The other day I received a phone call on my brand new phone. I had just gotten a new line, and felt like I was on top of the world! I was so happy it worked and that someone had actually called me. The conversation went something like this:

"Hello sir, is Jim available?"

"Yeah, this is me!"

"Hello Jim, our records show that you are using another carrier for long distance on your new phone. Are you aware that switching to our long distance service can save you hundreds of dollars on long distance calls?"

"Oh wow! That's awesome! How do I get your service?"

"I can sign you up right now sir, for a onetime service fee of $299.99. I just need your credit card and social security number."

"Ok, here it is... Thanks for letting me know about this! I never would have known if you wouldn't have told me. These phones open up a whole new world of information!"

"Can I also interest you in our CD club? You get 10 CDs for only a dollar. After that we'll automatically send you one CD a week for the rest of your life priced slightly above fair market prices. You are not obligated to purchase this CD, and can simply send it back using registered mail sent from any city starting with the letter Z if you do not want it."

"That would be great! Here's my address..."

Ok, ok, I'm obviously kidding about the phone call. I would have sounded pretty gullible if I would have reacted that way, wouldn't I? But a lot of people react just that way to contact with the spiritual world. They're often so happy to have any type of contact that a lot of times they fall for anything. What may at first seem like a benevolent contact can end up putting you in a situation like the CD club, except you get a weekly abduction experience or worse.

In the example above, you probably caught on right away because you've had some experience dealing with smooth talking, pesky telemarketers. Maybe you were even saying "Jim - don't fall for it! It's a trick!" And sure enough, I could have used your experience and advice if the example were true. It's the same way with the spiritual world, and it's a good idea to get some advice from someone who's developed some wisdom in the area before you jump in and get yourself into trouble. Personally, I've learned a lot from a brief piece written by the apostle John.

Yes, you read that right, as my main source I'm going to refer to the Bible. Oh, don't roll your eyes like that! I know that most people think that the Bible is an ancient book that is written just to control people and make sure they don't have any fun. To tell you the truth, I used to think the same thing. That's until I actually started reading it instead of relying on what the so-called "experts" said. Once I started doing this I found it to be a very useful and insightful book.

On the other hand, I made a curious discovery. As I began to chat with different people about what the Bible said, I found that most of them assumed they already knew what the Bible was all about when in reality they were working off a lot of assumptions and misconceptions. For example, even recently I was told that it was common knowledge (in otherwords, "you're an idiot if you don't know") that the belief in ghosts was "in direct defiance of the Christian Bible." I think the implication was that you're just plain stupid if you use the Bible because it is so dorky that it refuses to even acknowledge that ghosts exist. Well, I looked into it by physically opening up the Bible and reading it. I was surprised at what I found:

Matthew 14: 25-27
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on >the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Luke 24: 38-40
He (Jesus) said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet."

Hmm, it sure seems that the disciples, and from that last example even Jesus himself, knew that ghosts were a reality. It's been in the book all the time. Kind of makes you wonder why people can read any other book to double check the facts, but when it comes to the Bible they tend to quickly slip into assumptions that they've picked up somewhere along the way. I think this is just because there are so many rumors about the Bible that it can become hard to divide them from the facts. Hopefully, I can try to help clear some of that up if you keep reading.

One of the main reasons I rely on the Bible for facts about paranormal phenomena is that the writers seem to me to be so much more in tune with the spiritual world. Today technology has taken the place of spirituality even though many people actually make the assumption that we are so such more "advanced" than people were then. As far as spiritual things, I think it's just the opposite in a lot of ways. Our spirituality suffers not because it's not there, but simply because we have gotten used to not using it. It's similar to the way I find my handwriting deteriorating as I use computers to write and communicate. I remember having very nice penmanship when I was younger. Just the other day I wrote some notes down on a piece of paper, and five minutes later I was left wondering what I just wrote! Sure, I still know how to write, but my skills have just gotten awfully rusty because I no longer use them. I'm always typing instead of writing. Modern conveniences can do the same thing - make our spiritual awareness rusty from lack of use.

It also seems to me that the authors of the Bible wrote the truth without worrying about whether they would have an audience. They weren't concerned about finding a publisher or selling enough copies so that they can survive as authors. They had experience and wisdom and they told it as it was. You don't have to look at what they wrote and wonder if they're sugar coating it or telling half truths for some kind of profit motive.

So if you're still with me, let's get to the topic at hand. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm going to refer to the apostle John. Now keep in mind that this man wasn't your average Sunday school teacher. John spent a good share of his life as a first hand witness of the miracles of Christ. This includes the transfiguration where they witnessed Jesus physically chatting with Old Testament characters Moses and Elijah, and the raising of Lazarus after he had been dead for days! In fact, John saw so many paranormal events just in the life of Christ that he wrote "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21:25). John is also the same person who wrote the book of Revelation based on an extensive vision from God. Now if that's not a paranormal experience I don't know what is.

This is what John had to say about unfamiliar spirits: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1John 4:1). I know that a lot of religions teach that spirits don't even exist, or that they are ALL bad. It doesn't seem that this is what John is saying here. He warns us to test the spirits, not to disbelieve them altogether. Does that mean that there are good spirits out there? I would think so - just as there are truly good extraterrestrial beings out there. The important question is, how do we tell the good from the bad?

Whoa - hold on! Now that gets pretty deep, I know. Every time you mention the name of Jesus Christ it seems to bring up some kind of gut reaction in people. But if you look at John's extensive experience, you have to at least give him the benefit of the doubt that he must have made some valuable observations along the way. In fact, I think he knew a lot more about the paranormal world than most people give him credit.

I'd like to relate my personal experience here to let you know why I'm more convinced than ever that this is the case. Every experience I've had with extraterrestrial beings has been a positive one, and there is one common thread that always ties everything together. As odd as it seems, that thread has always been the entity we know here as Jesus Christ. The beings I've met who have much, much more spiritual awareness than myself have no doubt that God exists, and that Jesus Christ is their commander in chief. It also seems common knowledge at that level that if a person does connect with the being we know as Jesus Christ that their journeys into the paranormal become a much happier and fruitful experience.

If this is indeed the case, the reality of the situation, the way things really are, then John's advice makes a whole lot of sense. A sure fire test to tell whether a spiritual entity is on what is often referred to as the "service to others" side is his opinion of the common thread of Jesus Christ. So if you want a test that really works, that's what I'd recommend.

Keep in mind that the more clever entities that have chosen the "service to self" side know this too, and have all kinds of tricks to hem and haw around the issue without ever clearly stating how they feel about Jesus Christ. You know, the old "He was a good person, but nothing special" bit. But remember, no matter what they say, they are driven by service to self, and seek to help themselves by any means necessary, and that includes tricking you and ultimately selling you out.

On the other hand, if you do become associated with the side that truly wants to help you grow spiritually, a whole world of adventures await. Sure, it's a bit more difficult, but like they say, nothing worthwhile is easy.

Take care,
Jim