It's me, mike hillebrecht

When I was 19, I began reading, and naturally collecting, Marvel comic books. At 20 cents per edition – which seems like a bargain today – I would stock up on the adventures of Spiderman, The Avengers, X-Men, and Iron Man every month. These stories kept me entertained for years and fueled within me a desire to be…different.

Most superheroes are either born with an innate ability, have their ability inflicted upon them by some outside force or enemy, or create their ability through scientific development. My favorites during those days was Colossus from the X-Men, a Russian mutant who could transform his body into an indestructible metal compound which gave him strength and stamina, and Iron Man, the armored creation of the brilliant millionaire inventor Tony Stark. One born different, one created different.

Deep inside of us is the drive to be…? That is the question and answer we are all pursuing, right? We seek a superpower which will reveal our quest, our destiny. Some believe that there is no “hidden” power within themselves, while others are very vocal how their superpower is making coffee in the morning. We all have a unique gift or ability which helps us navigate through the matrix we call life. If making coffee is the pinnacle for these few, great! I’ll raise a cup to their impact upon the farmers in Columbia.

Having a superpower is kind of limiting. Let’s be honest, every superhero knows that there is someone out there trying to defeat them and take over the world. Having one power means you can only select the fights you know you can win. Coffee heroes do not cross Tea heroes. So, what if you could have more than one power, which would you chose? For me the choice is simple, however, for some of you this might seem like foolishness. Consider the following:

1Co 1:22-27
(22) Seeing that Jews demand miracles, and Greeks go in search of wisdom,
(23) while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified–to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness,
(24) but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
(25) Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men’s wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men’s might.
(26) For consider, brethren, God’s call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called.
(27) But God has chosen the things which the world regards as foolish, in order to put its wise men to shame; and God has chosen the things which the world regards as destitute of influence, in order to put its powerful things to shame;

Notice the use of power, particularly God’s power, in these verses. You see, God is omnipotent. OMNI = ALL, potent = power. God is ALL power. Not just some here and there, but ALL. There is not a power, any power, greater than the power of God. The single word which defines the use and describes the effect of God’s power is “Good.”

“God is omnipotent. Big deal! I know this or have been told it to me all my life. IF He is so powerful, why doesn’t He do something about…?”

This is a pretty common response from the majority of the people on this planet. There appears to be a power greater than God which keeps Him from working for “Good.” Consider this claim very carefully.

If God is omnipotent, this means He is ALL power. Can there be any other power? No, ALL means ALL. So then, is there a greater power at work here? No. If the effect is not “Good,” is it the power of God? No. Is it some other power then? No, as long as God is Omnipotent, there is no other power capable of occupying the same space or territory which is defined as ALL, simply because God fills ALL in ALL.

Before you write this off as some foolish expression of circle logic, go back to the prior verses and look at the power issue again. If we seem to think that there is a power affecting our ability to experience the “Good” power of God, maybe we haven’t established what “Power” truly is. What if our thoughts of power are merely “our” ideas of what and how we believe power functions? What if we decided to capture every thought of power and made it submit to the “Good” power of God simply be declaring, “…you would have no power unless it came from above.”

What if your superpower was simply being vocal in how grateful you are that God is Omnipotent? What kind of power would that look like? What effect would it create and maintain in your life, your family, your business, your community?

(If you think I left out the issues which aren’t “good” then you better hold on. I’ll tackle them a bit later once you are founded properly on OMNI. Stay tuned!)

In 1939, ol’ blue eyes, Frank Sinatra, recorded a song by this same title, but it didn’t become famous until 1943 when it was reissued by Columbia Records, spending 21-weeks atop the Billboard charts. The original release, sung when Frank was only 23 and beginning in the business, sold only 8,000 copies, which by all accounts, is a flop. However, in 1943 Frank was a hot commodity and Columbia Records wanted to promote Frank. But there was one little problem: A musician strike wouldn’t permit anyone to make any record with a band. Columbia Records made the shrewd move of re-releasing the older version much to the success of all the parties involved.

This little bit of music trivia lays right in line with my previous post regarding the re-introduction of the prefix OMNI back into your vocabulary. According to www.etymonline.com, OMNI is:

“word-forming element meaning “all,” from Latin omni-, combining form of omnis “all, every, the whole, of every kind,” a word of unknown origin, perhaps literally “abundant,” from *op-ni-, from PIE root *op- “to work, produce in abundance.”

Now I wish to make something very clear here before I go forward. I’ll put it plainly: ALL=ALL. There is no room for, “All, except for…” or, “All, but not…” I’m not going to ask you to agree with me on this simply because the definition of the prefix OMNI plainly declares, “…all, the whole, of every kind.” ALL=ALL, the whole, of every kind. OMNI!

