THE MANY MANSIONS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

                     For many years I had no illumination. I was sealed in a tomb of darkness. The tomb was my mind. One day the stone was rolled away and Christ arose and came out into the light. Until that moment I didn't know I had been asleep. The sleep was so deep and profound I was actually dead! We are not in a tomb unless we are dead. The wonder of the tomb was, even then I was one with Christ! Together we were sealed in the tomb just waiting for resurrection!

                        Even though I didn't know I was in a tomb, it reeally didn't matter. Christ was there, too and when I awoke He arose! We must look at others in this way. They are in a tomb consciousness but they are sealed in with Christ! When they awake, the only thing which can arise is the Christ! He is the way, and the way is within every man. The way leads us to the Father within ourselves. The only way to find the Father within is to bring forth His son!

                        It is time for the Messiah buried within us before the foundation of the world, to awaken and arise. When we begin to see the Bible as our story , we are able to walk through every scripture as the Christ. It is the story of consciousness awakening to the truth of its being. Everything said of Jesus will be revealed in each of us.

                        In John 14 there is a beautiful allegory revealing the many mansions of consciousness. It begins," Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive myself; (you unto, - is not in original) that where I am you may be also."

                        The next verse is very revealing. "And where I go you know, and the way you know." Jesus is saying we have always know the way. We were one with the way before the foundation of the world. The way is within each us. We have just fallen asleep and must be awakened to truth!

                        Thomas right away says, "Lord we know not where you go, and how can we know the way?" Jesus answers him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me. If you had know me, you should have know the Father also; and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him." Philip pops us and says, "Lord show us the Father."

                        These mansions seem to have a part in our ability to see the Father. These verses say when we truly know Jesus Christ we know the Father.

                        Let's look at these verses and see a higher level of understanding than we may have had in the past. Mansions in the original Greek means; "a staying, to stay in a certain place, state, relation, or expectancy." This shows there are many states you can view reality through. You can make one state of consciousness your home, or just pass through for a short time. Your spiritual vision is a state or place of consciousness. It is one of your Father's mansions within His abode. Each of us chooses the mansion we want to enter. A state or place of consciousness we make our home. I was in one mansion for many years. I could only see truth from that state. Then I left that mansion for another and then another until I entered the palce prepared for me.

                        It say in my Father's house.......know you not that you are the temple (abiding place) of God. So this is what is taking place within you! Within you are many mansions or states of consciousness. Christ goes to prepare a place for you so his consciousness can come again within you. Then he can receive you as himself. Then his state of consciousness will also be yours! You will be one with his mind!

                        Our part is to believe we have already arrived, we are one with the consciousness of Christ. We are home in the heavenlies. Home is the state where your thoughts constantly return. You will know which mansion you have entered by watching your thoughts. Where your thoughts keep returning is your dwelling place or state. Within you are many dwelling places. We must keep moving until we arrive at the place Christ prepared for us! The place prepared is abiding with the Father. One with the mind of God.

                        Verse One says, "Let not your heart be troubled...." Have you heard this comforting voice within yourself? It is the voice of the Christ pulling your attention back to a belief in Him. The Christ within. He is telling you He know the tribulations living in this world will brings. He knows you have responsibilities, financial obligations, pressures at you job, but don't be afraid because; "I go to prepare a place for you." A place of consciousness high above the things of this world. When you arrive at this state you are able to close your eyes on the world around you. You know where the Christ is, you are also! In a higher consciousness of infinite possibility. You beleive for the God within you, all things are possible!

                        Rest in the truth, He has prepared a state for you. He is the way to fulfillment. Close your eyes to the facts of life. Dare to believe and see from the end result of your desires. You do not have to stay in the mansion you are in at this moment. You are able to move on to that place of fulfillment and joy unspeakable.

                        Listen to this reassuring statement Jesus made after Philip asked Him to show them the Father. I will paraphrase His answer. "Jesus said, Have I been with you so long and you still don't know who I am. If you had really seen Me and know Me, you would have also seen and known the Father. You really have never seen Me because you are still asking to see the Father? Can't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words I am speaking are not my own, they are the Father's that dwells IN ME! He is the one doing this work!"

                        Are you able to see the Father within yourself. If not, you have really never know the Christ within. Christ came to show us the Father. He came to awaken the reality of our oneness with God.

                        The greater works come out of this revelation. The greater works are living from a consciousness which is not attached to this world. A consciousness which see from limitless possibility and infinite potential.

                        In my Father's house are many states of consciouasness, but I go to prepare a state for you. A place where we are one. A place where you have intimate knowledge of the Father. A place where your mind will no longer be troubled. A state of consciousness where you believe when you have seen the Christ within, you have also seen the Father! You will know we are one!

                        Which mansion are you dwelling in? Are you willing to move out of the mansions and into the place prepared for you?

                        With Love and Gratitude,

                        Mary Lou Houllis
                        Pastor