could position themselves as an authority on God.

Now, we could place our faith and trust in anyone who chose to misrepresent and exploit God. All we had to do was like what they had to say.

Better still, we could also become the competition.

Before long, the number of flames vying for custody over God began to look more like this:

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‘Faith’ was transformed.

We now had many options available to us when it came to choosing how we might know and understand God.

God was just one of them.

No longer was ‘faith’ about trusting God’s Word on himself and simply being what he asked us to be.

'Faith' was now about controlling how the world thought about God. 'Faith' was about drawing attention to ourselves - and tailoring God to whatever set of principles and beliefs suited us.

Doctrinal faiths were born, and God was no longer who he says he is.

He was now who we say he is.

And today, at the peak of our world's exploitation of God and when God once again chose to speak for himself, anyone who wanted could draw attention to their own personal version of God.

Today, ours is the world of a million gods.

And yet still, there will always exist in collective thought the solitary flame that is fuelled by God’s own direct Word and testimony.

And it will exist as an alternative to those that flicker without his consent.

These flames are fuelled by the misrepresentation and exploitation of God.

And the torchbearers who bear them do not draw the world’s attention to God and the things he wants to say about himself.

They do not shine a light on God at all.

They shine a light on themselves.

Anyone who has ever sought to influence how our world thought about God sparked a flame that competes with God for attention, Truth and trust.

Call the irony of this beautiful or tragic, but everyone who asked the world to look in their direction to ‘know’ and ‘understand’ God was only ever drawing attention to their misrepresentation and exploitation of God.

Faith in those who present themselves as experts or authorities on God can never be considered faith in God because it isn’t faith in God.

It is in someone who shone a light on their treachery and their own lack of faith by masquerading as an expert on God in the first place.

What could be more arrogant or insulting to God than someone positioning themselves as a worldly authority on him, without knowing him, and without being given his consent to do so, and then having the hide to label and portray their exploitation of God as 'faith'.

Consent is central to this discussion.

On matters relating to consent, our world is very clear.

Consent can be given or denied.

And consent should never be assumed.

Unless God has explicitly requested that we say the things we are saying about him, then legally - not to mention morally and ethically - we can assume consent has not been given.

If we place knowing God in our own hands, we have had our way with God.

Our paws are all over him.

In fact, given that God asked the world to watch for the Truth that would come from him, not only does he not consent to anyone offering themselves in his place, we can also assume he does not consent to people trusting those that do.

When someone stands before the world and says, ‘Come, know God as I want him known’, a flame has been ignited that competes with God’s.

God alone adds fuel to his flame.

No one else.

And Jesus is the purest form of fuel God has ever used.

That is what made Jesus such a threat.

Jesus was God’s way of reminding the world that he spoke for himself.

And that his laws were his to interpret and apply.

Jesus was not calling upon the world to embrace his flame – he was not competing with God's flame at all.

He was adding fuel to it.

He made the flame that was sparked when God first spoke burn brighter.

God’s flame burns in opposition to all others – not just those who exploit him to become experts on him – but in opposition to every influencer whoever educated the world on how they believed we should live or who encouraged us to value the things they wanted us to value.

Whenever we ask, ‘what did Jesus say about that’, we are asking, ‘what did God say about that’.

And when we say, ‘Jesus said this’, we are saying ‘God said this.’

When Jesus said something about God, God was saying it about himself.

But when someone misrepresents or exploits God, we are not hearing from God.

We are hearing what someone wants the world to think about God.

They are taking ‘knowing God’ out of God’s hands and placing it in their own.

But God is the only legitimate authority who has any right to explain or define him.

And what did God have to say about navigating those who would offer themselves as alternative sources of information on him?

After reminding us once again that he expected us to live in a certain way, God, through Jesus, told the world to remain watchful for a time when he would once again add fuel to his flame through his own Word and testimony.

When what was added to collective thought about him would come directly from him.

So Jesus himself warned the world to avoid any flame that was not fuelled by God – even if its source of fuel came bearing his name.

Through Jesus, God said, ‘I will speak again. And when I do, I will tell you the Truth. Remain watchful for me.’

Every flame that has ever offered itself as an alternative to God bears responsibility for making God's dream of being the sole voice our world trusts when it comes to knowing him, an almost impossible dream to realise..