Ok, you bible aficionados, here is your question of the day. What is the opening line to the Shema? (faint lilting of the Jeopardy theme song plays in the background as the contestant search their memories for a correct response.) The Shema (hear) is the foundation of all Hebraic thought and theology. It is recited daily and is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 with the opening line reading as,

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (Deu 6:4)

For the most part, the Western religion of the 21st century has no clue what this means even though it was a staple to pretty much most of the religious expressions leading up to this time. Regrettably, the streams of time have a tendency to wear down the spiny edges of foundational truths making them more comfortable to be around. Kinda like the difference between a new toothbrush and an old one. (With arm and hammer, I took aim at the crest before me making no sense of dyin’ from it. Puns…not for the weak of heart.)

When Moses declared before the children of Israel that the Lord God is one Lord, he was simply claiming that God is OMNI. Take a moment to breath here. I know this doesn’t line up with things as you have been told, however, this doesn’t negate the fact that God is ALL; that God is Every; That God is The Whole; that God is of an unknown origin; that God is Abundant. All of these descriptors fall easily and comfortably into, God is One. So, what do you think Jesus meant when he claimed that he and the Father are One? Was he being omni-scient or omni-percipient? (This is just of taste of coming attractions!)

Read what follows very carefully.

We do not worship, pray to, or even commune, with the same God which Jesus did. I am not talking about Jesus worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob either. Christ stated, “…before Abraham was, I am.” Jesus was on a whole different plane of reality than we have even considered. Regrettably, we have taken every concept of God handed down to us over these past two thousand years and molded them into the omni-god “of every kind.” We have failed to keep God as One. This means we have failed to see and revere God as ALL. This has affected our ability to pray correctly, to commune freely, to worship whole-heartily; to be our truest self in all seasons, situations and circumstances.

DISCLAIMER

I do not have the answer – yet. I am on the same journey which you are on. We are at varying markers along the trail. Some are further behind while others are further ahead. Location is not important, only the destination is. What unfolds within these various writings over the next few days, weeks, months, and years will merely be my travel log towards One. Hopefully, you’ll benefit from this as much as I do. My motivation is simple: ALL or nothing at all.

We live in an age where language is trying to keep pace with technology and making a very good show of it in many ways. It would appear that the stability of the meaning of words from by-gone eras are being tossed aside to make room for more culturally relevant terms, and/or phrases, in order not to offend certain social groups. Being “all inclusive” has apparently taken the reins of social discourse in our small thinking world.

My hope with this post, and the next few which may follow, is to break you out of your limited, small brain, smaller thinking mind-set by re-introducing to you a vital term which is as inclusive as you can get. Ladies and gentlemen, madams and messieurs, boys and girls of all ages and nations, allow me to introduce you to the one, and the only prefix you will ever need to fit into any dialogue you’re having with those who are so inclined to be inclusive without restraint and reserve. Behold: OMNI.

Please now, keep your hushed talking to a minimum as I embark on the task of bringing this marvel back into the light after having been relegated to the dark wings of antiquity. I know that this prefix appears to have a “retro” vibe to it and might have been prominent in the minds of some of you in an era of free love and psychedelic expression, but the masters of marketing could not curtail or enhance the significance of this simple little prefix.

YES! Employed as a prefix in the course of your speaking, it will add an entirely whole new level of possibilities to any word you attach it to! Imagine the flattering glances you’ll achieve when you slip this little pearl-of-great-price into your lexicon. But I’m getting ahead of myself. You must see what I’m talking about. Prepare yourself to be astounded, mesmerized, even possibly awe struck! Now, for your sincere consideration, let me welcome back from a far and distant time, our prefix of relevance to your every waking life-size moments. If you would, a round of applause for OMNI!

Thank you everyone for your recognition of OMNI as it struts it’s stuff down the corridors of your mind. According to www.etymonline.com, OMNI is:

“word-forming element meaning “all,” from Latin omni-, combining form of omnis “all, every, the whole, of every kind,” a word of unknown origin, perhaps literally “abundant,” from *op-ni-, from PIE root *op- “to work, produce in abundance.”

Talk about an icon of inclusivity! There is none better than the regal, illustrious, sincere, OMNI.

Can I be serious for a moment? I’m a grace guy. If you haven’t ascertained this yet, then you must be new to these postings, to which I can only say, keep reading! For the rest of you, grace is “omni” in its ability to make an affect. I know that saying this possibly caused a number of you to scrunch up your nose and forehead because it goes against everything you have been told. Obviously, no preacher is every going to announce from a pulpit the benefits of omni-grace. However, what if one did? What would it sound like? How would it change your life, your community and your nation?

Alright, it is true that this is simply an exercise of thinking about possibilities using a prefix to change a preconceived idea of a thought. I admit it. Yet, there was a promise conveyed about future writings which would employ this prefix…

Stay tuned, for you haven’t even begun to think out of the box.

