Thoughts-Of-Life-And-Time-Print.Pdf

THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

STRATEGIES FOR LIVING A COMPLETE LIFE

This book is an evangelical tool, but please be mindful that it is a copyrighted effort.

Write to Wyne Ince PO Box 481439 Charlotte, NC 28269 Website: ThoughtsofLifeandTime.com Feedback: wince@thoughtsoﬂifeandtime.com

ISBN-13: 978-1973754886 ISBN-10: 1973754886 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017911571 CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, North Charleston, SC

Copy Editors: Cindy Draughon and Rebecca Ince Cover Work: Priscilla Pantin Last Update: May 26, 2019

Throughout this text, all sections of scriptural references that are bolded, underlined, and italicized were done in this manner by the author for the sake of emphasis.

Readers should be aware that Internet websites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read. However, the author has made a conscientious effort to choose sites that demonstrate enduring qualities.

The primary reference is the 1769 King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible (also known as the Authorized Version). Public Domain.

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission, but must meet certain qualiﬁcations:

1. Up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted;

2. All NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text. Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgment as follows:

However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday School lessons, church newsletters and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the following notice may be used at the end of each quotation: "NKJV."

Created with Vellum DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who adds signiﬁcant meaning and value to my life, and the Holy Spirit of God, who guides me (and all of us) with his wisdom and truths.

I wish to thank my wife, Monica, and my daughter, Rebecca, for all their support during the writing process. Both of you have encouraged me so much throughout the development of this manuscript. Thanks also are extended to my mother, Adina Samuel, and my aunt, Versel Bennett. CONTENTS

1. Introduction 1 2. Summary of Thoughts 14 3. Foundational Thoughts 125 4. What Is a Human Being? 159 5. What is a Sin? 198 6. A Desire to Live Forever 225 7. The Rescue Mission 240 8. Following Jesus Christ 259 9. My Area of the Canvas 267 10. Redeeming the Prodigal 291 11. The Reason for My Action 308 12. Seven Lighthouses 326 13. The Power to Create 336 14. The Power to Choose 345 15. Investment and Compensation 358 16. Cannot Set It and Forget It 385 17. Destined to Win 391 18. Timely Repentance 406 19. Protocol and Energy 416 20. Misperception of God 426 21. The Perfect Character 438 22. More than a Word 446 23. A Father’s Day Gift 459 24. Coping with Life and Time 464 25. Lifetime Support 474 26. Preparation for Market 482 27. Returning to Heaven 486 28. Salvation: Joy and Obedience 496 29. We Must Be Born Again 505 30. Biblical Sustenance 513 31. Growth Through Prayer 517 32. Fervent: A War Room Event 537 33. You are Loved 540 PREFACE

Thank you for your interest in this book. In your hands is a relevant, inspirational guide that I am confident will help us on our journey through life. You are embarking on a personal tour into a wellspring of knowledge that only God could have established. Over the course of this journey, you will be motivated and possibly amazed at times by what you read, but much more so by what your mind will be asked to comprehend and embrace. Try not to criticize or condemn. Instead, pray about the messages and thoughts that might challenge any preconceived notions, false teachings, or, worse yet, any unwillingness you may have to accept these biblically supported truths. Each chapter is designed to be self-contained so it can be read on its own. Because of this, you may notice some repetition of verses and points. Nevertheless, the goal here is to admonish and help prepare each person for their final, ultimate appointment with God beyond the veil of this Life, transcending the limits of Time. Bear in mind, I am not a theologian, nor a preacher, or even someone who is academically trained in the delivery of God’s instructions and commands. I am a technologist and a former adjunct lecturer on computer information systems. However, I have been a follower of Jesus Christ for more than 30 years, and during that time I have gain some wisdom by reading the Bible — along with praising, praying, fasting, and trying to live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God. Despite all of my striving toward a life of holiness, there were moments in which I failed quite miserably, hurting both the Comforter and my family. However, those were merely moments, and I can thankfully say that my life and my journey of disciple- ship is significantly better than it used to be. Every day, our Deliverer whispers his instructions to us. Sadly, only a few can hear his voice through the hubbub of our hectic, hurried society, and even fewer pay attention. This book began with one such whisper. In 2014, on a Saturday morning in early May, I got out of bed and decided to relax by taking a familiar, leisurely drive to reflect on life. But God had other plans for me that day. As I walked into the bathroom, a soft, breeze-like sound whispered into my ear, and I paused. Jesus said, “Start to write.” I remained still, expecting to hear more, then turned slightly, but that was all I heard that morning. However, this inspirational resource is the result of that divine prompt. The writing process wasn't initiated because I made a mindful decision to compose this book. Instead, this book of encouragement came about because I was supernaturally instructed to write. I feel blessed to provide this information because I believe that ignorance is dangerous. While each person may be an expert in their particular field of expertise for their job or hobby, very few people know or study to learn more about the life beyond this earthly visit. As the Bible says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) This devotional guide is an attempt to share what the Lord has revealed to me, and it is my pleasure to do so.

Jesus loves you! QUESTIONS & NAMES

This guide will answer the following questions:

1. Why should we never envy or desire to be like another? 2. Why should we fear God, not the Devil? 3. What is the relationship between God and infinity? 4. What is the difference between witchcraft and disobedience? 5. How does sin affect us internally? 6. What is a word? Why is the skill or privilege of speaking more than mere communication? 7. How does pride misappropriate God's glory and why is it betrayal? 8. What is the difference between Hell and the Lake of Fire? 9. Is Earth the distant land in the story of the Prodigal Son? 10. Why does free-will represent unlimited temporal authority? 11. What does it mean for God to be in control? 12. How do we avoid doubting the presence of God, our Immanuel? 13. What is spiritual adultery or prostitution? 14. Why is it utter and absolute foolishness to say or perceive there is no God? 15. Would you agree that a human being is, in part, a binary-based spiritual decision engine? 16. Is Earth the inflection point of spiritual conversion? 17. Why are souls in Hell unable to love each other? 18. Is there growth, albeit negative, in Hell? 19. Is God actually angry with the unrepentant? 20. How do we see and interact with Jesus every day? 21. What happens when we communicate with others using lies, profanity, hatred, or gossip? 22. What does Numbers 23:19, which says, "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent…," tell us about the unchanging nature of God? 23. In John 6:63 the Bible says, “The flesh profits nothing,” so what value is the flesh, and why are our souls veiled in it? 24. We often proclaim our love for the Lord, but what does it mean to truly love Him, and how do we properly express it? 25. How does a once-vibrant human being end up in eternal ruin? 26. Jesus is the most loving person each of us will ever know, but He is also the most serious. Do you agree? 27. What do trees and animals have in common with humans? 28. If Earth is a classroom, and each of us is a student, how should we approach our assignments to avoid being distracted or copying others? 29. Jesus repairs our souls (from sin-based injuries) when we pray and praise Him. Is failure to worship God just as sinful as disobeying one of the Ten Commandments? 30. The Bible says, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Do you know that atheism is the prideful inclination to disown our parent-child relationship with God? 31. Since we only possess items but never truly own them, why do intelligent beings made in the image of God still lie and cheat to accumulate temporal things? 32. How does our concept of time itself change when we consider that 40 years on Earth is potentially no more than an hour in God's sight? 33. How is sin the sign that we have mismanaged the life that God has invested in us? The following are some of the names of God used in this guide.

1. El-Shaddai (God Almighty): Genesis 49:22-26 2. El Elyon (Most High): Deuteronomy 26:19 3. El Olam (Everlasting God): Isaiah 9:6 4. Elohim (Creator, Mighty and Strong): Genesis 1:1 5. Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord Will Provide): Genesis 22:13-14 6. Firstborn of All Creation: Colossians. 1:15-16 7. Our Blessed Hope. Titus 2:13 8. Our Father: Romans 8:15-17 9. Our Deliverer: Romans 11:26 10. The All Sufﬁcient One: 2 Corinthians 9:8 11. The Alpha and Omega, The First and Last: Revelation 1:8, 11, 21:16, 22:13 12. The Author and Finisher: Hebrews 12:1-2 13. The Author of Eternal Salvation: Hebrews 5:9 14. The Author of Life: Acts 3:15 15. The Author of Peace: 1 Corinthians 14:33 16. The Bread of Life: John 6:26-35; 47-48 17. The Chief Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6 18. The Chief Shepherd 1 Peter 5:4 19. The Comforter: John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7 20. The Consuming Fire: Deuteronomy 4:24, Exodus 15:7 21. The Desire of All Nations: Haggai 2:7 22. The Faithful Creator: 1 Peter 4:19 23. The Anointed One: Acts 4:26 24. The Chief Apostle: Hebrews 3:1; John 20:21 25. The Eternal Life: John 1:1-2; 6:40 26. The King of Glory: Psalm 24:7-10 27. The Mighty One: Isaiah 60:16 1

INTRODUCTION

enesis 1:27 reminds us that God created humans in His G image. Colossians 1:16-17 even more clearly and authorita- tively expands the scope of God's creation to include all visible and invisible things, even the beings Paul the Apostle calls thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers. After giving us these truths, how is it possible for God to rebuke a soul (on Judgment Day) with these ﬂaming words found in Matthew 7:22-23: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity?” The answer is contained in the last four words: "Ye that work iniquity."

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23, KJV)

Therefore, the strategy of this compilation of God-inspired thoughts is to safeguard a soul from the crushing and dismissing utterance, "I never knew you." Those last four words, as a summa- 2 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME tion of God's evaluation, represent not only the conclusion of the earthly life and mortal time of that person, but they also, even more acutely, express what is now the eternally-unchangeable lack of value of that child before God on that great Day of Reckoning. For God to reject a soul on the Last Day, something must have gone terribly awry. An irreversible transformation (morphing) must have occurred for the all-wise, all-present, all-knowing God to say, "I don't know you." Somehow, the child that God created was reduced over time from beauty to beast, from a precious being swaddled in innocence to a worthless, disrespectful being drenched in guilt, iniquity, and unrepentance, so diminished that God no longer sees his image in that life. What caused the change in this image? The answer is the load or garment of sin, irrespective of associated reasons and characteristics.

"For whosoever shall call [in repentance and seeking help] upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13, KJV)

So how does a child remain Heaven-ready? By living according to God’s will or standard (Matthew 7:21), avoiding the eternal shame of mismanaging God’s investment of Life and Time (1 John 2:28).

"Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." (Matthew 7:21, KJV) "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have conﬁdence and not be ashamed [having nothing to hide] before Him at His coming [on Judgement Day]." (1 John 2:28, NKJV) INTRODUCTION | 3

The appearance of a soul (or child) before God demonstrates either a resemblance of a heavenly being or something less, and only the grace period of a lifetime is given to equip oneself for what Zephaniah 1:15 and Jeremiah 4:22 warned about.

"That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness." (Zephaniah 1:15, KJV) "For My people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish [drunken] children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." (Jeremiah 4:22, KJV)

Each breath, each second is endowed with sufﬁcient life to effectuate a change, either a progression or regression, either a move toward God or a step away from Him. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “change is the only constant in life,” so change well; change positively.

"And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because He also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.’” (Luke 19:9-10, NKJV)

“Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.”

— ERNEST HEMINGWAY 4 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14, KJV)

Life and Time are such basic terms that their meaning and purpose could easily be taken for granted or, worse yet, misunder- stood altogether, but there is nothing incidental about them. Analyzing the inseparable duo, the brevity and uneventfulness of some moments seemingly leave nothing to reckon, but that interpretation is not just a marginal miscalculation; the perception may result in an eternal blunder. Life and Time are God’s investments in each of us and, in turn, what He expects us to contribute to His Kingdom. He made these investments in mortal containers for preordained durations, no different from how a seed is planted and cycles through various stages and seasons before bearing fruits and dying. Operating like a pair of scissors, Time slices the purpose of everyone’s lives into activities of varying, divinely apportioned or allowable lengths. Then Time somehow morphs into a suction device, seemingly absorbing each action into a vacuum, but this too is a misconception, because, to the eyes of the Eternal Overseer, God Himself, no record of Time is lost. Because of this, this volume is a unique offering that attempts to increase introspection of the greatness of one’s responsibility of living on Earth today, and I imagine it was no different for those who lived millenniums ago. For example, great Middle Eastern and North African civilizations of some 5,000 to 6,000 years ago could not have even dreamt of gauging time by conveniently glancing at their wrist. And they would have been mesmerized by the technological spectacles of modern timepieces that are seamlessly afﬁxed throughout our society and prominently displayed in styles ranging from the modest to the outright ostentatious. Attempts of those early civilizations to measure time are most INTRODUCTION | 5 evident by the obelisk; a slim, four-sided monument that tapers off upward to a point. The shadow drawn by the obelisk under the patronage of the sun created the equivalent of a shadow clock or sundial, and possibly provided more than a hint of the shortest and longest days, among other time divisions and observations. Though those early attempts to measure time were rudimentary at best, the innate yearning and ambition to understand and harness the essence of time seem, in itself, timeless. Measuring time has mattered to people since the dawn of thinking man. It is meaningful to me and assuredly to the aim of this writing. The ancient philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BC-AD 65), or simply Seneca, observed how some people lived in his day and correlated their value of life with their hedonistic lifestyles, nothing startling when compared with contemporary times. As noted in an excerpt from “Why is Everyone so Busy?” published in The Economist in December 2014, the journalist quoted and reported on Seneca's outlook on humanity:

“How busy, terribly busy, everyone seemed to be, mortal in their fears, immortal in their desires and wasteful of their time.” He noticed how even wealthy people hustled their lives along, ruing their fortune, anticipating a time in the future when they would rest. He said, “People are frugal in guarding their personal property, but as soon as it comes to squandering time, they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.”

— LUCIUS SENECA

The article also gave space to the point of view of Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia (1909 – 1982), an American impressionist painter, sculptor, composer, actor, and more. The Economist quoted this talented mind: 6 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Modern life, that leisure-squandering, money-hoarding, grindstone-nosing, frippery-buying business, left him exasperated. He saw that everyone everywhere was running, running, running, but to where? For what? People were trading their time for all sorts of things, but was the exchange worth it?”

— ETTORE DEGRAZIA

Everyone's lifestyle provides an answer, and God is watching, though not from a distance; He lives in us and wants to develop a lasting relationship with us, but we are often too busy or too distracted by what we deem important. For example, once seen as a fascinating new technology, mobile devices are becoming a necessary evil in everyday life. Even the innovative Alexander Graham Bell, who is attributed with inventing and patenting the ﬁrst practical telephone in 1876, might have been unable to muster the imagination that 132 years later, in 2008, the term “nomophobia” would be used to describe the fear of being away from the offspring of his brainchild, the cell phone. A study by Mobileinsurance.com reported that the average user spends about 90 minutes on the phone each day, which is roughly 23 days per year. Excluding other factors, 1.5 hours talking with friends and family might seem reasonable, but a signiﬁcant question emerges: How much time do we spend with our Creator? 1 minute? 5 minutes? 30 minutes? Today, our answer is a personal one, but the truth will be exposed in time.

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops." (Luke 12:2-3, KJV) INTRODUCTION | 7

God is always watching, and He feels slighted and abandoned when we reallocate the Time and Life (energy) He has given us to all but Him. Now, it was not until about the 18th century that the relationship between time and labor, particularly in the workplace, began to generate a widespread understanding of the value of energy and time. To this day, these two are still fastened together by money. Cash is often the motivator for work. Compared to salaried workers, research has shown that hourly workers volunteer less and tend to feel agitated when they are not working. At the other end of the earning scale, potentially poor management of time by highly compensated salaried labor also poses a threat to spiritual health, no different from any other group that fails to allocate time for the only Sustainer of Life and Time. According to a 2011 Gallup poll, "The more cash-rich working Americans are, the more time- poor they feel." The opinion poll company also sites this observation:

“In addition, the relationship between lacking time and a lower sense of well-being, especially higher levels of stress, suggests that factors beyond professional and family obligations may be at play and need to be explored further.”

— GALLUP POLL

I most surely agree, and the problem for some is maybe not having a personal relationship with their Maker, God, the Father of Jesus Christ. People need the Lord. Only an unbroken connection with God can ensure the steady supply of energy for our maintenance and our flight back home to Paradise. Otherwise, only continuous deterioration ensues. Today, multitasking not only relates to computing, but it has also become synonymous with executives or professionals. Some of them pursue and seek to demonstrate a sense of indispensability 8 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME or a firm commitment to a team or project by sometimes forgoing a full lunch hour or vacation. Job security is usually the goal they seek to support, and possibly rightly so. However, The Economist report also reveals that “Working mothers with young children are the most time-scarce segment of society, according to Geoffrey Godbey of Penn State University.” Somehow, and so regrettably, the enemy of our soul has enwrapped God’s creation with unrelenting toils. The impression of the adversarial push on humanity is to keep them so busy chasing the wind, hounding their ravenous appetite for pleasure, now or later, and to charm them into the accumulation of the twin- kles and sparkles of commercialization, all the while salivating as their eternal value wither away through the neglect of prayer, Bible reading, and the ineffectiveness to prepare for the journey back to Heaven. We are so often enveloped or distracted by the daily hustle and bustle, that the time to pause and consider the fleeting moments of Life and Time eludes us. Propelled by an ever-present and persuasive instinct to maintain shelter, a steady food supply, and essential requirements for self-actualization, thoughts about other families and even friends, much less God, are sometimes an untended consideration against the more pressing realities of our dwindling days. Taking time to effectively contemplate the proverbial full stop ahead, which is the boundary of Life and Time, is a wise endeavor. Why? Because the end will come, that is inescapable. Where will it position us on the eternal scale? What is the value of a busy life? At that approaching juncture and appointment, the accompaniment of either family or friend is prohibited; only the unavoidable interview with God, with our Creator, with Infinity, duly waits. All in all, to continue a relationship in the next world, all parties will have to arrive at the same location. Hopefully, for all, it is Heaven because there is no association in Hell. Otherwise, the bustling was all for naught. At this moment, you may be reading this guide without any INTRODUCTION | 9 concerns. As you do, please pause and consider this: upwards of 151,000 people die per day; at least two per second statistically. In addition, reflect on the number of them who are running from a shooting, running to avoid being mauled by an animal, contem- plating whether to jump to certain death from a burning building, screaming out prayers from an ill-fated plane, crying in pain and anguish from an abusive relationship, drenched with fear about where to sleep and what to eat, and the list goes on. I do not seek to evoke feelings of anxiety or paint morbid images, only to encourage you to think about one’s own Life and Time, because none of us know what could unfold in the next moment.

Today, my mind is reasonably occupied with thoughts about people. I think about their interactions with each other and often ponder whether they are aware of the parallel universe that is both a home and a battlefield to various spirits: angels and demons. I often pray for the world at large, not only for those in my immediate circle. Many around us have aged chronologically; they have matured physically enough to confirm their ages biologically. But, if one 10 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME were to zoom in a bit more, one may observe a soul that is battered and, in some cases, wounded by the rigors of social, emotional, and spiritual clashes, scars and wounds borne by invisible, yet verifiable interactions or collisions. People are loved by Jesus and must learn to rely on Him to live in an eternally productive way because yesterday is gone forever, but today is another opportunity that is not guaranteed tomorrow. As a result, the mandate of this book is to highlight the eternal value of the soul that exists in our mortal bodies and to use Biblical precepts and snippets, including personal and historical stories, to help shed some light on the path that leads us to eternal life in Christ. To that extent, this material is evangelistic, and I offer it to you with much enthusiasm. In these pages, the inseparability of Life and Time is examined. On Earth (which is like a preview of Hell and Heaven, a market place where one shops for eternity), these two defining aspects of mortal existence are interconnected, forming and staging combina- tions of objects and actions, beings and behaviors in a system of operations that spans a person's lifetime. Computers are an analogy to this idea, for they are devices that accept input, perform a sequence of operations, and produce an output. Computers are objects that function within a set of rules. So, too, do Life and Time. Moreover, this guide is an attempt to answer the question of what a complete life entails; I believe it is a life that begins in Heaven and ends in Heaven, as a successful roundtrip, a lifelong event. Conversely, an incomplete life is an unsuccessful attempt to return home, a failed mission. Jesus desires that each earthly mission ends in spiritual victory—after all, He has already made the provisions. To that extent, this effort is about how to imple- ment strategies to avoid an irretrievable loss of oneself; Jesus must be made the Master and allowed to manage the helm of each life. Furthermore, to benefit from this offering, we might need to adjust the way we live. This book can help us meet God’s enduring standards for entering the gates of the Celestial City. We are immeasurably valuable to Him; He is trying His hardest INTRODUCTION | 11

(within the scope of a person’s free will) to prepare us for Heaven and to preserve us from His wrath against sin, which is coming upon the Earth. This book also seeks to briskly and vigorously debunk the deep-rooted, misleading idea that anyone can simply waltz into eternal life after having lived a moral life while having no personal relationship with Jesus. Both believers and non- believers alike will find pages of life-transforming information here. Some well-planned schemes of Satan are to inundate our senses with lies, to blind us from the truths of Jesus Christ, to immerse us in futility, to prevent us from understanding our frailty, and to obscure our understanding of the soul-ravenous beast, which is the true nature of our eternal enemy. I desire to be a watchman on the wall, a fellow soldier helping brothers and sisters fight the good fight of sustained endurance against life’s trials. As you read this guide, you will observe a generous number of biblical references; this is intentional. I would like to help develop an appreciation for the most uplifting words ever penned by divinely appointed mortals, the Holy Word. The verses are the life- enhancing agents of this effort; therefore, I encourage you not to skip over them. For the efficiency of your time, please read the verses with an attitude of agreement and faith, and as you do, the promise of Hebrews 4:12 will be yours.

“For the word of God is quick and powerful, and it is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow; it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, KJV).

At this point, let me emphasize that the effectiveness of God's Word is associated with and supported by a lifestyle of obedience, a life of holiness. It is more than the absurdity of "name it and 12 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME claim it" while still pursuing a self-indulgent life. The King of Glory is not mocked (Galatians 6:7-9, NKJV).

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his ﬂesh shall of the ﬂesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:7-9, KJV). "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (Psalms 29:2, KJV)

God is kind and merciful, but He wants us to live righteously to escape His wrath against sin. As a result, every chapter in this book leads to deciding for Christ, which correlates to action against His enemy. As might be expected, discussions about the hereafter are not popular topics, just like a conversation about obtaining a life insurance policy or planning a will is taboo in some circles. Nonetheless, the bare truth is that the inevitable awaits each of us. Effective wisdom is the decision to consider the options and take preparatory steps. The thought is no different from having to adjust and prepare for a surprise pregnancy or an unexpected separation from a workplace. Time on earth offers many wonders. This book is an effort to prepare us all for the most important wonder yet to come, by helping readers make the most important decision of their life: where you will spend eternity. Jesus loves us, and He will send help if we request it. DO NOT ever think you are too far gone or that He does not love you. DO NOT feel condemned. Just recognize that His perfect love covers all sins and that His death on the CROSS is payment for every wrong one could ever commit, so there is hope after all. INTRODUCTION | 13

Let us always be ever mindful that the omnipresence of our heavenly Father is the guarantee of having His undivided and personal attention for a lifetime. His omniscience is the assurance of His capability to provide complete answers to all questions. Let us be ever attentive enough to realize that it takes only a single unrepentant sin to qualify a soul for eternal separation from God. Ever seek to see others through the person of Christ, who lives in all and enables all to live and do His will. Never allow yourself to become blinded or disoriented by the craftiness of our eternal Enemy. Reach out to Him saying, “Help me, Jesus,” and read this guide to discover your extraordinary opportunity and current standing, as well as your hope for eternal splendor in Christ Jesus. Now, whether you are a seasoned Christian, a recent convert, or one who is struggling with doubts and fears, I hope you can use this God-inspired tool to shape a pathway to a more eternally- beneﬁcial Life and Time. You are blessed. 2

SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS

33 KEYS FOR LIVING A COMPLETE LIFE

”Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35, KJV) ”For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6, KJV) "Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." (Psalms 119:89, KJV) "The grass withereth, the ﬂower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8, KJV) “[We live] in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” (Titus 1:2, KJV)

he immutability of God, His unchanging nature, is perhaps T His most fearsome attribute. Although everyone will stand before Him, some people are entirely oblivious about the eternal consequences of their day-to-day actions in light of his steadfast righteousness. Others disregard how intrinsic and absolute this quality is. But the immutability of our heavenly Father must not be trivialized with compromise or foolhardiness. SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 15

Consider what you owe to His immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once.

— C.H. SPURGEON

Since ancient times, human beings have bartered or bargained whenever they could to achieve a desired, usually self-oriented, purpose. Though we are God’s most intelligent creatures, we sometimes use those intellectual skills in perverse ways. We frequently relish the satisfaction of overcoming any potential rejec- tions of our proposals. We often seek whatever is comfortable and convenient. At times, we value winning at all costs and even leverage whatever we can to force the opposition to buckle to our whims and demands. It may be brutishness, insensitivity, or simply childishness, but some who crave to "have it their way" may act with a general lack of restraint. This stands in stark contrast to the selﬂessness that God demands of His followers. His purpose for calling us to self-denial is well deﬁned throughout scripture and is supported by an unshakable foundation, which we call immutability, as described in the following verses:

"God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall he not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19, KJV) "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, KJV) "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17, KJV) 16 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Throughout the Bible, from the book of Numbers in the Old Testament to James in the New Testament, we read God does not change. The unchangeability of our heavenly Father is an impressive characteristic. It promises blessings and eternal life for those who are willing to seek Him through repentance and obedience, who are willing to walk in the Light. On the other hand, it declares that anyone who opposes Him with disobedience will be cursed. The two positions or outcomes are ﬁxed. Unlike us, God does not bargain. Haggling dilutes hope. Fluc- tuation undermines faith by introducing variability and uncertainty. Unreliability generates questions of accuracy and loyalty. Imagine God's royal and sophisticated eternal kingdom falling into such a disarray! This book will emphasize that our holy God solemnly and seriously opposes—truly hates—sin, but He loves His children. It is vitally important that readers are adequately aware that God cannot change, so there will be no excuses, no compromises, and no bargaining on Judgment Day. At death, one's eternity is immutably set. Let’s pray for reverent fear of the unwavering One whom Daniel called the Ancient of days. God is indeed Love, but each of us, as His offspring, those who bear His image, must live in Light and conform to Truth to enter Heaven. That, too, is immutably set.

"Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise [as are in the Bible] the immutability of his counsel, conﬁrmed it by an oath [He conﬁrmed His promise with an oath, thereby emphasizing that these two things (promise and oath) are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie].” (Hebrews 6:17, KJV) "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world: He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life." (John 8:12, KJV) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 17

Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6, KJV)

The ofﬁcial motto of Yale University is “Lux et Veritas,” which means “Light and Truth,” and the University of California at Berkeley would not be outdone in its Latin catchphrase, “Fiat Lux,” which translates to "Let there be Light.” If “Light and Truth” momentarily seized your attention, then you may be quite familiar with John 8:12 and John 14:6, very profound verses. The slogan of Yale all but said, and correctly so, it is the "Way." Light and truth are appropriate descriptors of the purpose of secular education, but when "Way" and “Life” are added to the maxim, the meaning suitably switches and precisely describes God Himself, because only to Him can we ascribe all four attributes. Otherwise, the education is incomplete and spiritual ruin follows, as Hosea 4:6 charges: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…" A complete education is a practical understanding of and adherence to God’s nature (His image) and expectations. As a result, each life is an animated expression of God's thoughts, and His thinking is complete and pleasant. Let us make each intention, each decision, a seamless extension of His.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was Life; and the life was the Light of men. And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:1-5, KJV) "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36, KJV) "And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, 18 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:19-21, KJV)

The following is a compilation of the main points found in this guide. Some scriptural references are included here, but signiﬁ- cantly more verses are used throughout the rest of this book to add credence to this effort. Usually, a summary is placed at the end of a chapter or in the concluding section of a book. Nevertheless, in this volume, I have purposefully positioned this all-embracing and vigorous summation at the beginning so that you can access the main points in the shortest amount of time. 1| We Are Pre-Mortal Beings - Not unlike Plato, René Descartes, and other world-renowned philosophers, I believe in a pre-mortal existence. I am not alluding to reincarnation, a belief that a person can be transformed into a different physical form after death. Instead, as God came from Heaven through the person and interface (proxy and protocol) of Jesus Christ, I believe we did as well (John 6:38 & 1 Timothy 3:16). I also reckon that since He ascended after His human responsibility, the divine expectation is for us, each member of humanity, to do the same (Acts 1:9-11).

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the ﬂesh, justiﬁed in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Timothy 3:16, KJV) "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38, KJV) "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 19

went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11, KJV) "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven [we can go back to heaven], even the Son of man which is in heaven." (John 3:13, KJV)

Every member of the human race is a sophisticated and eternal composition of God's intention and work (Psalms 103:22).

"Bless the LORD, all His works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul." (Psalms 103:22, KJV)

We existed long before the universe began. No one is here by chance or leaves coincidentally (Jeremiah 1:4-5).

"Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; Before you were born I sanctiﬁed you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:4-5, NKJV) "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:" (Ephesians 1:4, KJV) "And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile [or reunite] all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:20, KJV) "But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the 20 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

beginning chose you for salvation through sanctiﬁcation [holiness] by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13, NKJV)

Each person’s date of birth and death was established long before conception. I do consider that each life is conceptually a pre- recording that God is watching for a second time because He already knows the genesis and exodus of each breath, of each life. Life on Earth is a mission-critical, soul-testing, project-oriented, and time-restricted existence that eventually reveals a soul of light or darkness. To this extent, the theory described as Innatism seems entirely credible to me. Innatism is a philosophical doctrine that proposes that the mind or soul is born with ideas or knowledge and that not all knowledge is gained from experiences and senses. Then again, in a more far-reaching and overarching mentality. I consider the human physical structure is the concealment or packaging of a beautiful, pristine union that was formed long before conception. To this end, I reckon our spiritual arrangement is made up of two primary constituents: Spirit and soul. God's Breath-of- Life or Spirit is the sacred member who sustains life (of body and soul) in the body or temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Together, these three — Spirit, soul, and body — form a union which can no longer exist when the Breath-of-Life leaves at the time of death (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

"Know ye not that ye [your body] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man deﬁles the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, KJV) "God is a Spirit [but manifested Himself in ﬂesh, in human form, as Jesus] and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24, KJV) SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 21

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7, KJV)

Furthermore, I will emphasize that the soul is not only the agent of thought and reasoning, it is also the independent and accountable decision-maker. The soul (sometimes called the heart or the mind - Proverbs 14:30) is not only a member of man’s triple nature, but also represents and is endowed with every capability and blessed with every required occasion that is necessary for God to test its readiness for Heaven. For example, hardly anyone can forget the thrill of passing an exam, especially a challenging one. Similarly, each life is an exam designed by God and He wants to eternally share the joy of our success.

"A sound heart [or soul] is the life of the ﬂesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30, KJV)

All of the skills and inclinations one possesses are united in the soul. Our mission on Earth does not have to end in a wreck, nor do we have to fear not having sufﬁcient fuel to reenter heaven; God is the Master Capacity Planner. The Creator will test us and allow evil entities to tempt our souls, so they can mature in sanctity and decisively demonstrate who their King is. Considering the redeemed will judge angels in Heaven, God’s standard for holiness should be well understood and effectively accepted.

"Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" (1 Corinthians 6:3, KJV) 22 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Each soul was an active member of Heaven and now lives on Earth in a physical body. You may doubt the previous assertion but consider the words of the Bible: Jesus came to save (salvation) and redeem (redemption) the lost, to help the separated person or the lost sheep make it home (Matthew 18:11). Now, here is an important question: how can someone be considered lost or prodigal if they were never a possession or a related in some way? Jesus knew us before we came to be on this terrestrial ball called Earth. The word “knew” is more than cognitive familiarity existing in the mind of God; it is practical and intimate.

"For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11, KJV)

2| Mortals Have an Eternal Hope - A human being is a triune, complex organization of substances that vary in durability and purpose. The principle is one of form and function, and its design is reﬂected in 20th-century modernistic architecture and industrial design, which propose that the design of a building should match its function or purpose. As a temple, the exterior of a person is short-term. Our bodies are made of a material that is external to the essence of God. We were fashioned from clay, as it were. Despite this, our soul or internal member is permanent; it’s everlasting. Why? Unlike our mortal container, our spiritual insides were created using the divineness of God, His Breath-of-Life, which is unending. The concept is no different from the perma- nence of the Bible, which contains the words of God and will therefore never pass away. Relative to human, everything that God releases from Himself, through speaking and breathing, is immortal. Our geographical placement on Earth, our body structure, our basic emotional conﬁguration, even our genealogy, were all planned in Heaven eons ago. I am not sure if our voices were active in the decision-making process that oversaw our departure from Heaven. Nevertheless, again, given the free-will-giving SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 23 nature of God, I believe it is more than reasonable to perceive that we were given options. Why? Without choices, only a mandate stands, and why would one want to leave Heaven, particularly under good terms (compared to fallen angels), unless the rewards for the earthly engagement were highly compensative? As described in 1 Corinthians 6:3, returning children are promised jurisdiction over angels, essentially reigning with Jesus (2 Timothy 2:12).

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us:" (2 Timothy 2:12, KJV) "Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." (Mark 10:15, KJV)

There is an important consideration, though; we were not booted from Heaven, as was Satan. We are given a chance to reenter through Christ Jesus. But fallen angels have indeed plunged from such an opportunity, and so we are justiﬁed to consider ourselves blessed. Still, before becoming overwhelmingly enthralled by the prospects of eternal life, the Bible gives us a sobering reminder of our nature in Isaiah 64:6, all in an attempt to remind us that the journey back home will require total reliance on God, not self.

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as ﬁlthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6, KJV)

While the stirring verse in Isaiah 64 is a sturdy and effective rod 24 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME against our natural tendency to become prideful and waxed in a boastful mindset, the words are a forewarning that we cannot reenter Heaven on the wings of one's strength. Instead, the redemptive process is accomplished by our submission, our willingness to yield to the Spirit of God, as Zechariah 4:6 so compellingly instructed and warned.

"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6, KJV) "For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV)

To add another viewpoint to the previous statement, in Luke 10:1 we read about the seventy-two disciples who Jesus appointed and sent out in twos to evangelize and later on, verses Luke 10:17 through 10:20 recount their victory. However, these verses issue a stern notiﬁcation as to what they should rejoice about: not because they had commanded demons, but rather, because their names were written in Heaven.

"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20, KJV) SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 25

Why did Jesus put them on guard despite their achievement? As the scripture rightly noted, the accomplishment was the workings of the Spirit of God, not mortal bodies, who were mere repre- sentatives for the miracles. For example, Numbers 22:28 presents evidence of God using even an ass to convey His message.

"And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, what have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?" (Numbers 22:28, KJV)

Overall, a mighty engagement of God working through a person does not suggest a place in Heaven for that soul; holiness is the only guarantee for upwards movement after death, so let us not be carried away with signs and wonders; only God knows what is in the heart and the hearts of many are not of God. Instead, let us take a ﬁrm stance for hope through obedience. 3 | Jesus Saves, Not Religion - Various theological groups across the globe have formed platforms from which they zealously disseminate their beliefs. Though the yearning or ambition of each member, of each soul, is to connect with its spiritual parentage, some have missed the target altogether and become trapped by anti-Christ teachings in religiosities such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and even Mormonism. 26 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

World Religions Comparison Chart

Muslims are indoctrinated to denounce the divinity of Christ and relegate Jesus to being a mere prophet. Hindus are taught polytheism and, thus, worship multiple gods. Seventh-day Adven- tist (SDA) try to equate Jesus to being Michael the Archangel, whereas Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) outright reject the Trinity doctrine among other things. Judaism denies the resurrection and second coming of Christ and deems Jesus a false prophet. Buddhists spurn the biblical account of God as the Creator (Elohim - Genesis 1:1). Although Mormonism (as well as SDA and JW) is a Christianity-based categorization, its teachings refute the timeless supremacy and divinity of God and instead promote the contemptible theology that God is merely an exalted man. All of these doctrines profane the holiness and infallibility of God the Father, who is Himself Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer of the humankind.

"In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1, KJV)

Although the civility and social graces of the members in each system of belief may foster a global orbit of inclusivity and though they may be fully persuaded by the delusion that all paths lead to eternal life, atonement or pardon for our transgressions is SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 27 recognizable and accepted only through Jesus Christ. As illustrated in the “World Religions Comparison Chart,” only Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven. All other founders are still in their grave awaiting the judgment of Christ (Hebrews 9:27, KJV). Religion is man-made, and Jesus is no longer on the cross. He is standing right beside you, so do not ignore Him.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27, KJV)

All in all, the truth remains that the life of each person is owed entirely to Jesus, the Son, through whom God created all things. None of the other religious founders, Muhammad, Vishnu, Buddha, Mr. Smith, or any other gave Life or Time to anyone. Only God is able to dispense those things through the power of Jesus Christ. Not accepting this singular truth is a lapse in judgment that will assuredly result in a life of eternal anguish. The inescapable truth is that Jesus owns every single member of humanity and the sooner we cling to this fact, the more prepared we become to embark on a journey to the true meaning and purpose of Life and Time. Otherwise, we are wasting time and will eventually come to regret this deviation. I am still learning this most signiﬁcant lesson: I am not my own (Hebrews 1:1-4, KJV).

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, [He] hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of 28 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; [Jesus] being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:1-4, KJV) "For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God." (Hebrews 3:4, KJV) "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." (Romans 11:36, KJV) "And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [soul], that ye may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2, KJV)

I cannot function without God. I cannot exist without Him. I am not a self-sufficient being. Effectively adopting this new thought process, absorbing it into my inner being, and exhibiting it in my thoughts and deeds is helping me to achieve the quality and type of life that I desire, and it is the manner of lifestyle that eventually lifts a soul heavenwards. Placing Jesus at the center of our decisions and expectations instead of self is imperative for demoting and quenching our often-consuming desires to boost ego and idolatry. A strategy or dragnet of Satan is to intoxicate a soul with the wine of self-absorption or the detrimental illusion that we own ourselves and that each life is accountable only to itself. Do not be fooled; it's a wholesale lie. Unless we become detached from that dangerous mindset, the path to destruction becomes broader and more inviting because there are many on that road, which does not lead to Heaven. All in all, this call to action, to a new way of thinking and living, is a counter strategy to cultural norms that irresponsibly advocates self-sufficiency with no regard for the Spirit of God Who lives in us and charitably sponsors each breath over the course of a SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 29 lifetime. Each remaining second, the significance of the next inhalation, is not only a gift and a blessing but it is also the net result of spent time; faster than any computer, the efficiency of the spiritual system that governs humanity enumerates and evaluates each one's thoughts and deeds and seamlessly packages the result to build the next rung of the stairs leading upwards or down- wards. As a result, only the reconciliation with God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, adds value to a life. This condition transcends theology and all religious affiliations because neither can save a soul. Salvation is had only through Jesus, as Lord (1 Timothy 4:10).

"For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior [Jesus] of all men, specially of those that believe." (1 Timothy 4:10, KJV) "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul cruciﬁed for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:12-13, KJV) "For while one saith, I am of Paul and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul and who is Apollos [or William Miller, Joseph Smith, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.], but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase." (1 Corinthians 3:4-6, KJV) "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore, let no man glory in men. For all things are Yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.” (1 Corinthians 3:19-22, KJV) "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3, KJV) " 30 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11, KJV) "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:8-9, KJV) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, Whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by Whom also he made the worlds; Who [Jesus] being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the ﬁrst-begotten into the world, He saith, and let all the angels of God worship Him." (Hebrews 1:1-6, KJV) " But to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" (Hebrews 1:13, KJV) "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me [Jesus].” (John 14:1, KJV) "And if I [Jesus] go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3, KJV) "If ye had known me [Jesus], ye should have known my Father also and from henceforth ye know Him and have SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 31

seen Him. Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou then, shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself but the Father that dwelleth in Me; He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me or else believe Me for the very works' sake." (John 14:7-11, KJV) "Who [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven." (Colossians 1:15-20, KJV)

4 | Like Attracts Like - Each of us should be aware that "Things are not always what they seem; the ﬁrst appearance deceives many...,” according to the Roman poet Phaedrus (15 BC - 50 AD). In fact, a second or third appearance may have a similar effect if we are not cautioned by knowledge and guided by the Spirit of Truth to escape strategies of deception ever surfacing from the underworld. I once heard a former Satanist say this, “At my orientation, Satan told me the number one rule is ‘You don't know me, and I don't know you.’" Doubtlessly, trying to forge a relationship with 32 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME the evil world, which is by sinning, will always end in defeat; it is already a dead and divided kingdom (there is mutual hate between Satan and other fallen angels). Life and love are only in Christ. For example, in science, there is an accepted principle that opposites attract; we are taught that protons (positively charged particles) and neutrons (negatively charged particles) attract each other. But at the same time, I do accept the notion of the Law of Attraction (LOA), which theorizes that ‘like attracts like’; positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative. Nonetheless, I am not referencing it in terms of a secular understanding or general- ization where one merely thinks about a new car and watch it appears, though this example is intentionally quite silly. No, I am referring to the biblical precepts of sowing and reaping, investing in good or evil deeds or thoughts and reaping the same. Godly behavior such as humility, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, charity, and tithing attract good angels, and the opposite is true for evil deeds. By the way, the Bible more than hints that LOA is plausible. The verses below exemplify how likes attract.