And any suffering the one true God has experienced because of this also rests on their shoulders.

We should remember Jesus said he was in the world, but not of it.

He was not motivated by a sick and desperate need for worldly adoration and praise.

What he did honoured God.

When God is misrepresented, those responsible for the misrepresentations honour themselves.

And God himself warned us to avoid anyone who would do this.

From the time of Jesus’ death to the revelation of Truth God has been sharing with the world today, those who trusted him were to remain watchful for God.

They were to remain faithful to his flame.

And to keep their eyes on him alone.

That’s who and what Jesus asked us to watch for.

God.

And the Truth.  

Call it what you will but it is not faith in God - or love for him - that rejects God's call to watchfulness while bringing into collective thought the information he must compete with.

God asked that we watch for him.

That was his prayer to us.

To leave his revelation of Truth to him.

In this way he asked for our trust.

Remember, it is God who is impacted and harmed when people mislead the world about him by directing others away from his voice.

Every voice that chooses not to misrepresent and exploit God, and every such voice our world rejects, is a voice God does not have to compete with.

It is one less alternative.

To not place knowing God on our own hands is the way of the poor in spirit.

To offer our trust to God - along with our hearts and minds - is the way of an unconditional love for God.

Jesus, God’s living Word, was bashed, spat on, whipped, humiliated and murdered to honour God.

And yet those who masquerade as faithful, but who compete with God for custody over how he is understood by our world, can’t even forgo the worldly adoration and praise that comes with exploiting him.

They will gladly exploit God and Jesus to impress the world they told us we must reject.

It is one thing to reject God.

But another to exploit him so one can attract worldly adoration and praise.

What an insult to God.

No one who genuinely trusted God and Jesus would be surprised that God delivered on his promise.

But God’s own voice is lost amongst the multitude of flames that have been set alight by his exploiters.

God’s flame is eternal.

And is the only flame that burns legitimately when it comes to how we know and understand him.

God kept it simple.

‘Here are my Laws for how to live!’

‘This is how I want you to embody and express those laws!’

‘Do this, and watch for my revelation of Truth!’

God, through his own Word and testimony - the flame of knowledge that he set alight when he first spoke on his own behalf - asked for just two things from us.

Our being.

And trust.

Those who have misrepresented and exploited God by using him to fuel a worldly flame of their own offer him neither of these things.

And when people turned their gaze toward their light, they turn away from God’s.

Look at the images above once again.

In truth, to one who loves and trusts God, and who seeks only to honour God, both are the same.

There is God’s voice - his own Word and testimony.

And nothing else.

There is God’s light.

And blackness.

And the most sinister form of blackness of all is the blackness which exploits God to portray itself as light.  

The only way to God is through God.

Jesus warned the world away from any flame that stood separate and apart from God’s.

And yet, many are those who used and exploited Jesus to do exactly that.

And many are those who called themselves faithful, but who added fuel to the flames that compete with God by offering them the adoration and praise that sustains them.

Our eyes were meant to be reserved for God’s Truth.

But when he delivered on his promise the world was already blinded by the bright lights and self-serving noise being made by those who were exploiting him.

And yet, when it comes to the ocean that is collective human thought, not a single Word about God should have entered it, unless it came from him.

God's flame will always burn separately from the flames that exploit him.

The difference between those who speak under the authority of God and those who speak about God under their own authority will always be this:

One is being used by God to reveal the things God wants to reveal.

The other is using God to get the attention of the world.

The latter introduce thoughts and ideas about God into collective thought that they want to introduce.

They compete with God for custody over how he is to be known by our world.

In a world that honoured and respected God, along with his inviolable right to explain and define himself, only one flame would burn when it came to how we knew and understood him.

The fact that it’s not tells is just how enthusiastic and dedicated our world has been in its exploitation of God.

And how sinister that exploitation has been given those responsible for much of it have mistreated God under the banner of faith.

And so it is.

Amen.

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Note: Today, when it comes to how our world knows and understands God, it is 'God against the World'. Or God 'Contra Mundum'.

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And that is the title of a book I published last year - Contra Mundum - God Against the World'. In this book God's own testimony is measured against that of His Holiness, Pope Francis, the atheists who reject his existence and those with a worldly faith who misrepresent and exploit God on the Medium publishing platform.

Clic Here, or on the image, to access Contra Mundum - God Against the World.

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