Over the years where I have been studying and teaching about the subject of grace, I am often confronted by the “human-ness” of the subject material. Understandably, most people, when they first learn about grace, relate it to themselves and those around them. The notion that God has forgiven them of all their life foibles and fumbles through His grace is captivating in its liberation. Growth and maturity in grace unfolds as we extend grace to those in our life – and this becomes the roadblock to so many.

Humans posses a sense of entitlement through victimhood. The subject of grace brings with it the issues of forgiveness and mercy which entitled people resent particularly when there is any perception of having been inflicted by another. Note, I did not say actually being inflicted, only the perception of the act having occurred. There are a multitude of professional studies which will tell you from their findings how your mind does not know the difference between an actual event or one which was imagined. If you believe you are a victim, you re-live life accordingly.

Victims rarely, if ever, will be, or are, capable of offering true grace, forgiveness or mercy to another. Victims live in a conditional frame of mind as a means to protect their status as a victim. Unconditional grace, forgiveness, and mercy are too painful to consider as the means to living a spiritual life. Therefore, a victim will withhold simply to maintain their perception of emotional strength.

Regrettably, victims who withhold find it equally hard to extend true grace, forgiveness and mercy to the one person who desperately needs it the most – themselves. Their efforts to shore up the walls of protection around themselves will not allow the dismantling which occurs from true grace to transform their thoughts and lives. This is why as I’ve claimed that grace is not mortal. Mortal means having a beginning and an end, a birth and a death. Being a victim gives a person the power to determine, or establish self-imposed conditions, to the end, or the death of something or someone. As long as we have the ability to offer grace, forgiveness or mercy to another, particularly on our terms and conditions, we are functioning from this mortal, worldly realm.

Jesus stated that the kingdom of God is within you and me. Within every kingdom, there is a place, a seat, a throne where the King declares his plans and purposes through His spoken word. In the kingdom of God, which resides within us, this seat is called the throne of grace. How did it come to be called this?

In the book of Isaiah we encounter a declaration from God which says, “…For my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my was, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” When any mortal looks at the throne where God sits, declaring the plans and purpose of His kingdom, the highest human thought, the highest human way which can describe those actions is “grace.” While it is a mortal concept of grace, the reality, the truth of such work is higher than we are capable of conceiving. Grace is beyond our perceptions.

Grace, in the kingdom of God, which is within us, speaks to Paul when he has tried to rid himself of a throne in his flesh three times. It is announced that grace is sufficient for Paul in his weakness because grace is his strength. This claim transforms Paul.

True grace, from the kingdom within us, is transformative, as is forgiveness and mercy. It restores us back to wholeness, harmony, life everlasting. Grace is the power of God to transform mortality into eternal life simply because it does not recognize death or separation as a function of love. This is way above our thoughts! Higher even than we act! Yet it is residing and functioning within each of us this very moment whether you believe it or not.

Now, consider this carefully. Every single person, past, present and future is entitled to, as well as a recipient of, true grace from the victimhood of our own thoughts of who we believed God to be. It flows to us unconditionally, abundantly, yet in proportion to our perception of our weakness. It cannot be turned off or diminished, ever. It is the power of God within us which is higher than our thoughts and ways. Look at yourself and see your neighbor. In transformation, there is no difference with grace.

Seriously, just stop.

Now breathe, through your nose. Slowly, deeply. Let your belly rise with each inhalation.

There is a line from a song by the Police which states, “…every breath you take…” Keep breathing, deeply, through your nose.

In the second chapter of Genesis it states that God formed the man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul.

Breathe deeply, through your nose. Your soul is being feed.

While you breathe, think about air. What does it look like? How do you know it is around you? Come on, make a mental image of it. It feeds your soul after all.

Breathe deeply, through your nose.

This is difficult, right? Thinking about the act of breathing is not “natural,” right?

Breathe in deeply, through your nose, expanding your belly with each breath.

Have you ever considered that God is like air? You can’t see him or touch him. For all practical purposes, He just doesn’t seem to be evident to our sight or any other sense we possess.

Keep breathing, deeply, through your nose.

You presently have a concept of what God looks like in your consciousness. It could be any of a number of things which have come to you through some form of indoctrination or social precept. While you continue to breath, close your eyes and take a moment to see the images you have fashioned about who God is to you.

Breathe. Again, breathe.

Air. Describe it as it relates to your soul. What does it look like? How does it feel? When do you desire it the most? Where do you think it is not necessary?

Breathe, deeply, ravenously, gratefully.

God. Father. Creator. “…every breath you take…” A living soul. In the image and likeness…

Breathe. Without ceasing. Eternal…

Stop! You can’t. Neither can He.

Breathe, again…and again.

A fight against God is like a fight against breathing. Hold your breath if you seriously believe He doesn’t care about you. It matters not what you believe, it matters who you have been inhaling from. Breathe, again.