"Surely He scorneth the scorners, but He giveth grace unto the lowly." (Proverbs 3:34, KJV) "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:21, KJV) "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will ﬂee from you." (James 4:6-7, KJV) "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 33

humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5, KJV) "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:25-26, KJV) "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15, KJV) "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” (Luke 6:36-37, KJV)

Such inﬂuences or powers are appropriately called spirits, and we are each surrounded by a countless host of good and evil ones, angels of light and darkness. They don't mix, and their continual separation is certain. The Bible warns us in Philip- pians 4:8 to only think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Why? Such pursuits are correlated to spirits. The thoughts we develop in our hearts can become agents of spiritual offspring (through speaking) that interplay and form bonds and operate with their kind. We have to adopt a protectionist policy to safeguard our souls from demonic infestation by girding up the loins of our minds (1 Peter 1:13 KJV).

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever 34 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8, KJV) "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13, KJV)

When materialism and other forms of worldliness are developed in our souls, we are forming connections and creating links with wicked spirits. For this reason, the Bible advises in John 6:63 that our words are spirits, and I venture to say that our thoughts are no different. We are all spiritual beings anyway, so let us remember that only holiness attracts God’s presence in a powerful way. 5 | Envy Is an Exercise in Futility - Have you ever pondered why envy (or lust) is a useless activity? I believe jealousy, bitterness, or selﬁshness is a state of being and mind that demonstrates a wholesale misunderstanding of the fundamental principle of Life and Time. Envy is a resentful longing for someone else's possessions, qualities, or something else they have or are. Let's examine why it is an exercise in uselessness. Firstly, the Bible tells us that God owns everything, which means we own nothing. Therefore, what is the reason for the envy? Appropriately, we can only possess something, not own it. John 3:27 warns us that God is the giver of all things. Furthermore, the word "possession" implies having a claim to something for only an allotted time before it shifts to another person through death, decree, or in some other way.

"John answered and said, a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." (John 3:27, KJV)

Secondly, the difference between the envier and the envied, as SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 35 the basis for the pining, is only skin-deep. Why? Before God breathed life into Adam, he was dead; no different from a modern- day corpse. Therefore, both parties in a situation of envy are always equal (in substance) because it is the same Breath-of-Life that supports both of them—we are doubtlessly in the same boat called Earth.

"And these things, brethren, I have in a ﬁgure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:6-7, KJV)

We should always replace a feeling of envy with a response of thankfulness because each life is an opportunity for our Creator to express His will on Earth as it is done in Heaven. No one is an orphan; everyone is a signiﬁcant whole, and we each have a role in His master strategy to expand Heaven with the redeemed. More- over, since we are all of one body, one life, envying is like self- mutilation or self-harm. The concept is similar to gnawing at oneself, at one’s own life as in the case of Dermatillomania (excessive skin picking) and Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder). Thirdly, whether a condition is construed as a test or temptation, every aspect of a person's life at a speciﬁc point in time represents an examination (as noted earlier) that is God-ordained or allowed, and Satan and other demons are part of the examination process.

"But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the 36 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4, KJV)

Accordingly, envying another person is a distraction, even an evil-minded attempt to watch another person take a divinely appointed life exam. Therefore, victory over envy means each person has to mind his or her own business and not become absorbed by how God is working in a neighbor's life. Moreover, the Scriptures remind us that visible things are temporary and invisible ones permanent. Why waste one's Life and Time on matters that only have a short shelf life and cannot be carried into Hell or Heaven. Let us not waste God’s investment of His Breath-of-Life on unproductive activities. Instead, let us make our lives proﬁtable to His Kingdom and frustrate the plan of Satan and other demons. To grudge others, I reckon, is no less than being judgmental (because we may not know their story), and the Bible warns about it in Matthew 7:

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote [speck] that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, ﬁrst cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5, KJV) "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. Behold, the Judge standeth before the door." (James 5:9, KJV) "Now this I say, brethren, that ﬂesh and blood cannot SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 37

inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1 Corinthians 15:50, KJV) "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (2 Corinthians 10:12, KJV)

6| Managed by God’s Omniscience - Have you ever considered how God can account for everyone on Earth and in Heaven? Of course, He is God and is everywhere always and knows everything. Amen! Nevertheless, let's tackle another question: how do the Devil and his demons keep a tally of each lost soul and ensure uninterrupted punishment? The latter is an important question because, unlike God, Satan (and the fallen angels) does not know all things. Satan (our Accuser) is not all-powerful and cannot be everywhere at once.

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser [ or prosecutor] of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:10, KJV)

Accordingly, based on substantive reasoning, the operation of Hell may appear to be no different from a sniper ﬁring into a crowd, hitting some while others successfully scamper to safety. Particularly, since Hell is a dark place anyway, you may believe that some souls can hide. I'll caution to the contrary. Why? Demons level punishment on souls in a manner not unlike how prison wardens and correctional ofﬁcers enforce judgment against offenders. Even so, they are not the ones that stipulate and ensure the 38 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME type and measure of unrelenting agony. Rather, the wrongs a person did on Earth, coupled with their rejection of salvation (of Jesus), are the factors of their eternal distress. God is the one in control. He ensures judgment, and no one can hide from His omniscient gaze and penetrating insight.

"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13, NKJV)

7 | Perfection Is Not an Option - Why does God have to be perfect? If He weren’t, He would be incapable of being all- knowing and would consequently lack the divine integrity to rule Heaven, Earth, and Hell for all eternity. (Yes, He also oversees the underworld — Psalms 103:19 & Matthew 4:7.)

"The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all." (Psalms 103:19, KJV) "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there." (Psalms 139:8, KJV) "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:13, KJV)

Furthermore, He would eventually die. Like a battery losing its potential energy with each use, over time, God’s substance would seep out and eventually leave Him depleted. He would be unable to sustain Himself, much less the universe, but He lacks nothing (Acts 17:24-25). Imperfection can be deﬁned as a reliance on an external support system to remain complete or perpetually endur- SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 39 ing. Can you imagine The Alpha and Omega or El-Shaddai relying on another source for His sustenance?

"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and Earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things." (Acts 17:24-25)

Although what I’m trying to convey may sound uncommon, I will attempt to express it as plainly as possible. The act of sinning and the subsequent repercussions demonstrate God’s power to grant imperfect beings the capability to independently make decisions without ever having the legitimacy to hold Him accountable for the aftermath of their actions (Psalms 51:4). If we were rightly able to blame God for our actions, then He would not be perfect. As sinful beings, our imperfect hearts are deceitful and wicked. Often, our deeds are no different (Jeremiah 17:9).

“Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.” (Psalms 51:4). "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV)

Accordingly, not even the most capable of souls can fully understand the magnitude and provocation of sin’s violation of God’s impeccability. We must be precisely aware that the Lord is mighty and is very exalted. To this point, it is crucial to realize that contrary to how Satan is portrayed arm-wrestling Jesus in some 40 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME images or paintings, the Devil has no comparable power to God; the immortal, invisible God has no opposition whatsoever. Technically and respectfully an opponent is a considerable contender in a competition. The arm-wrestling picture is nothing but blasphemy against the majesty of our Lord, and it should be promptly discarded to the trash bin with no small expression of scorn. Why? Satan is nothing but another of God’s creations, forged no differently than His divine intention fashioned each of us. The thought of Jesus addressing evil or imperfection at that level should be inconceivable and disgusting to all. Still, I think many, if not all, would enthusiastically express a desire for perfection. Great news: God has already perfected His faithful followers through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:14), which means He no longer sees their faults (because of repentance). Instead, He sees the perfection of His Son in Whom they are pardoned and hidden. All in all, the cruciﬁxion of Christ is the lens through which The Anointed One sees us.

"For by one offering [His life], He hath perfected forever them that are sanctiﬁed." (Hebrews 10:14, KJV)

God is working through our imperfections and transforming us into children acceptable in His sight. So, I do believe our faulty nature is a major tool in the hands of God. Why? Perfection implies immutability, a changeless condition. Perfection is unyielding and unbending to sway even in the slightest way. Imperfection, on the other hand, allows for variability and selection. Hypothetically, without inadequacies, the concept of free will is null and void and does not offer any application to mortals. All in all, a sustained, lifelong aspiration to be perfect is all that God requires. The effort is called faith and works, and God wants to disburse hefty rewards or wages (in Heaven) to a life of active SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 41 pursuit of Him through effective faith and obedience (Romans 6:23).

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23, KJV)

Our worth to God holds a secure connection, even an unbreak- able one, to our successful management of imperfection, which directly means that we must fervently pursue righteousness until the end. Our administration of shortcoming reveals whether we are suited for Heaven or less. God wants us to be resolute in addressing our faults, especially when feelings of regret, frustrations, insults, and criticisms intensify the ﬁght against spiritual sobriety. God desires His children to be faithful in all circumstances, as Luke 16:10 advises because many rewards await the overcomer.

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." (Luke 16:10, KJV) "But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love [to do His will, to be an overcomer] him." (1 Corinthians 2:9, KJV)

Overall, let us not curse our ﬂawed nature but manage it in conformity to God's expectation.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, KJV) 42 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

8| Live or Die by the Tongue - Why are our word choices so important? The world is a social and spiritual stage, as Shake- speare so appropriately hinted when he said, “all the world’s a stage,” but also, and primarily, a courtroom. The Bible reminds us that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He is the prosecutor and determined opponent who is aggressively eager to begin a case against us. But where does the process begin? I believe a principled example can be found in our legal system, particularly the requirements and platform required to cast a guilty verdict or win a case. Ordinarily, a person may be found legally responsible for a crime or misconduct owing to their performance (deeds or actions), testimony (vocal involvements), or both. Accordingly, physical, verbal, and written evidence is usually quite sufﬁcient for a good attorney to persuasively craft and argue a defense and win. Unfortunately, the prospects are equally ﬁtting for Satan when we, through idle and counter-biblical speaking, give our hands and tongue the liberty to express thoughts that should remain dormant or discarded altogether. For instance, when we speak contrary to the Bible using confessions, such as “nothing is working for me,” “God won’t help me,” and “I am getting worse,” how can we expect God to defend us? When we speak in such ways, we fail to consider that Satan can argue against us using our statements; when he does, don’t you think it is reasonable for God to determine the amount of assistance He provides us be relative to our confession or expressed belief? Words convey life or death; they are either for or against God (and oneself) since He is the Word and He lives in us. When facing a challenge, as a coping mechanism, you may tell yourself the Miranda warning:

You have the right to remain silent [to avoid incrimination]. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 43

court of law [particularly the spiritual one where Satan steadily brings accusations]. You have the right to have an attorney [named Jesus]. If you cannot afford one [yes, you can — Jesus already paid the price with His life], one will be appointed to you by the court. With these rights in mind, are you still willing to talk with me about the charges against you? [you may speak but only in accordance with the Law and Life book, the Bible]

— MIRANDA WARNING — ITALICS BY AUTHOR (INSPIRED BY AN EARLY MORNING CONVERSATION WITH MY WIFE.)

The Bible advises us to be swift to hear, slow to speak and avoid vengeance. Through this advice, I believe God is sympathet- ically highlighting our weak points while indicating where we need to become stronger to ﬁght against the enemy effectively. We are often reluctant to listen to advice, but quick to speak our minds. Even more, speaking is not merely for natural communication, but it is also a spiritual engagement with everlasting consequence; the heart-driven intention of each word is an eternal, spiritual product that is compatible with Heaven or Hell, with God or Satan. Consider this against the temptation of letting anger have its way. The Bible warns us that a man is not corrupted (or deﬁled) by what enters his mouth but by what comes out of it. Our very words are spirits.

"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen." (1 Timothy 6:20-21, KJV) "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house and not only idle, but tattlers also and 44 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the Adversary [Satan] to speak reproachfully." (1 Timothy 5:13-14, KJV) "But shun profane and vain babbling, for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:16, KJV)

Every word that Jesus speaks (and He is still talking today) is eternal and unlike a natural thing or being it never loses its power.

"God, who at sundry [or various] times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.” (Hebrews 1:1, KJV)

The Bible says in Isaiah 55:11, God Word will never return void, and then in John 6:63, we read His words have spiritual life. Don't both verses describe each Word of God as being a divine agent on a mission that will never fail? Hebrews 4:12 also provides a testimony by relating the word of God to a living and mighty sword. With these perspectives in mind, one should readily realize our potentials when we speak since His Breath-of-Life accomplishes the process in us.

"So, shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11, KJV) "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the ﬂesh proﬁteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63, KJV) "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 45

than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, KJV)

We are also forewarned that, in the end, each person will give account to God for every idle word. These utterances are subject to the laws of sowing and reaping. What we speak aloud, both good and evil, is what we will experience or earn. Thus, there are devastating consequences to misusing the power of our speech. Why? Before Adam received God's Breath-of-Life, he was lifeless. Subse- quently, after receiving God’s gift of life, he could move and talk. These actions only became possible due to God's strength. As a result, speaking is a privilege that must be approached with care. Each vocal expression is an opportunity to praise God, bless others, advance the Kingdom of God, and improve oneself. Speaking should never be used to promote the domain of darkness, which is exactly what happens when we misuse the strength God invested in us. When we backbite, curse, or speak contrary to the Bible, we become agents of evil working for the enemy and using God's power against both Him and ourselves.

“Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.” (Psalms 51:4) "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James 1:26, KJV)

The Lord rules with His voice. He commanded the world into existence in Genesis 1. He speaks, and either life or death obediently follows (Mark 5:41-42). It is for this very reason, I conclude, 46 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME that He says life and death are in the power of the tongue, as James 3:6 and Proverbs 18:21 declare.

"Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light." (Genesis 1:3, NKJV) "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21, NKJV) "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh." (James 3:5-12, KJV) "And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi, which is being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose and walked, for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment." (Mark 5:41-42, KJV)

9| Temporary Decisions, Eternal Consequences - It was Aris- totle, the Greek philosopher and pupil of Plato, who gave us these stirring words: SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 47

“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives — choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”

— ARISTOTLE

The power, privilege, and opportunity to exercise free will are divine and eternally consequential. Why is exercising free will divine? The presence of God’s Spirit (or Breath-of-Life) in us ensures that we have all the strength and capabilities to choose Him or His enemy, Satan. The lifelong gift is a responsibility and obligation to express, through our choices, where one plans to live in eternity; Heaven or Hell. Still, our eternal value and quality of relationship with Him are relative to our commitment to His plan. The authority to decide to live for or against God is equal to the divine justice of promoting a soul to heaven or allowing it to fall into damnation. Our capability to choose is so crucial and extensive that at death (or on Judgment Day), a lost soul will be unable to blame God for its infernal outcome. Hell is the most certain consequence of a rebellion against God, especially considering that no one is relegated to that domain by luck; it is a calculated outcome based on one’s willful selections on Earth. As a result, free will is not restricted to what some may call major sins, such as lying, stealing, fornication, and adultery, it also very much pertains to complaining and doubting—by the way, all sins are momentous because each one can prevent the soul from entering heaven. Why? We expressly decide how to conduct ourselves, how to respond to each situation, so we are entirely accountable for the settlement of each thought and deed. Somehow, we each have to become actively alert to the reality that all challenges are signed off on by God. The other participants, relative to our lesson, are only stage props and potential agents of distraction, designed to stretch our patience and enhance our beauty 48 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME to the witnesses in heaven as they watch our victories against dark agents. Each event, pleasant or unpleasant, is primarily between you and God. If we can define and view the scope of each engagement from this standpoint, I believe we will be well positioned and better prepared to face the eternal outcome of this Life and Time. 10| Gaining Heaven Is a Deliberate Effort - The rigorous qualification for Heaven is achievable by everyone through Christ alone. In any event, the outcome is supported by a deliberate, sustained, and successful effort to live in holiness until one’s last breath. This intention and process of choosing to live in sacredness are perhaps not much different from how parents plan for their children’s education or how businesses use strategies to structure and orient themselves for success. The most beneficial realization of mortal existence is not merely to recognize its insufficiency or dependency on God but also to understand its underpinning. Understanding that no one gets to Heaven without Jesus is foundational, but grasping the procedure is pivotal. In some professions, such as law and medicine, the word "practice" (which dates to 1421) is used as a broad term to describe an exercise leading to proficiency or an organized attempt to maintain said competence. Preparing a soul for Heaven is meticulous, demanding, and sacrificial endeavor. The first two steps of the process can be described in two words: forgiveness and repentance. The first word urges us to apologize, from a humbled heart, for each sin. Equally important, the latter term explains how to close the deal against sin to avoid becoming repeat offenders. Repentance is a "cease and desist" order from the throne room of God. Legally, a "cease and desist" letter may be sent to an individual or business to stop illegal activity and not to restart it. Since we sin virtually every day, the upkeep of a healthy soul is achieved by regular prayer for forgiveness with fervency toward repentance. The next two steps are prayers and Bible reading. John Wesley, the English cleric, theologian, and evangelist did not have much respect for ministers who did not spend a minimum of four hours SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 49 each day in prayer. In a similar attitude of fervency, Martin Luther, a German professor of theology, composer, priest, and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation, also wrote about his commitment to one to two hours of daily prayer. Not to align myself with those notable giants of Christendom, but more to offer testimony, I regularly spend more than an hour each day in private prayer and worship time. As people of faith, we learn to value time spent in prayer for many reasons. The most important, of course, is that we are commanded by God in Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing, but prayer goes hand in hand with the discipline of reading the Bible. Now, why read the Bible? Simply put, this practice teaches us how to pray and what to pray about, just as a manual or user guide explains how to operate a piece of equipment. Moreover, the Bible is the living guide that the Holy Spirit uses to impart profound knowledge about ourselves, our surroundings, and our God, with the benevolent aspiration of steering and supporting us along the narrow path. As we study God’s Word, our personal relationship with Him is bolstered and spiritual connections form, albeit very silently, in the depths and inner sanctum of our souls. These connections develop into robust spiritual sinews, strong enough to help us withstand the barrages and relentless tensioned efforts of darkness which strive to pervade and cripple our being. So, let us pray and read as if our eternal life depends on it—because it does.

“Where there is much prayer, there will be much of the Spirit; where there is much of the Spirit, there will be ever-increasing prayer.”

— ANDREW MURRAY 50 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

The ﬁnal step is an all-embracing one and I will term it “Flee Sin,” which means to shun even the appearance of sin; run far from it (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Perform these ﬁve steps for as long as you live, and I am certain you will see the face of God.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:22, KJV). "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" (Hebrews 12:14, KJV)

Obtaining and maintaining a relationship with our heavenly Father is the most restful and valuable aspect of our lives, yet far too many shrug off its importance. This neglect is an untold absurdity that is perpetrated by an assassin known as Sin, instigated by the Prince of Darkness, and is the number one killer of God's creation. No, the chief executioner is not heart disease or another physical ailment. Instead, it is that determined and consistently disregarded (or misdiagnosed) spiritual sniper caped in three scarlet letters, “SIN,” (or Signiﬁcant Injury Nevertheless — that is why immediate forgiveness and repentance is so necessary to arrest the spiritual decay) and its fervent assistant called IGNO- RANCE, which can be described as Incompetence of God's Noteworthy Ordinances but Regarding the Alternatives Necessary to Conclude Exactness. Only God can remedy the injury and bridge the knowledge gap.

"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17, NKJV) "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the Earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 51

who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the Earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them." (Colossians 3:1-7, KJV)

11| Expressed Free Will Is Accepted Responsibility - Today, the free will we possess and use in making decisions for or against God is possibly no less than what Satan (and the other fallen angels) used to rebel against God and cause his descent into ceaseless darkness. This example is indicative of the fate that awaits all who oppose our Creator. It is unquestionable that we have free will, but God is still 100 percent in control! For example, the loss of power or even having partial authority may reflect an inability to influence a conclusion. Can you imagine God in such a position? The key word here is "influence." Definitely, God will try to direct our decisions to spiritually productive results, but when one’s free will aligns with the opposition, God’s justice springs forth to ensure even-handed compensation is issued. This point is significant. If it were possible for a wrongdoer to escape eternal judgment or for the righteous to be ceaselessly ignored, then God would not be in control.

"He loveth righteousness and judgment; the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD." (Psalms 33:5, KJV)

Still, perhaps after reading 2 Corinthians 4:4, you may deﬁantly oppose and side with the notion that the Satan is the god (lower case "g") or ruler of this world, but several words into the same verse, we encounter the true "God." The word "god," as it is 52 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME ascribed to the Prince of Darkness should cause us to pause and analyze whether the arch-enemy of Christ has any legitimate power. The key term is "legitimate," and I would like to expand this discussion. No different from how Nebuchadnezzar was dethroned and banished into the outdoors to eat grass (Daniel 4:31-33), Lucifer was thrown from Heaven into the bottomless pit (Isaiah 14:12-15). What do these two rulers have in common in this speciﬁc context? They both had high authority, and pride superin- tended their downfall. Nonetheless, there is a remarkable difference: Nebuchadnezzar did regain his kingdom, but Satan did not, so how is he in control? Who gave him authority?

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:4, KJV) "While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from Heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the ﬁeld: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times [done completely] shall pass over thee until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulﬁlled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." (Daniel 4:31-33, KJV) "How art thou has fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weakens the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 53

clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isaiah 14:12-15, KJV)

Regrettably, the answer, though might be surprising to some, is you and I; we give Beelzebub the power to rule and dominate. But don't feel too pressured, the wholesale bartering of life for death started in the Garden of Eden (God’s presence, an unspoiled paradise). At a basic growth rate, the inﬂuence of the kingdom of darkness increases one sin at a time, but the landscape expands with each lost soul. As in the case of Esau and Jacob, Satan gains control when he deceives someone to surrender birthright for a bowl of soup, which is an uncontrolled desire (or irresponsibility) and subsequent entrapment that eventually causes one to sin (Gen- esis 25:29-32).

"Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the ﬁeld, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary." Therefore, his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day." And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so, what is this birthright to me?" (Genesis 25:29-32, NKJV)

We each must assess whether we prefer to consume soup right now and then later fall into eternal hunger. Yes, lost souls do suffer hunger, thirst, and tiredness because they get a new body after death and it is capable of sensing pain to an incredible intensity. The new body is the replacement of the earthly one and assumes the same function. But souls in Heaven are blessed with a gloriﬁed body of complete life that will never again experience any discomfort. 54 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35, KJV) "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." (Rev 14:11, KJV) "Therefore, are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat." (Rev 7:15-16, KJV)

As we perform that self-assessment, let us remember that as a car needs oxygen to "breathe" and create combustion for motion, the underworld needs sinners to "live." As to how a politician rises to leadership by votes and popularity, the Dragon scales the heights of the destruction of humanity with the addition of each supporter; yes, sinning gives the arch-enemy power. The technique that he uses to siphon strength from God's children (when we sin) is Machiavellian, a level of craftiness that hell alone can orches- trate. As a solution, how does one conduct a spiritual sortie against the opponent and stem the tide of its control and better manage free will? The answer is found in James 4:7, where we are admonished to act responsibly, to resist the Devil. Somehow, we must conduct lives that cause the enemy to ﬂee from us.

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will ﬂee from you." (James 4:7, KJV)

Let it be known that we do not wrestle against ﬂesh and blood. SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 55

We usually cannot physically see our true opponent, so how can we resist him? It is a fantastic question. Holiness is the answer. God and His angels hide and protect the obedient and the repentant. As a result, when the roaring lion comes to attack, he may come across either a sheep protected by its shepherd or one that has strayed from the flock. In spiritual terms, behind the scenes, Satan’s advances are thwarted by angels and even by Christ Himself, directly. It is the sight of such impressive authority and fortification that cause the devil and other demons to flee from us. Other than God’s protection, what about a mere mortal or unshielded soul would make Satan and his demons flee? Resisting Satan is not accomplished by raw power, but through God’s faithfulness to His word to protect the obedient. Living by God’s standards is the only strategy required to resist the works of darkness fiercely.

"For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3, KJV) "The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear [or obedient to] Him, and delivereth them." (Psalms 34:7, KJV) "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous [those who are obedient and love Him], and His ears are open unto their cry." (Psalms 34:15, KJV) "The face of the LORD is against them that do evil [those who are disobedient], to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth." (Psalms 34:16, KJV)

12| Imperfection Cannot Produce Perfection - One trial that many people emotionally and spiritually succumb to is unreasonable expectations. It is a familiar pattern when it comes to human interrelationships. For example, we feel hurt and disrespected when we are slighted, whether the offense is intentional or not. We 56 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME demand answers and other responses that appeal to our immediate fancy, perhaps without even considering the other party. One of the truths I am trying to grasp and accept effectively is that an imperfect being cannot offer perfection. The idea is no different from the optimism that all apple trees will bear luscious fruit instead of crabapples or, worse yet, manchineel (poisonous looka- likes that can cause temporary blindness). When our expectations veer off into foolhardiness, our assumptions are left baseless. Some people may then turn to God in anger. Though we often wrestle with pride, each of us must somehow realize that life on Earth is a test and despite frustrations, we must somehow emerge worthy for Heaven otherwise our lives are a total loss. God does not grade on a curve—one must measure up to His standards. The truth that “only God is perfect” should not be trivialized with logic, brushed away by over-familiarity or reduced by inattentiveness. Instead, we should effectively ponder this truth and strive to model our expectations with the understanding found in Job 15:15-16, where we are taught about the frailty of humankind and God’s demand for holiness.

“If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is abominable and ﬁlthy, who drinks iniquity like water!” (Job 15:15-16)

Overall, I think the most significant human obstacle is our fascination or preoccupation with the unattainable aim to override God’s design and exclusively take ownership of all He has apportioned to us. We almost want to fight God for our will to be done on Earth, not His. Satan tried and failed completely. Let us learn from that startling example. 13| God in Mortal Vessels - The physical body is the stage where the soul performs or demonstrate its intentions, its orientation, before audiences in Heaven, Earth, and Hell; it’s a lifetime SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 57 performance followed by eternal accountability. Now, if someone were to ask if you see Jesus (or God) every day, how would you respond? I would most assuredly say “yes.” You may giggle at that. To support this point a bit more, let me restate what it is to be human. Before God breathed life into Adam, he was altogether lifeless. He was nothing but dead flesh. I believe breathing in Adam's nostrils was certainly more than filling his lungs with air. Moreover, God through his Spirit (Immanuel) entered Adams body to become the third and most significant member of his threefold nature. Life is created and maintained by God through His Spirit within us, which is sometimes called the “Spirit of man.” This Spirit is an investment of God's life-giving energy (and much more) for the totality of our lifetime. Consequently, since spirit produces spirit as flesh produces flesh, the exhalation or transfer of God's eternal life into flesh represents the foundation of our spiritual being. God's spirit in us serves as His exchange point or communication sphere with our soul and body—a concept that’s similar to how one plugs a device into an electrical outlet. The Devil, if allowed, can plug into a person through their mammon or flesh. It is for this reason that the Bible warns us of the ongoing struggle between spirit and flesh. The spirit wants to help the soul reenter Heaven, while mammon lures the soul toward sin and pushes it downward. God, through His Holy Spirit, is continuously seeking to join with our spirit and help our soul make the right decisions, which will create a healthier operating space for the three parts of our tripartite nature. When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, God's presence reigns over that person’s soul and body, thereby facilitating profound spiritual works such as speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, and making prophetic decrees. Nonetheless, one should not become extravagantly captivated by spiritual gifts and signs. Why? Romans 11:29 answers; a person may have entered a backslidden state all the while still speaking in tongues because God might not 58 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME have revoked the spiritual privilege. Remember, God can use anyone or anything to accomplish His mission, even a donkey.

"For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." (Romans 11:29, KJV) "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed." (Matthew 16:4, KJV) "And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass [donkey], and she said unto Balaam, what have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?" (Numbers 22:28, KJV).

So far, we have accounted for two aspects of our tripartite nature: the flesh and the spirit. The third facet, though I am not emphasizing any specific order here, is the soul, which is characterized by some as the psyche, mind, vital force, individual, or inner self. There is a reasonable semblance of truth in each of these descriptions. The soul is not an abstraction; it is unquestionably more than the mind or intellect. As mentioned earlier, we are pre- mortal beings from Heaven placed on Earth to complete a mission. Our soul is who we are, while our flesh is kept alive by God's Breath-of-Life. In other words, our heavenly Father did not just allow us to enter this corrupt domain on our own, He came with us and will remain in us (Immanuel), as spirit or life, until our earthly journey ends. During our lifetime, the soul decides whose voice to heed and whose commands to follow, God's or His enemy. At death, the Spirit returns to God. A righteous soul ascends to Heaven, while the unrepentant descends into eternal darkness.

"For as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 59

works is dead also." (James 2:26, NKJV)

For this reason, the next time you see or interact with someone, consider that you are engaging with God, through His Breath-of- Life within that person. Romans 12:10 advises the same. The verse admonishes us to hold one another in high regard and treat others better than ourselves. God receives and feels all our exchanges, both verbal and physical. The verses in 1 Thessalonians 4:8 and Acts 9:4 also mention this proxy relationship between God and us. For instance, God expressed Himself in educated people and uned- ucated people, as well as rich folks and poor folks. One living example may directly demonstrate humility, while the other may demonstrate the need for it.

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” (Romans 12:10). "Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 4:8). "Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” (Acts 9:4). "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6, KJV) "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." (Ephesians 4:25, KJV)

14| Pride Misappropriates God's Glory - In the Bible, it is written that pride comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Not unlike the biblical account (in Daniel 4) of the pride that led to Nebuchad- 60 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME nezzar’s dethroning, the word pride is customarily hoisted in conversations, haughtily resting on the unstable podium of single- handed accomplishment. The term is comparatively synonymous with lexical siblings such as self-esteem, dignity, arrogance, vain- glory, and egotism. The ﬁrst two are biblically respectful, while the last three are the opposite, entirely discourteous to the faithfulness of God, and can be everlastingly devastating if left unrestrained. When permitted, the egotistical nature of pride, for instance, culti- vates, rapidly grows, and matures into a harvest of self-centered- ness, all the while stunting the potential growth of spiritual mindfulness. Furthermore, there is still something more sinister about pride, which is called fraud.

"Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18, NKJV)

All praise is owed to God and God alone. Let us recall (and I'll do this on multiple occasions throughout this guide) Adam’s state before God's Breath-of-Life. He was lifeless. On that account, anything he did that required power must be attributed to its source, God. This idea, though not equal, can be compared to a recipient cursing a donor after a kidney transplant or a teenager ﬁling a "Petition for Emancipation" from their parent or guardian. The pride-based boost of oneself is an attempt to steal glory from God, and we know who is behind the conspiracy. Let us not aid and abet works of darkness. Instead, let us learn about the humility of Christ and practice it:

"Who [Christ], being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 61

as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11, KJV)

15| The Flesh Profits Nothing - As unfeeling as it might appear to be, and despite the prosperity-driven messages from pulpits around the world, God is entirely more interested in our spiritual wellbeing and readiness for Heaven than anything this planetary stopover has to offer. After all, relative to soul and spirit, the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63); it is merely the housing for the union between soul and spirit.

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the ﬂesh proﬁteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63, KJV).

Now, I will address the meaning of the phrase “the flesh profits nothing” from two angles: (1) the flesh as a general term or metaphor for activities that disqualify a soul for Heaven and (2) the flesh as a material substance of the physical world. For a comprehensive and conclusive treatment of the first point, we need to look no further than Galatians 5:19-21. This passage clearly explains what a prodigal or unrepentant soul is able to produce and how that yield evaluates to nothing by God’s standards. The next couple of verses (Galatians 5:22-23) describe the recovery strategy for such a soul. 62 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"Now the works of the ﬂesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21, KJV) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance; against such, there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV) "But fornication, all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither ﬁlthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." (Ephesians 5:3-5, KJV)

Before addressing the second point, I would like to pose a question for you to reflect upon: Have you ever considered that your every endeavor, activity, and interest will be worth absolutely nothing if you leave this life without first reconciling with Christ? One thing is for sure, no one wants their life’s efforts to be meaningless or profitless. Still, “the flesh profits nothing" is quite a profound statement. Of the four words in the expression, "profits" takes center stage, meaning to gather a yield, a winning, a surplus or excess. Here, we are cautioned to exclude the flesh as an enduring investment to the kingdom of God; it does not have an eternal value, it is temporary or finite. As 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us, visible things are temporal, a contrast to eternal things, which are invisible. SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 63

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18, KJV) "For what is a man proﬁted, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26, KJV) "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul [His investment in soil] will be required of you, then whose will those things be which you have provided?'" (Luke 12:18-20, NKJV)" "And I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed [the body] [also] has power to cast [the soul] into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4-5, NKJV)

To the immortal, invisible Father, the flesh by itself cannot produce anything for His eternal glory because it can never enter Heaven. However, the profitability of a righteous soul varies; when a soul turns to Christ, that spiritual business strategy may be perceived as a break-even, for the cost of its salvation is relative to the revenue or earnings of having a lost sheep rejoin the divine fold. However, the surplus or increased profit is realized for each additional person (or soul) that the redeemed leads to Christ through witnessing or other evangelistic undertakings. So, while the flesh profits nothing, the prospects for the redeemed soul are excellent because they can help to gather other souls to Christ, and 64 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME it is perhaps for this reason why God expects us to be fishers of men, to help save another soul (Matthew 4:19). NOTE: The word "business" above is not an association with a secular transaction. Instead, it is meant to emphasize the seriousness of salvation.

"And he saith unto them, follow Me, and I will make you ﬁshers of men." (Matthew 4:19, KJV) "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the ﬁre." (Luke 3:9, KJV)

All businesses are planned and primed to grow from an initial seed investment of money, time and labor into a profitable operation or enterprise. The concept is identical to planting wheat seeds and cultivating them for an abundant harvest, and the union of soul and spirit combine into a spiritual seed that God has planted into a nicely fashioned, well organized, and living mass of dirt that is biblically termed the flesh (the physical body), and His intention is to earn a profit, to produce a yield. At this point, it is noteworthy to recognize that He wants each soul, using the strength of His Spirit, to work for Him, to help Him with the gathering or corralling of His lost sheep, with the redemption of His prodigal children. The flesh does not make decisions, so it is not useable or profitable in this application; the determination is borne in the soul and the flesh is merely the assistant. Therefore, flesh profiting nothing could be rephrased as "the flesh is just what it is," it is not a yielder, only a vessel or container for the producer, the soul, which can profit much if it is willing and obedient. The soul is the memory bank and decision-engine for a lifetime and more. Now, using a different train of thought, does a lost soul retain SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 65 memory? If you answered "yes," then you are correct. However, for those in Heaven, this world will be removed from them—there is no discomfort in Heaven. Turning to Luke, the third Gospel, chapter 16:19-28 paint a vivid picture of the lives of two men, each at the opposite end of what is termed a success; the verses also unfold what happens after their deaths. To address the point about a soul retaining memory, we read that the rich man remembers not only Lazarus, the poor man, but also recalls leaving five brothers on Earth. The key point in this context relates to memorization. The physical body does not go to Hell; it decays, but I believe our souls absorb and store (in spiritual cells) every bit of information presented to them by our natural senses and other sources such as through spiritual impar- tations. However, Hell does not offer any pleasure from experiences, absorption in unrelenting regrets is the only reward.

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried; and in hell he [the rich man] lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he [the 66 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

rich man] said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have ﬁve brethren [the rich man remembers his living brothers]; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment" (Luke 16:19-28, KJV)

Assuredly, from a spiritual perspective, the flesh profits nothing. With that said, there is still another consideration to which I will pose a question: If the soul is a recorder of all input, then why don't we promptly recall all the facts of every conversation or all the knowledge necessary to succeed in every exam? The reason is that the soul dwells in infinity and, thus, has infinite capabilities, while the body does not. For instance, the information retention and retrieval ability of the brain are arguably the same for most people, but the memory of 20 to 60 people throughout the world has been fascinatingly and demonstrably expanded, thereby allowing them to recall, with pinpoint accuracy and gymnastic ease, details, such as dates, conversations, and much more. Each member of this inarguably elite group has a rare condition called hyperthymesia or autobio- graphical memory. I submit to you that this syndrome is an indica- tion of the limitless potential of our infinite souls. Our physical bodies are a filter and presenter of our spirit’s potentiality, which, in turn, is supported by God’s Breath-of-Life. As we walk closer to Christ, at His discretion, new competencies (via His Spirit) may be activated in our bodies that would otherwise remain dormant.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26, KJV) SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 67

Some people struggle to read the Holy Word because the text is sometimes challenging to readily comprehend, especially the King James versions, which is the only translation I would recommend. Even though reading the Bible can be challenging, the results more than compensate for the effort expended. I can recall an occasion when I was very spiritually drained and indeed did not have the desire to read. As I have said throughout this book, obedience is what pleases God, and I knew that reading the Bible is a Christian's responsibility to obtain and maintain spiritual vitality. Forearmed with that knowledge I deliberately pursued and completed sixteen chapters of Revela- tion, and not to any surprise when I was done, I felt entirely revived. Why? The Bible is not just an amalgamation of words. Since God is everywhere at all times, He sees and blesses our efforts. He strengthens our being as we gulp down each verse. How does the process work? Behind the scenes, in the invisible, spiritual space, the soul, with its infinite capacity, not only records your reading, it becomes strengthened by the Word and becomes more capable of protecting and fortifying the soul against demonic attacks, thereby enabling the soul to work more closely with the Spirit to ensure readiness for the flight home, back to Heaven. As a doctor encourages a patient to eat despite an unwilling appetite, I encourage you to persevere in studying the Bible because it is an agent of change all its own. The information will remain resident in your soul as a reservoir of nourishment and become a supply of sustenance for God to bolster your being. Simi- larly, pray whether you are encouraged to do so or not. Let us focus on God through His living Word, and adequately realize that though the flesh profits nothing, the soul can become eternally significant if positioned heavenward. This is not the same for a downward-oriented soul. Though the physical body cannot escape the bounds of Earth at the time of death, there is a comparable body awaiting the lost soul in the hereafter. We already know that a soul in heaven is glorious and 68 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME will never again undergo suffering. A lost soul is clothed in a sort of supernatural version of an earthly body. It will never die but will have to endure endless suffering. How do we know this? In Mark 9:48, the verse conclusively tells us: "their worm dieth not.”

"Where their worm dieth not, and the ﬁre is not quenched." (Mark 9:48, KJV)

Ordinarily, worms naturally assist in the decomposition of a corpse, assuming the body is accessible to them, as when it is left exposed to the elements. Within a few hours after death, the body, through a process known as putrefaction, begins to emit a foul odor that attracts flies, which in turn lay eggs that eventually transform into maggots. The crawling larvae (of future flies) burrow into the flesh and consume the remains. This process describes how an organic substance is refashioned and returns to its origin. However, there is no final decomposition in Hell. Yes, there are worms, but the new body of a lost soul will never die. Thus, the worms in Hell have an endless supply of "food" (of flesh, as it were) as Mark 9:48 foretells. This is yet another reason to avoid going to the underworld. 16| Spiritual Knowledge Preserves Life - It was Derek Bok, a lawyer and former president of Harvard University who coined these words:

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."

— DEREK BOK

Ignorance is like a bottomless container that must be repaired and reinforced with durable information. Thousands of years ago our Creator warned our earliest ancestors that His people were destroyed because of their lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 69

Today, I have proven this warning to be true. In any case, in this context, I believe the caution pertains more to the type and quality of information found in the Bible and assuredly less about the information gleaned from contemporary textbooks and popular literature. I do acknowledge that Life and Time can be demanding, even vexing at times, to use emotional restraint to accept or adjust to unfairness. While struggling to regain a discerning and spirited balance, many are left grasping at emotional straws and unable to respond to challenging events in a way that pleases God. Instead, words of anger and frustration are tossed heavenward or ﬂung laterally at potential offenders. We must muster the determination to see God’s hand in all circumstances and understand that we cannot alter His design; we cannot edit the tape or video. It is perhaps, for this reason, He says to give thanks in all situations (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Think about that point for a moment or so.

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV)

Still, why do we fail to patiently address the challenging circumstance and realize that life is merely a test? The answer, though too often masked by inexperience and fueled by impatience, is our deﬁcit of knowledge. Speciﬁcally, we may need more education about God, ourselves, and our Enemy to calibrate our responses and expectations better. John 14:6 is the answer that 70 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Hosea 4:6 wants to report to God’s children. Here, God Himself, the voice of Wisdom, pronounces that intimate familiarity with Him is required to harmonize and sustain the parent-child relationship we unavoidably have with Him while on Earth. Knowl- edge of the Way will ensure the correct course heavenward against the distractions called lies. Lies are the domain of the Enemy, and only Truth can navigate one’s soul back onto the Way that leads to eternal Life.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6, KJV) "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me, seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hosea 4:6, KJV)

First, there exists a common and calamitous misunderstanding that because God is Love, He cannot smash a ﬂy or allow the unrepentant to burn in Hell forever. This perception is an utter false- hood (please read the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel). At this point, I will offer an example of the seriousness of an idolatrous or sinful lifestyle:

"So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-ﬁve men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east. And He said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have ﬁlled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 71

Indeed, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore, I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.’” (Ezekiel 8:16-18, NKJV)

Yes, God is the embodiment of Love and Mercy, but He is also Light, which dispels darkness. He loathes sin with an eternal passion but loves the sinner. Second, one must recognize that the weaknesses seen in others mirror ourselves or our potential to be weak since we are all fashioned by the same Creator and chiseled from identical, blemished material. Third, it is vital to grasp that everyone on Earth has a lifelong assignment or homework. When we see others struggling, perhaps with verbal or ﬂesh-based sins, it pleases God when we offer help from a compassionate heart, by providing a word of encouragement or prayer. Consider this point: Prayer is a protocol or intentional signal that God expects humanity to use to communicate a request for His assistance. Otherwise, except for the mercy described in Psalms 103:8-18, He is barred from intervening given the entitlement of free will. Altogether, a potential failure in another should never be met with condemnation, as all criticisms leveled against others are also done onto God.

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide [chastise, scold]: neither will he keep His anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the Heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as 72 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them." (Psalms 103:8-18, KJV)

Often, due to our misplaced or unqualiﬁed expectations, we fail because we do not know the words in Isaiah 45:7 and Job 15:15-16 or, perhaps, we do not take them seriously enough.

“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7). “If God puts no trust in His saints, and the heavens are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is abominable and ﬁlthy, who drinks iniquity like water!” (Job 15:15-16).

What do you think? I believe the above set of verses are required to keep humankind levelheaded against the allures of pride and the serpentine attempts of dark agents to confuse God’s children about who He is and who they are, or who they are not because spiritual sobriety is crucial to surviving this Life and Time. 17| Eternal Life Is Free of Charge - Technically and transac- tionally, everlasting life is inﬁnitely expensive because Jesus paid for it with His life. The suffering and death of Christ on the cross on Golgotha, the skull-shaped hill in Jerusalem, is the payment, through God’s grace, for our redemption. This perfect sacriﬁce was made for Adam’s descendants and is still available to save anyone willing to accept it. All we must do is acknowledge that only Jesus is the Lord and live according to the standards in the Bible. SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 73

When one fails to follow God by rejecting to accept and follow Jesus, that person has intentionally decided to forego the benefits of the cross and has instead protested God standards through his or her lifestyle. They are proposing an alternative way of entering Heaven. Since Jesus is the only way into the kingdom of God, as all the world belongs to God, the soul must be mindful about the fact that there is no other way to rescue itself from eternal destruction in a lake of fire (Revelation 20:13-15). As a result, the fiery existence a lost soul must endure for eternity, to some degree, approximates the weightiness of the suffering of God (through Jesus) on the cross. The question is: why elusively and meaninglessly try to pay for a gift that no human can afford? Eternal life is free but is attainable only through Jesus.

"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death, and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of ﬁre. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of ﬁre." (Revelation 20:13-15, KJV)

18| Sin Is Foolishness - Ecclesiastes 8:1 tells us that Wisdom causes a man's face to shine. I have intentionally capitalized this word because it is more than mere language. It is a spirit. My reason to bring attention to this word is that of its malevolent opposite, foolishness. Surely, you and I can effortlessly compile a list of follies, but I wish to tackle the chief one and provide a spec- imen of its manifestation:

The fool [even those under the guise of being an atheist, pantheist, or agnostic] said in his heart, "There is no God." (Psalm 14:1) "For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, 74 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another." (Titus 3:3, NKJV) "But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unproﬁtable and useless." (Titus 3:9, NKJV)

Considering we are the descendants of Adam, who was lifeless before God breathed life into him, denying the existence of God is no less than rejecting one's life, which is undoubtedly silly. In the New Testament, 1 John 3:4 tells us that "Whoever sins also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness." The conclusion here is that sin is nothing less than foolishness. So, why is sin foolishness? We know it is an evil act that goes against the holiness of Christ because it misuses His Breath-of-Life in us, but it is also unwise because we are coupling with the enemy and fighting against self and our Creator. Humans are intelligent beings, yet we often spend the majority of our years doing foolishness, engaging in activities that only promote the eternal destruction of self. That is very remarkable. We are allowing beings from the underworld to outsmart us, and they are very efficient in their pursuit. Something is very wrong! Somehow, we have to refocus on eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 19| The Grandeur of Christ Must Be Honored - Starting with His spiritual marvels, we see Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:1-11), driving out demons from a man in Capernaum (Mark 1:21-24), healing the sick and the oppressed (Luke 4:40-41), raising a widow's son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17), calming the stormy sea with His voice (Mathew 8:23-27), feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (Mathew 14:13-21), walking on water (Mathew 14:22-33), and the list goes on, covering His upwards of 37 miracles. At this point, although it might seem remote as a point of comparison to His other miracles, I will introduce the country of Qatar, because it is a modern wonder to me, and it is a SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 75 sterling example of God's power to use what was insignificant and then turn it into a jaw-dropping, mind-boggling phenomenon. If you were asked what the wealthiest country in the world is, please do not say it is the United States. No, it is Qatar. According to CIA.Gov World Factbook (July 2017), Qatar has a population of only 2.3 million people. The country that is slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut has a per capita GDP of $124,500, well towering over the $59,500 of the US. Each dollar- based number is the productivity measurement of each member of the workforce or the average amount of money a person makes. Nevertheless, the main point is not about wealth; it is more of a depiction of what God can ordain or allow for His purpose. He moves in mysterious ways. Through the years, my thoughts and experiences have led me to believe with certainty and conviction that we should honor God with undiluted reverence. His power is beyond understanding, and it behooves us well to not flirt with His majesty and eternal sovereignty. The Bible says that even the Dragon knows the power of The Alpha and Omega and trembles (James 2:19).

"You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" (James 2:19, NKJV)

Allow me to try to provide a peek into God's sovereignty. Do you believe that the Devil is venomously wicked and cruelly domi- nates as the Prince of Darkness? If so, I agree. I will call upon the Bible to support the fact that Satan and his minions are principalities of staggeringly evil potentials:

"For we do not wrestle against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the 76 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV)

Satan and demons tremble at the thought of God. Why? Do you think it is because they want to fear Him? No. They hate Him as much as they hate humanity, and humanity, in turn, expresses hatred for God when it sins. If His arch enemies could wrestle with God, even in a limited way, they most certainly would have done so. Instead, they quiver, because His strength quells and humbles their inclination and will. Since we cannot defeat the enemy without God's support, why don't we also humble ourselves and tremble before Him? Is it pride or ignorance that causes us to be distant from our only source of help? One thing we must ﬁrmly understand is that the world, including everything above and below it, belongs to God. So, yes, even Satan and the demons belong to Him. He created them — they are merely fallen angels. Further, the Bible says, Jesus is the Prince of Peace and Comforter. Can you visualize a scenario or an environment where the enemies of our souls were able to mount attacks against God? If such an aim was even remotely possible, do you think the Head and host of Heaven would exist as comforted, blissfully or as peacefully as they do today? I will boldly say, no. Besides, it is inconceivable that someone who may know no peace can give peace or comfort.

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." (Rev 4:11, KJV) "For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16, NKJV) "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 77

for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11, KJV) "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead [Creator, God Almighty, Jehovah] bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2:8-10, KJV)

Please take a few extra moments to examine the words of the hymn, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise," and observe how the writer, Walter C. Smith, expressed profound respect and adoration for the power, majesty, and immutability of God. According to hymnary.org, “Dr. Smith's hymns are rich in thought and vigorous in expression.” Oh, so true:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes, most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might; Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love. 78 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small, in all life Thou livest, the true life of all; we blossom and ﬂourish as leaves on the tree, and wither and perish, but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight; all praise we would render, O help us to see 'tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!

Listen: https://goo.gl/qdAGUR

— WALTER C. SMITH, “IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE”

20| Temporarily Separated from Eternity - The physical body, which is also one's personal church (or temple), and, in a non- trivial way, a temporary but sufficiently engineered residence, is a haven for considering and planning the next step. Our bodies have all the amenities we need for a lifetime, and for assisting us in figuring out the next move for when the lease (or “the stopover”) expires. As a lessee, I know the housing agreement is not a perpetual one; there is no prospect of renewal. The Lessor (God) has already assigned a fixed duration, a lifespan. Although we are ordinarily not sure of how the end will unfold, let us always be mindful of the looming expiration date. Still, the body has a unique and essential role. The seeming conflict about ‘the body profiting nothing’ should be resolved and leveled with an understanding that the precept compares the value of the soul and spirit to that of the body (John 6:63, KJV).

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the ﬂesh proﬁteth nothing: the SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 79

words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63, KJV)

Accordingly, I will propose that besides being a container for God's Breath-of-Life, the complementing role of one's physical self is to create a temporary divide between the two spiritual worlds that exist inside and outside of us. For that reason, I am convinced that the partition that separates these two universes, as it were, is no less than "skin deep." Moreover, and plausibly so, my mind bears no doubt that each of us is only an eye's blink away from eternity, which approximates the time for the soul to leave the body at death and essentially remove or dismantle the barricade of flesh that long separated the two immaterial, dynamic, and infinite worlds. I reason there is soundless yearning of the soul and spirit to escape or leave the bounds of the flesh and return to their supernatural origins, and that will happen. We must each be prepared for that irreversible event. The function of the body is perhaps identical to a dam that separates two bodies of compatible substances, our internal, spiritual self, and the external supernatural reality or infinity. All the same, to emphasize the benefit of the physical body, I must introduce a term called "the fluidity of the soul." The fluidness of the soul is reflected in the physical layout of the body, spanning head to toes and all its molecular substructures. As a result, the soul is malleable enough to be shaped and reshaped into any physical form which is perhaps sound reasoning for why the Bible says the flesh profits nothing. To continue, God could have created us with features far different from our present ones without diminishing the value of the soul in any way. Correspondingly, walking, for example, is actualized by the body but is initiated and coordinated by the soul, and of course, the movement itself is fueled by the fire of life that is generated by the Spirit, the Breath-of-Life. As a result, when the 80 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME spirit leaves, the fire is extinguished just as a stove burner ceases to be lit when the gas flow stops. Moreover, in another analogy, the body assumes the role of a veil to shield the soul both from Hell's furnace and Heaven's bliss for a vapor of existence called a lifetime. It is the contract enforcer or breaker that we must manage for profitability to God's kingdom (James 4:14). As an example, the soul may produce thoughts of stealing, committing sexual sin, or helping someone carry a bag of groceries, but unless the physical body is employed to execute the spiritual contract, it is null and void. The concept is identical to the biblical principle that teaches faith without works is dead. There may be exceptions, but Faith is fashioned in the soul and works are typically effectuated in the flesh (James 2:14-17).

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanished away." (James 4:14, KJV) "What doth it profits, my brethren, though a man says he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profits? Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:14-17, KJV)

Still on the topic of faith, having an active and effective expectation in the faithfulness of God to fulﬁll His promises is the essence of faith (Hebrews 11:1). And though He did not promise anyone a pain-free life, He does abundantly encourage us to hold on to the end, the ﬁnale of our lives (Matthew 24:13). SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 81

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, KJV) "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13, KJV) "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29, KJV)

In John 20:29, we are advised that "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Content and blissful are comparable to blessed. God wants us to be content with His primary spirit provision, His Word. When we read, believe and live out the Bible, only eternal bliss or joy awaits. To the contrary, when reliance on and communication with our heavenly Father is based only upon what physical senses desire, then a cursed soul, one devoid of blessedness, will stand before Him in the end. There is still more to John 20:29. I will rephrase the former excerpt as "Blessed are they that have not seen Me but live as though they do." I believe this statement is the hallmark of a life that will indeed see Him when the door on this Life and Time closes: "Blessed are those who effectively believe in Heaven and do everything to get there," "Blessed are those who read the Bible and do what it instructs," "Blessed are those who treat others in fairness as if they were Jesus," "Blessed are those who love their neighbors, without border," "Blessed are those who believe there is a Hell without having to go there." 21| Fight the Good Fight - The Bible vigorously admonishes us that we wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood, but against evil powers in high places (Ephesians 6:12). In 2 Chronicles 20:15 we are encouraged to realize that the battle is the Lord's, not ours. How can this be when we are expected to ﬁght? 82 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"For we wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12, KJV) "And he said, hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, thus saith the LORD unto you, be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's." (2 Chronicles 20:15, KJV)

We are most definitely engaged in a titanic war. Well, it's more than that. It is a battle of a lifetime, but its measure is eternal, and only God can subdue it with His infinite power. We win only through Jesus. But how? The answer is obedience. Disobedience affects the supply chain by restricting mission-critical spiritual provisions. The Lord seeks to guide and maneuver us on the battlefield of Life and Time using His immutable Word (or war manual), His omnipresent and omnipotent Spirit, pastors (particularly those who have not gone AWOL or apostate), and perhaps through dreams and the wisdom of another person. As we heed, assigned angelic warriors are apportioned more latitude, more ammunition to fight for us. They are the ones who battle the infernal enemies, but our obedience supports the war effort with various supplies from heavenly storehouses and armories. After all, the battle is not ours. Why? We cannot see the enemy, so the war effort is not a direct, hand-to-hand engagement; it's mostly a proxy war (2 Chronicles 20:15), one that is fought and won through Christ. Patience, Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance are all God ordained standards or provisioned strategies to fight wholly and efficiently (Galatians 5:22-23). There is one additional weapon that must be added to one’s arsenal of defense for the battle plan because it is critical to effectively appreciate and under- SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 83 stand how powerful it is in use. This weapon relates to the tongue, that small, yet potentially controlling muscle. The Bible says life and death are in the power of the tongue, and it is perhaps for this reason U.S. Navy Seals use a strategy called “positive self-talk” in their training. In an excerpt from a write-up for businessinsider.- com, May. 28, 2017, titled “Here's the strategy Navy SEALs use to persevere through impossibly tough conditions,” Shana Lebowitz writes:

“The Brain" explores how positive self-talk can help BUD/S [Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training] candidates' chances of success. According to the documentary, the average person says between 300 and 1,000 words to themselves every single minute. If these words are positive instead of negative, they help override the fear signal coming from a part of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala kicks into gear during threatening situations.”

— SHANA LEBOWITZ

The life of Christ is the perfect demonstration of entering this earthly realm, living obediently, leaving victoriously, and ascending back into Heaven; it is a complete life. Why should we ﬁght the good ﬁght until we are released from a lifelong duty? Matthew 7:22-23 provides the answer.

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:22-23, NKJV) 84 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

I believe when God utters “depart from Me” to a lost soul it is as impactful as when He said “Let there be light” in the ﬁrst book of Genesis, though with a devastating result. That phrase is equivalent to forcefully pronouncing, “Let there be darkness.” We can only imagine how shivering and ruinous the utterance would be to a doomed soul. So, Life and Time have some not too readily apparent consequences. Nevertheless, law and order govern the universe, and in principle, each act of disobedience equates to leaving the battleﬁeld without God’s permission. It is no different from detouring off a divinely prescribed and scheduled path that requires a correction even to come close to completing the journey.

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope." (Romans 5:3-4, KJV) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- suffering [ﬁght on], gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such; there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV)

22| Look Up, Not Down, God Is Watching - I believe when we blame others and try to hold them grievously and unforgivingly responsible for the corrections or testings in our lives, we are ascribing to them and even to Satan, more power than they fundamentally have. Revenge or a harsh response to someone is an implicit claim that the targeted person holds godlike power and is directly in control of what the potential victim is experiencing. For instance, Satan laughs as much as ISIS leaders do when the extremist jihadist militant group so voluntarily claim responsibility for chaos (bombing or an air disaster, for example) though they might not have had an inkling about the nature of the disarray. Why? Like the Devil, they want to instill fear or promote undue respect. God wants us to look up, not across, not down. Precisely SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 85 everything that happens to any of God's children, in fact to all His creations, must be signed off by Him, the King of kings. To this extent, what do fast food companies such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's have in common with car manufacturing businesses like Ford and Toyota? Among other things, they each have established processes and Standard Operating Proce- dures (SOP) for creating and delivering a product. The methods these organizations use to ensure efﬁciency and consistency in their offerings share similarities to the laws God has embedded into all other activities under the sun. The world itself is no less than a cranked-up process that is manufacturing an array of goods and services, utilizing two types of raw material called good and evil. Let's be mindful that God is at the end of the production line (after the free will engine has completed its processing), waiting to inspect each spiritual "merchandise" for its suitability for the heavenly market. Somehow, we must have an increased awareness that God does allow challenges to fashion us into a sharper, higher resolution image of Himself. We must see beyond the messenger and recognize the Author. The concept is not different from the daily operations of many companies where an operational manager may agree with a decision but must obtain higher agreement from perhaps a director or the CEO. The enemy unrelentingly strives to shift our focus to all but God. Why? If we can see The Alpha and Omega through our joys, pains, and griefs, one of two things will emerge: 1) Reverence for Him will bolster us or 2) More deﬁance will cover us. We become hotter or colder. Besides, concentration on any other but God is the middle ground or lukewarm state. We do not have to understand all that He is doing, but we can be sure that His Love is interwoven into the fabric of His works. For example, the Bible says no one knows the time of His coming (the Rapture). I do not think it was an effort to hide this information. Instead, it was a desire to save us all. If we knew the time or even the day of our death most, if not all, would try to hedge and wait until the last moment to repent, trying to laze themselves into 86 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Heaven, and He is not to be mocked. So, again, His love and attention will disclose only enough information to keep us from self- destruction—that is genuine Love and care. 23| Earth Is More Than a “Pale Blue Dot” - The cosmic stage we call Earth is physically nothing more than the "Pale Blue Dot," a descriptive offering by Carl Sagan, which is also the title of his 1994 book:

"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of conﬁdent religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there — on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."

— CARL SAGAN, PALE BLUE DOT, 1994

In addition to Carl's viewpoint, I believe our terrestrial home is a testing site, a micro or miniaturized model of both Heaven and Hell. The purpose of a model, as we understand them, is to simulate or imitate a thing or system. Just as an architect or engineer subjects their models to real-life simulations at specialized testing facilities, for humans, the facility is Earth, and the duration of testing is called a lifetime. More than a casual analysis is required to clinch the certainty that life on Earth is a careful and continuous divine inspection to determine where each result (or soul) from the model can be inte- grated when the test phase completes. Each person may be charac- SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 87 terized as a component or unit of the earth model, and God has designed multiple test scenarios for each of us. The results generated from each unit test or circumstance count towards or against the compatibility of that soul for both Heaven or Hell. Though very mission-critical to the success of an array of projects from hardware to software, the testing phase is usually laborious, sometimes aesthetically displeasing, repetitive, time- grueling, but result-oriented. Why? We are imperfect beings, and as a result, we propagate that imperfection in all we do. So, testing is not optional. Moreover, the testing processes and laboratory refinements are even more demanding and crucial when it relates to a soul. To my reasoning, the degree of testing a soul must pass through is highly indicative of the condition of the being. In other words, since God will not allow undue testing, the duration and intensity of examination (or testing) are proportionate to the resistivity of the soul towards holiness, clearly toward Jesus. Nevertheless, God does show vast mercy. How do I know? There have been times in my life when I knew that the pressures I was bearing were far less than they could or should have been. Today, I know beyond any doubt that there are depths or levels of stress and compressing forces a soul could be subjected to, but it is only the exceptional grace and mercy of God that shoulders the brunt of it. Still, compelling weight is still around us. The only escape is Heaven because a lost soul foregoes that assistance from God. Said differently, we are not out of the woods until we reach the Kingdom of Heaven, so we must endure challenges and adversities as God removes the dross from our lives and turns us into pure gold. God encourages us to take time to contemplate life and prepare for our inevitable transition from this world. Why think about it? The thought process may help us become more capable at interpolation. Interpolating means to insert something new into something else. In a mathematical sense, this describes the process of 88 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME introducing a new data point or value (or a series of them) by esti- mating or calculating it from surrounding known values. Interpo- lation aims to gather sufficient data or information using an efficient and effective method. We live between two extremes, Heaven and Hell, and should consider that the joys and pains of this planet are a foretaste of our future. Studying both realms should spur us to interpolate "what- if" scenarios. The Bible encourages us to develop such thought processes, so we can pass life's tests the relatively easy way because hardly anyone has the time and resources to recover from learning that always involves making mistakes. We should seek to learn from others rather than by repeatedly doing what is known to fail. Contemplation, interpolation and studying the manual (Bible) are the processes God planned for our lives as exemplified through the holiness and ascension of Christ while He was on this pale blue dot. 24| We Live at 40 Years Per Hour - Sometimes, a conversation about the goodness and mercifulness of God can seem so ordinary that it appears shadowed with formality or even spoken with choreographed respect. Not to object to that, but, a little later, I will introduce a number-based frame of reference to spotlight why we all should intentionally exercise our minds, vocal cords and heart muscles in giving thanks to our Creator. He unquestionably deserves endless praises. To that extent, “The Church's One Foundation,” a hymn of praise by S. J. Stone (1866), brilliantly and admirably captures the sovereignty of Christ as the Keystone of His worldwide spiritual body of Heaven-focused followers called the Church, which has nothing to do with a physical building. These are the first, second, and fifth stanzas:

The church's one Foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is His new creation, by water and the Word; SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 89

from heav'n He came and sought her to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

Elect from ev'ry nation, yet one o'er all the earth, her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy Name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with ev'ry grace endued.

Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consummation of peace for evermore; till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.

— S. J. STONE, THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION

Now, becoming privy to the understanding of the depth of Christ is a tremendous blessing. It is, for this reason, if not only in part, that two readers could immerse in the same Bible verse and emerge with different perspectives with none more accurate than the other. The Bible is not just a historical account of what God wants to serve as a steering rod for His human ﬂock. It is also an active, living book that the Holy Spirit uses to impart powerful knowledge. The following verse may not be Earth-shattering to you, but I was awestruck by what I believe He has revealed to me about 2 Peter 3:8 and its interconnectedness with everyday life. 90 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8, KJV)

Perhaps like you, admittedly, I have heard variations of this verse numerous times but was never drawn toward a keener inspection of its potential weightiness. One morning before hurrying myself to work, I launched my calculator and began some arithmetic. The verse above tells us that a thousand years is as one day with God. Primed with that information, I entered 1000/24 into my calculator, which produced 41.66, meaning one hour is the same as 41 years. I began to take a second examination of 41, or let's say 40 for reasons of familiarity. I estimated that God is moving humanity through this compactness of time at the rate of 40 years per hour (about a Biblical generation at a time), and that number is significant. Let's look at some examples. I did not have to look too far because Brandon Specktor has conducted research on a different but fitting topic and published his findings in a Reader’s Digest article called "This Is 40: Bizarre Factoids About the Number 40 You Never Knew." He started out by informing us about the following:

1. The word "forty" is the only number in English in which the letters appear in alphabetic order. 2. During the bubonic plague that struck Europe in the Middle Ages, ships would be quarantined for 40 days before passengers could disembark. 3. Forty is the maximum number of players a Major- League Baseball team can sign to its roster at once. 4. Bringing observations closer to the family, we see that a typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 91

5. According to Dr. William Kitchiner, 40 is the number of winks for a perfect nap. 6. Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness. 7. The great ﬂood resulted from 40 days and 40 nights of rain. 8. There are 40 hours in the standard American work week. 9. Let's not forget what happened to the Israelites after they left Egypt. You guessed it; they wandered in the desert for 40 years (Numbers 32:13).

“And the rain was upon the Earth forty days and forty nights.” (Genesis 7:12, KJV) “Being forty days tempted by the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” (Luke 4:2, KJV) “And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.” (Numbers 32:13, KJV)

Though God is not constrained in any way, the hint that 40 years on the "eternal clock" is about one hour on Earth should instill a hurried effort to become reconciled with Him before our hours on Earth are all spent. This point of view shows God as long-suffering, patient and compassionate, as He lavishes us with mercy and grace every day. On the ﬂip side to this point of view, one hour of “eternal” time amounts to 40 years of our own time on Earth. From this angle, we are lured into the mindset that we have more time than was divinely allotted, so we idle away the time in unqualiﬁed merriment through the city of a relatively short-lived existence until time runs out and the trap seizes the unwary for eternity. Nonetheless, since God can dispense judgment on Earth at any 92 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME time or one can die without notice, readiness to meet our Maker should drive all activities under the sun.

“So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12, KJV) “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14, KJV)

I believe this interpretation or discovery is remarkable. Why? If on God's schedule one hour approximates forty years, then I think the urgency with which our heavenly Father advises us to make haste toward Him is understandable and very vivid. For instance, if a person were to live for say 80 years, then in the 1000 years to one-day proportion, such a person would have lived for only two hours — not much time, eh? Even more striking is that this outlook outﬁts and substantiates the consistent message in the following verses and from this assessment one can see how crucial the existence of life on Earth is.

“Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.” (Psalms 144:4, KJV) “For we were born yesterday and know nothing because our days on Earth are a shadow.” (Job 8:9) “My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I wither away like grass.” (Psalms 102:11) “I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.” (Psalms 109:23)

Not only do we not have much time, but we are invited to a SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 93 more respectful understanding and appreciation of God's mercy and patience with a sinful world. 25| Preparedness is Insurance Against Eternal Lost - Upon hearing the news that Jesus will return soon, some may smile while others may walk away in disgust. Still, perhaps callously, a few will interject by saying "I’ve heard that since birth" and stub- bornly disregard even a spiritual nudge toward a second thought, resting in the self-assurance that the world will align with their beliefs or disbeliefs. Even so, the Truth remains. Jesus is returning for you and me, and preparation for that particular day should be our primary concern. Any other prevailing activity is vanity. Think about this: every investment has a period to demonstrate its usefulness by making a profit before it is considered a loss. God placed us on Earth for a reason and invested His Life in us to support a good return. I believe the statement "I am coming soon" should be personalized and specified as: "I am coming soon to gather a harvest from My earthly investment." It is a direct personal statement to each of us. Moreover, the warning is meant to foster efficiency and effectiveness in using our allotted time. God wants us to grow and mature into heavenliness and not procrastinate into oblivion. Our lives are planted on and reaped separately from Earth. Anyone who rejects the law of sowing and reaping has denied his or her life. Why? Intrinsically each life is a seed planted in dirt or earth. Each of us represents a unique investment account in God's salvation business. We are each a different crop on His wheat farm. Have you ever gone to a bank or investment firm or logged in online to close an account? Well, each life is an account in God's portfolio, and Jesus wants His Father's investment to be profitable. To go a bit further, our physical DNA is proof that we were fashioned from a single substance and forged by the hands of a sole Creator. Nevertheless, the main idea here does not concern our physical makeup, but it does lead to the concept of our spiritual DNA. Through spiritual parentage, we were made in the 94 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME image of God and, as a result, our desire for success, justice, and profit are the result of our spiritual DNA or heredity. God also hopes to gain a bountiful yield from our responses to His demand for holiness. He wants each life, at harvest time, to produce a return that gladdens His heart, so he can say, “Well done, my faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” We should seek to avoid the eternal regret of disrespecting the life of Christ by persisting in sin-based, profitless lifestyles. Each day provides us with many chances to fashion our efforts into mortal and immortal gains. Each day is an opportunity to prepare for the journey back home to eternity, as Jesus is on His way to rapture the prepared. 26| Yes, Jesus Is Coming Soon - Nearly all our lives we have been hearing "Jesus is coming soon" and that the Rapture can happen any day, but sometimes challenging questions or nagging bewilderments threaten and begin to pressure our minds with doubt. Of these puzzlements, perhaps none generates more unre- solved conflict than when a prophetic word is given to us that something promising will happen during our lifetimes, even though the current decaying state of the world offers nothing but definite proof of an imminent collapse and a catastrophic end. Believing the prophetic message and remaining thoroughly committed, and diligently abiding with faith can, at times, seem like a daunting task. So, how does one remain spiritually wholesome amidst the demands on our spiritual energy? How do we continue to hold firmly onto the Word of God? Surprisingly, a word such as manager or shepherd holds an answer. Mark 13:32-37 counsels us that besides the angels, Jesus (the Son) Himself does not know the day He is coming. Why? The Father, our Father, is the one who gives the direction to cease all activities on Earth and to shut it down. Until that divine decree is trumpeted, life goes on. Mean- while, Jesus (though still being God) manages everything on Earth, as the Good Shepherd, and apostle Paul in Colossians 1:16 SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 95 supports His role by informing us that "All things were created through Him and for Him."

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he ﬁnd you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." (Mark 13:32-37, KJV) "For by Him, all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16, NKJV)

With the Father as the CEO, Jesus is the Manager of all things, leading His ﬂock to the Rapture or the end of each life. As a result, as the Good Manager, each day is business as usual; He will continue to encourage His children with dreams, visions, prophe- cies, and more. Nonetheless, at the Father's will, the eternal bell will toll to begin the process of ushering in the New Earth and the passing away of the old. So, yes, Jesus is coming soon, but also remember that He is coming for both you and me individually. Therefore, we must each be prepared for that day when death or the Rapture ushers His obedient children into His presence in a ﬂash. If only for contemplation, observe how 1 Corinthians 15:52 describes the Rapture and note Luke 10:18 reference to the “de-rapturing” of Satan from Heaven in relation to the speed at which God operates. 96 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52, KJV) "And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." (Luke 10:18, KJV)

27| Do Not Triﬂe with God - The Lord gives everything completely and abundantly (reward or punishment). He is perfect.

"But the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The end of the wicked shall be cut off." (Psalms 37:38, KJV) "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered." (Proverbs 11:21, KJV) "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:1, KJV) "And I will punish the world for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity, and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." (Isaiah 13:11, KJV) "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV) "Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." (Psalms 33:8, KJV)

To this end, the word terrible has both a negative and positive meaning. When that attribute describes the master of hell, the SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 97

Devil, it refers to an exceptionally bad or abominable being. At the same time, though through different lens, ‘terrible’ means someone whose responses can invoke fear or dread, and as can be seen in Psalms 47:1-3 which says God is "terrible," meaning He is not to be taken lightly.

The dot is presented in a broad, borderless area. In this comparison, Satan is the dot, and the entire boundless space is God. In principle and honor, the proportion is a rather crude estimate, even an awkward one. Why? Satan is unrecognizably smaller than the dot because God is inﬁnite. Accordingly, each soul living in holiness is mightier than the notorious Adversary. Do you see the insigniﬁcance of the enemy and the majesty of God?

"O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD Most High is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet." (Psalms 47:1-3, KJV)

The evil that Satan discharges is terrifying, but the terror God can dispatch to a soul in response to its sinful condition can make even Lucifer shiver in fright, and he uncontrollably does. The Lord is mighty and worthy of being respected with fervent awe and reverence. Psalms 18:25-26 provides more evidence to support the 98 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME stance that holiness is the only way to please Him. Otherwise, His shrewdness or severity will prove most crippling to those who oppose His commands.

"With the merciful, You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure, You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious, You will show Yourself shrewd [judicious or severe].” (Psalms 18:25-26, NKJV) "For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we ﬂy away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalms 90:7-12, KJV) "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am He. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. [even His straightforward response caused the ofﬁcers to fall to the ground — that's power]” (John 18:4-6, KJV)

Yes, we side with God's enemy (and ours) when we sin, and until forgiveness is requested and repentance is demonstrated, the wrong remains as fresh and displeasing to our Father as when it was committed. The intensity of His wrath scales to threatening SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 99 heights that would crush the host or bearer of the contraband, essentially the soul that is hoarding the forbidden or illegal substance call sin. The dimensions of sinning reach deeper and extend far wider than the readily observable, visual instances of stealing, fornication, hate, malice, gossiping, and so on. Case in point: when we complain about one to another, backbite the other, or commit any wrongdoing, what happens behind the scenes? Is the cosmic and immortal delinquency only between two beings? No, it's always a trio of involvement, but with a duo of adverse impact spanning the soul and loving heart of Jesus. Each sin encompasses Satan, the Savior, and a Soul. We may call sinning the SSS (pronounced the triple S) engagement. The Savior’s anger against sin, especially its recurrence, is more than mortal capability can discern. For instance, each act of unrighteousness includes Satan, the "old serpent" of the Garden of Eden and, of course, the soul or human party to the wrong is invariably in the middle, as it were. But perhaps unknowingly, Jesus (our Savior) is involved as well, but as the "victim." He is the innocent and grieving party until Judgment Day when His heart will be relieved of all the pains caused by His disobedient and unremorseful children whom He loves so much but will have to part ways with them as they depart into eternal darkness, forever away from His provisions. Now, concerning the backlash of sin on Beelzebub, the first party to a crime against the divinity of Christ, damnation (in the Lake of Fire) is already dispatched to Him (Satan) and his minions, so nothing more by way of judgment, I presume, is warranted for discussion here. Just the same, without salvation, the unrepentant soul is the ultimate victim of sin because Jesus died to give everlasting life to human beings, not Satan and his underworld servants. While on Earth, a soul can still be redeemed, so the effect or weight of sin must be lifted from the soul, and God's heart must be relieved of the associated pain (that each sin causes). The redemption and justification are achievable only through repentance. Otherwise, 100 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME the ferocity of God's unquenchable fire against those dying in sin only intensifies. Today, let us not only consider the human, visible aspect of immorality, but also purposefully consider its spiritual seriousness and insult to the loving Spirit of God, and let us do so before time runs out. All that being said, how can we live in a spiritually useful way to avoid becoming eternal convicts trifling with the allotted mercy and grace of the King of kings? How can we improve the likelihood that we will enter the gates of Heaven? Offering an admonishment to avoid sin is good, but I have something additional to propose to possibly energize us against the ever-imminent potential of a self-induced spiritual coma. Stop! Ponder! Often, we talk about God as if He is external to everything we do. We usually imagine Him as "a" supreme (should be "the") being somewhere in the outer reaches of the universe peeking down on us now and then to see who is naughty or nice. Oh, my Lord! He is so much more, volumes spread across the surface of the Earth and sky cannot begin to describe Him. Why? He is Infinity! He is unsearch- able and unfathomable. He is the great I AM. He is God! My God! Your God! Look around you and observe the myriads of life forms spanning from human to animals, the variety of buildings stretching from shacks to skyscrapers, the array of foliage extending from shrubs to evergreen, and the high availability of modern technological marvels encompassing our means of transportation as well as handheld telecommunication devices. Indeed, they are mostly different in form and function, but what do they have in common? The elementary particles that form their natural origin or platform are in turn used to fashion their atomic and elemental materialization in texture, shape, durability, color, and more, but the description does not end here. You see, God exists inside and outside the conceivable bounds of atomic and subatomic domains. In fact, it is His energy that supports all forms (Colossians 1:16-17). The walls of a building and the wheels of a car are no different in their fundamental construc- SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 101 tion from the countless stars and other matters in a galaxy; each has life and can hear His voice, though through different communication protocols; the roach or the mouse in a basement holds no exception to this declaration. God is God! Every aspect of humanity lives within Him as Job 11:7-9 and Revelation 3:16 describe. For instance, how could one be spewed out of His mouth if he or she was not already inside Him?

"For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." (Colossians 1:16-17, NKJV) “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you ﬁnd out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than Heaven —what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the Earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9, NKJV) "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [spew] thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16, KJV)

Hence, when we sin, we dirty or muddy a region that God wants to remain clean and holy. As sin increases, the mass of sanc- tiﬁed region decreases, and God’s presence is deemphasized in that area. Hence, Hell's minions assume residence in the sin-conta- minated area that became vacant of God’s holy presence.

"In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also." (Psalms 95:4, KJV) "But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they 102 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" [the sea obeys His command] And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:38- 39, NKJV) "And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils [demons], coming out of the tombs, exceeding ﬁerce, so that no man [but Jesus boldly addressed the matter] might pass by that way." (Mat 8:28, KJV)

Overall, the shifts (of lives) from light to darkness will continue to oversee the ruin of souls and regions unless repentance mediate a change. The assured result will subject offending inhabitants to a fate no different from the banishment of Satan and countless angels from Heaven. Disregard for the only holy God and His Son, Jesus Christ, will precipitate pandemic decimation on a scale proportionate to what Noah witnessed. Still, it is not over, and God is very displeased with sin ranging from abortion and homosexu- ality to a host of other abominations seeking legitimacy and taking center stage for inclusion and acceptability around the world today. Until repentance reaches the heart of this generation, soon- to-come divine judgment will catapult this world into heights of havoc never seen before, or since, and rightly so. Jesus is the King and Savior of all lives, and He is not one to be taken for granted.

"Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." (Psalms 33:8, KJV) "O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth." (Psalms 96:9, KJV) "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth." (Psalms 97:5, KJV) SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 103

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17, KJV) "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure [not ours] they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11, KJV)

28| Building Enduring Success - What is success? I'll start with the dictionary: "An event that accomplishes its intended purpose." Therefore, what is your intention? Do you want to be rich? If so, what type of riches do you seek? According to the Bible, there are two types: temporary (visible) and permanent (invisible)? In 2 Corinthians 4:18, the Bible cautions that visible things are temporary, and invisible ones are everlasting. I usually associate riches with ownership, not renting. For instance, Psalms 24:1 provides conclusive evidence that God owns everything, so humanity is only "renting" or possessing visible but perishable goods for a lifetime, a grace period.

More than animals and inanimate things, He owns every single one of us; we are the sheep of His pasture (Psalms 95:7-8). Doesn't it seem unproductive for intelligent beings to spend their entire lives accumulating "stuff" that technically is not theirs? Doesn't it appear to be chasing the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:14)? 104 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness.” (Psalms 95:7-8, NKJV) I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14, NKJV)

Well, then, how does one become rich if not by increasing visible possession? He or she must stockpile invisible wealth. Where? In Heaven, and one's soul must be in right standing with God at the time of death to enjoy the rewards in the Celestial City. Success on Earth is permissible by God, but only to the extent that our souls prosper (3 John 1:2). Why? To maintain the richness of spiritual stability or equilibrium. So, if you were to ask me who the wealthiest person is, I would say I don't know. Why? The quality of one's soul and its readiness to enter Heaven is a ﬁrm measure of wealth, and only God can see the heart. Only He alone knows who is truly rich. In any case, the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit provides solid evidence of eternal success (Galatians 5:22-23). Relating to the topic of fruits, Jesus is the Tree of Life, and all those of Him will bear good fruits. On the opposite side, Satan is the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which only produces poisonous fruits, regardless of taste (Genesis 2:9,17).

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 1:2, KJV) "John answered and said, a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from Heaven." (John 3:27, KJV) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 105

gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such, there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV)" "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:9, KJV) "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:17, KJV)

Throughout the history of civilization, we have grown to readily associate wealth with success, even with little to no thought applied to the relationship between the two. In the material world, a robust stack of bills can be worth its weight in mortal comforts as it can help to address many questions and difﬁculties. But I would like to add another slant; I believe material success, in some situations, is indicative of compromised spiritual health:

"Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:5-6, KJV) "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the ﬁre, that thou mayest be rich and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see." (Rev 3:16-18, KJV) 106 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

I reason that God rewards each child, each soul, each person for his or her effort—everything we do is done unto or against God; we are using His strength, His Breath-of-Life. Many among us are very diligent in everything they do at work, school, and home, but they have no desire for or belief in God nor Heaven. Consequently, I suppose that since there would be no rewards in Heaven to gain in the afterlife, our gracious Father is rewarding would-be lost souls on Earth because there is no recognition or comfort in hell, a solemn truth to lay hold of and ponder (Hebrews 6:10, KJV).

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." (Hebrews 6:10, KJV)

This observation is by no stretch a rule since the life of Solomon was lavished with luxuries, assuredly an exception to this thought. While this is true for many more besides the wisest man who ever lived, the goal here is to encourage perseverance and trust through hardships, particularly for those in right standing with God, because there are rewards in Heaven for those who enduringly suffer with Christ in this Life and Time. All in all, the aim is to emphasize and augment what is required to gain imperishable, eternal success. There is also an essential aspect of wealth that must be addressed. The Bible writes about the accountability of multi-talented individuals, those having ten talents versus others with one, for example.

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 107

willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19, KJV) "And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Luke 12:15, KJV)

Having great possessions brings the enormous responsibility of sharing because the afﬂuent are signiﬁcant stewards of God’s provisions and they have to give account to God of how they have managed His investment or allowances.

"Pure religion and undeﬁled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afﬂiction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27, KJV) "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.” (1 Timothy 6:17-18, KJV) "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do 108 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." (James 2:1-9, KJV) "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you." (James 5:1-6, NKJV)

Moreover, the love of material success (or anything) over God is not only idolatrous but represents a union with dark beings. For sure, the accumulation of material wealth can easily foster a feeling of superiority. At any rate, such a taste for forbidden pleasures reduces spiritual sobriety, leading to mischief. Feeling superior to another is not only sinful but is an act of betrayal. Why? Since God lives in everyone and provides us with the opportunity to gather wealth in abundance, trying to reduce another with a haughty heart is no less than trying to diminish God’s life in that person. Let’s be careful.

"Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a ﬂower of the ﬁeld he will pass SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 109

away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its ﬂower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So, the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits." (James 1:9-11, NKJV)

29| The Pride of Knowledge Acquisition - Pride should be regarded as a sinister tour guide. The Bible tells us that pride comes before a fall, as if to lead its guest into a gully or, worse yet, off a cliff (Proverbs 16:18).

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18, KJV)

In Hosea 4:6, the Lord stresses the importance of acquiring mission-critical information, which will steer His children onto an obedient path that leads them to sustained holiness, which Proverbs 9:10, Psalms 111:10 and Proverbs 1:7 also plainly explain.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hosea 4:6, KJV) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, KJV) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding has all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever." (Psalms 111:10, KJV) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7, KJV) 110 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

The Lord Himself used knowledge to build the Earth. So, knowledge is good, right? Of course, but, keep in mind the following quote, which appears attributable to Voltaire, a French writer from the Enlightenment period, and perhaps to a lesser degree, to the Spider-Man comic book: “With great power comes great responsibility.” To further elaborate on this idea, we need look no further than the words of the 16th Century English philosopher, Francis Bacon, who said, “Knowledge is power.” So, where do we go from here? Should we make haste at breakneck speed to attain more knowledge or should we wince in cere- bral idleness for the remainder of our lives? Neither. Instead, the Word of God should ﬁlter each gulp of information before the soul absorbs it. Otherwise, pride can seep into the transfer and advance the spiritual corrosion associated with the egotistical satisfaction of one's achievements. Using a Biblical interpretation, words such as thievery, deception, lying, betrayal, and dishonesty are similar to pride or unchecked ego because each describes the process of misappropri- ating God's honor. There is a degree or brand of pride, masquerading under the guise of self-respect, self-esteem, self- image, self-worth, and honor, that tends to solicit the leeway to entertain ego or excuse its depth and potential to cause destruction. To fully grasp why pride is equivalent to the words mentioned earlier, we must hold this truth steadfast: Without God's breath in us, we are dead, no different from the deceased in last repose and no different from Adam before the transfer of God's life into his nostrils. With this understanding and acknowledgment, can we do anything without God's igniting presence within us? The answer is a thunderous “no.” To this end, “The Pride of Knowledge Acquisition” is my description of a state of mind, albeit a state of being as well (given the interconnectedness of body and soul), in which God does not receive complete recognition as the giver of all knowledge and talent. This disposition is one of disrespect, divine contempt, and possibly a blunt failure to realize that all knowledge (computer SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 111 science and otherwise) is derived from the book of books, the Bible. You might pause and staggeringly question how mathematics, physics, biology, agriculture, art, technology, music, and zoology (to name a few) are ALL from the Bible and God Himself. I will explain by posing three questions; the answers to which you doubtlessly know by now. 1) Can a dead person think or reason? 2) Was Adam alive before God breathed into his nostrils? 3) Does not the Bible tell us in John 1:1 that God and the Word (the Bible) were all there was in the beginning?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1, KJV)

John 1:14 reminds us that the Word became Flesh (God through Jesus) and dwelt among us.

"And the Word was made ﬂesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, KJV)

Furthermore, since the Spirit, Father, and Son are one, they are each the Word, which is our source of life. To reiterate, God is our breath of life, and without the capacity to breathe, we are dead. Therefore, everything we study is done under the auspices of God power; His life in us. Our physical bodies cannot sustain life on their own. These vessels are merely the actuators of spiritual decisions and of our immortal selves. God deserves all thanks and praise. They are legitimately His, whereas pride is a satanic endeavor that uses Adam’s descendants as accomplices to steal or swindle God’s Glory. Without repentance, such an offense carries an eternal ﬁne. 112 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

30| Parental Control, Not Remote Control - In computing, the root is a restricted area of the Operating System (or OS) that requires specialized, admin-level permission to access. In biology, but more speciﬁcally botany, the root is the part of a plant that attaches to the ground to form a basis for structural and nutritional support. Furthermore, and in general terms, the root is the source or origin of something. Concerning child development, words such as heart, source, essence, and foundation convey the impression of the root or tenderness of the child. It is critical that parents and other types of guardians ensure that only spiritually empowering substances are poured into the base or root of each child. The structure and strength of the root anchoring each child through this Life and Time determine how the soul will respond to the headwinds of not only emotional and social hardships such as peer pressure, bully- ing, depression, violence, and academic problems, but also speaks to how the child’s soul embraces a readiness to live as a spiritually productive member of society. GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) is computer lingo that correlates input with output; rubbish input produces inaccurate output, and sensible input yields a corresponding result. Accordingly, as parents, sometimes we are not cautious enough to realize that loving a child should not be synonymous with extravagant privileges. We seek to express love without considering the child’s potentiality. Yes, he or she may be a youngster, but often some adults fail to understand that even though the physical body of a child is not as matured as theirs, its soul may be able to muster as much determination as that of an adult.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, KJV) "The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son [or daughter] maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother." (Proverbs 10:1, KJV) SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 113

"A foolish son [or daughter] is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him." (Proverbs 17:25, KJV)

Just as adults do, children have a body, soul, and spirit within the context of form, but not necessarily in operating style. The physiological frame often requires substantial growth to scale it up to the capacity of the soul, and it is within this scope of ﬂeeting opportunity that adults have the opportunity to diligently protect and fashion the adolescent for a complete life, to protect the root. Generally, the process involves preventative, restorative and proactive measures to ensure the nurturing measures applied are enduring, such as parental control that effectively oversees what a child sees, hears, says, and thinks. Such an effort must be employed to supervise the physical, emotional and spiritual makeup of the juvenile. We should not forget that God, as well as the children, will hold us accountable for the quality of their upbringing. One input into the senses of 20th and 21st century children that adults can exercise parental control over is television. Before I present examples of the danger of the “tube,” I offer this as a reminder: In an eternal capacity, a child is more than an extension of happiness to a temporary union called a family. They are no different from their parents in God’s sight; He sent him or her to Earth to fulﬁll a divine mission, and conscientious parenting is the social framework that our Father has ordained to help nurture the child into His will. He is very serious about the matter. In a May-June 2003 report titled “Impact of Media Use on Chil- dren and Youth,” the scholarly research team of Canadian Paedi- atric Society unveiled the following:

“Not all television programs are bad, but data showing the negative effects of exposure to violence, inappropriate sexuality, and offensive language are convincing.” 114 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“The average Canadian child watches nearly 14 hours of television each week. By his/her high school graduation, the average teen will have spent more time watching television than in the classroom.”

“The amount of time that younger North American children currently spend watching television has not decreased signiﬁcantly. A substantial number of children begin watching television at an earlier age and in greater amounts than what experts recommend... As a result, with prolonged viewing, the world shown on television becomes the real world.”

Though the report is suggesting that “Not all television programs are bad,” I would venture to advise that abstinence is the best safeguard because it is highly questionable whether the child has the perceptiveness to differentiate the quality and even whether busy parents have the time to offer any guidance. Though I am not a psychologist, and that skill set is not required here, I will reveal another angle on the dangers of television:

The revenge factor – In most features, stars use vengeful tactics to subdue an opponent, which only instills vindictive and merciless tendencies into already highly impressionable hearts and minds. Hiding the true enemy — Teaches children that other humans are their enemy, which is opposite to what the Bible teaches: We wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood. An acceptance of violence – Repetition is perhaps the greatest teacher, and when the senses are accosted and constantly bombarded with ﬁerceness and brutality, all that remains, in summary, is GIGO.

Still, there is another point I must address, and it relates to SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 115 more than the sensory response to television. As stated earlier, though prolonged viewing can affect the psychological perception of the child, I believe the greatest danger lies beyond the boundary of the natural world. This danger greatly transcends what secular professional counseling can or is allowed to provide, and the point relates to spiritual inﬂuences that would reduce the scariest onscreen movie to a toy story. As Ephesians 6:12 counsels, we wrestle against wickedness in high places, not against ﬂesh and blood (other humans). Please read Mark 5:1-9 to get a viewpoint of what principalities can do once they have infested the body as a battalion or legion.

"For we wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12, KJV) "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when He was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by Him [by the strength of the demons], and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones [the demons caused this behavior]. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Highest God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, what is thy name? And he answered, saying, my name is Legion [a legion is a unit 116 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

of 3,000–6,000 men in the ancient Roman army]: for we are many." (Mark 5:1-9, KJV)

Satan has countless demons on Earth. They are here with the sole purpose of seducing souls (people) with every conceivable sin-laced delicacy their minds can perceive, and then taking them to Hell. We know that God is Love, not hate; peace, not war; purity and sanctity, not immorality and secularity; uprightness, not depravity. Demons are attached to any behavior that God dislikes. They are ever ready to lure, infest and entrap anyone who enters their domain, and these steps are exactly what happens when children or adults are exposed to, or indulge in, sin. Indeed, a serious matter. As Mark 5:1-9 conveys, a person (perhaps when viewing violent and scary features) can become infested with many demons, and when they do, the workings of their body can be obstructed in many ways; learning disability, blindness, heart attack, deafness, cancer and even untimely death. Yes, though television can be very entertaining, consider the cost of sinful pleasures—nothing is free. If the viewing were not enjoyable and compelling, Satan would not have used it as bait because hardly anyone would give it a second glance. Hide the remote control and take control. 31| Focus on God, Not Self - The quote below is from the last three lines of Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken” and in a single burst, it contributes an insightful way of thinking about the Christian path, a roadway that, regrettably, is less traveled. Perhaps Rudyard Kipling has a clue to the answer because though we don’t live all the Christian principles in isolation, the journey is a personal one, and any distraction could slow progress. So let us not become cumbered or fainthearted by any apparent obstacle. Keep jogging to victory.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 117

— ROBERT FROST

“He travels the fastest who travels alone.”

— RUDYARD KIPLING

I believe that each temptation, and our instinctive disposition to bow, cringe, and feel overwhelmed by its manifestation, is less about a measure of our strength to resist it and more about being baited (by the Enemy) to perform against God by crippling us with doubt and fear. As a result, when tempted, please take your eyes off yourself, and instead, listen and try to uncover the prowling, roaring lion in the thicket. He is there, crouching and gauging when to pounce on the unwatchful. Looking at oneself in the battle only fosters self-loathing, a menacing, diversionary, and effective strategy of Satan to hide in the shade of our inattentiveness. The Adversary wants us to become intoxicated with bitterness, drenched with condemnation and fixated on the distraction. Somehow, we have to focus with an ardent intention on God; we should never concentrate on self because the battle is the Lord's. For these reasons, the state of having confidence in one's worth or abilities and feeling worthy of respect and admiration describes what is commonly known as self-esteem. Owing to our sinful nature, we are incomplete beings and sometimes seek the acceptance of others. For example, without hesitation, few people would decline to take a photo with a famous person. The apparent reason is that they hope to garner additional respect due to their interaction with that person. Even though God is the richest and most famous of all, it is surprising that more people do not gravitate to Him. God is complete; He has nothing that is missing or broken, and He does not need anything from us. All of His interaction with us is done to help us arrive Home safely. When thinking about the desire to be valued amongst our peers 118 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME or those in different social orbits, the story behind the construction of the Statue of Liberty comes to mind. Many of us have heard about the Pulitzer Prize, administered by Columbia University in New York City. It is an award that has honored excellence in journalism and the arts since 1917. The mastermind of the prize is none other than Joseph Pulitzer, an American (Hungarian-born) newspaper magnate. Now sitting on Liberty Island, formerly Bedloe’s Island, the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York in 1885 as a gift to the United States from the people of France. However, the state could not afford the cost of reassembling the 350-piece copper statue, so it remained in crates for a year until Pulitzer thought of a novel solution to have it assembled. Leveraging his newspaper, The World, he began a crowdfunding campaign that fetched donations from 125,000 people, netting more than $100,000 in five months. But what prompted these many contributions? Pulitzer promised the donors notoriety. He drew their support with the promise of printing their names in his newspaper. Inarguably, most, if not all, of the contributors were more concerned about seeing their names in print and increasing their admiration within their peer groups and families than they were about the value of the statue. People desire to be praised and admired. We all wish to be valued. To this end, there is a sobering truth and persuasion. If any of us effectively desire to be recognized as valuable, Heaven must be the final destination (which is destinare in Latin, meaning "determine, appoint, choose, or make firm") of our soul because nothing in Hell has any value, only endless ridicule and insult by fallen angels.

"Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps truth forever," (Psalms 146:3-6, NKJV) SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 119

32| Intelligently Fashioned by God for God - Life on Earth is a simulated ownership exercise, and the process is less about God waiting for a result and more about us demonstrating our loyalty and trustworthiness with effective stewardship. The Bible talks about the procedure in Luke 16:10:

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." (Luke 16:10, KJV)

For example, if we become idolaters, then we fail the Luke 16:10 test. Somehow, we have to part ways with pride, humble ourselves, and give credit where it is due. If we do not adhere to God's will, we become no less than Lucifer, the chief pilferer who attempted to steal God’s glory while he was in the celestial city called Heaven. It is crucial to understand that God allows our skills, potentials and gains to be used as tools or instruments to fashion us for a complete life. But they can also be a double-edged sword. These same earthly assets can be used to blockade our path to eternal life or used for His glory and our betterment. The choice is ours. To this end, the Bible forthrightly forewarns in Luke 13:23-24 that only a few will enter through the gates of Heaven, and though many pride themselves on being smart and informed, their prospect for eternal life hangs in the balance. In seeking an answer for why so many reject God, I ponder why some naively dehu- manize others by saying “they are dumb” or “they are stupid” in regard to matters that are only temporary, while they themselves may be heading, unaware, straight to the abyss. 120 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? and he said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke 13:23-24, KJV)

Indeed, a person can behave unwisely and uninformed, however, the use of offensive remarks is an outlandish simplifica- tion and disrespect for the soul that dwells (with the Spirit of God) in a body (or temple) are sinful. We are made in the image of God and are capable of achieving marvelous outcomes. Everyone is intelligent; not due to their human factor, but rather, entirely owing to God’s all-powerful presence that exists in and through all. Energizing or actualizing a potential area of a person is facilitated by God’s Spirit, which may be visualized as a drafting table through which the blueprints of human intentions or decisions are formed and realized. I believe the skills anyone possesses represent a divine plan to quicken a soul and body in that area; the Spirit or life-giver determines which parts of human nature to emphasize or deemphasize and which will appear weak or strong. However, though we are competent beings (through God's strength), why do we behave imprudently about our eternal hope? Why do we lavish our attention and efforts on matters that will eventually net zero? I suppose our natural tendency to presume first and verify later is what most threatens our eternal outcome. A presumption potentially diminishes the value of cause and effect, trivializes the significance of a matter, and presents itself as the truth or standard. I reason that preconception is a crutch and is certainly a poor substitute for supporting research and verification, and though a hit may evaluate into a favorable winning, a miss can be very costly against one's own Life and Time. Writing for Fortune.com in July 2016, Rita Gunther McGrath successfully exposed some of the missteps associated with a presumption in "The Destructive Power of Assumptions". The SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 121

American strategic management scholar and professor of management at the Columbia Business School highlighted dismal failures by some corporate giants.

“For years, I’ve studied major corporate initiatives that have gone dreadfully wrong (think Iridium, WebVan, Amazon’s Fire phone, and the like) and, in almost every instance, what you ﬁnd is that the leaders sponsoring these initiatives based their decision-making on assumptions.”

The professor sees the necessity of adopting a discovery-driven approach to investing and making decisions, and I reckon that non-adherence to such a principle was the root cause of the failed business endeavors. Correspondingly, humans needlessly fall prey to the gripping claws of suppositions about eternity and God because they cannot physically see Him. And without faith and requisite biblical information, an unchecked desire to promote self, an unspoken and unconsidered attempt to commandeer God through disobedience, a runaway perception of entitlement (possessions), and preoccupation with predictive analysis (about God) are factors that silently, in part or as a whole, prevail against intelligent beings and eternally barricade them from Heaven’s gate. The strategy against the diabolic bombardment that is festered by deﬁcit knowledge is the Holy Spirit inspired leadership found in the Bible, and there is no substitute (Hosea 4:6-7). The effective responsibility of an intelligent being is to protect itself from becoming a slave or a subordinate to creatures of the underworld, who some classify as being unintelligent. However, Ephesians 6:12 describes the formidable capabilities of fallen angels, and Hebrews 2:6-7 urges us to reevaluate the fact that humans were created a little lower than angels; our power is had through God’s Spirit, not by our own might. 122 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me. Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me. Therefore, will I change their glory into shame." (Hosea 4:6-7, KJV) "Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." (Hebrews 10:38, KJV)

33| Bliss by Glory or Misery by Fire - Throughout the Bible, there are references to ﬁre, which is a fundamental nature of God.

"For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." (Deuteronomy 4:24, KJV) "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell." (James 3:6, KJV)" "And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush [even the angels are like fire] , and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush [so, God was in the fire as well], and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." (Exodus 3:2-4, KJV) "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, SUMMARY OF THOUGHTS | 123

did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the ﬁre? They answered and said unto the king, true, O king. He answered and said, lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the ﬁre, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (Daniel 3:23-25, KJV)

Nevertheless, the burning of God’s flames is not meant to consume us, but to purify and transform our souls. Only through this process can we live in His divine likeness, as anointed beings that can join the eternal host in heaven each living in a fire-resis- tant body-of-life forever, a glorified body. The temperature of God’s presence will not devour the holy, only the unrighteous. It is for this reason that those in the underworld are composed of a substance, a body-of-death that cannot, to any degree, withstand the fire of God’s anger against unrepented sins. We can only imagine the intensity of the eternal lake of fire and pray to never experience it.

"And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:10-11, KJV) "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29, KJV) “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalms 145:8, KJV) "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their 124 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12, KJV)

In closing, there are two principal operations on Earth: The redemption of the obedient (or the formerly prodigal) and the self- absorption of the disobedient and unrepentant soul that pursues a lifestyle that gives no effective respect to Life and Time. How dutiful and efﬁcient are you in using God’s investment of Life and Time?

Efﬁciency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.

— PETER DRUCKER 3

FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS

HOLINESS IS THE BEDROCK

“Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11, KJV) "For every house is built by some man, but He that built all things is God." (Hebrews 3:4, KJV) "And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:10, KJV)

he degree of our resistance (through thoughts and deeds) to T the pruning hands of The Faithful Creator is directly related to our stubborn willfulness and natural tendency to be distanced from Him, and the extent of our distaste for the will or plan of God equals the measure of our preference for the enemy’s.

"For everyone that doeth evil hateth the Light [Jesus], neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:20, KJV) 126 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Therefore, in consideration of the foolhardy opposition that we often mount, even in a subtle way to His steering nudge, we should pause and consider our commitment to the Author and Finisher of our faith. Though each thought is often nestled away in the recesses of one's heart from the scrutiny of others, let us be thoroughly aware that the heart speaks loudly to God's ear. There is no difference between a closeted desire and a vigorously raised vocal submission. As a result, the effective respect for, and expectation of, God's involvement, should meticulously oversee each orientation of our hearts. Let us always be aware of God’s omnipresent and benevolent gaze.

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (foundation, backbone, bedrock, linchpin, keystone), in whom the whole building, being ﬁtted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Foundation of foundations; oh, for the joy of a solid foundation. Ordinarily poised on bedrock, the foundation is the load- bearing part of a structure that is often below ground level, well obscured from any visual estimate, seeking no regard, but clear in its importance as it lends support to the stability and value of the structure. Everyone, at any stage in life, is supported by an intangible, spiritual substructure. It may be shaky or stable. In every moment, FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 127 we are producing material through our lifestyles and interrelationships that either goes into the footing of another person or towards the restructuring or support of our foundations. We each are responsible to The Faithful Creator for the quality of the material we pour into the base of others. The human experience, through the centuries, is an ever- increasing stack of generational lifestyle deposits, potentially weakening or strengthening its descendant structure, one layer at a time. I’ll give an example of a shoddy foundation that had a catastrophic result: Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Tainan, Taiwan, a building collapsed during a moderate 7.6 earthquake and claimed approximately 47 lives. Oil cans found in some areas of the base structure revealed blatant negligence. The developers cut corners and instead of pouring a solid foundation, they embedded oil cans in the base to save on materials. On the brighter side, there are examples of stable and enduring foundations throughout the Bible. For instance, Acts 7:59 tells of Stephen, who became the ﬁrst Christian martyr for proclaiming his passionate conviction, an effort that showed the power of the Holy Spirit in a mere mortal, in an otherwise shaky base.

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59, KJV)

Years before, while on Earth, Jesus demonstrated that He is the Foundation of all foundations by offering His life. Thereby, He illustrated that He alone is the Chief Cornerstone of the structure that would become the bedrock, framework, and model of salvation. Today, according to opendoorsusa.org, upwards of 322 Chris- tians are killed for their faith each month. But their conﬁdence in Jesus is so sure-footed that their resoluteness humbles even the ﬁerceness of death. The uprightness that supports a God-fearing region or person has a base that can seamlessly span multiple 128 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME generations, thereby knitting an enduring legacy of spiritual parentage or stewardship that continues to add stability to the lives of generations of descendants, but there is a corrosive enemy called Satan.

Understanding the Enemy

It is mission-critical to realize that a strategy of Satan’s is to disrupt an environment with a roar, as a crippling and forerunning feature of an attack. We need to know that an adult lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away and that the mane of the male lion makes it appear larger than it is. When we hear a roar, through a temptation or a desire to pursue a lust, for example, be assured that it is a warning, and you may have sufficient time to mount an escape; don’t just kneel and quiver. Use the counter-strategy of knowledge and spiritual control—pray and run because you are ahead. Consider this other point: Lucifer may appear as a puffer fish, bloating its size to appear formidable and intimidating, just as in nature, a puffer fish swallows water to increase its size to avert being eaten. Altogether, how does one counteract the tactics of the enemy? A dolphin’s survival strategy comes to mind. Besides being very friendly, these intelligent sea creatures sleep with only half their brain. They almost literally sleep with one eye open. This skill enables them to be watchful of potential predators and allows them to breathe while they sleep. The Anointed One warns us to be on the lookout and to not relax in the state of war or ignore the roars of the lion. He wants His people to be vigilant.

A Number Line Lesson

Now, using a different train of thought, Rabbi Jesus, the Teacher, is ever seeking to have us become aware of the intended simplicity of life that is manifested in lessons and scenarios all around us, from number line lessons in the classroom to the FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 129 common reap-what-you-sow scenarios in the workplace and life in general.

A number line — A symbolic reference to eternity

Further illustrations range from the innocence and meekness of a newborn to the immaculateness of the life of Christ during His earthly life. I like math but leaving an advanced math class with a C- during my undergraduate years may portray differently—thanks to distractions. Nevertheless, one pertinent numeric exercise of early learning involves the number lines, an aspect of math that most early learners are expected to grasp, but grown-ups can glean more meaningful information from it than simple numerical results.

Eternity welcomes both the prepared and unprepared.

For instance, there are three main aspects of a number line, and I believe they provide a hint of the relationship between Hell, Earth, and Heaven: negative (Hell), zero (Earth), and positive 130 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

(Heaven). When a soul leaves Earth, it either steps leftward to damnation or rightward to paradise as illustrated below. Now, as an adult, that graphical representation of negative and positive numbers is no longer about counting objects of the natural world, but it is useful for thinking about life in eternity. In my esti- mation, a number line is an artful, reckoning expression of Life and Time spanning the hereafter. For example, Jesus, the Father of Mathematics, is Inﬁnity. Everything and everyone exists within His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, and the number line is symbolic of the dualities of wrath and happiness, love and hate, curses and blessings, good and evil, Heaven and Hell, and so on.

God is inﬁnity.

As an aside, in eternity, there is no knowledge constraint, as it were, no need to hide anything. On Earth, the process of information discovery, processing, and hiding (securing) is what we describe as education and occupation, or profession. They are divinely established undertakings, in a general sense, that form the basis of transitory engagements and eternal rewards, or lack thereof. By the way, the word occupation has roots in Middle English, via Old French from Latin and its offering includes "occu- pare," a Latin verb that means to "occupy," and it tells of what God expects of earthlings, which is to engage all activities in a spiritually productive way until our earthly stint ends. Our primary goal should be growing God’s investment of Life and Time in us.

“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, occupy till I come.” (Luke 19:13, KJV). FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 131

To continue, the Alpha and Omega gave humanity the sophisticated capability to express complex ideas numerically and even to make a nice living doing it, but, at the same time, He uses the simplicity of a number line to caution us to consider the endpoint of each side of the line, the end of each life. You may regard the line as a lifespan spanning both now and the hereafter. One direction leads to positive infinity and the other, to negative infinity; we should make every effort to avoid the path to destruction. Despite being a convenient tool to teach youngsters addition and subtraction, we can consider the number line a tool for the measurement of absolute movement or results. What is an absolute value in this context? It is the distance from zero, left or right; the distance traveled while walking or driving is a positive number, whether one leaves the location and travels left or right. As a case in point, what is the difference between five units of doing good versus five units of evil? In the natural world, jogging five miles leftward or rightward from a location might not affect the jogger's emotion or efficacy of the exercise. But then, what if you are dealing with the supernatural world that includes Hell and Heaven, holy and fallen angels, and saints and lost souls? In Heaven, the redeemed will become progressively divine while perishing souls become eviler because members from each side continue to grow in their respective aspiration and orientation. Therefore, five measures of joy for a soul in Heaven may easily corresponds to five units of pain for a soul in Hades. The magnitude is the same, but the results are the opposite. Why is it so? Those in the presence of the everlasting Comforter will experience the rewards of choosing Christ through the gift of salvation. On the contrary, those incarcerated in the kingdom of demons will have to endure the punishment and realize the cost of the consequences (loss of potential gain) for declining the free redemptive offer. Nonetheless, the payment for both sides is still measured in 132 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME terms of the pricelessness of the life of Christ, so the absolute reward must be the same for each, respectively. In other words, the life of Christ is already factored into the life of each person, and we either accept or reject it, this is a decision that everyone must make, no one escapes it. Indeed, we are free to honor or dishonor Him, but ownership is an entirely different matter. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says a price was offered for our redemption, and Matthew 20:28 describes a ransom price. Whether a person is atheistic or agnostic or something else, the truth is that Jesus owns each of us, and the quicker we come to terms with this reality, perhaps the better we'll appreciate the positive side of a number line.

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:20, KJV). “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28, KJV). “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7, KJV).

So, here is the follow-up question: Do you wish to accept the gift of salvation today? Or do you want to pursue the elusive attempt at paying for it throughout eternity, which is not possible? This thought will be further developed in an upcoming chapter (see We must be born again).

Sin Entraps, Divides, and Kills

Now, have you ever asked yourself why a sin is such an assault against the Kingdom of God and why it is the only thing that will FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 133 hinder anyone from entering the Holy City? The plain truth, in a single word, is division, as Mark 3:24 reminds us: "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." In one way, sin is no different from a hole in a container, thereby preventing it from holding water, and in more striking examples, it's an attempt to combine oil and water or to blend clay and concrete. Moreover, there is a more profound reason, and I will preface it with a question: Would you allow an enemy into your house? More precisely, what or who is an enemy of The King of Glory? Romans 8:7 provides the answer. The verse informs us that there is enmity against God when a person has a carnal mind. Since the Bible is about the Author of Life and His people, carnality or sinful engagement is describing a person who is not a friend of The Anointed One, who does not love Him; because to love Him, is to do His will. Accordingly, sin (especially a willful, headstrong wrongdoing) is an expressed rejection of God and His plan of salvation.

“Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostility, malice, hatred, animosity] against God: it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7, KJV) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15, KJV)

To further emphasize the eternal risk of a spiritual division caused by sin, I will concede to the competent writers at Weath- er.com to explain "Why Leaves Fall in Autumn." Ada Carr, in an October 2015 write-up for the channel, explains below.

“The process begins when cells near the intersection of the leaf and the stem divide rapidly. This creates an abscission layer, which, over time, prohibits the 134 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

transport of nutrients such as carbohydrates, through the stem and to the leaf.”

— WEATHER.COM

In other words, sin causes a soul to become a dried, dead leaf, and God is life and the father of the living, not the dead (Mark 12:27). By the way, the word abscission is formed from the Latin roots ab, "away", and scindere, "to cut" and describes the natural detachment of parts of a plant, such as dead leaves and ripe fruit. To become and remain part of God's plan is to remain a vibrant branch of The Vine. (John 15:1-2)

“He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” (Mark 12:27, KJV) “I am the True Vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:1-2, KJV)

Today, I ponder much about life, not so much about the one I now live, but about the eternal one. I think about life beyond the grave because it is where one effectively enters eternity. Imperfect beings cannot readily understand the signiﬁcance and "scope" of inﬁnity (imperfection, we, cannot grasp Perfection, God Himself). Once the journey begins, no barrier lies in its path; there is no detour, no exit, no cul-de-sac, no roundabout, and no turnaround —it is eternal and everlasting, and it is the point at which one’s capability to make any decision ceases. Most of all, unless by divine intervention, no one gets a preview; it’s entirely full-featured. At that juncture, one has either fallen into the hands of the First and Last or been lifted by it. As a result, above all else, one must seek to be escorted by the hands of FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 135

The Anointed One into paradise. I sincerely hope that this guide will serve as a well-placed and a well-lit signpost, pointing each reader toward eternal life. Too many souls are lost every day to eternal darkness! To this end, I believe that too many of us do not adequately understand the gravity of sin. Because of this, there are some who have erroneously convinced themselves that the Lord is not fair or that He is harsh and inconsiderate. Not only is this belief baseless and fallacious, but I also propose that we need to inspect ourselves to gain a proper perspective of what it truly means to be human (see, What Is a Human Being?). I assure you that if Jesus were to reenter the Earth as He did over 2000 years ago, more than a few of us among the Adamic race would become eager volunteers to crucify Him again, and again (John 19:1-3 & John 19:13-15). Why? Though you undoubtedly know sin to be the answer, let me add another slant to the ageless discussions of trespasses or sins.

“So, then Pilate took Jesus and scourged (torment or torture) Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.” (John 19:1-3, NKJV). “When Pilate, therefore, heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!" (John 19:13-15, NKJV).

I do not think sin can be destroyed — except by divine deci- 136 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME sion, of course. Instead, I believe the manifestation or impact of sin can be likened to negative wealth (the weight of debt) or a payment that Hades lavishes on all in its service; it’s a curse. Similar to many possessions, sin grows, and as it does, it smears the soul and begins to sap its life (and reduce its light) to increase its devastating potential, thereby withering the host as it transforms the essence of victims into the likeness of wretchedness, into reprobates:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they gloriﬁed Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 137

retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being ﬁlled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:18-32, KJV)

Please grant me a moment to address a topic that might cause some agitation. The verses above speak to lesbianism and homo- sexuality with the following words:

“God gave them up unto vile affections where even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly."

Though not with a condemning voice, I will venture to make a statement, pose a question and allow you to answer: To the best of my knowledge, I do not think animals, a lower life form, copulate with members of the same sex. By way of stunning contrast, intelligent beings, humans, who are made in the image of God, somehow cross this border of reasonableness and ﬂamboyantly indulge in such lifestyles. I believe that God allows the soul to fall victim to that descent because of continued disobedience, leaving the individual vulnerable to demonic infestation and control. What do you 138 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME think? Ultimately, like any other decision, I believe that all patterns of a person's lifestyle are designed and maintained by choice, owing to our free will. To sin or not to sin, we have the answer. Sin has both predatory and indelible attributes that continue to gain dominance, ever augmenting their potential impact. Although it is possible that through the process of repentance (John 8:11), the Comforter will remove the burden of sin and throw the garbage back into the enemy's camp.

“She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (John 8:11, NKJV).

The substance of wickedness or its transferable measure is ever waiting to enlist and saddle another soul. It is evident that those in perdition will become ever eviler as the weight of unrepentant sin is compounded and takes its eternal toll. Sin, as a derivative of Hades, is eternal, and since it cannot be destroyed, what becomes of it after God removes it? It is contained in the sealed environment of the underworld, as it must be. The entrapment of sin is very similar in concept to the application and removal of handcuffs by a legal authority. Cuffs are used for restraint, but once they are removed, they can be used again and again by law enforcement since the cuffs are their property. Satan applies a similar strategy to a soul when sins are committed, and the grip tightens with each transgression. This analogy alone should provide a reason why sin is so deadly and why Our Blessed Hope does not “play” with it. A person still living in darkness is an agent of evil and is entirely unbeﬁtting His friendship — but there is hope for the living. Further, wherever sin is found, that locale or body will be destroyed. Without the blood of Christ, it's not possible to remove sin from its host; it is not possible to remove sin from a soul. When we accurately understand our position or even harshness towards FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 139 the Faithful Creator while in a sinful state, nothing but praise should emanate from our lips towards Heaven. Sin is eternally deadly, so it is the grace and tender mercy of God that sustains a soul and keeps it from completely sliding into eternal distress. Considering our nature, it takes perfect love and patience to support an imperfect person each day.

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the Heaven is high above the Earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children. To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” (Psalms 103:8-18, KJV). “I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.” (Ecclesiastes 3:18, KJV).

Pursuing Perfection

Jesus notifies us in Matthew 7:22 that "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" The next verse, 7:23, advises how Jesus would respond to 140 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME many of them on Judgment Day: "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" As we can see, many prophets, miracle workers (pastors, bish- ops, and deacons, to name a few) may fail to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord," as is recorded in Matthew 25:21. You see, God's holiness seeks a counterpart in a human being to form an eternal contract or union as a prerequisite for entering Heaven. But how is the agreement created? Which characteristic of God is that defining complement in a human being? The answer is perfection. Ordinarily, people recognize and accept their shortcomings. And similar to how a switch is either on or off, meaning there is no middle ground, each member of the human race is capable of a similar decisive and precise outcome through a decision process, for or against The All-Sufficient One. How is it achieved throughout a lifespan? At conception, in the mother's womb, God enters the physical body of the child through His Breath-of-Life (His Spirit) and becomes and remains the perfect side of a human being. Having Perfection residing in imperfection is not only an act of humility, but the step illustrates the prerequisites to sustain life on Earth; it takes perfection to create and maintain a living being. However, His perfection or Spirit must be given a voice or stage, as it were, by the soul. Why wouldn't the soul let the Spirit (or Breath-of-Life) turn us into perfected or completed beings? The answer is called mammon or the flesh, which wars against the Spirit for control and dominance, and too often mammon wins and that advances the decay of the soul because of consequential demonic infestation associated with the transgression. The overarching point is that a soul becomes eternally lost when it has irre- trievably decided against God or reaches the stage of diminishing spiritual returns. Why do I maintain this point of view? The Perfection of Love, God Himself, will thoroughly exhaust all options to help His chil- FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 141 dren from everlasting destruction. Still, regrettably so, there comes a time when the state of being of a soul is so decayed by and overgrown with sin that all redeemable substance becomes unsalvage- able; the soul has died even though the body is still functioning on Earth. In other words, the soul's perfected state of rejecting God equals God's perfected salvation effort for that soul, which is a persistent net zero result because of free will, and God does not have time for foolishness. So, what is the solution? How can we avoid sinking to such an unredeemable depth? I consider prayer to be a significant, qualifying answer, but knowing what to pray about is pivotal. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, the Bible provides more than a hint about what we should pray about. The verse says, "For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." That is a very weighty and conclusive verse, and John 6:63 offers corroboration with these defining words: "The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing." The intention is not to discount the value of one's natural existence. Moreover, the focus is more crucial; it is about resource management. If our prayers are primarily about seeking a physical haven, only about obtaining material goods, then the result is temporal and profits nothing. Conversely, when we make petitions about spiritual matters such as to have God's will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven and make requests for strength to pursue holiness in all its facets, then our prayers will produce eternal rewards. God wants us to avoid using all prayer time for impermanent things. When we appeal to God in spiritual matters, the results edify our being. We become better able to side with the Breath-of-Life against mammon, and so become prepared to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant," and is the result of effective spiritual resource management. I am not seeking to mark down the value of praying for material goods. Instead, I am promoting praying for God's will. For instance, there are some among us who assume that upon receiving a large chunk of money they would lavish others with 142 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME charity. They perhaps fail to account for the influence of mammon, which has the power to turn money, for example, from a tool into a weapon of potential mass destruction (1 John 2:15-17).

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the ﬂesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NKJV)

The idea is no different from a hammer or car being a useful tool, but deadly when misused. And, unfortunately, each person has the innate capability to misuse an instrument or device. God wants us to trust and rely on Him as the sparrows do. We love our children and often would not hesitate to attend their needs, whether to buy lunch or a pair of shoes. Now, I do respect the love God has for His children as well and I sincerely believe he will voluntarily provide material goods, it's the nature of Love to give. Do we ordinarily ask Him for the air we breathe or the water we drink? It is for this reason we should not try to bombard Heaven with material needs, which may only evaluate to the lust of the ﬂesh. Let’s focus our prayers on the matters of God’s heart, and our desire will be aligned with His will. Those are the gifts He will freely give, substances that will promote spiritual growth and better prepare us to get back home. Let us fervently strive for perfection (Matthew 5:48). Something to ponder about for more than a moment.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, KJV). FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 143

A Desire to Find God

Now, perhaps you might find this story rather encouraging. Some time ago, I had the opportunity to catch up with a colleague over lunch. We talked about prevailing matters, and then the conversation switched to describe a personal episode that was a precursor to his conversion. He particularized a 20-year agonizing search for spiritual answers that he knew existed, but simply did not have the wherewithal to fashion a solution despite numerous hours of occasional prayers and delving into martial arts studies and practice, following the likes of Bruce Lee. He did not want to guess; he estimated that there must be more to this life. As he emphatically expressed, if our existence was only physical, then things would be significantly worse than it is today given the various weaknesses (disrespect, rudeness, impoliteness, immorality, profanity, and crime) in the social fabric of humanity. To state that his insistence and doggedness in seeking out the spiritual truth was admirable is an understatement. I believe it was the Bread of Life who was silently at work, cleansing and healing his heart for the Holy Spirit or Ruach HaKodesh (in Hebrew). All the while, he was convinced that he could read for 1,000 years and still not be any wiser or closer to a conclusion on his spiritual pursuit. The fervency of his effort, I gathered, was perhaps guided by a subtle fear of being rejected by The Mighty One on Judgment Day because of not having exhausted all searchable options to find Him. Today, it has been six years since his rebirth. Nevertheless, it was not a seamless shift from darkness to light. In fact, it was anything but normal. Based on his description, it was similar to a scene from a horror movie only this time it went on for eight days. He could not eat. He visited the doctor multiple times. His body would convulse, and he had visions of a hearse pulling up beside him. He became drenched with the fear of dying, especially on the last day. In the end, the spell was broken as he vomited to rid himself of something only God and angels know. 144 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Obviously, everyone's conversion is not that remarkable, and it does not have to be. My friend's experience demonstrated what is needed to ﬁnd the Author of Eternal Salvation, namely, a heartfelt desire supported by prayer. If the desire is not there, then one must ask for it. Also, one should never see the Father as being passive or ordinary because He is not inactive and does not tolerate foolishness (sin) — His eyes are always watching us as 2 Chronicles 16:9 advises, and He is ever wanting to teach and test us to fashion our inclination and lifestyle toward holiness.

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore, from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:9, KJV)

To offer a different illustration, in one meaning, an agitator is a person who urges others to protest or rebel. In a more unlikely way, the same word describes an apparatus for stirring liquid, as in a washing machine. I believe the second deﬁnition typiﬁes God's interaction with us, for He is ever orchestrating circumstances to scrub our souls of sins, to begin and sustain the redemption process. Often, for us, the divine intention is not readily understood because of misplaced expectations. Somehow, we each must realize that God and His Son, Jesus, are in the profession of growing a bountiful wheat harvest amongst the members of humanity (Matthew 13:30). Nonetheless, we often resist the cultivation process and end up fruitless and ineffectual towards the advancement of the eternal Kingdom of righteousness.

“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 145

harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather ye together ﬁrst the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:30, KJV)

The next section will address a life without God or vanity.

Chasing Vanity

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the Earth abideth forever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-9, KJV)

Solomon, the second son of King David and Bathsheba, was the wisest man who ever lived, he is the one who penned Ecclesiastes, a book of reﬂections on the vanity of this earthly existence. In an article from August 10, 2017, for thoughtco.com, Jack Zavada offered a balanced look into the king's life in "Meet King Solomon: The Wisest Man Who Ever Lived":

Over his 40-year reign, Solomon did many great things, but 146 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

he succumbed to the temptations of lesser men. The peace a united Israel enjoyed, the massive building projects he headed, and the successful commerce he developed became meaningless when Solomon stopped pursuing God ... In the case of non-Jewish wives and concubines, he let lust rule his heart instead of obedience to God. He also taxed his subjects heavily, conscripted them into his army and into slave-like labor for his building projects.

— THOUGHTCO.COM

The verses of 1 Kings 3:11-15 describe the blessing that the Blessed Hope bestowed upon Solomon, and Nehemiah 13:26 provide a reference to his indulgence in sin. Subsequently, there is no doubt why he recounted his experiences in three words: "vanity of vanities." (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Despite his failings, I believe Solomon is in Heaven today, especially considering the warning he gave in Ecclesiastes 12:14.

“And God said unto him, ‘Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.’ And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 147

of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.” (1 Kings 3:11-15, KJV) “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin.” (Nehemiah 13:26, KJV) “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, KJV) “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14, KJV)

What is vanity? It is futility or uselessness, and that word appropriately describes a state of failing to achieve an intended or meaningful purpose. More concretely, the fruitlessness of one's existence may be glaring, but only the spiritually perceptive can readily recognize its foundation. Jesus endeavors to rescue us from crumbling, and for this reason, He provides this eternally signiﬁ- cant question in Mark 8:36, which we each must answer by our life choices, not with a conversational response.

“For what shall it proﬁt a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36, KJV)

We each live between two clicks or presses on God's stopwatch and listed below are the typical patterns of life (for many)—nothing new under the sun. Well, there is an exception: one thing is new, it is a new life, a new birth, and if it were to only follow this instinctive array of activities, without effective reverence for God, then it’s all vanity. 148 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

1. We enter this Life and Time with “Go” on His stopwatch 2. We undergo developmental upbringing 3. We pursue academic or practical training 4. We construct a career path and maintain a livelihood 5. We often maintain only the facade or container (the body) of the soul with various building and maintenance material called food 6. We often become materially sufﬁcient, but spiritually deﬁcient 7. We leave this Life and Time with “Stop” on His stopwatch

Again, please thoroughly survey this list for a moment, and then ask yourself this personal question: Am I preparing for the Luke 13:24 exam?

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:24, KJV)

If we are not prepared to meet Jesus on the right terms, then life is being lived vainly, an entirely fruitless existence that will join the countless many already in the ﬁery underworld awaiting an unreachable conclusion in the Lake of Fire, as Revelation 21:8 charges.

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with ﬁre and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8, KJV) FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 149

Vanity is no different from claiming what is not ours as Psalms 24:1-2 and Psalms 50:10-12 try to persuade. If packaging and mailing our earthly possessions were even an optional activity in preparing for Heaven, then it would be meaningless to communicate this advice, but, unmistakably, it is not.

“The Earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the ﬂoods.” (Psalms 24:1-2, KJV) “For every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the ﬁeld are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine and the fulness thereof.” (Psalms 50:10-12, KJV)

We must cautiously manage what Jehovah-Jireh has provided, always with the level of moderate detachment required to support a life of charity, of giving and helping others, not hoarding for a Life and Time that many will not see. I believe that excessive hoarding is vanity, an emptiness that only Jesus through His Holy Spirit can ﬁll with an enduring, foundational substance called Love.

The Firmness of God

Sometimes we complain, even if only silently, about God’s strictness against sin. But I submit to you that we should offer high praise to Him for His demand for holiness, even perfection. Why? Try to imagine the opposite. What are hope and trust (Proverbs 13:12 & Psalms 34:8)? The ﬁrst word promotes or advertises an expectation that a certain event is likely to occur, and the second one offers principal support, reliability or the surety of an expected result. 150 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12, KJV) “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Psalms 34:8, KJV)

Without hope, and the effective capacity to express conﬁdence in someone who demonstrates the capability to fulﬁll a promise, humans will be reduced to wanderers, idling away each breath under the strain, or craving for emotional and spiritual wholeness, on the brink of lunacy. I will develop this thought further below. Though we cannot exist without Him, let us ponder, for a moment, an imaginary world where God is not perfect. I will tell you about an environment or universe that you would not want to know because the topsy-turvy demands and challenges of even a breath of solace would be a remote possibility. We have heard or read about Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 to 1953. The tyrannical ruler oversaw the death of millions of his people. Equally as callous in his disregard for humanity was Adolf Hitler, another infamous dictator. The cruelty that Hitler exacted left upwards of six million people dead in the Holocaust and his attack on Poland in 1939 sparked the six-year war known as World War II. Unfortunately, we cannot exempt ourselves from the list that so prominently highlights Hitler and Stalin. Why? We each share a very dominant characteristic called imperfection, thereby endowing each of us with the potential to commit just as much evil. The immutability of God is a blessing of eternal proportion for the world at large; we should rejoice in that truth and give Him thanks for His unchanging qualities. God's perfection is our friend; it is the anchor of our being. I will suggest that the dictators which the 20th century brought forward are no different from the ones that early Christians faced FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 151 and endured, and I will emphasize this point using the reign of a ruthless leader who lived around the time of Jesus. The Roman emperor who ruled from AD 37 to AD 41, was Caligula, formally known as Gaius Caesar. What is so distinct and assuredly notorious about the legacy of this ruler? Instead of providing a summary of the turbulent reign and inhumane behavior of this less-than-venerated emperor, I will defer to Wiki- pedia for an excerpt:

“While his reign as Emperor lasted only a few short years, the stories of Caligula have lived on for millennia, his name becoming synonymous with murder and debauchery. In the latter years of his life, his behavior became so outlandish and extreme that many believe he was suffering from insanity. Some say he was driven to madness by the events in his life, while others say he may have been mentally ill or suffering the effects of a disease.”

— WIKIPEDIA.COM

And according to history.com, in a June 2016 write-up by Eliza- beth Niz titled "Did Caligula really make his horse a consul?", we are yet to observe other examples of the chaos that could ensue in the mind and heart, and at the hands of an imperfect being:

“The Roman emperor known as Caligula loved one of his horses, Incitatus, so much that he gave the steed a marble stall, an ivory manger, a jeweled collar and even a house ... servants fed the animal oats mixed with gold ﬂakes. Famous for his madness and brutality, Caligula allegedly committed incest with his sisters, fed prisoners to wild beasts and had conversations with the moon... did he really plan to make Incitatus a consul and only fail to do so because his assassination happened ﬁrst?” 152 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

— HISTORY.COM

There is a familiar quote from John Dalberg-Acton that says, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." To rephrase it for this setting I say, “Disrespect or disregard tends to corrupt, and hate corrupts absolutely." Both words, “disrespect” and "hate," are the opposite of Love, the very nature of God. So, unless we desire the likes of Caligula or his equal at the helm, I hope our appreciation for God’s faithfulness, mercy and love garner the due and deserved admiration and acceptance. Without His love and perfection, God will be unpredictable, His interaction with us will be uncertain, as He would, at His whim, switch from good to evil and vice versa. But for logical and other reasons, we know this example is hypothetical, as it pertains to the unbending nature of God.

The Rapture

So far, this discussion has been centered on the preparedness of leaving this life through a natural departure, which I will call a micro rapture; “micro” because it's an individual separation from this Life and Time. But there is also a macro version of leaving this world called the Rapture. It is a grand scale macro detachment of a conglomerate of bodies comprising those who have died, some even hundreds of years ago, as well as some who are still alive. The Rapture is probably not a favorite topic. Appropriately, the Lord is going to charge blame to pastors who fail to warn His people, because The Rapture will occur at any moment, without any notice, so constant holiness is the only preparation. Nonetheless, it is a very timely message. Using Internet lingo, Jesus wants the message to go viral, because while a natural death, whether by sickness, accident or other means often means the body goes through a burial in the Rapture, it does not. Each holy, FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 153 prepared person, at an unknown time, will miraculously disappear in the blink of an eye, as we read above in 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 and Matthew 24:40-41, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 provides more evidence. Please take some time to perform an in-depth study on this topic.

“Then shall two be in the ﬁeld; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Matthew 24:40-41, KJV) “For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise ﬁrst: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, KJV)

There are knowledgeable and respected teachers about this subject on YouTube, and I will recommend a few under The Rapture section of the References. If you are left behind to face the Tribulation years and do not have access to the Internet, please be mindful of these points. You can still pray to the Faithful Creator, but most of all, DO NOT allow yourself or loved ones to be micro- chipped by the authority (The New World Order — NWO) because it will lead to your eternal agony. There is no way out after taking the chip. It is eternally signiﬁcant to appreciate that God, through His Holy Spirit of truth and righteousness, maintains the civility and the togetherness of humans and all living things. It is the presence of His love that unites hearts and minds into a tapestry of hope, faith, reverence, and adherence to social and divine responsibility. Without the generosity of kindness and love in the way God administers spiritually to society, untold chaos will ensue when we 154 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME exercise the scope of our God-given power to choose — and that is precisely what will unfold after the Rapture of the Church (Matthew 25:1-13). Let us all strive with enduring and robust diligence to pursue lives worthy enough to hear the trumpet or call that beckons the holy to the side of our Father in Heaven. Let us each strive to be a wise virgin. Why? As described in Matthew 25:1-13, unquestionably, we do not want to be left behind as foolish virgins (lukewarm or prodigal souls), hopelessly knocking on closed doors, stranded on Earth to face God's wrath in the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22 and Jeremiah 30:7).

“Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And ﬁve of them were wise, and ﬁve were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went [Raptured] in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:1-13, KJV) "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 155

no ﬂesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matthew 24:21-22, KJV) “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:7, KJV)

Why would the days after the Rapture of the Church be so terrible and wrecking? To appreciate the answer, it is valuable to have some knowledge of the way business and governmental organizations as well as societal civility and social harmony are maintained. The Spirit of God holds everything together, and it is due to the courtesy and grace of that member of the Trinity that our comforts at work, school and play are maintained. Despite life's challenges, the hope that combats fears and the platform of our innermost yearnings and ambitions with the prospects and resilience for more favorable Life and Time is entirely fostered by the Spirit. At the time of the Rapture, the Spirit will be lifted from the bounds of Earth and chaos, in all degrees, extents, and variations will follow. The world will never be the same. Again, entire books have been written on this topic, and I strongly suggest further investigation into this climatic time of life on Earth. The Rapture will mark the end of the world as we know it, so this is a warning:

“And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, that, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” (2 John 1:6, KJV) “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the ﬂoods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25, KJV) 156 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the ﬂoods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:26-27, KJV)

A Union for Life

Every day we each should account for our foundation in Christ Jesus, which began from day one of our journey through this Life and Time, and we should ever strain to increase our level of allegiance to Him. Without resorting to a dictionary, we know that words such as devoted, committed, trustworthy and dependable are, linguistically, best friends with faithful. Commonly, individuals in a household, especially existing within the related domain of four walls, are called family members, and because they can see each other and share moments of laughter, tears, counseling and sometimes even an article of clothing where appropriate, a strong bond is created between them. Likewise, the reality of a soul living with God's Breath-of-Life in a house called a body is identical to the living arrangement typical in most families, but more so for the union of marriage. While reading Ezekiel 14:13, 15:8, and 23:3, words such as unfaithfulness and whoredoms (harlotry, whoring) emerge from the pages and sermonize about the heart of God for His people, for each person, and about the unfaithfulness of a soul to Him (through sin).

“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send a famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.” (Ezekiel 14:13, NKJV) FOUNDATIONAL THOUGHTS | 157

“Thus, I will make the land desolate because they have persisted in unfaithfulness, says the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 15:8, NKJV) “And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.” (Ezekiel 23:3, KJV)

Do you remember telling someone about the vastness of your love for him or her? Can you recall the intense, doting emotions that you lavished, perhaps even in a reckless way, upon the desire of your heart and how responsive and sensitive your passion was to the whims of the relationship? Now, further recognized and reﬂect on the fact that it was all from an imperfect being, from a blemished heart, as you and I are, and then consider what a perfect heart can render through love, such as how God is Love. The relationship between God's Breath-of-Life and a soul in a physical body is synonymous with marriage. As a result, a sin is equivalent to adultery because commitment is shifted from God to another, to Satan, His enemy. His Breath-of-Life in us demonstrates the far-reaching responsibility of respecting the humility and dedication of God to live within us, which is also a test of our loyalty. Consider this point: God's Breath-of-Life in us represents the opportunity for a human to illustrate a commitment to God, to His Spirit. When the test fails, because of a sinful lifestyle, an abandonment to outer darkness is inarguably a just reward (Matthew 22:13 and Matthew 25:30).

“Then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 22:13, KJV) 158 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“And cast ye the unproﬁtable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30, KJV)

In conclusion, allow me to emphasize that love (by doing His will) for God is the basis for having a meaningful existence under the sun, anything less is vanity, a total loss of one’s lifetime.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5-8, NKJV) 4

WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING?

AN IMAGE OF GOD.

P eople need the Lord. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1, KJV) "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." (Genesis 1:27, KJV) "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him, and for Him, and He is before all things and by Him all things consist." (Colossians 1:16-17, KJV)

The Theory of Evolution (Darwinism) insinuates that the process God used to create humankind in His image is either nonexistent or incomplete. The atheistic teaching posits that human life resulted from a gradual development of simple organisms, which eventually 160 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

mutated into complex life forms through natural selection or what is more commonly referred to as "the survival of the ﬁttest." For the sake of scrutinizing Darwinism, if we were fashioned from "nothing", relatively speaking, into what I agree are irreducibly complex lifeforms with an impressive array of subsystems, such as the circulatory, digestive, muscular, and nervous systems, why do we die? Why don't our bodies naturally continue to form other, more effective systems? Why don't our existing internal mechanisms transform into super components and blow the minds of doctors by defying textbooks? Wouldn’t such changes be in line with the philosophy of evolution? The term "irreducible complexity”, which I used earlier, was coined by Dr. Michael J. Behe, a professor of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University, who maintained (in his 1996 book Darwin's Black Box) that evolution through natural selection and random mutations is impossible and that some biological systems (such as those found in the human body) appear too complex to have arisen through natural selection alone.

"For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.” (2 Peter 3:5, KJV)

The concept of “intelligent design" is a counter perspective to Darwinism, which proposes that life and the universe cannot have arisen by chance and must have been designed or created by an intelligent being. This is certainly true, as life was indeed created by El-Shaddai, God Almighty. Genesis 1 unambiguously explains the creation process from two angles: (1) After God created WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 161

animals, plants, land, sea, firmament (sky) and all non- human aspects of the Earth, He said, "it was good", which means they are serviceable and adequate, and (2), in Genesis 1:26, we are invited to behold a different approach and plan for humanity: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Observe that not only did God create animals and plants before He fashioned us in His own likeness, He intelligently did not conclude the process by saying, "it was good." Why? We are not just serviceable or sufficient, as He expressed for all other aspects of His creation, we are representative of Him. Thus, and merely say we "are good" would have portrayed Himself in a similar manner, thereby providing Darwinists with more ammo against the sound biblical precepts of creationism.

“… For ye [we] are the temple of the living God. As God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (2 Corinthians 6:16, KJV)

“Could you film everything about me until I die?” The question was from Masahiro Tanaka to NHK, Japan’s national public broad- casting organization. Masahiro was a medical doctor and a Buddhist priest diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2014. The physi- cian wanted to document his last months and days because he believed that “Nothing is lonelier than being ignored." Indeed, no one wants to be disregarded. So, I tell you this truth, after death, the only place one is accepted and valued is Heaven, and we get there through Jesus Christ alone. Today, pause and think about anything 162 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME that is most irritating to you, and then try to imagine having to live in that condition forever. Only Heaven is a place of eternal rest. God is needed everywhere at all times, but there is no comfort in Hell because His Spirit is not there to bring freedom from pain. In addition to being a soul-based processor of Life and Time, the significance of a human being is to serve Jesus as a facilitator or agent of God's will on Earth, thereby supporting a supernatural strategy to extend Heaven to qualified earthlings (well-behaved spiritual kindergarteners or children). We become eligible by living a life of love and maintaining a relationship with God. The Faithful Creator seeks to promote His children from the depths of their spiritual descent and take them back to Heaven as demonstrations of wholehearted commitment to and compatibility with Him. As a result, in a seriously non-trivial way, life on Earth may be synonymous with an in-depth interview for a place in Heaven.

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visits him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.” (Psalms 8:4-5, KJV) "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's ﬁeld, you are God's building." (1Co 3:9, NKJV) "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1Co 4:7, NKJV) "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure [not ours] they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11, KJV)

For centuries, notables in the circle of recognized intellectuals have pondered and written about a question that should not have WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 163 been a mystery because the undeniable truth is readily available in the Bible, and the earliest account of biblical records dates to around 1400 BC. The question is "What is a Human Being?" It is a vessel to hold and carry the spirit of God, but more information is required, and this chapter will provide it. To elaborate on the nature or constitution of a human being, I know it is appropriate and even respectful to present the answer by describing humans through the person of Jesus Christ (Timothy 2:5-6, John 1:14 & Luke 24:39). Read “Jesus Is Fully Human” at Desiringgod.org.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6, KJV) “And the Word [God / Jesus] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, KJV) “Behold my hands and My feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.” (Luke 24:39, KJV)

As you may know, Jesus is a triune being, comprising a body, soul, and spirit, which we all have. On the website Whatchristian- swanttoknow.com, an article provides "10 Character Traits of Jesus to Emulate": compassionate, servant, loving, forgiving, committed, prayerful, gentle, patience, self-control, and humble. When we combine these ten attributes with image-based characteristics like resemblance, depiction, portrayal, and other representations to emphasize our likeness to God, a well-detailed picture begins to emerge in high resolution. Moreover, I reckon that 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 offers a more vivid illustration of who God is and further- 164 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME more, the verses paint a sharper image of His nature: He is Love (capital L), not only just "love."

“Love [God] suffers long and is kind; Love does not envy; Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NKJV)

Now, if I were to ask you this question, how would you respond: Have you ever seen Jesus? I could have asked the question this way: Have you ever seen God? In any case, since God is Jesus and Jesus represents God in the ﬂesh, I consider it more reachable and representable to approach the point with the ﬁrst question. My answer to this question is, yes. Allow me to pose this familiar question: Without God's Breath-of-Life, what is a human being? If you say, nothing, then you are correct. Therefore, as Matthew 25:35-40 tells us, the charity of giving a drink of water to the thirsty or feeding the hungry is attending to the needs of the humanity of Christ (1 Peter 2:17). It is critically essential for us to realize that each person is merely an example of how God intends to represent Himself on Earth in a particular Life and Time called a human being.

“For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when saw we thee as hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 165

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?’ And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40, KJV) “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17, KJV)

Matthew 22:37-39 also bears further evidence, as it shows we cannot accurately say we love God and dislike our neighbor or anyone with whom we interact. So, yes, we see and interact with Jesus every day. We talk with Him through customer service calls; He drives our taxis; He attends to us in the hospitals and teaches in the schools and universities. All is done using a human as a proxy, and who is expected to show divine stewardship or face damnation for spiritual negligence. To add more to this point, the worth of each soul is the accepted gift of salvation, and its rewards in Heaven are proportionate to its proﬁtability on Earth. (Matthew 25:14-30, NKJV)

“Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39, KJV) “For the kingdom of Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents. And likewise, he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had 166 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

received one went and digged in the Earth and hid his lord's money. After a long time, the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so, he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the Earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:14-30, KJV)

It is critical to be effectively observant of this truth: the primary responsibility of each of us is to prepare and maintain a WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 167 clean soul. We must do this with due diligence and a faithful attitude. We must steadfastly carry out our ﬁduciary responsibility to provide for the requirements of the Holy Spirit, which, again, is an obedient lifestyle. This dedication is the only way to achieve a complete life. So, what happens when we don't adhere to holy living? The image below is merely an attempt to illustrate some possible conditions of a soul during its divinely allowed and provisioned stopover on planet Earth. The green battery (100 percent) is what I will refer to as a fully repentant lifestyle (Rapture-ready). This state is not a measure of perfection, but it is an illustration of an effective willingness to remain holy by recognizing sinful deeds, seeking forgiveness and effectively pursuing abstinence or avoiding a reoccurrence. The yellow one (50 percent) represents lukewarmness, a soul The Anointed One will spew out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16), and the 10 percent is no different in God's eyes, members associated with those lesser percentages will not see His face.

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:16, KJV)

Potential condition of a Soul 168 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

The condition or health of a soul, which only the Author of Eter- nal Salvation alone truly knows, is a measure of one’s stewardship and commitment. Yes, our behavior (or fruits) can be a good indi- cator of who we are, but still, only God alone knows the depths of our heart (Galatians 5:22-23 & Jeremiah 17:9).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV)

Understanding A Human Being

This section will describe three aspects of life; when combined, they represent the scope of human interaction and accountability: 1) Body, soul, and spirit — The spirit is the life God breathes into the physical body, and the soul is the seat of decision making; it is where the human being decides to live either in accordance to righteousness or unrighteousness. Until a rebirth (salvation) of the soul, the affections and desires of the soul are not toward God. The effective regeneration, sanctification and justification occur when body, soul, and spirit, as a unified whole, obey or adhere to the Holy Spirit and God’s Word through the redemptive effort of Christ. Despite the flawed teaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses, as an example, that “The soul is made up of the body and spirit and that the soul does not live on after death,” the Bible provides clear insight into this matter in Matthew 10:28 and Matthew 16:26.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” (Matthew 10:28, NKJV) WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 169

“For what proﬁt is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26, NKJV) “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow (body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, NKJV) And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.” (Genesis 35:18, NKJV)

Let us examine the three-ring structure of a human being. The graphical depiction provides an illustration of our tripartite nature. It is excerpted from “Death and Afterward” on the topic of “Man a Trinity (Spirit, Soul, Body).” The writing is that of Lehman Strauss, who is now a retired Old Testament history professor of Phil- adelphia Bible Institute. 170 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

The three-ring structure of a human being

The threefold nature of man might be illustrated in several ways. Dr. Clarence Larkin uses three circles (Rightly Dividing the Word, page 86). The outer circle stands for the body of man, the middle circle for the soul, while the inner represents the spirit (Breath-of-Life). At this point, it will be well to quote a portion from Dr. Larkin’s book:

“In the outer circle, the Body is shown as touching the material world through the ﬁve senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. The Gates to the Soul are Imagination, conscience, memory, reason and the affections. The Spirit receives impressions of outward and material things through the soul. The spiritual faculties of the Spirit are faith, hope, reverence, prayer, and worship.”

— DR. CLARENCE LARKIN WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 171

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from ﬂeshly lusts which war against the soul.” (1 Peter 2:11, NKJV) "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" (James 4:5, KJV) “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the Earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:2-3, NKJV) “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV)

For some, the thought of having to learn how to perceive themselves as having three members can be shocking and confusing. It may require a leap of faith to settle with the truth that we are more than what physical eyes can behold, and we are beyond what intellectual capabilities can grasp. We are each a living soul, which represents our true selves, in an earthly sense, it came into being at conception and lives in us and takes the shape of our physical bodies. On the topic of work, the physical body takes center stage. As we know, the body gains energy through the process of digestion. In any event, since the body and soul are so inseparably linked, less than ideal results occur when they don’t work in harmony. Sinning, which begins in the soul, can affect both the soul and body. In a comparable way, the neglect of one’s physical health can disturb the performance of the soul. For instance, obesity is a national concern for many societies. Information about this fact is readily available on the Internet and needs no statistical mention here. My reference to it in this context is to help us unlink depen- dence on the natural for comfort (to the soul) that only God alone can give. 172 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

To this end, the term comfort in “comfort food” describes a feeling of well-being. The key word is “feeling,” as it ties in with comfort, a state of being each soul pursues. I believe some brothers and sisters eat, not for the sake of over-consumption, but for filling a possible void or to address a discomfort, and it may be a spiritual matter. Trying to find relaxation or joy for the soul outside of God, possibly by excessive ingestion or other indulgences, may be inju- rious to body and soul. Each of us yearns for self-actualization or fulfillment and a feeling of belonging, but we must be guarded that human beings are born battery-not-included due to our Adamic nature. The realization of the missing battery is most perceptible at a point in life when we can discern wrong from right. At such a stage, if our lifestyles are not defined by and molded by holiness, emptiness is felt and without realizing that the spiritual barrenness can only be addressed by God, through His Spirit, we install a battery substitute (from a Hell broker) and reduce to living prodigal or alienated lives. However, particularly in a state of spiritual malnutrition or stupor, there is a long-standing and ever fine-tuning plan of the enemy to use the body as a weapon of mass destruction, to destroy self and many others. For example, the decimation of millions of Jews was administered by the soul (reasoning member) and body (speaking or communicating member) of Hitler. No different from how military masterminds strategize wars, Hell has command centers (or war rooms) where targeted demolition techniques are devised against each of us — Heaven is also engineering counter- plans of action to save us, but divine intervention often needs a raw material called obedience to commence the divine sortie against the menacing minions. Disobedience is not only sinful, but it also obstructs God's plan for someone's life. In my understanding, rebellion is no less harmful than shooting oneself in the foot or bombing the bridge one wishes to cross while running away from a roaring lion that’s chasing you. Yes, the enemy wants us dead; he desires to decommission us from God’s ordained plan of living a complete life. The enemy WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 173 has an arrest warrant that aims to bring each soul to Hell, for he does not want us to reenter Heaven. However, as the body shuns sin, it avoids the trap and subsequent capture. A sin-riddled soul is in the crosshairs of the enemy's snipers or in the trajectory of Hell's sin-seeking missiles. Satan's relentless effort is to eradicate humanity, and a soul still residing in the domain of unrepented- sin provisions Hades with the power to oversee its eternal misery. The destruction of oneself is a sin-based, self-inflicted wound that the host decided to treat without assistance from God. To continue, the soul, though we can’t see it, is what I refer to as the Human Processing Unit (HPU), performing a similar role of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) in a computer. The CPU is what helps a user to browse the Internet and produce most of those colorful images on your screen. The HPU is the section of us where intellectual energy is consumed and where free will sits on a throne with a commanding voice to the body and spirit. The HPU guides the course of our morality, emotional nature, and sense of identity. Supported by the HPU, the power of free will could be the most dangerous weapon a human being can possess; this is because it can be used to destroy oneself through ignorance or deliberate disobedience. I recognize that the power to grant free will is another example of God’s infinite power because it does take limitless power to give the ability to make countless decisions. Why? A person with finite power cannot grant free will. Other- wise, the so-called “free will” becomes constrained by the extent or boundaries of limited power. In addition to having the power to grant free will, Mark 2:5-10 illustrates God’s authority to free a human from the grips of sin.

"When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this 174 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins—He said to the paralytic" (Mark 2:5-10, NKJV)

Despite the interrogative reasoning of the scribes, Jesus heals the paralytic with the words, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” The scribes considered Jesus’ statement to be blasphemous, perhaps because they did not know the truth about who Jesus was. Admittedly, it would have been malicious if Jesus was born of sinful, Adamic seed, but He was not (Numbers 23:19), so neither can the scribes or Satan accuse Him of anything. Why couldn’t Satan accuse Jesus? Jesus is the incarnate person of God; He is God in the ﬂesh, and He and the Father are one. Jesus is fully God, and God is fully Jesus. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit is equivalent to each, forming the Trinity, the triad of the divinity. If Satan could have rightfully accused Jesus of anything, the whole world would have been a lie and would not have been held together.

“God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man (He is the Son of God), that He should repent (He has no sin). Hath he said, and shall he not do it or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, KJV)

2) An Ally in Jesus – Jesus is the Creator himself, and He wants to be our Friend and Helper; we must accept His help. WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 175

When we reach out to Him for friendship, He and His host of angels will support us, especially as we live our lives in holiness.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15, NKJV) “Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.” (Proverbs 22:24-25, NKJV) "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly, and there is a friend [Jesus] that sticketh closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24, KJV) "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17, KJV) "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, KJV)

We each are inseparably connected to God with our spirit, and as the bond strengthens, His life and light will expand through us and arm us with the necessary powers to effectively combat evil. 3) An Active Enemy in Satan – The arch-rival of Jesus, along with his army of fallen angels, is all too eager to engage us in a spiritual war. They aim to destroy humans eternally and to pull us toward his province. The dominion of God’s arch nemesis is a place of unproductiveness. Why no productivity? It is the house of the dead, and work is associated with the living here on Earth. While on Earth, it is perhaps unimaginable that a once vibrant person could eventually reduce to nothingness, idling away for eternity in unquenchable ﬁre. However, it is what the Bible warns about in Luke 13:27-28, according to which, souls in perdition will 176 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME gnash or clench their teeth in a feeble attempt to lessen the intensity of the pain.

“But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.” (Luke 13:27-28, NKJV) “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:18-19, NKJV) “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind [a soul that tends toward ungodliness] is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the ﬂesh cannot please God, but you are not in the ﬂesh, but you are in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:6-11, NKJV)

Somehow, we must realize that disobedience to God is obedience to the Dragon and his minions (inaction is still an action); there is no middle ground. In the abyss, there is no wisdom, mercy, and hope, only foolishness. Satan is comparable to a rat because there is no respect for family. Rats eat any food, including dying and dead members of their kind. Even in Heaven, Satan was a WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 177 predator in that he convinced many angels to follow him to the infernal abyss where there is neither harmony nor respect, perhaps only when the destruction of humanity is concerned. Let us present ourselves as living sacriﬁces, holy and pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service.

A Human Is a Word Creator and Processor

Think of Love as a surname, thereby allowing every child of God, every born-again person, to call themselves by a new last name. For me, it would be Wyne Love, in a spiritual sense. Why the proposed naming practice? Because everything God created, visible and invisible, has a form of life, even His words. After all, He communicates to and through them. More particularly, Wisdom, Hope, Mercy, and Grace are God’s spiritual agents, not just vocal expressions; they are substantive spirit-based realities that obey God’s command to help human beings. Isn't Hope a word we use to describe a type of spiritual motivation? If so, how can it just be a "word?" It's a Father-given, living component or spirit from which we sap energy. Mercy and grace are no different — they are all God's packages of guidance and timely support.

"Receive my [Wisdom] instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold." (Proverbs 8:10, KJV) “I [Wisdom] love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me.” (Proverbs 8:17, KJV) "When He prepared the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:" (Proverbs 8:27, KJV) "For whoso findeth me [Wisdom] findeth life and shall obtain favor of the LORD." (Proverbs 8:35, KJV) “For whoso findeth me [Wisdom] findeth life and shall obtain favor of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me 178 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

[Wisdom] wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:35-36, KJV)

When we pray for Mercy and Grace, The Blessed Hope sends them as battery sources of energy; they plug into our soul and revive it, and better position it to ﬁght against the war associated with mammon or carnal cravings. Likewise, our words are living agents. When directed, words can attach to someone and either conserve or degrade life in the targeted host, so we must monitor and control our words. As a result, it is no surprise that the Bible encourages contemplative speaking (James 1:19, Proverbs 13:3, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Hebrews 4:12, and Ephesians 5:3-4) and avoidance of unproductive utterances (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19, KJV) “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” (Proverbs 13:3, KJV) “Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in Heaven, and thou upon Earth: therefore, let thy words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2, KJV) “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither ﬁlthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” (Ephesians 5:3-4, KJV)

In John 6:63, Jesus says the words He speaks are spirits. As humans, when we speak good, we are correctly and effectively using God’s Breath-of-Life, and because of that, blessings follow. WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 179

Speaking evil is contrary and renders the speaker guilty of abuse of God's spirit and energy, and that is sinful. When we talk, the process employs God's strength and entrusted capability to create spirits that would either support His Kingdom or strengthen the enemy's. The result of every word is weighed and applied either to the world of light or the one of darkness, nothing is ever lost in the efﬁcient and closed system we know as Earth.

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the ﬂesh proﬁteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63, KJV)

Remember, God’s Breath-of-Life is given to us not only to support our physical structure but also to test our loyalty to Him, to test or demonstrate reliability. Whatever we do impact the heart of the Chief Shepherd because it is His spirit that absorbs the results of all human exchanges. One example relates to marriage: a divorce not substantiated by adultery causes a division between the two instances of the "Breath-of-Life" that was uniﬁed by an oath to God, and a subsequent remarriage then becomes another instance of the adultery.

“And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” (Matthew 19:9, KJV)

In other words, matrimony is not only a union of physical beings; it is a sacred contract in which the Author of Life binds two instances of His Breath-of-Life in two individuals (in two vessels or containers), male and female. When our lives are modeled after 180 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Him; by doing as He does and speaking as He speaks we become a reﬂection of Christ, and our image of Him becomes spiritually noteworthy on Earth and in Heaven. At Bibletools.org, John W. Ritenbaugh explained John 6:63 quite nicely below. And the following is an excerpt from Ritenbaugh’s sermon titled "The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part 4)":

"Anybody's words are spirit; Jesus is not the only one whose words are spirit (John 6:63). The difference between Him and us is that His words are always life. His words are always abundant, eternal, or everlasting life. They surcharge the air to move us, our hearts, our minds, our spirits, in the direction they are moving. If we would yield to them, we can be carried along by them all the way into the Kingdom of God. This is why there is life in them! Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of any of us—that our words are life—because often our words carry death with them. They do not go forth in the best of attitudes, backed with an unclear understanding of what is going on, and all too often we speak far too hastily and emotionally. What the Bible calls "spirit" can be communicated. It is almost as if it surcharges the environment. The words and the disposition or environment in which they are delivered and received are important to its communication. How many times have we said something to somebody who became confused, upset, angry or frustrated at what we said, and we had to apologize or explain further by saying, "Well, that's not what I meant"? Yet, that was how the receiver heard it"

— BIBLETOOLS.ORG

Why does the Bible advocate for effective tongue manage- WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 181 ment? One key reason is our natural tendency to say the wrong things that end up hurting Him and others, and the other reason is to help us manage God's Breath-of-Life in us.

A Human is Lifeless Without Christ

Think about your physical body for a moment. Imagine you are sitting in a chair and decided to raise one leg or hand, perhaps even to bend and touch your toes. Now I'll ask you a question: Do you think it was by physical effort alone that you were able to accomplish these tasks? If you answer, yes, then perhaps you might have the solution for this other inquiry: Why can't a dead person just get up and walk or why is there such a concept or an event call death? Please allow me to chime in at this point. I think about those physiological privileges as well. However, I cannot and most assuredly do not hold that success in carrying out these maneuvers is found solely in the domain of physical effort. In fact, I know it is not. Using a healthy body to accomplish any physical operation, even just breathing, is performed through the graces and mercy of God’s spirit, which is His Breath-of-Life in us. It is for this reason, I conclude, again, that the Bible says the ﬂesh proﬁts nothing (John 6:63) and that it is not by might nor by power, but by the spirit that potential and kinetic energy, for example, are created (or transferred) and spent (Zechariah 4:6).

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ saith the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6, KJV) "For bodily exercise proﬁteth little, but godliness is proﬁtable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (1 Timothy 4:8, KJV) 182 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Our lives are hinged upon, supported by, and valued in terms of the life of Christ. He is as real as the beaming rays of daily sunlight, certainly more real because He created them.

A Human is God’s Eternal Breath

We, humans, are inseparably connected, though many of us may behave like strangers, we are this way because pride or ignorance has deluded us. Words and phrases such as dignity, honor, self-respect, ego, belief in one's worth, self-worth, pride in oneself, self-image, self-identity, faith in oneself, and self-regard are equivalents of pride. It is reasonable to value oneself and recognize our worth, but the evaluation must be done with an attitude and acknowledgment of God's accomplishments, not our own, for we can do nothing without Him. Remember, each life is just His deliberate exhalation of breath, and He used only a single one. I'll provide more analysis. According to wonderopolis.org in "How Many Breaths Do You Take Each Day?”

“Toddlers might breathe 20-30 times per minute. Older children and adults, when resting, usually breathe about 12-20 times per minute. Over the course of a day, that adds up to 17,000- 30,000 breaths per day — or more! Those average breathing rates are for when you're at rest.”

— WONDEROPOLIS.ORG

In my humble understanding, if the Chief Shepherd breathes as we do, and considering we are created in His image, He used only one of those 17,000 exhalations to add human life to processed clay or human. Consider that breathing out is spent oxygen or carbon dioxide, so if God were not perfect, it would mean that He produced us from something less than Himself, say a byproduct WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 183 called “exodivine dioxide," and His life in us would not be complete either. Nonetheless, we know that He is perfect — nothing is missing or broken — and as a result, His breath in us ensures that we will never die but only live either in Heaven or Hell for eternity. Anything less than His life is death, which is imperfection or incompleteness. After surveying these points, it is understandable why pride is so offensive to Him. Let us strive to respect His Breath-of-Life in us effectively.

A Human Is a Vessel of God’s Presence

After having recognized that it is the spirit (life) and soul (decision engine) that actuates the physical body, one might ask, “What is the divinely prescribed role of the physical body?” Well, we will turn to Biblestudytools.com "Ark of the Covenant - Bible Story" for an answer.

The ark was designed to be a symbol of the presence of God in the midst of His people is the common teaching of the Old Testament. This place on the lid was also referred to as the “Mercy Seat.” Once a year a priest would enter the holy tent and sprinkle blood from a sacriﬁced animal to atone for the sins of Israel. This old covenant on the Day of Atonement is no longer needed as Jesus Christ became a new covenant in which His sacriﬁce on the cross was a complete atonement for sins.

— BIBLESTUDYTOOLS.COM

Before the birth, life, death, and ascension of Jesus, the process described above, using the Ark of the Covenant, was the method available to a priest to enter God's presence to atone for the sins of Israel. Moreover, the subsequent cruciﬁxion of Christ ended that custom and paved a direct and golden path straight into the throne 184 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME room of God, thereby allowing every single one to pray and connect with The King of Glory through Christ. What does this mean? For one, we no longer NEED a priest or pastor or anyone else to pray for us, though it is encouraged for power or spiritual momentum, as we do wrestle against a host of determined enemies (Deuteronomy 32:30 & Ecclesiastes 4:12). Yes, we may ask for their engagement in corporate prayer, but Jesus, who is our high priest is the Chief Cornerstone of intercessory prayers (Hebrews 4:14-16). He continually intercedes for us. Said differently, none of us would be alive today without him, owing to accumulated trespasses or sins. For example,

“How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?” (Deuteronomy 32:30, KJV) “And if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, KJV) “Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV) “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16, KJV) “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 185

inasmuch as he who hath built the house hath more honor than the house. For every house is built by some man, but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the conﬁdence and the rejoicing of the hope ﬁrm unto the end.” (Hebrews 3:1-6, KJV)

Further, Rationalchristianity.net in "Why did God kill people who touched or looked into the Ark?" explained God's intolerance for sin and His ﬁrm insistence on keeping His commands:

"The Ark of the Covenant was an embodiment of God's presence with the Israelites. The atonement cover (or "mercy seat") that covered the ark was God's throne (2 Sam 6:2), and God's presence was above it (Lev 16:2); it was also the place where God met Moses and gave him commands (Ex 25:22). If someone approached the ark, they would effectively be in God's presence — a sinner standing before a holy God who does not tolerate evil (Ps 5:4-6) — and would die as a result of their sins, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and then, this was only possible after he had undergone ceremonial cleansing, made sacriﬁces to atone for his sins and the nation's sins, and burned incense to conceal the atonement cover” (Lev 16).

— RATIONALCHRISTIANITY.NET

“And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of 186 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.” (2 Samuel 6:2, KJV) “And the LORD said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.” (Leviticus 16:2, KJV) “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 25:22, KJV) “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish [unrepentant] shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing [to fabricate or lie]; the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” (Psalms 5:4-6, KJV)

Please read Leviticus chapter 16, and the full account of "Why did God kill people who touched or looked into the Ark?" at Rationalchristianity.net — upwards of 50,000 died for their disobedience, for touching the Ark. To my understanding, these verses offer two significant observations: 1) God is angry with sin, and 2) if we need God's blessings of protection and strength to abide in us, then, we need His presence in us. To have God, through His Holy Spirit resident in us is to have the Chief Counselor onboard, or to have the equivalent of a body- guard protecting one's body, soul, and spirit (similar to His presence and power in the wooden Ark of the Covenant). Remember, God's presence is the Holy Spirit, not just spirit, which we all have in the life of God's breath. As you can imagine, His breath is the torch or even the combustion engine of our body and soul. More- over, His breath is the commonality or base for all members of the WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 187 human race. The strength of the platform or foundation becomes eternally stronger when the Holy Spirit envelops each of us when we allow Him to live in us — sin blocks Him. By the way, it is essential to understand that the soul is not just an aura. It must not be misconstrued as just air because it cannot be seen with physical eyes; the soul is a spiritual structure. For instance, can humans see atoms with naked eyes? No. In fact, we are made up of a gazillion of them. To obtain a better viewpoint, I'll tell you that a ping-pong ball is roughly 400 million times larger than an atom. Though atoms and the soul are not readily accessible to natural sight, they both exist. However, though the presence of the Comforter is no longer in a wooden or inanimate vessel or container, where is it on Earth? That's an excellent question you might ask, and I have a solid answer. In a very straightforward response, you and I are the vessels; unquestionably made of flesh and blood, not wood. Nonetheless, more explanation is required, so let us investigate this matter. Conception is the result of a God-allowed union of the physical and spiritual, the finite and infinite, which is a terrifically complex composition that only the Author of Life alone can produce through His omnipotence. That masterpiece is a human being. By the time a child is born, God’s Breath-of-Life or His spirit is the fuel that gives propulsion for the first cry and eventually the last, if allowed. Ordinarily, a baby is born relatively "sin-free," except that it has an intrinsic sinful nature (excluding baby Jesus); it has not committed any sin because it does not have the faculty, emotional or otherwise, to thoughtfully and decisively choose between good and evil. At those tender ages the spirit in that person, that baby or child, is rather pristine (and it is perhaps for this reason that babies go to Heaven), and this is the environment that the Holy Spirit, God's commanding presence, wants to dwell (Matthew 18:3); He wants us to be childlike in thoughts and deeds. 188 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“And said, ‘Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.’” (Matthew 18:3, KJV)

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in his 1943 paper: “A Theory of Human Motivation.”

Now, as the child begins to scale the levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, inclination and habits start to make their imprints on the soul of the child. The process continues, ever augmenting by years and experience over the span of infancy (ages 0-3) right through to late adulthood (age 80+). Let me introduce a point that may rattle the opinions of many. Often, when a child is born parents only rejoice at the new family addition. But I have a question. How many of us take time to pray earnestly for the newborn? Routinely, before we get on a plane or send a son or daughter off to military training, many of us request a prayer. However, it is important to realize that serious prayer for WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 189 wisdom, protection, and health will better prepare the child to enter the world of spiritual warfare. Sometimes, our prayers are not proactive but reactive, not on the offensive but the defensive. The best gifts to an infant are deliberate moments of prayers. We should put that request on our gift wish list. Let’s not forget that the child is off into a very hostile territory for his or her soul and those unavoidable engagements with dark spiritual foes are the mother of all wars, the battles for one’s soul. I think our expectation is unreasonable when we don’t pray for children and then ponder why some begin to embrace and adopt sinful habits during their teenage years or sooner. Let us prepare them for the world at large, give them over to Jesus through prayer; all human beings surely need that gift of prayer (and love). It is the type of gift that can last a lifetime, right up until the ﬁnal breath, where the family can rejoice at the graveside instead of mourn. Despite the joys of babyhood, it is not a casual episode being a human; it is a crucial and far-reaching deployment on Earth. Throughout the world, some deceptions cause our focus to be placed only on the container (physical body) of God’s Breath-of- Life, not the cleanliness of its operating space (soul). Anything we do that does not promote spiritual health is part of the deception strategy that is orchestrated by the underworld. While still on this topic, what else can we do in addition to prayer to help children face the world? Introduce them to the Bible as quickly as possible (Hosea 4:1).

“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.” (Hosea 4:1, KJV)

Let them know that the Bible is not only about Moses and the 190 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME disciples, but it is also about them (Corinthians 10:1-11). Teach them that God’s Word is their book, not someone else’s and that it is the primary method God uses to communicate and guide each of us. Let them not perceive the Bible as a mere history book but as an active and productive testimony of God’s personality (Love, Faithfulness, Grace, and Truth) and the perfect set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for living a life suitable for Heaven. The Bible is about strategies for how a human can escape the ever- widening jaws of the dark domain, the home of demons.

“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now, these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11, KJV)

Now, during any or all the intervening years, spanning late childhood and middle adulthood, as an example, the vessel or WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 191 conveyor of God's spirit is at the same time actively engaging in a stealthy yet assuredly invisible (and sometimes visible) spiritual warfare against evil (Ephesians 6:12). During this intense time, the soul tries to address its physiological needs, endeavors for safety, and sometimes, to obtain acceptance into a group or by someone, may compromise to be esteemed, all in the hopes of fulﬁlling an aspiration. God and angels are observing, speaking to and encouraging the soul toward the narrow path, which leads homeward to Heaven.

“For we wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV)

Ultimately, if decisions are poorly constructed and executed, God, others, and even oneself are hurt in the crossﬁre as the person or soul feverishly and desperately, even wretchedly, tries to defend itself under the guise of survivability or assertiveness. However, there is a subsequent period of accountability to God, the Judge (Hebrews 4:13).

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13, NKJV)

A Human is a Manager of Its Destiny

I want to ask a question: does the term free will tell of power? I believe it does, but there are two ways of looking at what it offers to an earthling. First, it hints that a human has the resources to 192 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME initialize, construct and deploy (or execute) an action autonomously, all within the strength and effort of self. Though such a perspective is perhaps entirely accurate, let me offer a slightly different viewpoint. One in which I began to think deeply about in recent times; one that appropriately reveals how dependent we are on Christ. I presume we agree that the results of right and wrong decisions primarily direct, control and determine the conditions of our well-being at any point in time. Moreover, I think you would agree that the ears of our souls receive commands or instructions either from God or Satan. For that reason, I believe that all a person does is listen to each request and then engage its Human Processing Unit (HPU) to decide whose voice to heed. In other words, the initialization and construction (of the stage, 2 Corinthians 4:18) are conceivably external, and all a human does is enter the platform, perform, and deal with the consequences.

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal (we are intrinsically spiritual beings on a physical stage); but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18, KJV)

Furthermore, I believe the stage is assembled long before the targeted or appointed soul arrives on the scene to make a fateful decision. I reckon that God allows for the construction of those stages of testings and temptations. The purpose is for a soul to showcase the inclination and other conditions of its internals, whether the workings of its HPU is fashioning output for the Prince of Peace or the Prince of Darkness, so let's be wary of who is watching us. As a result, the quality of each decision corresponds with how well we listen and possibly not much more; John 10:27- 28 tells us the same. WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 193

“‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.’” (John 10:27-28, KJV)

When we don't live righteously, we are blocking the Holy Spirit from interacting with Himself, which is His breath or life in us, and as a result, our souls remain dark and devalued. As Christians, when we efficiently endeavor and practice a holy lifestyle, the Holy Spirit will envelop our spirit, His holy spirit will provide the fire, boldness, and dunamis (root word for dynamite and dynamic) power to do His will. God is light, and the Devil is darkness; we want to be light because it is how we are recognized in the spiritual realm as Heaven-bound children of God. We must be light to enter Heaven. Finally, again, how important is the container or body while we are on Earth? For one, we spend most of our lives working for income to feed or support it, and some exercise quite vigorously to maintain it. Whether a person is an atheist or one who deliberately or blindly responds irreverently to God, as individuals, we each converge around the breath of God in each of us, for without it, we altogether cease to exist on this Earth. In a precise way, we (our bodies) are similar to the ark of the covenant of God's presence. A human being is God's breath in flesh and blood over a divinely predetermined span of time called a lifetime.

A Human Is a Debtor

Altogether, we are encouraged to be God-fearing human beings, to express our love for Him. After all, He owns everything. Why does Jesus say that if we love him, we will do His will? He means if we love Him, we will not hurt Him, but how can we hurt Him? (Luke 11:23, KJV) The short answer relates to spiritual 194 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME blockage and abuse, and its basis goes back to an understanding of the structure of a human being. Remember that each of us is alive because of God's breath. Therefore, sin affects communication with Him, which restricts or blocks our Father from communing or interfacing with His Breath-of-Life in us.

“He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” (Luke 11:23, KJV)

Our Father wants to interact with us, His children. Therefore, when we pray, read the Bible or sit quietly in His presence, we are allowing God to commune with His Breath-of-Life, with his spirit in us. In these contemplative moments, we are refreshed (body, soul, and spirit) because God's rewards us for the effort of drawing back from the entrapment of busy lives — He honors the sacriﬁce. Also, sin dirties its environment, creating an untidy soul that He won't visit (but He will still help us especially when we seek forgiveness and follow a repentant lifestyle). Furthermore, by disregarding His will, we effectively surrender more ownership of ourselves to the enemy, and God will not share anything with the adversary. Perhaps equivalent to how we duly attend to scheduling maintenance for a car, our soul, spirit, and body need support, else they will break down or develop cracks and crevices, channels or pathways that make us more susceptible to enemy attacks which may result in sickness, accidents or worse. The primary type of spiritual upkeep is prayer and Bible reading. Speciﬁcally, when we inter- cede for others, this engagement not only helps to fortify us, but it also keeps the global body of our Savior and the body of Christians in good shape. Intercessory prayer is an explicit invitation for Jesus and His angels to legitimately enter combat with Satan and his consummately evil host of fallen angels. When we don't pray for ourselves and others, evil grows. Why? WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 195

For one, we sin virtually every day, and each sin must be atoned for before it gains the capability to expand or disqualiﬁes a soul for Heaven. We cannot ﬁght them using physical effort. Humans are too weak and need God's support; this means that when we pray, we are helping Jesus, ourselves, and others by calling in His willing reinforcement of divine assistance to reduce, prevent or eradicate a type of evil. We help Jesus carry the burden of this world when we pray.

"A Psalm of David. Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength." (Psalms 29:1, KJV)

Conversely, when we sin and refuse to repent, we increase His burden, thereby hurting Jesus and our Father, God, and the world becomes darker. As we can imagine, each human being has a responsibility to God, others, and self.

The Maintenance of a Human

The Current Condition:

“Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and ﬁlthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?” (Job 15:15-16, KJV)

The Enemy:

“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. He that 196 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

handleth a matter wisely shall ﬁnd good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.” (Proverbs 16:18-20, KJV)

The Hope:

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his beneﬁts: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisﬁeth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalms 103:2-5, KJV) "Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” (Psalms 103:4, KJV) "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." (Psalms 103:8, KJV) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, KJV) “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26, KJV) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13, KJV) “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6, KJV) “Every good gift and every perfect gift are from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17, KJV)

The Prayer: WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? | 197

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.” (Psalms 51:1-3, NKJV) “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (Psalms 51:10-12, NKJV) 5

WHAT IS A SIN?

TRANSGRESSION OF A DIVINE RULE

ven a diamond is worthless in the dark. Light adds value E while darkness removes it. If you wish to have eternal value, then Heaven is the only option. Have you ever considered why many sins are so gratifying? Consider haughtiness, anger, revenge, gluttony, greed, lust, and fornication. Each of those emotional podiums stages the soul for a performance that only demons attend as God looks away in sorrow and sometimes even with fiery anger. The passing gratification one experiences is the corresponding placebo or pacifier effect of a decline or reduction in one's life and light in exchange for darkness and emerging sorrow. The satisfaction or sensation, even passion, is a hint or foretaste of the bliss that is lost to sin.

“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth.”

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, WHAT IS A SIN? | 199

and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—" (Romans 5:12, NKJV) "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15, NKJV)

No doubt, similar to the familiar pain of sustaining an injury (be it a bruise, gash, or emotional ache), each unacknowledged or unrepented sin is a recurring event in the sight of God. It is as fresh to His senses ten years later as it was the day the wrongdoing was committed (Hebrews 3:17). Only by pleading for forgiveness and dedicating one’s lifestyle to repentance can cause Him to withdraw His anger against the sin in question.

"Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?" (Hebrews 3:17, NKJV)

Holiness (or consecrated obedience) and repentance are the only antidotes to the poisons of sin; otherwise, the toxins quickly overwhelm even the most energetic of souls. Sinning is not only expressed disregard for The Author of Life; it is also a rebellion against the divinity of Christ, of the Trinity; it is a careless attitude toward the holiness, trustworthiness, and loving- ness of the only wise and eternal God, and Hell is the expression of God's anger against sin. The subsequent Lake of Fire represents His intense and utter disgust for it. However, just as helium causes a balloon to rise and defy gravity, the presence of spiritual helium, or holiness, will enable us to overcome or survive the unrelenting gravitational pull of sin. We have heard of the sins of commission (doing something we 200 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME shouldn’t do) and the sin of omission (not doing something we should do), but what is a sin? Let’s get a perspective from Mr. Sproul, an American theologian, author, and ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church:

“Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward the One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life itself. Have you ever considered the deeper implications of the slightest sin, of the most minute peccadillo? What are we saying to our Creator when we disobey Him at the slightest point? We are saying no to the righteousness of God. We are saying, “God, Your law is not good. My judgment is better than Yours. Your authority does not apply to me. I am above and beyond Your jurisdiction. I have the right to do what I want to do, not what You command me to do.”

— R.C. SPROUL, THE HOLINESS OF GOD

Some time ago while sitting in a Bible study, a young lady sharply raised her voice and asked this question: "Did God create sin?" Surprisingly, I struggled for a moment and then offered my understanding using the rules of a game as an illustration. I did not answer directly. Instead, I proceeded to explain how the basic rules in a game work, thereby allowing the questioner to determine the answer to the not-so-difﬁcult but interesting question. I'll offer a more in-depth explanation here. I explained that one might consider life a computer or physical "game," albeit, the only one where penalty points are posted in heavenly journals until Judgment Day or repentance, not just stored in a computer database. It is worth noting that life is a "game" that has an eternal consequence for violation (disobedience). Moreover, in one setting, it is a game or match where the WHAT IS A SIN? | 201 world as one body of players, as one team, is engaging against a diabolic squad from the underworld headed by captain Beelzebub. Still, in another context, in a more personal way, it is a game of a single person against a host of minions or fallen angels. Of course, one can call on the Defender and Comforter for help, but how many do? Many games offer a prize or reward. The game of life is no different; the prize is ultimately either Heaven or Hell. The Author and Finisher of Our Faith is the game's Designer and He created the rules for both "Team Heaven" and "Team Hell" with the game being played out by Earthlings in the global setting of this planet. You get the point. Since humans are not creators, perhaps only inventors and innovators, God had to produce the building blocks or raw material for what we can use to fashion into sin. The concept is identical to the way people are able to use the same base ingredients to come up with recipes that are distinctly different. For example, everyone has free will and a brain, but people are able to use these two ingredients to express individuality in a variety of ways. God provided the building blocks and now watches what we build; He gauges the bent of our inclinations (free will), whether they are for Him or His enemy. Remember, it is The Author of Eternal Salvation who created, Heaven, Earth, and Hades, and, of course, He also created Satan, an ever-menacing, powerful fallen angel — but the underworld was created for the Dragon and other degenerated beings, not people. Now, like any other sport, there are penalty points in the "game of life." What is a penalty point? Collins dictionary provides this answer: A point awarded against a sports team or competitor for an infringement of the rules. The ﬁrst game was played in the Garden of Eden; both Adam and Eve knew the basic rule, the single-instruction, and its consequence: "... but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17, NKJV). Despite having that prerequisite knowledge, they disobeyed, 202 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME they ignored the rule, and like them, many of us today are still doing the same, but are perhaps seeking a different result.

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17, NKJV)

Sin is the Beginning of Disgrace

The rebellion of Adam and Eve was not only the ﬁrst pathway leading humanity away from God, but it was also the scene of the ﬁrst court proceeding that would become an intimidating feature, even a drama, in the lives of countless descendants. To illuminate, I have analyzed and structured the terminal decline of mankind in stages for us to gain a keener perspective of the prior and current state of mortal existence, and it begins with “A sin is Born.”

1. A Sin is Born: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes [an input device], and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed ﬁg leaves together and made themselves coverings.” (Genesis 3:6-7, NKJV) 2. Judgment Against Serpent (1st sentence in history — actually, the expulsion of Satan and the fallen angels from Heaven was the FIRST sentence ): “So the LORD God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the ﬁeld; On your belly you shall go, And WHAT IS A SIN? | 203

you shall eat dust All the days of your life.’” (Genesis 3:14, NKJV) 3. Judgment Against Eve (2nd sentence in history): “To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’” (Genesis 3:16, NKJV) 4. Judgment Against Adam (3rd sentence in history): “Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the ﬁeld. In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust, you shall return.’” (Genesis 3:17-19, NKJV) 5. The Struggle for Humility (to get back to Eden/Heaven from a prodigal life): “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil [the power to know]. And now, lest he put out his hand and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.’” (Genesis 3:22, NKJV) 6. The Need for Redemption or Salvation: “Therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man, and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a ﬂaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:23-24, NKJV)

Now, it is perhaps logical to side with the notion that if something isn’t growing, then it is dying. Do you think sin has a life? Yes, it does, and from the moment a seed of sin is planted in a 204 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME human being, it begins to seek an opportunity to amass its size and extend its border or to bear fruit (Genesis 4:7). How does it accomplish this?

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies [tells of having life] at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7, NKJV, italics by me)

The growth potential of a transgression is linked to demonic claim to ownership. Consider this example: Imagine that someone has just prayed, seeking forgiveness for all sins, and repenting. It would be accurate to assume that the person is on the road to freedom from any satanic stronghold because sinning gives legal rights to the enemy to claim ownership to the soul until the violation is pardoned through the ransom associated with the life (or spilled blood) of Jesus Christ. Demons can exercise control by entering the person and proceed to extend entitlement by inviting others of their kind. Occupancy by demons can affect the body and soul in many ways—sickness and eagerness to sin are just a couple of examples. The King of Glory is light, and the enemy is the prince of darkness, so they cannot coexist (1 John 1:5-10). Additionally, more demons may be added to the ownership link or chain as the person continues to commit more offenses; it is this deed of ownership by Satan that eventually banishes a soul to the underworld if timely repentance is not obtained.

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we WHAT IS A SIN? | 205

walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:5-10, KJV)

Conversely, when a Christian repents as often, and as quickly as wrongs are performed (and avoids making sinning a habit), the soul stays clean, and it becomes a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, and this should be the fervent and effective desire of all who follow Jesus. So, again, what exactly is a sin? It is an inobservance of the rule, and perhaps a dismissive attitude toward its consequences. A dictionary description is, "An immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law." To put it differently, call it a punishment or a penalty. It is a trespass, and such infringements always have repercussions. So, surely, God created the rulebook or condition for what is deﬁned as sinful or evil (Isaiah 45:7). Viola- tors are the ones who produce sin; they are the transgressors. In other words, a sin is generated for each act of disobedience, thereby making the violator a sin factory.

NOTE: Any involvement with sin cannot produce enduring gains, despite one's effort; the father of lies gave it.

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create [the rulebook, as it were, for] evil: I the LORD do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7, KJV) 206 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

A person who keeps repeating a sin has turned on the switch of their soul as a manufacturer of that transgression. Also, sinning, which is the abuse of free will, in an indirect way demonstrates the extent to which God will allow His child to gambol in mischief with mammon, all the while still ﬁrmly within His grasp and ever- present gaze. However, a period of accountability looms on the horizon; one of restitution and judgment.

Sin is a Production of Uselessness

The concept of sin-production is comparable to a chocolate company producing varieties; each type of wrongdoing is an intentionally wrapped product of our soul, but there is no buyer, only an elusive satisfaction of being busy, producing something assuredly poisonous to oneself and possibly toxic to another, but disgusting and foul-smelling to God. Altogether, I believe it is sobering and very rational to perceive the Prince of Darkness or Father of Lies as the CEO of an underworld enterprise — let us call it the Perdition Corporation. However, may it never be lost to our minds that there is a Divine Corporation that is continually hiring, ever seeking to ﬁnd an obedient hand. Satan's objective is to expand his business on Earth, which is entirely about destroying God's creation. Even more, the Dragon intends to lash out at God, but he cannot do it directly. Alternatively, armed with the knowledge of God's love for people, he tries to take possession of their decision-making to his beneﬁt, to the destruction of any yielding soul, and to an unimaginable amount of pain to the heart of Jesus. Consequently, the Lord is angry with the sinner because sinning is not a divine mandate on humanity, it is a choice, so evil is exceptionally disrespectful of and disloyal to Him, and He is always trying to prevent the eternal torture of His rude and rebellious children.

“My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart. God is WHAT IS A SIN? | 207

a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready.” (Psalms 7:10-12, NKJV)

Additionally, it is essential to mention that demons do not randomly assault us. Each strike on humanity is a planned and determined effort, and failure to accomplish the mission is not ignored; dire consequences follow. As such, fallen angels manage their assignments quite seriously to escape punishment. We inﬂict demons with pain each time we are obedient to God. Conversely, they are rewarded for their successes, and Jesus endures the pain. However, The Blessed Hope has not given the devil the freedom to just pounce on anyone, like a roaring lion, and have him or her for breakfast or lunch (1 Peter 5:8-9).

“Be sober, be vigilant; because of your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afﬂictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9, KJV)

Instead, the Devil needs agents on Earth, which are unassumingly acquired through each act of sin. That being so, people usually are hired or enlisted, not ordinarily by coercion, but voluntarily, lured by their insatiable greed to satisfy the lust of their eyes, their prideful hearts and the desire associated with their ﬂesh. It's a barter or exchange system, of sorts, where the ultimate sinister CEO would give someone their heart's desire for working against God. Each sinful deed renders the doer an employee of the underworld enterprise, and the ﬁnal payment is eternal death. Moreover, a person in an unrepentant lifestyle is no less than a franchise of 208 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME the Perdition Corporation. It's time to shut down the sin-plant. Turn it off. Seeing things from the position just illuminated, one may quickly recognize that we each are responsible for how the game is played and for its result. The Author and Finisher of Our Faith created boundaries for our actions, and when we jump over the fences we are in violation, in transgression, and you may term it sin. God is not going to change the rules at this point, or ever. He created them before the foundation of the Earth was constructed and as James 1:17 advises, there is no variation with Him — He cannot change, for if He did, then the Lord would not be perfect; He would not be God. He would have become the double-minded person that His Word cautions about in James 1:6-8.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17, NKJV) “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:6-8, NKJV)

Therefore, the rules and boundaries are not personal; The Blessed Hope is not out to get you or me. He has established laws for His purpose and our betterment, and we must follow them or accumulate potentially eternal ﬁnes. I used the word "potentially" because it does not have to be so; the death of Christ is the payment to liberate violators from the wrath associated with sin. How do we obtain redemption? We recognize our sins and ask Jesus to forgive us for hurting Him. In fact, He feels the pains of our sins, so we should stop doing the wrong deeds. WHAT IS A SIN? | 209

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40, KJV)

In life, there are causes and effects, actions and reactions for each game move — we must solidly understand this point and use it, especially when seeking answers to challenging events. Even so, what often eludes our ability to reckon and respond appropriately to causes/effects/actions/reactions are the concealed root-causes that are hardly ever considered but can be the fundamental reason for the fallout in some human interrelationships. When faced with hardship, we usually tackle the ﬁrst line of engagement, the ﬁrst person we can conveniently cast culpability upon, and that person may be only the proverbial messenger or mail carrier.

Sin is a Stumbling-block

For many of us, our ancestry reaching even as far back as Adam laid the groundwork for the lifetime of wrongdoings that some so readily pursue without any apparent will to exercise restraint, but, instead continue the misdeed sometimes with engrossed anticipation. Using the following excerpt taken from “Understanding the "Generational Curse" of Exodus 34:7," a write-up in FocusOnThe- Family.com, we read that Adam holds some culpability for our appetite to disregard God's laws.

“Your family tree stretches back much farther than you can imagine. The "skeletons" in your closet weren't put there by your dad or your grandmother or your great-aunt. They're actually the work of your First Parents. You were in Adam when he transgressed God's commandment. 210 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

You were condemned with him. But that's not the end of the story. The good news is that redemption and eternal life are also corporate rather than individual in nature. Just as you were in Adam when he fell from grace, so now, if you believe in Jesus, you are in Christ through faith. This is what Paul means when he says that "by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). There's just one way to get out from under the "generational curse:" you have to be grafted into a whole new family tree” (Romans 11:11-24)

— FOCUSONTHEFAMILY.COM.COM

“Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:7, KJV) "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil and do good, and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever." (Psalms 37:25-29, KJV)

Nonetheless, I do not agree with the article on the point that the skeletons in your closet weren't put there by your dad or your grandmother or your great-aunt. Without a doubt, our parents and even grandparents may be responsible for the compounding effect of the sins of their descendants, particularly if they never repented and ceased those wrongdoings. For example, read Daniel 6:19-24 WHAT IS A SIN? | 211 for an account of the punishment the instigators and their family received for having Daniel wrongly cast into a den of lions, and observe how the innocent family members suffered as well.

“Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, ‘O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?’ Then said Daniel unto the king, ‘O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.’ Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So, Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.” (Daniel 6:19-24, KJV) “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call Heaven and Earth to 212 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-19, KJV) “Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afﬂicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that ﬁnd no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.” (Lamentations 1:5-6, KJV) “Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.” (Lamentations 2:19, KJV) "For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." (James 2:13, NKJV)

What this story reveals is that we do not live just for ourselves; we also live for others. For many, there is a potentially long and durably linked chain of ancestral doings that now oversee our advancements or lack thereof. We cannot afford to dwell in the ignorance of this profound truth. As a result, I am careful to caution you that some challenges do not have links to anything other than the loving heart of God helping and steering a child to improvement — sometimes the discomfort is not a punishment. Our purpose on Earth is an opportunity for Him to sculpt, to carve us into His perfect image. Words such as sculpting and carving should hint of possible pains, something hardly any of us has a desire to welcome or entertain. Nevertheless, when we lament, curse and revolt against the fashioning of the Sculptor, Jesus Christ, He may withdraw His WHAT IS A SIN? | 213 hands. As you might imagine, withdrawal does not suggest completion or a skip in the process, only a temporary stoppage. Provided time remains for that soul, the Carver may continue the work later, ever trying to prepare the life for Heaven, ever seeking to redeem us to Himself. All in all, the only solution to generational bondages is prayer, fasting, and repentance. One must seek the Lord and ask Him to break or nullify all negative spiritual connections due to the deeds of our deep parentage. To this extent, three of the ﬁrst ﬁve books of the Old Testament — Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers — testify to the possibility of what is more generally known as generational curses. Curses that allow for persistent evil spanning generations, for they are the results of sin and represent spiritual ties and restrictions that grant demons the legitimacy to level restraints against an offspring because of un-repented, accumulated penalties or sins reaching back to one's ancestral root — however, God is merciful.

“Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:9-10, KJV) “The LORD is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.” (Numbers 14:18, KJV)

Sin is a Tireless Predator

Today, I am often drawn to reﬂect on life and to think about the 214 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME physical landscape of people and things, not only to consider my earthly occupation as a ﬂeeting and profoundly consequential experience, but also about how our bodies and the world at large might look under a super powerful microscope. What is the reason for this desire? Well, the straight and direct answer is something called sin, because it is puzzling to rationalize that though most adults know the clear-cut distinction between wrong and right, we still commit evil at an abominable rate (Job 15:15-16, NKJV).

“If God puts no trust in His saints, and the heavens are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is abominable and ﬁlthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!” (Job 15:15-16, NKJV)

The Bible says if our eyes cause us to sin we should pluck them out. The Book of divine guidance also wrote that our eyes are the lamp or window of the body and that if our vision is clear, our whole body will be full of light and in contrast, darkness will pervade the body of someone with poor spiritual vision (Matthew 6:22-23). Now, imagine if we could see sin at the magniﬁcation of an electron microscope which can magnify objects or specimens upwards of 100,000 times, I gather we would all make it to Heaven. Why? First, I would encourage you to browse the www.eyeofscience.de/en/medicine/ site to survey an array of images that are sure to provide a different perspective of our world, and, second, many of the things that enthrall us into wrongdoing are nothing pleasant to behold when pierced into at the atomic levels. Absent having microscopic vision, we have to live entirely by our primary senses, and they are weak. I suggest watching this YouTube video (https://goo.gl/bi4AuZ— A Trip to Hell) that could serve as a preview of what lies in wait for the unrepentant. WHAT IS A SIN? | 215

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single; thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil; thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23, KJV)

Overall, the aim of proposing the images and video above is to encourage us to pause and consider what we are doing with our Life and Time and to enable us somehow to recognize the dangers of sin and its insult to Christ. Sinning is not only about a violation. It is significantly more about a demonstration of infidelity. As said before, I believe in a pre-mortal existence (post-mortal as well), and I also consider that God did not just allow us to come to Earth without first cautioning us of the potential danger. He did not grant us only the power to choose, but also the empowerment to choose wisely, to decide for eternal life. Every act of sin is the result of a decision made by someone against God, intentionally or otherwise. It is a result that favors the enemy of Jesus. In other words, sin is a betrayal, not because God is not aware of what is taking place but because His children are turning their backs on Him and siding with the opposition and using the body as a weapon against righteousness. I consider the body and soul very similar to a grain of wheat where the bran or outer shell represents the physical body, and the germ and endosperm represent our spiritual parts. Indeed, the bran is good for roughage and contains minerals and vitamins, but the food factory of the kernel is the germ, which produces all the necessary nutrients to support the growth and maturity of the seed. Comparatively, the quality of our soul is the exact measurement of our usefulness to Christ, now and in eternity. Because of this, we must nourish our souls with eternal substances such as praying, reading the Bible and living righteously, because as is 216 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME known in the computer world, garbage in, garbage out (GIGO). We are a composition of our intake, what we consume, spiritually and physically. As a side note, how many of us can remember our parents, faces twisted in agitation, reprimanding us with stern words such as “be still, be quiet, chill out, can’t you be quiet for a while and sit down?” Sometimes there was an escalation with louder outbursts and emphasis like” shut up” or “if you can’t hear, you will feel!” Yes, I remember those days, though perhaps not with the same word-choice. Looking back on things, many of us would smile because we have matured enough to realize that our loving parents were only seeking to protect (from the predator) and guide us on the right path, but throughout those earlier days, in our more developmental upbringing, we did not take too kindly to their hands and voices of correction. Sincerely, matters are no different in our relationship with God, the Father. As we are made in the image of God, we therefore share a spiritual heredity with Him which manifests in our life as righteousness-based characteristics; for example, traits that demonstrate as love for our children. Accordingly, in an equal way, our Father in Heaven does allow bouts of pain, hardship, and other challenges to fashion us for eternity. Trials and sufferings are no different in application to the remedial influence of the shepherd's rod. I think we can become more fervent followers of Christ when we graciously appreciate and accept this truth. Somehow, we each should be a bit different from Jonah (Jonah 4:6-11); we should seek to overcome our natural tendency to rush for shade at each appearance of heated, sunny rays. Let us think about the benefits of spiritual vitamin D. We need it to build a robust structure against our challenging dark enemies.

“And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So, Jonah was very grateful for the WHAT IS A SIN? | 217

plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” (Jonah 4:6-11, NKJV)

Sin is Deceptive and Brutal

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8, NKJV)

If one believes the devil has some allowances to tempt humanity, or that the members of a society can see their weaknesses without God's help, we need to understand that life is often not what it seems since we are in enemy territory. John 8:44 describes the devil as a murderer and the father of lies, making him the consummate rebel, liar, thief, dictator, and terrorist. When a place is run or managed by such a brutal being, how then can one conscientiously expect a life of calmness or peace? How can one not understand that life is "not a bed of roses or a cakewalk"? 218 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44, NKJV)

We are in a spiritual war and must be prepared to fight to the end, and we can win when we use our knowledge of sin by abstaining from evil activities. Equipped with such an understanding, then why do many of us find it difficult to resist sin? The answer, I gather, is that sinning is usually not harsh or cold, neither does it ever demand payment up front; it proposes the layaway option (enjoy now and pay later) for its glistening and hard-to- resist offering. An invitation to sin is lavishly wrapped with one's emotional craving, and accompanied by a smooth, drawing appeal, but it's an incentive to spiritual suicide, to one's eternal wreck. Let us stop, think and choose wisely for the eternal sake of our souls, and the joy of God's heart.

“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22, KJV) “For we wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV)

Today, considering the role of the prince of darkness, the father of lies in this world, it is essential to grasp that situations in life can be very slippery, for they represent the serpentine characteristic of Satan and his minions. There are more than a few deceptive strate- WHAT IS A SIN? | 219 gies that the enemy uses against us to lure us into sin. To illustrate with physics, the observation that "opposites attract" is the result of combining negative and positive electrical charges, which has a zero or neutral effect. Still in physics, but moving slightly to a different concept, we learn that the "opposites-attract" feature does not hold true for gravity, where all objects attract, and there are no opposites. The gravity case is a sharp parallel to the relationship a soul holds with eternity. While on Earth, a person's mind may ﬂuctuate about where he or she will live in the hereafter, but the spiritual gravitational pull or attraction that collects a soul beyond the threshold of life is very absolute. Everything with sin will be pulled downward. The person's moral standing is irrelevant, but the fact that they had no relationship with the Deliverer is sufﬁcient to trigger the spiritual gravitational slide. Hence, as is apparent, opposites don't attract by God's standard. Otherwise, if they did, there would exist the likelihood of having even an inkling of Hell in Heaven and vice versa. Still, as another example of opposites is the case of what I will call a faith-deprived-idiom or an expression that does not promote faith, but instead, could support a secular perspective on what The Anointed One deems so very holy. I do like idioms. Some of my favorites are "Piece of cake," "Make a long story short" and "Feel a bit under the weather." Anyway, there is one for which I have a reduced fancy, and it is "Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched." On the surface, it sounds logically accessible and even pacifying. Though the expression may hold an exquisite appeal when referring to carnal perception and palate, it is life- threatening regarding God's promises, which must be accepted by faith. These promises are not based on one's emotions or visual acuity, but on the infallibility and omnipotence of our Creator. Concerning all the promises in the Bible, the Faithful Creator wants us to count all the chickens well before they are hatched. In fact, He encourages allowing orders for the chicken before they leave their shells. We have to dissect and analyze everything we think 220 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME about and utter because doubt, which is the absence of faith, is a sin (Romans 14:23).

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23, NKJV) “Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:6-11, NKJV) “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." (1 Thessalonians 4:3-12, NKJV) WHAT IS A SIN? | 221

Sin is an Offspring of Pride

A discussion about sin will be incomplete without a substantive reference to pride, that feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's "own" achievements.

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18, NKJV) "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." (Proverbs 8:13, NKJV)

Inarguably, a fascination with pride is as deadly as any dose of ignorance that leads to sin because they all intoxicate a soul into self-destruction. I can recall a disturbing experience that left me wobbling and trying to regain spiritual composure and balance. The upsetting event occurred when a friend failed to conform to a schedule we had established. Each member took turns to perform a certain role, and when it was my turn, he all but brushed me aside, without a word of explanation, and handed the opportunity to someone I deemed was a closer friend to him. My self-importance got bruised and I could feel the backlash from a prideful heart forming. For a couple of days, I mulled over the aberration because now I was expected to embrace this unpleasant unfamiliarity that had arisen because his advice and exhortations were misaligned with his conduct. I was dismayed. However, aided by knowledge and wisdom, I knew that a prolonged rejection would cause bitterness and eventually expose my soul to demonic infestation, consequently volunteering my soul up to the ﬁres of hell (Hebrews 12:14-15). Throughout the emotional struggle, I was mindful of 222 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

God's expectation, so in the end, as I knew better, I had to do better. I knelt and asked for the willingness to let it go, to forgive him, and my Father in Heaven did free me from the looming entanglement.

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be deﬁled.” (Hebrews 12:14-15, KJV)

What did I learn from the God-allowed, possibly ordained lesson? I am not better than him. Throughout my life, I have done what would equate to the same, so I had no excuse to harbor resentment because that would be hypocritical. Why? I believe every other human being, by example, is a mirror of our potential; what one does, another can perform or react to identically. I am inspired to consider that we often fail to grasp that shortcomings in others are opportunities that the Author of Eternal Salva- tion uses to teach us about ourselves, lessons that, if learned, will become formidable weapons against assaults of pride and other foolishness. However, I have discovered that an unwillingness to recognize one's innate weaknesses and a self-cultivated inability to acknowledge a call to safety by a whisper of self-denial are ever- menacing barriers to forgiveness. Therefore, a readiness to forgive is a sterling demonstration, through God's grace, of a spiritual maturity that recognizes one's frailty and accepts another's. The process is one of love, understanding and demonstrable compliance with God's will, against the temptation and prideful appetite of mammon. It's a compelling desire to promote others and crucify self; forgiveness is an act of self-denial, an offering to God, so let us be thankful to the only eternally wise God for the capability to see and listen to examples WHAT IS A SIN? | 223 of ourselves, manifested in the lives of others. Pain and suffering, as lessons, can add layers of maturity to a soul, but they may also be hints that the Consuming Fire uses to forewarn, even as a foretaste, of the untold distress of an eternity without Him, and conversely, each discomfort can strengthen one's resolve for a pain- free life in Heaven. However, let us strive to ensure that any hardship is not derived from a sinful lifestyle.

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7, KJV) "For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall ﬁnd compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him." (2 Chronicles 30:9, KJV) "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12, KJV) "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me." (Jeremiah 33:8, KJV)" I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah 43:25, KJV) "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us 224 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:5-10, KJV) "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7, NKJV) 6

A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER

OBEDIENCE IS THE KEYSTONE

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building ﬁtly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:20-22, KJV) "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing." (John 15:4-5, KJV) "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." (John 15:14, KJV)

f one effectively believes there is a life beyond the grave, I particularly in Heaven, and that Jesus is coming back one day for a group of holy people or children, then the observations below might urge and support readiness for that divine appointment. I 226 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME believe that the King of Majesty and Power did come to the Earth, utterly humbled Himself, and died a cruel death to ransom sinful man from eternal sadness.

How we spend our time

I am convinced that our existence as humans over an average lifespan of 75 years is significantly more intricate than is demonstrated by those statistics. The complete list is available at MSN.com under the title “30 surprising facts about how we spend our time.” Evidently, those numbers do not reveal the amount of time spent with God—praying, reading the Bible, or doing charitable deeds—but the facts may challenge our conscience enough to turn towards a personal assessment of our spiritual time management. Why? We are not just physical beings; we are mainly spiritual creatures. Somehow, we have to prioritize and manage our Life and Time, so that we can focus on more critical issues, rather than spend an inordinate amount of lifetime on fleeting and frivolous engagements of mortal existence. To be honest, I think some of us like to pay later. We buy a new car and a new house and pay later in increments or otherwise. Others go to school and college and prefer to play rather than buckle down and study—a case of postponed sacrifice. Invariably, a worldwide culture of pleasure-seeking has eaten deep into the fabric of our society, and consequently, it has spilled over to our spiritual lives. A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 227

Ordinarily, some prefer to enjoy the bounty of Earth immediately and even with wanton pleasure. We often regard holiness as an afterthought, something to ponder about when we are old and gray, or when all substance is entirely spent, and we are left to consider life in a rocking chair or retirement home. Too many seem to have an uncontrollable appetite to frolic now and pay later, thereby engaging the allures of procrastination, and ever wanting to suspend or delay the corrective rod of moderate discomfort or sacrifice, ever seeking to ignore the voice of self- denial. We tend to stiffen ourselves against a call to exercise faith, patience, and sacrifice, which for many are divinely appointed lighthouses, strategically fashioned by the Author of Eternal Salva- tion to guide and prevent a shipwreck which may be caused by procrastination, idleness, selfishness, pride, and laziness (Proverbs 6:6-11).

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:6-11, KJV)

WARNING! Today, if you are convinced you are a Christian and you do not hear God's voice or receive various spiritual prompts to demonstrate your commitment or willingness to do His will, PLEASE, seriously re-evaluate your position with Him. Pray about the matter and take action. It is important to realize that The Comforter instructs everyone at different times and in different ways to serve a specific purpose in His universal plan for humanity. For instance, He endowed Leonardo Da Vinci with the 228 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME skill of painting, Galileo with the aptitude for his work on the tele- scope, Thomas Savery in his effort on the first steam engine, John Wesley and George Whitefield in their pastoral pursuits, and you and me in our respective calling. He wants us to attend to His requests, either to run an errand of mercy or to spend deliberate moments before Him. Nonetheless, each life is about developing an enduring relationship with our Father in Heaven before life ceases. At this point, I will try to substantiate the required seriousness of our devotion to God with an example. In a dream, I was at the office doing some computer programming, the nature of my work. The program manager passed by and saw this beautiful software on my monitor, and in his excitement, he called the director (who I believe was Jesus) for a demo, but there was a problem; somehow, I honestly could not start the demonstration, while both were looking at my screen. Surprisingly, something that was meant to be routine turned out overwhelming, and then I awoke, thinking about what had just happened. What came to my spirit was preparedness. You see, due to tiredness, laziness and even compromise, that night I had gone to sleep without saying my prayers or asking Jesus to forgive me for any wrong I might have committed that day. Let’s take time to pray and not take God's kindness and gentleness for granted—which I had done that night. This other point relates to our relationship with Christ: BE AWARE that it is more important that He knows us than any claim we might have about our knowledge of Him, as 2 Timothy 2:19 advises and Matthew 7:22-23 forewarns. He saved us for a reason, and as a result, He will enlist us to complete specific assignments. As you may know, some of God's commands are challenging activities that we struggle against or even resist, because of fear or uneasiness. Even so, we end up doing them anyway because we realize that our Deliverer does not tolerate disobedience. A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 229

“Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19, KJV) “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6) “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22-23, KJV) “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.’” (Luke 22:41-42, KJV)

Indeed, everyone has a different spiritual walk, but all are expected to work for God's Kingdom. Most of us work every day to support our physical well-being. Likewise, The Blessed Hope expects us to work for His Kingdom; this is achieved by dutiful- ness to His voice and Word. He is always seeking a willing and yielding heart. There is a grave danger when we don't promptly respond to His calling (Hebrews 3:7-12). At the end of each rebellion, our ears and hearts become more deafened or hardened to His voice, even though He may still be talking to us—let's be careful. 230 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So, I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:7-12, KJV)

More than the case of performing works or charity, The Author and Finisher tests our submission, which is priceless to Him, especially since the opposite—disobedience—is the same as witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23). I believe the ultimate intent of witchcraft is to control someone, to exert domineering and destructive inﬂuence. In other words, obedience to Christ is compliance with His will while disobedience is indicative of an assuming attempt to have the First and Last comply with our agenda; it is indeed a sorcerous attempt to control Him.

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:23, KJV) “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the ﬂoods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 231

sand: And the rain descended, and the ﬂoods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27, KJV)

Without question, I believe that praying is just as important as obedience. However, God's commands are not always found directly in the Bible as clear-cut rules, such as "Thou shall not steal or kill." Instead, as the Word is God and He lives in us, some divine directions originate from an internal spiritual nudge or what some describe as a gut feeling. This sensation can also be deﬁned as an instinctual, spirit-led stirring to do something or abstain from something. God directs us in every part of our lives, whether we go to the mall to shop or say hello to someone. The closer one is to God, the stronger the pull towards a speciﬁc action will be felt. The inverse is true as well. The Lord always speaks to the heart of His children and the more we listen to His voice, the more attuned we become to it. This is especially helpful during times of crisis, where only the right answer or direction will adequately address the situation. I can recall an instance when I experienced this internal feeling (caused by His Spirit). It was a Sunday, and I left the church to travel to a friend's home for lunch after his ordination. During that time, I was not feeling well. My stomach was upset, and an overwhelming feeling of sluggishness was seizing my body. All the while, I pondered about what I had done to cause an imbalance in my otherwise relatively good health. Nonetheless, while driving from the church, my spirit was prompted, as it initially was earlier that morning, to visit the nearby mall to evangelize after the service. I knew it was the Lord's instruction, but I was also thinking about not wanting to miss the scheduled lunch. I understood the dangers of ignoring God's voice, so I drove to the mall despite still not feeling well. After my evangelizing session, I realize something had changed. To my amazement, new energy had replaced the burdening lethargy. God had healed my body. 232 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Thus, the lesson I was called to focus on is obedience to God’s voice. I went to the mall to speak about life, and, in turn, to sow and reap. God poured life back into my being. After all, we cannot out give Him. The lesson here is that there is no sacriﬁce for obedience. I could have refused to evangelize that day and go home to pray about my sickness to no avail. Furthermore, it takes time for The Author and Finisher to prepare a soul for Heaven. He must work with our rate of willingness toward spiritual maturity. He will not force us. CONSIDER THIS POINT: Repeated failure to submit to His will may impact His redemptive plan for us. Why? The number of allowable takeoffs becomes less, as it were, with each failed attempt to liftoff and pursue His purpose. Let's carefully observe our opportunities and handle them wisely. As humans—fallen beings—I think it is effortless for us to trivialize God’s love, somehow giving ourselves the leeway to bask in the presumption that He will take whatever we offer, because, after all, we are only humans. But, respectfully, we must also remember that He is PERFECT, and this is the standard He has set, it is His nature. Even if He wanted to allow a person into Heaven with an A- or B+ soul, it just could not happen. The King of Glory is perfect in love, but He also meant what He said in the Bible, about keeping His commands; He CANNOT change (Malachi 3:6).

“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6, KJV) “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, KJV)

Pride Abuses Free Will A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 233

Pride is an obstruction against God's perfect will. Now, imagine this was your life: You love your profession, you enjoy going to your workplace, and would never reject overtime. Coupled with that, on weekends, you never fail to attend your favorite church. However, if you found out your job site was an exchange point for illicit drugs or you discovered that large quantities of a toxic chemical were leaking into your building from an adjacent facility, would you still happily go to work? How would you react to such vexing news about your beloved church? Your body and mind would most likely respond with disapproval that may show up in your facial muscles as a frown, and your heart rate might even increase in emotional deﬁance. To this end, there is a line that separates reasoning from response; I will term it the free-will-bar, which we adjust to each situation. In addressing any of these previously mentioned issues, we may not even seek God's direction. Instead, as is typical, we may opt to leverage free will to resolve what might otherwise be considered a straightforward matter. So, what is the point? In the past, a respected prophetic friend would, in a questioning voice, express that since the Chief Cornerstone knows the outcome of all lives, then we may not have free will at all, but I don't agree with his assessment. For many, the activities of this life such as going to church, work, school or how we go about making personal decisions, are entirely based on free will. We usually do not send an email to Heaven and then wait for a response before we proceed with these actions. We use the range of available, natural choices. Eternal life is achievable, but an understanding of our role in the process is crucial. Firstly, for the First and Last not to have a perfect view of the end will invalidate His omniscient attribute and indeed His perfection, and He would then not be God. So, I consider our free will as having no bearing on His omniscience. Routinely, and without aid, we decide on home furnishings, travel, vocational adjustments, family and marital concerns, all without even a casual glance toward Heaven or rendering a word in submission to God. 234 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Without the convenience and other benefits of free will, I submit to you that we each would have to be like manikins or humanoids, strung to God's commanding voice by invisible strings of sensitivity that are strengthened by absolute constraint. Secondly, if Life and Time were choice-less adventures or deployments, then other more significant questions would have to be addressed regarding the virtue of love, the hope of Heaven and the regrets in hell. The reward of eternal life is a deliberate compensation for notably opting to fashion one's life after the will of our heavenly Father even though the resources to choose an idolatrous life are well within reach. Thirdly, what benefit is it for the Firstborn of All Creation to force someone into submission? The opposite of free will is unwillingness, and why would the Comforter coerce someone to serve Him? He is already complete. Only human beings are incomplete, because of sin. If possible, would you compel someone to love you? There is an unassuming pressure associated with any force, and when released, the opposite reaction is hardly ever favorable. Only the Dragon rules by domination; God leads with Love, which graciously supports free will. Moreover, I offer a caution; the free will permit is only applicable for a lifetime; it is no longer valid after death. It is not needed in Heaven or supported in hell because love always seeks to serve and waywardness or disobedience attends to selfishness. To put it another way, in Heaven saints lovingly and willingly submit to God while brutishness compels those in the pits. One might protest that the Author of Life may not be as loving as the Bible portrays Him to be since He allowed various calami- ties to befall Job, a man considered perfect in His eyes (Job 1:21-22).

“And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.’ In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:21-22, NKJV) A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 235

Logically, that point of view might appear reasonable, but the truth will always equal or trump logic, so I’ll offer my thought: I believe Job was chosen for a particular purpose, as was his ordeal; to serve as a scriptural reference to promote God’s inﬁnite knowledge and love. For instance, because the Author of Eternal Salvation knows the beginning and the end of all lives, He selected Job because He knew his heart, and He was conﬁdent that His servant would remain faithful to resolute stewardship of his free will toward holiness. Otherwise, it would have been less than love to enlist Job, I imagine. What do you think?

Identify and Avoid Sin

Part 1 - Type of sins

Throughout this guide, there are multiple references and cautions about living a life that pleases God, a life that is suitable for Heaven. Nonetheless, to remove any hint of an assumption that everyone knows what to do, I have provided a list of things that displease God. Each of the prescriptions (commands) is of equal weight. Every unrepented sin leads to eternal desolation, so the notion of small and big sin is entirely misleading and biblically untrue. 236 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Part 2 - Type of sins (continued)

Part 3 - Type of sins (Complete list: www.wogim.org/sinlist.htm)

“Now the works of the ﬂesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry (greediness, covetousness), witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21, KJV) A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 237

I believe it is prudent and responsible of me to provide you with a list of some of the books that have helped me, and I am mentioning them here, not at the back. Some are free, all are authoritative, and will help with our goal of getting to Heaven, so please take some time to become informed about the All Sufﬁcient One and His attainable plan for the world and your life.

End Times References

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26, KJV) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13, KJV) “Jesus said unto him, ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’” (Mark 9:23, KJV) “And Jesus said unto them, ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you.’” (Matthew 17:20, KJV)

We can achieve the goal of leaving this world spiritually alive, 238 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME but only through Jesus Christ; resting entirely on self-effort is futility. The effort of returning to Heaven is a calculated and decisive one, nothing magical or random. Let us become uncomplainingly aware that trials and temptations are as much an active part of life as the process of breathing, but assuredly, not at the same rate (1 Corinthians 10:13). Now, whether an individual is sick, healthy, broke, or well-to-do, each circumstance corresponds to one or more questions on the exam that God has prepared well before the foundation of the Earth. No one can skip the Heaven-sent examination, and the result correlates to one's commitment to Christ.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who (He) will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, KJV)

Frequently, God questions our allegiance, and we must answer with deeds of righteousness. Yes, though the intimidating masks of physical, emotional, and social obstacles may tempt us to retreat in faintheartedness, God is ever-watching, and He wants to assure us that He is in it after all. He is ever in control, so the mission is undoubtedly possible. Please consider this truth: A failure to reach Heaven is a success in reaching Hell.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, KJV) "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted [He only tests us] by evil, A DESIRE TO LIVE FOREVER | 239 nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren." (James 1:13-16, NKJV) “‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ saith the LORD, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV) “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4, KJV) 7

THE RESCUE MISSION

JESUS CAME TO SAVE THE LOST

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV)

he pride of life and lust of the ﬂesh are destroying humanity in T droves, both physically and spiritually. The Bible warns us of this diabolic pair, which lures far too many of us into ﬁnancial and emotional entanglements that suffocate our lives. This strangulation prevents us from breathing in life’s true sustenance, while causing us to neglect the lateness of the hour. What is not readily observable is that these incapacities are the well-orchestrated maneuverings of fallen beings. We spring for the latest technology and architecture but are left laboring under the weight of debt. This swells the heart of hell with joy, but saddens the heart of God, as He witnesses the decimation of His beloved children. Somehow, we must increase our daily devotion to escape our inborn attraction to vanity. God help us all! THE RESCUE MISSION | 241

"For the Son of man [Jesus] is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he ﬁnds it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven, that one of these little ones [us] should perish." (Matthew 18:11-14, KJV) "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall ﬁnd rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, KJV)

From the very distant past, humans have been wrestling with an enormous challenge. The issue in its most elemental form relates to the obstruction of loyalty to God. Imagine you and a friend went hiking, and you both fell into a crevice. Somehow, your friend was able to shoulder your weight and thereby allow you to just barely, by straining forward with all your might, grasp two protruding rocks and lift yourself to safety. You then look down at him and promise to bring assistance, but never do. Instead, you go on your merry, prodigal or disunited way and seek out another hiker. Similarly, God has placed us on Earth for a mission, and some are not attending to it. Now His eyes and voice are straining, ever hoping to at least catch our attention, if not our care and willingness to be His hands and feet. This attitude of disloyalty carries an eternal consequence, one that no mortal being is prepared to bear. In other words, sin is dishonesty and hypocrisy toward the Trinity. How many would vent anger and remit a stern warning for a 242 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME betrayal? Why wouldn't God do the same? Unfaithfulness to God produces souls that are lost for eternity. Now, even the demons don't want to be in Hell, why should we?

“Jesus asked him, saying, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Legion,’ because many demons had entered him. And they [the demons] begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss [Hell]. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So, they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them [Isn’t this an act of mercy?]. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned." (Luke 8:30-33, NKJV)

Help! Help! This urgent appeal is a spiritual SOS! Humanity is in trouble! People need the Lord! We are in a state of devastating misfortune without Him! If there is a single person we don’t want to infuriate, it is our loving God, and yet, we end up doing just that possibly every day. He is watching with teary eyes and a broken heart as humanity turns gazes to all but Him. Please, let’s not close our eyes and enter eternity without Christ; it won’t be a good thing to experience for a very long and never-ending time. This writing is an urgent call to action, a clarion appeal to help prepare us for the journey ahead to an appointment that all will face, quite punctually. Did you know that the Bible is the most shoplifted book in the world? Though I don’t side with this method of obtaining it, it is understandable why the soul so desperately, without bounds, tries to connect with its primary source of life-giving essence. Reading the Bible adds spiritual wealth to our soul. Please read the THE RESCUE MISSION | 243 following literal words of God which express the urgency for one’s readiness to meet Him:

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.’” (Isaiah 55:6-8, NKJV) “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly [sin]; therefore, from now on you shall have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NKJV) “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,' says the LORD; 'I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,' says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 3:12-13, NKJV) “Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:11-12, NKJV)

Let’s find an example from history to illustrate how mankind interacts with itself and God. The day Alexander Graham Bell was buried, it was reported that the entire U.S. telephone system was shut down for a minute. That’s an example of exceptional honor. God gave us the telephone through Mr. Bell, but when was the last 244 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME time we humbled ourselves, individually, and gave Him thanks for providing us with so many blessings and the great hope of salvation? He is not dead; He is observing every moment of it all and commands respect. He desires to see a change, a personal revival in the heart, of all those who are not adequately acknowledging Him. A life that effectively respects Christ is one that is sturdy in obedience. This life must be so because there is nothing about God’s creation that is unsteady, though sin does cause wobbling, straining and bending until the repentance remedy is sought. He does not engage in idleness; He wants a firm commitment from us. If life were as basic as living, dying, and then disappearing into nothingness—Annihilationism, it would be useless to provide this information and even more so for you to read it. Your time would be better spent living to your heart’s content even in a state of reckless abandon. If that were even justifiably the case, I suggest to you that Jesus Christ would not have stepped down to Earth and subjected Himself to the brutalization of His creation. Nevertheless, He did come, and He did suffer the unimaginable. This sacrifice should forewarn us that something serious is at stake if we ignore Him; one cannot simply disrespect God and live happily ever after. The divine system was not designed to function in that manner. Mark 9:43-48 provides adequate evidence that informs and helps us prepare to meet our Creator in right standing. Thus, it is understandable why the Lord says if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off:

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to Hell, into the ﬁre that shall never be quenched— where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.' And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into Hell, into the ﬁre that shall never be THE RESCUE MISSION | 245

quenched— where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into Hellﬁre— where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.’” (Mark 9:43-48, NKJV)

Time and again, topics about God and His desire to commune with mankind are too readily deferred or shunned altogether. Despite that, turning a deaf ear or seeking absolution under the guise of ignorance won’t end well, especially when a voice of advice hollers, beckoning all hearers to be prepared for an inevitable appointment with the maker of inﬁnity, God Himself. Nonetheless, this is a rather hefty topic, so multiple scenarios will be used to help increase awareness around the various subtleties that conspire to oversee the terminal decline of humanity, God’s crown jewel in all of creation. Knowledge is powerful, and accurate information is indispensable. Now, due to numerous years of indoctrination by entrenched cultural norms and unscriptural expectations, a considerable amount of humanity has been conditioned into a mindset that tomorrow will come and another birthday is assured. So, in the state of chasing after everything but Jesus, many miss the big picture of life and, eventually, time runs out. What remains are baskets full of unused or improperly used brushes and paints littering the halls of spiritual antiquity, paragons depicting incomplete human existences that are entirely unpresentable in the courts of God. Lives that were once driven by a myriad of activities and passions have ended, all work has ceased, and the Voice of accountability summons the souls to judgment. Even so, for those who are alive today, that fate does not have to be our measure, nor our portion. 246 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a proﬁt; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15, NKJV) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” (James 1:22-24, NKJV)

It would be prudent to take stock of where we stand – especially spiritually – and try to avoid an eternal, catastrophic loss of our most valuable possession: our soul. Let’s become rejuvenated by the gospel of truth through getting to know God’s will, and let’s not fall victim to the destruction caused by a deﬁciency in spiritual knowledge and an uncommitted attitude. The Bible warns about these in Hosea 4:6, admonishes in Proverbs 16:3-4, and speaks with a strong emphasis in the few verses of Zephaniah. A day and time is coming when the following verses, by divine decree, will leap off the pages of the Bible and tangibly express their fear-provoking presence to all those who refused Jesus.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hosea 4:6, NKJV) “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, THE RESCUE MISSION | 247 even the wicked for the day of doom.” (Proverbs 16:3-4, NKJV) “I will utterly consume everything from the face of the land, says the LORD; I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, The fish of the sea, And the stumbling blocks along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the face of the land, Says the LORD.” (Zephaniah 1:2-3, NKJV) “The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high towers. I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse. Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.” (Zephaniah 1:14- 18, NKJV)

“If You Think Education Is Expensive, Try Ignorance.” — Derek Bok 248 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

To stress the importance of spiritual knowledge and its application a bit more, I have included the image below of one of my favorite software companies, SAS. I have introduced its logo mostly because of the company’s slogan: “The Power to Know.” I want you to know that God truly loves us and wants us to get to know Him through the reading of His holy Word and through spending time with Him in prayer. It is also important to recognize the fact that we are in an ongoing war against invisible dark forces, and we can only be victorious under the leadership and direction of the one true Commander, Jesus Christ. Understand that ignorance of mission-critical information is not bliss. Did you know that some turtles and sharks can live for more than 100 years? Or that a female lion is a better hunter than its male counterpart? Did you know that a pig cannot turn its head to the sky? Knowing or not knowing these trivial facts has no bearing on your life. But ignorance is not always bliss. As an Indonesian resident, consider the importance of knowing that the penalty for masturbation is decapitation, or for a Siena-based Italian to know that prostitution is illegal for anyone with the name Mary.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7, NKJV) “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear [do His will] Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” (Psalms 33:18-19, NKJV) “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.” (Proverbs 1:29-30, NKJV) “There is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.” (Proverbs 20:15, NKJV) THE RESCUE MISSION | 249

I am sure that no one gets to Heaven or goes into the abyss by chance. Rather, the result of life is the outcome of decisions made by the soul for or against God. Therefore, consider that each day we live, we have one day less to attend an interview with God where we’ll be either promoted or demoted, and He is patiently waiting. Let's think about our lives in the context of these verses and prepare for that day:

“So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12, NKJV) “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14, NKJV)

God fashioned each of us in His image, but that's a baseline for human commonality, and it is not enough to enter the streets of that Celestial City, the home of Christ. We are all sinners, but the grace and mercy of God sanctifies and justifies us. By contrast, and an eternally significant one, Jesus is The Image or exactness of God because He has no sin and would never need to repent, has no need for salvation or redemption, needs no justification and is already perfectly sanctified, and was never prodigal in any way. He was entirely God on Earth in the form of man, and there is none like Him. Muhammad, Krishna, and Buddha are all children of Jesus because Jesus is equal to God; He is God. All the so-called deities conspired with those behind the gates of hell to steal God's glory, but where are they now? While on this topic, it should be abundantly clear that Mary is only the mother of Jesus, not equal to Him and should not be praised or glorified. Let us talk about Life, about Jesus, not about the dead, not about mere mortals that God used for His well-deserved glory: 250 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"Who [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell [of God]; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" (Colossians 1:15-23, KJV)

Still, the plan is for us to be like Him, more and more, as our tenure on Earth enters its twilight days. An image is primarily a representation of the external form of a person or thing in art. The principal point is that our physical body unmistakably resembles His. We are like the Trinity, having three parts. Never- theless, what about our insides? How much of our internals, particularly the soul, resemble Him? Can He see a pleasing representation of Himself when He looks at our spirit? Does He even agree with the workings of our HPU when He sees its results? Jesus wants to present us to His Father as a heavenly-ready image that manifests a gloriﬁed body, soul, and spirit. He desires for us to be complete. THE RESCUE MISSION | 251

Somehow, from an educator’s standpoint, I see God as a test writer and as an examiner. He structures the questions, which our actions and lifestyle answer, and He examines the solutions to determine if they can be manifested in Heaven as other expressions of loyalty to His love. God and His angels are observing us every moment of our lives, so let’s be on our best behavior as well-mannered children.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the ﬁrstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:15-16, NKJV) “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:9-10, NKJV) “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” (Mark 10:15, NKJV)

I often think about Heaven and perhaps even more about the quality of my life as it compares to the standards of the Bible. I consider the glory of everlasting life in the presence of God, but I am also cautioned to reflect upon the opposite of it all. Some time ago, I was reading a sympathy note a family member wrote about a victim of a devastating nightclub fire. The words inspired the reader to reflect upon the life as the celebratory comments described the outstanding academic achievements of the deceased. What captured my attention were these few closing words: “Love you always.” I began to think about those parting words from one brother to another and, solemnly, I wondered if the writer understood his impartation. It was quite an affectionate 252 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME remark, but here are my thoughts: As you and I know, God is love, not only by attribution but also by personification—He is the entire essence or body of love (Romans 8:38-39). As a result, to be eternally joined to another person in love, both individuals will have to be in Heaven because there is no love in the city of darkness, as God is not there. Relatives and friends won’t “love” one another in the pit; there is nothing personal about this statement; the fact is, the essence of Love (God) is not there. Furthermore, the Bible warns about the potential of the heart (Jeremiah 17:9).

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, NKJV) "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV)

A soul in Hell, and subsequently the Lake of Fire, will succumb to such great pain and torture that they would curse everything about God and the Earth, and as they do, they will become eviler. The concept is no different from a person becoming progressively more wicked-minded as their indulgence level in sinister activities increases. Conversely, those in Heaven will become more holy. In this instance, both brothers will have to make it to Heaven for them to love each other always. A soul never dies, but continues to grow; the question is where? In Heaven, each person will grow from glory to glory and become more like God. Those in the bottomless pit will only become more hellish as they curse God day and night because of their torturous existence. Altogether, where each person ends up in the afterlife is the fulﬁllment of their heart’s desire, and the aspiration never stops, neither in Heaven THE RESCUE MISSION | 253 nor the eternal inferno. Hell itself, as the fruit of evil, will continue to ripen—but will never be fully ripe because of eternity. All the while, those in God's presence will advance in eternal blessedness, becoming ever holier. Today, let's welcome God, the Father, to rescue us from eternal death. God is waiting for us; Heaven is waiting for us. Revelation 21:1 and Isaiah 65:17 reveal the plan of God. Presently, there is a Heaven and Earth, but those chapters say they both are going to expire, Hell not excluded. It is perhaps reasonable to perceive the Earth on a decommission path but not Heaven, but the Word says both will be gone and zapped from all memories. Wow! Isn't that Earth-shattering? Not to be presumptuous, but I believe I understand why the current heavenly home will be no more, as well. Yes, you may protest that there are three heavens, and propose that maybe Isaiah 65:17 doesn't indicate all of them. Well, a closer inspection of the wording says, "new heavens and a new Earth," which does not suggest a remodeling but a rebuilding.

"Now I saw a new Heaven and a new earth, for the ﬁrst Heaven and the ﬁrst earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:1-2, NKJV) “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new Earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17, KJV)

One account of the current building process in Heaven appears in John 14:3, where Jesus told us that He was presently preparing a place for us. So, by staying faithful to His pledge, He is building homes. 254 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3, KJV)

Unfortunately, many children will continue to be estranged, pursuing and living unrepentant lives, and ending up eternally isolated from heavenly establishments. Beneath the Earth, demons are preparing rooms, cells, caldrons or other torture chambers for souls. Today, both Heaven and Hell are preparing a residence for each of us. Therefore, no one enters either location unwelcomed, since determined preparation is underway on each side, Heaven and Hell; fortiﬁed with this knowledge, we each must exercise resistance against the downward and ever-persuasive pull of evil. No doubt, there are countless empty homes in Heaven today, representing centuries, even millenniums, of children who did not live a complete life. As a result, it is an appropriate decision for the eternal and only wise God to create a new Heaven with only occupied homes, exclusively for those who have lived complete lives. Since the Bible says Heaven and Earth will pass away, we should consider that there is a link from Earth to Heaven (Isaiah 65:17). People are storing up treasures in Heaven, building up warehouses on God’s premises. Heaven is the storehouse, but after Judgment Day, God doesn’t want anything belonging to lost souls in His presence. When Earth expires, all links in Heaven must expire as well.

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17, NKJV)

Would you want to live in a place of eternal bliss and walk THE RESCUE MISSION | 255 down the street asking, who lives here? Why is it “boarded up?” I am sure God wouldn't want to have to tell you the house was built for someone from a now lost, non-existent world. Even further, one might say or ask, if God knows everything, why does He build homes that would eventually become vacant? Well, the answer is two-fold: He did promise (loyalty) to build them, and the building process is linked to our lives on Earth. Recognize that Matthew 6:19-21 describes how the construction material is accumulated.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21, KJV)

Hence, even as we are encouraged to store our treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt, we should be encouraged to retrieve those treasures as well. Not for the sake of accumulated wealth, but for the prospects of fulfilling our divine destiny and living a complete life. When we live obediently and engage in charity and other God- fearing practices like paying tithes, such effort converts to valuable material in Heaven. I need to add more about tithing. Though then a strict, ceremonial offering of 10 percent of Israelite's firstfruits according to the Law of Moses, it is today an expression of love, understanding, and commitment to Christ. Moreover, how can we love God and not support His missions with our earthly goods, finance or otherwise? However, the discussion will be incomplete and indeed misleading to suggest a liberation from tithing is an accepted Christian practice. 256 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulﬁll. For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulﬁlled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20, KJV)

The death, resurrection, and intercession of Jesus now replace the Abramic offering of the blood of goats and lambs as atonement for the sins of Israel. The work of the cross has replaced the then legalistic, potentially single-cord rope that connected God, through His priests, with His children. Mention of the rope is literal because it was attached to the body of the high priest to assist in the recovery if he was struck dead as he entered the Holy of Holies in the temple, a possible outcome if the priest did not atone for his sins. Today, there is a multi-cord rope of love (so to speak), not legalism, that is now offering perfect support for the repentant. Love is the bedrock and cornerstone of a relationship with Christ, and since the spirit of love is giving and sharing, quite willingly I might add, tithing is still very much an expression of love, not ritu- alism. However, there are occasions when God, through His Holy Spirit, will nudge us to give, to share, and if we disregard His voice, it is a sin, and we are well aware of its consequence. The prospect of storing treasures in Heaven and never getting there to enjoy it is no different from a person saving sums of money in a bank but dying without having spent it. Revelation 3:15-16 offers support to the point that God demands wholehearted and unwavering commitment from us. He takes no plea- THE RESCUE MISSION | 257 sure in backsliding, though He still loves the backslider (Hosea 14:4, KJV).

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16, KJV) “I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” (Hosea 14:4, KJV)

Furthermore, as Matthew 24:22 tells us, the days will be shortened as life on Earth nears its sunset; otherwise, no ﬂesh will be saved.

"And unless those days were shortened, no ﬂesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." (Matthew 24:22, NKJV)

Perhaps a testimony to the truth of shortened days is most evidenced by the introduction of technology. Today, we can readily see how scientiﬁc knowledge is trying to catch up and compensate for the reduction in time. Compared to the two-person horse and buggy of the late 18th, 19th and the early 20th century, we now have things like multi-passenger ships, jumbo airplanes, and the prevalent automobile, not to mention handheld communication devices. These creations of man are all ordained or allowed by God for His children to keep pace with His fast-moving plan for humanity. Presently, not only is Heaven in preparation mode for each soul, the bottomless pit likewise is continually enlarging itself to accommodate those who refuse to comply with God commands 258 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

(Isaiah 5:14). We are moving toward a divine interview, so we must be prepared. Now!

“Therefore, Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it.” (Isaiah 5:14, KJV) 8

FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST

A PROCESS-DRIVEN STRATEGY

You have done well.

ello, I tend to think in terms of steps and, because of that, H gravitate towards organized, efficient operations. Why? The most established methods in engineering, medicine, business, teaching, and even parenting are strategies that customarily foster accountability, confidence, growth, and sustainable relationships through consistency and reliability. Spiritual matters are no different. At this point, I would like to extend a proposal. As you fully know by now, Jesus came to save the lost and expects us to do the same. We are expected to promote the gospel. Jesus wants us to 260 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME help Him. If you are a Christian and have never introduced anyone to Christ, you might be unsure of how to start. Trying to reach out to a prodigal soul or lost sheep requires a procedure, at least in my reasoning. God likes order; He has endowed humanity with the skill and desire to create processes in order to foster training and obtain consistent results. However, I am not proposing a rigid guideline. You can use this technique, but always give the Holy Spirit full control. I decided on the process- driven approach because, in reflecting on my earlier experiences I found it challenging to initiate and maintain a convincing conversation about God. Whenever I tried, waves of random thoughts crashed against my wall of inexperience and left me filled with doubt about the effectiveness of my delivery. Today, I try to structure the conversation using a process-driven approach. Why? Marketers use strategies such as repetition, compelling content, networking, and effective communication to boost awareness and sales of their products and services. Using a procedure-based approach means I’m more likely to be effective in my attempts. So I offer here a concise, step-by-step method.

Obtaining and maintaining salvation: The lifelong, repetitive process of addressing each sin according to God’s expectation. FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST | 261

Below is my strategy for reaching someone who does not have a relationship with God. Often, I start off a with casual conversation about some current event, whether local, national, or global. Other times, I begin with a direct question, such as "Do you know Jesus?" or "Would you like to go to Heaven?", and then proceed to exchange names. I sometimes talk briefly about how companies and operations benefit from organized processes. For example, I propose that the taste of Coke is geographically consistent because of a specific process. Then I build the conversation from there. Overall, the following five (5) steps make up my approach. I’ve listed each step below along with a straightforward description:

1. Forgiveness — Tell your audience about the importance of seeking pardon and telling Jesus sorry for all sins. As imperfect beings, we sin practically every day. Jesus has feelings, and He feels hurt by each of these wrongs. 2. Repentance — Emphasize to the listener that a fervent attitude toward avoiding being a repeat offender must follow a plea for forgiveness. 3. Bible Study — Explain to the listener that just as the physical body needs food for energy and vitality, the spiritual body needs sustenance of its own. Make it clear that, while he or she may not feel any immediate impact, a powerful internal transformation is taking place when a person is engaged with reading the Bible. Noticeable results take time. The process is similar to the time it takes for weight-gain to occur after having numerous heavy meals. 4. Prayer — Encourage the person to pray every day. Pray in the morning, evening, and bedtime. Pray in hardship and in good times, and also when you don’t feel like it. God is watching, and He wants to help. When we do not talk with God and request His assistance it is unreasonable for us to expect His involvement. He will not “maliciously” step into and commandeer our lives 262 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

since that would violate the free will He gave each of us. Praying is a protocol God established that allows us to invite Him into the decisions we make using our free will. Let’s use the gift of prayer today. 5. Flee Sin — Asking for forgiveness, praying, or reading the Bible one single time is not sufﬁcient. These actions have to become a lifestyle. Our souls need maintenance just as much as our bodies, houses, and cars.

"Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:22, NKJV)

Finally, encourage your audience to realize that God admires and blesses obedience, particularly for performing the five measures. Obedience is the food we must use to nourish our spirits. Proclaim REPENT! REPENT! JESUS IS COMING! Throughout this book, multiple aspects of the topic of repentance are examined since it is the basis and most significant requirement for entering Heaven. Repentance is the most efficient thing to do with one’s Life and Time. To this end, I would like to tell you about one of my favorite verses: Numbers 23:19. It relates to repentance but contains a captivating twist.

“God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man, that He should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, KJV)

The verse informs us that God does not have to repent. Back in Genesis 6:6, we read: "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth." Is there a disconnect between these verses? FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST | 263

"And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." (Genesis 6:6, KJV)

The answer is, no. Each of the verses covers one aspect of the two-pronged crux of repentance; namely, remorsefulness and a deliberate 180-degree turn. When God tells us to repent, the request does not have any bearing on whether we enjoyed the wrongful conduct or would experience any withdrawal effects. He merely demands that we stop. (He wants the best for us.) What this condition reveals is that a person could repent smoking, fornication, and partying, for example, all the while still yearning for these old habits. The desire for the apple was not what caused Adam and Eve to fall; it was the taste. Their bodies became unclean when they ate the forbidden fruit. Their failure was the process of using their body (God's temple) to commit a transgression. So, one aspect of repentance is stopping the wrongful thought and deed; this speaks to the point described in Numbers 23:19 (above) which says God does not sin, so He does not have to make a turn or change in some way. The other point pertains to a feeling of love-based regret, as we see in Genesis 6:6. Overall, repentance combines remorse and a wholehearted commitment to the will of Christ, not to ourselves or a combination of self and Christ. After the decision to be reunited with our Father in Heaven, strategies to grow and maintain the relationship must be considered and performed daily. To assist, I have listed seven key areas to observe and enhance: 1. Be Discerning — Realize that since angels are sent on assignment in human form, demons or devils also appear on Earth in the same manner to perform certain tasks. Therefore, do not judge; just pray about anything and everything. The world is an advanced and deceptive operation and things are not always what they 264 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME seem. What unfolds to physical eyes could be intentionally misleading; only following God's lead, your attentiveness to obedience, His Holy Spirit, reading the Bible, and praying, can ensure divine protection and a safe journey back home. 2. Be Respectful — Try to develop a healthy respect for God. He is more than "your buddy" and He is not "the man upstairs," He is your magnificently and supremely exalted Creator and His Majesty is certainly more than mortals can comprehend. When in doubt, ask Him for answers and read the Bible to increase your awareness of His likes and dislikes. Do not ever take Him for granted. He is holy and does not tolerate sin or disobedience from anyone. He has no favorites; He loves all equally, otherwise He would not be God. Do not guess about Him. Use your grace period or lifespan to bridge knowledge gaps; ignorance can be destructive. 3. Be Analytical — Take time to STOP and think about your life. Realize that the dawn of a new day is not the sole expander or determiner of the extent of your life. Rather, the length of your life was decided and appointed well before you were born, so each 24- hour spent on earth is one day less. Tomorrow is not promised, not even your next breath; neither is guaranteed. Think about your beginning, your activities, and your end, they are each inescapable; they are your life and you will give God an account of how you have managed the Life and Time He has given you. 4. Be Intentional — Do not be drawn away from living a God- pleasing life by following or adjusting to a crowd, whether it is a crowd of moviegoers, fornicators, cursers, drinkers, dopers, liars, substance abusers, complainers, partygoers, haters, revengers, insulters, bullies or opportunists. A member of each of those groups is walking into eternal darkness unless rescued by repentance. Being part of a group does hint of safety, but unless it is a body of people heading toward Heaven, it is all a deception because we each enter this world singly and the exit is no different; it is the same threshold, though the final destination might be different. In total, a life spent only on worldly commitments will, FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST | 265 in the end, measure up to nothing, physically or spiritually, and will be evaluated as such. Engagements that do not promote spiritual growth and strengthen you on your path to Heaven demote your value and connive to sap your energy. All the while, demons are waiting and watching to collect your soul when you have reached the spiritual point of no return. When time runs out, each lost soul does arrive at that border. 5. Be Sensible — "It is never too late to give up our prejudices" is a popular quote by Henry David Thoreau. It sounds calming, but I do not like it. By and large, I do not like anything that says, "It is never too late." Why? As you can imagine, this book stresses the urgency, definiteness, apportionment and spiritual profitability of Life and Time. From God's expectation, "Time ran out." is more appropriate because no one has an unlimited amount of it. The un- amazing fact is that each life is sectioned off by two markers (date of birth and date of death) that demonstrate the discrete allotment of Life and Time. God wants us to live in the moment, to value and maximize each instant of each day because tomorrow is not promised. So, live well today, but plan for tomorrow just in case it shows up. 6. Be Courteous — Each member of our family, neighborhood, country, and the world, whether they be rich or poor, is more than just "another person." God lives in each of them and how you and I interact with them is indicative of our involvement with Him on matters such as discernment, respect, consideration and sensibility. He is assessing our every action, starting from its initialization in the heart or soul straight through a possible result in a good or evil deed. We are God's sons and daughters and He wants us to interact with each other as well-mannered children. The understanding and implication are that if we cannot live together while on Earth, the hope of doing the same in Heaven is dismal since Heaven and Hell is a continuation of what was started on Earth. 7. Be Prepared — Today, if you are not living according to His standards, you may allow yourself to be pacified with the truth that Jesus loves you, but I hope you will quickly awake to the 266 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME reality that He also loved and loves the millions who are in Hell today. Yes, God loves you and will love you forever. But always remember that He does not doom anyone into eternal terror and pain; that answerability is left to each soul, and the outcome is reflective of how one's free will was managed. God loves us so much that He allows each of us to decide for or against Him; He does not forcefully pull anyone to His side. You and I are each responsible for the conclusion of this earthly stopover, so no blame can be rightly leveled against Him. Jesus loves you! Thanks. 9

MY AREA OF THE CANVAS

I AM ACCOUNTABLE FOR MY DEEDS

Look around you and think for a moment. Are you effectively respectful of other canvas members?

The omnipresence of God is the canvas He uses to project and animate His thoughts into myriads of life forms.

ho or what is the big picture? Well, from one viewpoint, W you, your life, my life, and every human life is the big picture, which is sprawled out in God’s hands to unending proportions. The picture is about the life and death of Christ and what it represents concerning keeping us spiritually alive now and in eternity. From another perspective, the picture is about God’s desire to enter an enduring relationship with each person, to reconcile the spiritually prodigal to Himself. Nonetheless, it’s the same picture, just from differing points of view. I believe Luke 15:1-7 expresses the importance and the individuality in each of us. This chapter seeks to highlight the value of one: a single person, a single life. In a world of billions, the relevance of each person is easily masked and diminished by the over- 268 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME whelming population count, by the ordinary and often unchecked drive to supersede others under the guise of progress or ambition, by cultural and religious boundaries, and by geographical isolation.

“Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This Man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So, He spoke this parable to them, saying: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he ﬁnds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost! I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:1-7, NKJV)

As all books are from the Bible, various patterns in language and other forms of communications illustrate varying degrees of the simplicity God has fashioned for decisive interaction with His creation. Three prominent examples of the categorization that supports the demand for one to choose and maintain a resolute position are obedience or disobedience, truth or lie, and yes or no. Still, the relationship goes a bit further to include an impressive list of words that reverberate the essence of the statement: “One cannot serve two masters at the same time.” To that end, I’ll highlight these observations: MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 269

Opposite but not equal

I do not know to whom attribution must be made, but thanks for sharing with us. Doesn’t the list hint of God's desire for purposeful and unwavering loyalty? The pairs of words appear to be explaining to humanity that there is no middle ground, and all that is required is a change of heart to switch sides. The perfect resemblance to the number of letters almost seeks to convey that it takes the same desire or strength to affect change in any of the sixteen attributes. Depending on one's viewpoint, each word-pair precisely corresponds to the two sections on a number line, one side for negative and the other for positive. Scrutinize the consequence of each word-pair regarding eternity. To be specific, consider LYING and HATE. Their pursuits will continue pushing the host along the line of negative infinity, thereby obstructing the soul's usefulness to Christ, and until a complete turnaround occurs, the outcome is an eternal loss. Nevertheless, God’s mission is still about drawing back each lost sheep to the pen and the flock (Luke 15:1-7). He wants to reunite each person back into His family and His body and to create a bigger, more uniform image. The picture presented in this text is about illuminating dark areas of life, zones of existence that have been primarily shrouded in lies and half-truths that disguise themselves as complete truths, even as the gospel truth. This book is written to be an eye-opener by magnifying what man often trivializes but what God hates, namely, sin in all its colors. Another aspect of the big picture is what I will refer to as “the big responsibility.” What is it? The term I will use to describe this 270 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME obligation is "Life Steward." More than anything one can pursue; this duty is chief amongst them because it represents God's life in us and not the existence we associate with physical growth. Here, I try to distinguish between life as an asset belonging to God versus life as a personal activity that counts down in 24-hour allotments. Let it be known that our most significant duty is to take care of the Life that has been entrusted to us, what He has placed in our physical body. Our stewardship is what we are each graded on in the end—did we take care of it and use it appropriately enough to yield an expected profit, or did we squander it? We are adminis- trators of God’s life in us and will give an account to Him sometime in the future, at a point where all verbal defenses are ignored. I believe ignorance is the obstructing agent that somehow conspires and often successfully prevents many from realizing and accepting their responsibility of stewardship. I suppose potential victims would respond to God's calling if they knew better, and I hope this guide will provide a bridge, connecting people to this truth. The Creator of Heaven and Earth did not place us here to be busybodies, idling away the ticks of His clock. Perhaps this is surprising, but we each can end up in the underworld for not completing the assignment for which we entered this terrestrial ball called Earth. Such a revelation should not be inconceivable, for it is for similar reasons that payment may not be released for incompleteness, or for not scoring an ‘A’ because time ran out, leaving unfinished questions during an examination. The longer a person waits to be reconciled to Christ, even after becoming a Christian, the greater the chance of failing to reach the finish line. In 2 Timothy 4:5-8, the apostle Paul encourages us to finish our race, as he did his. If you are a punctual person, for example, reflect upon whose image you were created in, and then consider the prospects, even the certainty, of spiritual heredity.

“But you be watchful in all things, endure afﬂictions, do the MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 271

work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:5-8, NKJV)

Though there are more, I will provide two actions to help strengthen our walk with God: abstain from watching television and become a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9 and Matthew 6:22). Actively pursuing these steps will build a stronger defense against the influence of evil. Perhaps some may find them too restricting and sacrificial at first, but these measures are practicable. God's strength and one's willingness to leave the spiritual desert are more than enough to mount a successful resistance.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9, KJV) “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22, NKJV)

Let's examine the peacemaker topic ﬁrst. Matthew 5:9 counsels that a peacemaker, either in the role of a mediator, potential victim or otherwise, receives God's approval and shall be called a child of God. Of the words in that verse, "children" is pivotal. Duhaime's Law Dictionary offers this deﬁnition of a child: "A young individual who is under the legal age of majority, or who is the natural offspring of another." I like this perspective because it hints that we 272 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME are all children, as we are in the eyes of God, and Matthew 18:1-3 makes this point rather glowing.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, who then is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-3, NKJV)

There is a more pointed and spiritually profound aspect of seeking peace. When we endeavor peace, in the spirit of the Prince of Peace, who are we helping? One may charge the air with this electrifying response: "Me!" or "Me and the other person!" Now, though the reply is correct, there is another point, and it relates to ownership and stewardship. There are selﬁsh reasons for pursuing peace, but I am referring to sacriﬁcial peace; when we deny ourselves and energetically strive to please God. Remember, we live in the person of God because His Spirit is broader than the Earth, and it is His spirit in us that gives life (Job 11:7-9, NKJV).

“Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you ﬁnd out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than Heaven —what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the Earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9, NKJV)

Therefore, since the essence of our being is His Breath-of-Life in us, I reckon it to be understandable that under the inﬂuence of the Human Processing Unit (HPU or soul) and free will, a troublemaker or instigator is trying to pit the Spirit of God against itself. MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 273

This action, intentionally or not, is forging a partnership with Satan to cause disunity and mutiny. With this understanding, one can see why a conniver, troublemaker or warmonger cannot be called a child of God because a kingdom divided against itself cannot endure (Mark 3:24). The adverse impacts of some television features are not well-known. Often, it’s what we cannot see that is most harmful to us. Overall, there are more questions than answers, but all things are naked to the eyes of the omnipresent God.

"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:24, NKJV)

I would like to make another point here that does not directly relate to peacemaking; it's about being a child unto God, and it pertains to how we are dressed. To many of us, Christianity is more about what indwells our hearts and far less about anything physical. I believe it's both. God perfectly created all three parts (body, soul, and spirit), so we are responsible for each aspect. It is not my intention to challenge anyone with the do's and don'ts about how to dress, but Deuteronomy 22:5 and 1 Timothy 2:8-10 offer excellent direction.

“The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5, KJV) “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women 274 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

professing godliness) with good works.” (1 Timothy 2:8-10, KJV)

Though the images above feature people from distinct professions engaging in diﬀerent activities, each example distinctively exhibits a dress code that is undoubtedly respectful. It is puzzling and disconcerting to see Christians attend services dressed as if they were going to a casual outing or party. Some pastors even take part by standing at the pulpit wearing untucked shirts and denim jeans. I believe this shift is rooted in education and the expressed orientation of one’s heart, but both can be adjusted. I always recommend maintaining a modest dress code throughout one’s Life and Time. God is constantly watching, and He likes order and respect.

Now, I would like to pose a few questions to you and allow you to mull them over and answer them at your convenience. If you agree that we are all children in God's sight, can you imagine God clothing you in the outﬁt you are presently wearing? Would MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 275

He clothe you in an outﬁt that you typically wear to school, work, or church? Do you think He would dress you suggestively? Do you believe He would even consider dressing you in an attire unsuitable for a job interview? Altogether, I believe one's outward adornment should reﬂect Christ and the value of His temple.

"In like manner also, that women [and men] adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." (1 Timothy 2:9-10, KJV) "Let your light [glow - appearance] so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16, KJV)

In other words, if you were to be invited to meet Jesus somewhere, how would you dress for the occasion? Please don't say that it is different because He is standing right beside you at this very moment. The other point relates to television. In August 2015, for Inde- pendent.co.uk, Jonathan Owen wrote about the potential dangers of television in this rather lengthy titled article: "An 18-year Study of 86,000 People Has Found That the More You Watch, the Greater the Risk of Suffering a Pulmonary Embolism.”

“People who spend hours bingeing on television shows run the risk of suffering a fatal pulmonary embolism, according to a major new study of more than 86,000 people tracked over 18 years.”

Before Jonathan's report, and also for the same online opera- 276 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME tion, Jeremy Laurance in August of 2011 unveiled "How Six hours of TV a day takes years off your life":

“Television kills – or at least it shortens your life by 22 minutes for every hour you spend glued to the screen. ... Researchers who studied television viewing habits in Australia calculated that people who watch for an average of six hours a day shorten their life expectancy by almost ﬁve years. Television watching is a sedentary activity which is known to be harmful to health and is distinct from getting too little exercise. But a new study suggests its damaging effects may even rank alongside those from smoking and obesity.”

Both reports are addressing the physical impact of being glued to an addictive activity that may reduce one's time with families, friends and from the service God might have appointed. None- theless, I am about to offer a spiritual viewpoint. When I was prodded by the Holy Spirit to discontinue watching TV, I resorted to watching my then favorite network, CNN, on my laptop, but that, too, was a no-no. Today, and for years now, except for an occasional, cursory glance at the local news, watching the tube is no longer a pastime. Nonetheless, I am advocating abstinence from anything produced by Hollywood and the like, and I am not prescribing any measure that is foreign to me. Instead, I, too, am a patient of each prescription in this book, so we are developing together. The reason I offer for committed abstinence from television is due to the unseen powers of darkness. Do you believe in the power of prayer? Would you relish the prospect or invitation of having someone pray with you concerning a signiﬁcant matter in your life? Needless to answer, I can imagine your warm smile. Well, comparable to how God-believing people would seek His MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 277 blessings, there is a set of individuals, in groups throughout nations, who are quite fervent about satanic worshiping. In fact, they would unite and issue diabolic incantations over products and services such as music, games, movies, and foods— all the need to pray for protection. Please be careful about what you allow your Human Processing Unit (HPU or soul) to process. Protect your eyes, ears, and mind. Always remember garbage in, garbage out. Under normal conditions, I don't imagine anyone would intentionally drink poison, and most of it is precisely that. The intentions of these underworld societies are not the playful fairy tales from childhood; I don't suggest reading such books to children. No, they represent extensively destructive ammunition against souls (Ephesians 6:10-13). It is a grave matter, indeed.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13, KJV)

It will take at least one sizable volume to cover this topic. I am not an expert, but I will offer an overarching statement and suggest that you conduct your research — seek books on spiritual warfare. Some television features, if not all, are smeared with para- normal directives in the form of charms, spells and other magical formulas designed to desensitize the soul and to cripple the HPU from being of any service to God. As a result, the more time one allows to spend watching television, the weaker the soul becomes, leaving it vulnerable to other workings of darkness. The spiritual 278 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME decay is a slow fade, but a certain one, nonetheless. It must be slow. Otherwise, one would readily discern a change in character or behavior and then be prompted toward a corrective measure. No, the enemy will not grant us that clue. Further, I must also introduce an account of how we wrestle and win the war against our challenging adversary: not completing the race is identical to selling one’s birthright or inheritance to satisfy what appears to be an overwhelming rush of emotional dopamine, courtesy of the flesh. The story of Jacob and Esau, in Genesis 25:29-34, highlights the brief saga of deception and the tendency for immediate gratification in the hope of steering Adamic descendants from giving it all up for nothing to the bottomless abyss. Let’s think about the root cause of any wrongdoing and effectively inspect our spiritual diet. Does what we consume advance the growth of spiritual bones and muscles, or is it merely an attempt to fill the boundless? To satisfy with physical delicacies what only consumes holy nourishment?

“Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the ﬁeld, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary. Therefore, his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, sell me your birthright as of this day. And Esau said, look, I am about to die; so, what is this birthright to me? Then Jacob said, swear to me as of this day. So, he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus, Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25:29-34, NKJV)

Nonetheless, stewardship can be challenging and vexing when facing unfairness. There is more to this, though, and its reference reaches back to the time when God breathed life into the first human being. At that moment, God not only gave Adam what he MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 279 needed to stand upright, with mobility, but He also fashioned the life of that being, of that person, by using the original substance of Himself. The raw material that supports the supernatural ignition and life in us is the essence of God, so we are inseparable while on Earth. Accordingly, the next time you see a person, be it a pastor or a beggar, please reflect on this point. You are observing a real connection point of the Creator, and your level and quality of interaction reflect your respect for the office of stewardship in that other body. The other person is an ambassador, a representative of the Trinity—how they look is the way He chose to express Himself in and through that person. As may be seen, this life is not about us, but it's a demonstration of what God wants to achieve in and through us, as can be read in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NKJV) “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone deﬁles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, NKJV)

We are not our own, but one of the greatest evils Satan ever committed against humankind was causing them to think differently, to trick many into thinking they are autonomous beings, entirely independent of God. He deceived them by elevating the pride of life. God will hold us responsible for how we respond to each other both in thoughts and deeds. Let’s remember that others are building their section of the eternal canvas as well and that we must support them when we can, not obstruct them. 280 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

As I write, I am being cautioned to avoid hypocrisy in my relationships and interactions with others. Moreover, staunch loyalty is needed to be faithful to God amidst the numerous demands of human exchanges, for there is no escape from stewardship. More than weighing prospects, it must be an unswerving commitment. Why? The Father, who cannot lie, has promised we will never be confronted with more than His assigned strength in us can resist and overcome, so compromising is not an option; only a ﬁxed mindset is demanded to be a good steward.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV) “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19, NKJV)

Each of us is the big picture because God loves you and me just as much as He loves His Son, Jesus.

“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:22-24, NKJV) MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 281

Despite that, to hold one’s place on the canvas, we must be spiritually cleansed to live with Jesus in Heaven. Before we rejoice at that excellent news about God’s love, and how much He loves us, consider that as fire needs heat, oxygen, and fuel to stay alive, our spirit is fortified on holiness and the holy fire of God’s Spirit. The usefulness of that statement is unfolded when and to the extent that we allow Him to benefit from each of our free-willed decisions. God loves us, for that’s who He is. God expects that we become more of light as the darkness associated with sin is expelled, and as this is done, we become more seamless in His presence, more elegant in oneness in His essence. Though we are loved by the Trinity, we can still fall headlong into Hell if our soul is void of holiness. His love is the life rope, the lifeboat, the para- chute, that can rescue us from the entrapment of sin, but we must avail ourselves of it in a timely fashion. Likewise, one should not be misled by the “escape strategy” of seeking forgiveness moments before death. We are wiser to comprehend that God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7, NKJV).

“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, NKJV)

His love is an offer we effectively accept or reject through our life choices, and Heaven is watching as the angels are logging each deed. To use the words of a familiar saying, “Actions speak louder than words,” and the actions of our soul and body must reflect Christ. They must emanate and become light; they must operate as a complete component of holiness before God. Otherwise, we will not completely benefit from His love. It is vital that everyone completes his or her section of the canvas. This all-embracing perspective represents a state of being 282 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME where the body, soul, and spirit work in unison with God, not just for the present life, but for eternity. God is complete and wants us to be the same in Him. The end of an action represents completion, but quality, which is fashioned by a specification, tests its usefulness, and it is what Solomon was describing in Ecclesiastes 7:8 when he wrote that the end is better than the beginning.

“The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8, NKJV)

A better description of “a complete life” will develop over the upcoming sections. In an interview in Asheville, North Carolina an abstract artist was asked, “How do you know when a painting is done?” To this, he simply said, “I just know it.” How can one question beyond that when to the painter’s mind, the ﬁnality expressed in the art was as complete as the impression that signaled its completeness? Everything God does is complete, and two prominent examples are in an admonishment on forgiveness and the life of Enoch. Both examples illustrate that God is also a numbers person because discrete numerical measures barely leave any opportunity for ambiguity, hardly any room for doubt. Everyone likes fairness and justice. Both lift the spirit and help to afﬁrm one's worth of self and of the Creator. Now, I am not one who sides with the objective of numerology, which is any belief that tries to mystically or divinely show a relationship between a number and one or more events. Nonetheless, it is rather common knowledge, I gather, that seven is the number of perfection or completion, and I am offering this mention because the Bible itself references it 15 or more times:

1. the seven loaves in Matthew 15:34 2. God’s promise to the Israelites to increase the plague MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 283

seven times for their sins (Leviticus 26:21,24,8, NKJV) 3. seven pairs (for eating and for sacrifice) of clean animals that were to enter the Ark (Genesis 7:2, NKJV) 4. seven columns of the house of wisdom in Proverbs 9:1, seven churches in the book of Revelation 5. seven abominations in the heart of the hateful deceiver (Proverbs 26: 24-25, NKJV) 6. and the LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” (Genesis 4:15, NKJV) 7. Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have? And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish.” (Matthew 15:34) — putting today's concept of a "happy" meal to shame 8. John 6:9 also demonstrates completeness in the five barley loaves and two small fish (5+2=7) that Jesus used to feed five thousand 9. "And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." (Revelation 4:5, NKJV)

Research has shown that our brains are primed to retain things in groups of seven. To this end, we have seven natural music notes, seven digits in a telephone number (particularly in the North American region), seven cultural mountains or mountains of inﬂu- ence (Arts & Entertainment, Business, Education, Family, Govern- ment, Media, and Religion). I would recommend reading 7 Basics: Strong Roots for Every Christian by Jeff and Beth Jones. I’ll provide two examples of how God uses that number to teach us about forgiveness and a holy lifestyle. By contrast, the number eight represents a new beginning. A prominent example is the eight members of Noah’s family who were saved in the Ark. 284 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22, NKJV) “For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We ﬁnish our years with a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we ﬂy away.” (Psalms 90:9-10, NKJV)

Most strikingly in Matthew 18:21-22, we see the number seven taking center stage in a response the Lord gave Peter on the topic of forgiveness. Jesus said we must “forgive seventy times seven.” Up until very recently, my interpretation of 70 times seven was restricted to the understanding of the 490 result, but I believe the lesson has a greater depth. Let’s break it down: In Psalms 90, we are told a person could live upwards of 70 years, so that represents a Biblical average lifespan. Now, since there are seven days in a week, I suppose that God is telling us to forgive not only 490 times but to forgive every day of the week for the rest of your life (70 years). Another reason the expectation cannot merely equal 490 is that that proposal does not account for the 491st sin—then what will happen?

“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” (Proverbs 24:16-17, NKJV)

Another illustration of seven can be found in Proverbs 24:16-17. MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 285

The description here is a complete failure as an outcome of wickedness. Complete forgiveness and recoverability are achievable, but often there are terms and conditions that come with a pardon. One reasonable requirement is that we must forgive others as we would want God to forgive us. Still, God’s mercy reaches out to us in many unmerited ways. To clarify, Psalms 103:10 tells us that the merciful God does not always deal with us according to our sins, but that He dispenses grace to us. However, we must realize that forgiving others is a prerequisite for complete restoration or right standing with God in that area. As you read Colossians 3:12-14, Psalms 31:23, John 14:23, and Matthew 5:4-11, you’ll observe the sometimes silent “if” in those verses.

“For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” (Romans 11:21-23, NKJV) “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” (Colossians 3:12-14, NKJV) “Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person.” (Psalms 31:23, NKJV) “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will 286 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23, NKJV) “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be ﬁlled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:4-11, NKJV)

Notice the silent “if” in the preceding verses: “Blessed [if they] are pure in heart for they shall see God” and “[If] anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” These conditional statements nullify the “once saved, always saved ”mindset as well as the belief that just being a “good person” is sufﬁcient for obtaining eternal life. I must admit, though, that the “once saved, always saved” concept might be valid under two conditions: 1) the saved person died shortly after accepting Christ and did not get the chance to commit any other sin, or 2) the redeemed soul somehow became perfect. The ﬁrst is more rational (though unlikely), and the second is no less than blasphemy. Moreover, as the physical body needs daily food for its sustenance, so does the spiritual body thrive on holiness to gain the power over sinful desires and actions, and God is faithful and willing to help us. (Psalms 103:10)

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.” (Psalms 103:10, NKJV) MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 287

The case of Enoch is also a remarkable example of how God uses a number to describe a state of completeness. In the life of this righteous man, the Bible tells us in Genesis 5:23-24 that Enoch, while living a life that pleased God, was raptured or caught up to Heaven. Enoch left this world without a physical death at the ripe, complete age of 365, which is both symbolic and literal to various aspects of our lives. The number represents fullness, an entire cycle. He wants us to live entirely for Him. In this context, completeness is more than ﬁnishing an action; it’s also about how it is completed and about its eternal weight.

“So, all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-ﬁve years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:23-24, NKJV)

One should manage the expectation concerning the extravagant truth that God is good and that He loves all, especially when one does not have a personal relationship with Him. That understanding is a sideline experience that does not equate to anything much and does not fit into His perfect plan for a complete life. What’s the eternal significance of God’s love for you if you don’t obey or respect Him? He wants us to benefit from His perfect love, now and forever. There is only one true God, and He wants to be worshipped as such. Let’s survey that statement a bit more. God does not share His glory, and neither does He partner with the enemy. When a person sins and remains in an unrepentant state, the sinner or offender has entered a contract with Satan. How? Whether the wrongdoer is forced to sin or not, I believe free will is at work. Once the wickedness is committed, Satan and his demons have been given access to the person to advance the destruction, and until forgiveness and repentance are sought, sin’s compounding effect begins to stran- glehold the soul, suffocating it of any divine life. 288 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Perhaps even as a compromising attitude, many are confident of God’s love for humanity, but what about ours for Him (see 1 John 5:2-3)? As mortals, we usually pray for mercy and grace and yet do not choose to live in holiness; that formula does not work in God’s kingdom. Beyond the first prayer to obtain salvation, maintenance—through appropriate, daily communication with the Father, petitions for the forgiveness of known and unknown sins, and a regular, effective willingness to stay away from wrongful conduct—must be pursued. It is a responsibility that cannot be swept under the rug with the claim, "God knows that I am a human and I am trying." Remember, He also said He wouldn't give us more than we can handle. If the legal system provided leeway for ignorance, think about the value of a judge or a lawyer. Ordinarily, repentance is not a one-time activity, since we sin virtually every day; it’s a living, enduring, and committed relationship with God and His Son, Jesus, and it is how one truly benefits from God’s love.

“By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:2-3, NKJV)

Everything we own needs some form of maintenance; our natural and spiritual bodies are no different. I believe these aspects of design demonstrate God's architectural sovereignty in one way, and yet in another way expresses His willingness (or allowance) to allow a “weakness” in His creation, which is a steering mechanism MY AREA OF THE CANVAS | 289 to guide and fashion us into His will. Perceived strength deficit is a part of the Adamic offering, but that state does foster a dependency on Him, and it helps to create a union (between God and us) that would hold its bonding for a lifetime with the support of prayer and a holy lifestyle. One aspect of the power of prayer, as a maintenance agent, is for the supplicant to understand that its effectiveness is the result of God’s commitment to answering our requests according to His will. This is a perspective that is no different from the warranty agreement that unites a buyer and seller in a transaction. It is less about our eloquence in conveying meaning in a personal dialogue or rolling Bible verses off the tongue than it is about trusting the designer of the process and resting on the assurance of a consistent and dependable outcome. In other words, the petitioner’s attitude of expectancy must resemble the childlike confidence that the first family, Adam and Eve, had with God in the Garden before the collapse of their relationship. It is mission-critical that the weight and worth of prayer are shouldered by obedience, particularly to the submission sought in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, where we are admonished to pray always. Why obedience? God warns us to pray without ceasing. It is this undeviating commitment to obedience and supplication that pleases the Blessed Trinity and affects changes.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NKJV)

I can recall one example where a non-Chinese speaking Amer- ican went to China after being nudged by the Holy Spirit to evangelize in that region. She would go to a speciﬁc location and preach for days under the cloak of uncertainty. It wasn’t until many years later that she happened to watch a TV broadcast of a 290 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME well-known pastor evangelizing in that same location with much success that she reckoned her earlier effort was a forerunner of the area’s revival.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6, NKJV)

The principle of this illustration can be seen in 1 Corinthians 3:6, where the work of Paul and Apollos were both initial efforts to what God intended to expand upon. As a result, we pray even when unwillingness attends us, for we do it because it is an act of reverence for God. It is this act of obedience that the heavenly Father blesses because it is He who gives us the will and strength to please Him (Philippians 2:12-13). What’s more, the Father sees us as children, and what do children do other than trust and rely on their parents? God simply wants our submission to prayer; therefore, not praying is disobedience.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13, NKJV)

Overall, effectively recognizing one's area of the canvas helps to support the quality of our interaction with others, deepens our understanding of the person of Christ and ultimately prepares us for a more enduring and spiritually complete life. 10

REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL

LEAD ME HOME

Reﬂect on your life. Where do you want to live forever?

“You cannot make a success of sin. You can add to sin; sin can be added to sin, but you cannot make a success of sin.”

— DR. E.V. HILL

"And when he came to himself, he said, how many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee.” (Luke 15:17-18, KJV)

ords such as imprudent and wasteful are suitable for W describing a divided lifestyle in the natural world. Under- standably, it would be challenging for anyone to favor this description. There is a spiritual counterpart, but those who are living an 292 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME unrepentant lifestyle have already entered Camp Prodigal. Camp Prodigal is a holding area for those on the journey to perdition, a place they will go unless they turn around and go back home to our Father, God Himself. It is our duty to leave that state, Camp Prodigal, and become Heaven-bound servants before time runs out. The following story is about a life that got derailed by greed and other familiar schemes of darkness. It is presented here as a lesson of what can escort a soul to an incomplete life. The largest Ponzi scheme was committed by the now infamous Bernard Madoff, who, in 2009, plead guilty to 11 federal crimes covering the loss or theft of approximately $50 billion. The scheme essentially fostered an atmosphere of the success of a nonexistent enterprise. Put in more practical terms, it was an operation based on fumes, puffs of air, and phantom promises. It’s the same deceptive strategy that the Ancient Serpent employs to lure souls onto the road to the underworld. Psalms 24:1-2 categorically tells us that the world and everything in it belongs to the Lord. Colossians 1:15-16 emphasizes that “All things were created through Him and for Him.” Because of that, it is sad that too many unwary members of humankind are not aware of this truth. With breakneck speed and effort, many of us try to amass vapors of ownership, not fully cognizant that often the driving inﬂuence is a diabolic plot forged entirely in the bowels of Hell. Madoff is just one of those victims, to the extent of surren- dering his freedoms, hurting many, and bashing his reputation.

A Psalm of David. “The Earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” (Psalms 24:1-2, NKJV) “He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the ﬁrstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 293

things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:15-16, NKJV)

There is still much hope for brother Madoff; he can call out to Jesus for forgiveness and enter Heaven after he completes his earthly journey. Jesus loves us very much despite our past failings. We are all sinners and schemers in one way or another, but it is up to us individually to reach out to Heaven for help to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus (1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1 and John 2:1-2).

“Come now, and let us reason together, Says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18, NKJV) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NKJV) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus [but we have to repent], who do not walk according to the ﬂesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1, NKJV) “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2, NKJV)

In addition to the world of darkness being completely against God and His children, that world exists in perfect or absolute evil. The word “perfect” should alert us that it is a well-oiled and ﬁne- tuned machine that is fully operating against humanity. In fact, it is 294 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME very efﬁcient (James 4:7) and must be so to be effective (1 Peter 5:8-9).

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will ﬂee from you.” (James 4:7, KJV) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afﬂictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9, KJV)

Fundamentally, the employment of Satan and his minions is to hunt for prey, the soul of each human, but their efﬁciency is realized in resources and time management. More than many of us do, Satan realizes that his occupation on Earth is coming to an end (Revelation 12:12). Accordingly, he uses the art of war techniques that he has developed over countless years to coach his demons into avoiding the temptation or lure to spend excessive time on a potential, but unyielding prey or soul.

“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the people of the Earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.” (Revelation 12:12, KJV) “And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, Lord, are there few who are saved? And He said to them, strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13:22-24, NKJV) REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 295

We can, therefore, assess that there is a war room or command center actively structuring and executing sound project management methods to oversee the demise of each soul. The unseen, evil effort is to cause us to fade from the big picture, to prevent us from living a complete life and leaving this world alive, but we are not hopeless. Our victory is not entirely in the realm of self-effort, but it is in allying with a platform of angels, through the commander- ship of Captain Jesus who is Yeshua Hamashiach, “The Anointed One.” The need for an ally is founded on the truth that the forces of darkness are invisible to most, but we know they are here because the Lord has promised to protect us from them (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, NKJV)

Consequently, how can we win a war against an unseen foe? With reasonable logic, I submit it is impossible. Even if Satan were a flea, he would still have the wherewithal to destroy most, though not with the same momentum and efficiency. Not only is the adversary undetectable, except for when using spiritual discernment, but he is also immortal. Unmistakably, we can see the challenges in leaving this world alive (Matthew 7:13-14). We can understand that we need the help of God because the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly wars are against forces in high places (Ephesians 6:12), not against one another, not against flesh and blood.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difﬁcult is the way 296 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

which leads to life, and there are few who ﬁnd it.” (Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV) “For we do not wrestle against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV)

Principally the devil, where allowed, uses humans as the yields and even the currency of his Ponzi scheme among themselves, causing God’s children to ﬁght and bicker. When a temptation causes one to commit a prideful or lustful act, for example, consider the return on investment. At the onset, the enticement promises excitement, self-satisfaction, a prideful high, so the investment consultation from the evil advisors sounds great, even at times too good to be true. Even so, whenever the advice is pursued and executed, it immediately signals an intention to join ranks with the enemy. It automatically widens the opening of the door to the soul, more easily allowing in diabolic embezzlers. Further, looking at the spirit-based investment report with spiritual shortsightedness, the numbers look good, but there is no backing; it is a loss because everything outside of God produces death, not life. Everything that is not of God is elusive because the alpha embezzler sells it, and the wretched fact is that too many humans sign up and allow the trickster from perdition to pilfer their souls of all godly signiﬁcance.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” (James 1:13-14, NKJV) REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 297

Though the concept of a Ponzi scheme originated with a Boston businessman named Charles Ponzi, the number of repeated acts of betrayal committed by the now ill-reputed Wall Street investor, Bernard Madoff, may cause many to look at him with contempt. However, we should each examine ourselves and ask this potentially outstanding question: how many times have we fallen from the fine graces of holiness? How many times have we knowingly repeated deeds of malice despite God’s spiritual conviction or against the spirit-led instinctive nudge of restraint? I have appeared in that divine court many times, and I was found guilty as charged. Therefore, as we ponder for answers, let's think about the following and conduct a self-assessment to determine whether we are repeat offenders in any area. Rooted in Latin, the word recidivism is synonymous with relapse in a medical context, and from a criminal law perspective, it describes the tendency of a lawbreaker to reoffend. The rather curious-looking word, according to Wikipedia, is also the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they had either experienced negative consequences of that behavior or had been trained to extinguish it. In Christianity, recidivism appropriately identifies the status of an unregenerate soul, one still in an unrepentant or prodigal state, one that habitually engages in wrongdoings. Even born-again Christians can become spiritual prodigals if they continue to live self-indulgent lives after redemption; in this case, it is a relapse into sin that ultimately oversees the eternal loss of a soul. Another aspect of the Ponzi scheme is to pit people against each other on the basis and contention of pride and low self- esteem, all groundless acts of competition. In this episode or scene, the accuser causes one to feel superior or inferior. The question is, for what? What makes one person different from his or her core or root? Nothing. If two competing individuals were from different creators, then reasonableness for the dispute might exist. God created and offered the same life stream in each of us. For that reason, the value of everyone has a common denominator called 298 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME the-breath-of-life, the spiritual fuel that supports life in each mortal vessel. Desiring, even envying, to be like someone else is equivalent to wanting what one principally already has, namely the Spirit and the will of God, as expressed by our physical attributes and talents, but imaginably still seeking what is perceived as a superior version of the image of God in the targeted person, which altogether is elusive and impractical. Why? The flesh profits nothing, we cannot duplicate a soul (it's eternal), and the Spirit is God in each of us. Knowing God’s plan for my life and understanding the hatred that Satan has for humanity, I am drawn to rethink and critically examine the meaning of these familiar sayings: "I hope she didn’t suffer long. Did he suffer much before his death? Put me out of my misery; I just want it to end quickly. May she rest in peace. Did he pass away peacefully?" It is not my goal to lessen the impact of losing a loved one, but instead to prompt us to pause and reason a bit about what tradition has brought to the emotional shores of our hearts. I have lost relatives, and I do wish they were still with me today. My perspective in answering is established on the requirements for Heaven. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:14, without holiness, no one will see God. Additionally, 1 Peter 4:18 emphasizes the forewarning with a question: If the righteous are scarcely saved or will enter Heaven, where will the ungodly appear? These verses tell us that it is not easy to enter Heaven, but, still, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV) “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14, NKJV). “Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly, and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:18, NKJV) “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘with men this REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 299

is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:26, NKJV)

In my point of view, if a person lived a life without respect and reverence for God, without accepting Jesus (not Mary, Buddha, Muhammad or other – see Acts 4:11-12) as his or her savior and Messiah, how could one expect a peaceful rest for the deceased? No, there is no peace or rest for those who died without Christ; it is untold terror and suffering for eternity in the bowels of the Earth, as Matthew 13:14-42 warns.

“This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name [only Jesus] under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12, NKJV) “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of ﬁre. There will be wailing and be gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41-42, NKJV) "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testiﬁed in due time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6, KJV)

That being the case, if a person died "peacefully," without physical pain, then it is great if Heaven is the ﬁnal resting place. Other- wise, you know the answer. I hope we are encouraged to ensure that we are ready for what others will say about us at the graveside. Though hinted above, it is important to know that as Heaven plans for each soul, so do the minions in the pit. Planning for a saved soul includes awards beyond imagination, and for the lost 300 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME soul, it may entail decisions about types of punishments. The preparation continues as we make decisions for or against God; it is a debit and credit system, a term and condition agreement. The result of all actions is reckoned; nothing falls through the crevices in oversight, so let’s make all decisions for God and remain in the big picture. William Shakespeare wrote:

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.

I wholeheartedly agree with the scriptwriter's keen perception. From the politics of business management to its more organized cousin in various governmental organizations, a theater is a prominent ﬁxture. There is a stage, actors, and audience members. Two important features are present in the performance gallery: For one, the actors all perform from a single script and for another, the audience is usually in the dark. In this setting, the fans are rather vulnerable because the acting may not entirely represent the lines, and this deception, whether founded on intent or not, is no different from when members of the clergy preach an anti-Christ message to appeal to his or her following, even to summon a spiritual standing ovation. Each person is an actor on the stage of life. Spiritually, the audience consists of those from Heaven or those from the underworld. The importance of the performance is dependent on the composi- tions of the playwright. Any acting based on the Bible will have a heavenly audience in attendance, as Hebrews 12:1-2 describes the cloud of witnesses. The opposite is also true; the minions are always present in huge turnouts, cheering humanity towards the edge of the steeply elevated stage towards its destruction. REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 301

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and ﬁnisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1- 2, NKJV)

There is a remarkable difference between a spiritual and physical performance, between an act of God and one penned by Mr. Shakespeare, for example. Specifically, each person's life is a complete routine. Compared to a traditional theatrical production, there are no repeat performances; there is only a final curtain call or bow, and the person's lifelong fading ends in the presence of the audience. One reason Shakespeare's work is fitting for this guide is I admire his outlook and the relationship he drew, intentionally or otherwise, between the seriousness of life and the playfulness of acting. To a degree emphasized here, Shakespeare’s literary effort resembles some writings found in the Bible, particularly in "Songs of Solomon," a book of lyrical poems and allegories about Christ's relationship with those who are holy unto Him, His bride. Still, how does one remain in the big picture and become Heaven-worthy? Planning for Heaven begins on Earth, the place where one’s salvation is ignited and manifested as a holy fire to form a newness of spiritual life, a regenerated spirit. It is this spiritual blastoff that readies a soul to join the everlasting holy fire of God’s Spirit in Heaven, where we will be like fire ourselves. It is what gives the eternal energy to offer endless and effortless praises and adoration to God, I imagine. In other words, worshipping in Heaven will not be the “hard effort” one may think. Why? There is no opposite force, and as a result, we don’t have to respond with 302 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME resistance, which is a measure of work and struggle. Everyone and everything in Heaven are infinitely united, forming blissful and glorious seamlessness. In God's kingdom, the love the saints have for God will increase, as will the hatred lost souls have for Him. For example, I believe that Satan's resentment toward God is incalculably larger today that it was the moment he was expelled from Heaven. Why? Nothing is constant. Growth, as an agent of progressive or regres- sive change, is always at work, ever shaping a being into infinity. The result is either positive (God-like or good) or negative (Satan- like or evil). Further, I imagine there are two types of fires to consider, one in Heaven (the fire of God, the holy fire—see Exodus 3:2, the burning bush) and the other in Hell (the destructive fire—see Luke 3:16, Matthew 25:41, and Hebrews 12:28-29). The sin in an unregenerate soul exposes its host to the fire of God’s wrath and the consumption or destruction process will last for an eternity, over and over, because the soul cannot be reduced to nothingness; it is made of eternal substance.

“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” (Exodus 3:2, KJV) “John answered, saying to all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to lose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16, NKJV) “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41, NKJV) “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 303

God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming ﬁre.” (Hebrews 12:28-29, NKJV)

The story of the three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in Daniel 3:23-24 exemplifies not only what faith in God can achieve, but also what the quality of a soul that is immersed in holiness can endure. The account of the fiery furnace demonstrates that a life that indwells God’s holy fire cannot be consumed because it is a lifestyle that reflects holiness, a life of holy fire. In 1 Corinthians 3:12-13, the crucible of God’s fire of judgment is more expressly highlighted as it describes the outcome of bad, unholy works.

“And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’” (Daniel 3:23-24, NKJV) “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13, NKJV) “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8, NKJV)

Living and abiding in the grand plan of a complete life takes effort. It also takes knowledge to help us make informed and righteous decisions, no different from knowing the law to practice it. 304 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

The Bible is loaded with examples, and the story of the prodigal son is a central one because it describes the relationship a person has with God before spiritual conversion. The life of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24) is presented in the Bible to describe our relationship with God in at least two ways: the before and after effect. In the before scene, the younger son approached his father for his share of the estate and then promptly left home for a distant land. Any pleasure, satisfaction, or reward we collect outside of God’s will is a payment from God’s enemy because the offender has effectively left the house of God and is dealing with darkness.

“Then He said: ‘A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So, he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his ﬁelds to feed swine. And he would gladly have ﬁlled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘how many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 305

And bring the fatted calf here and kill it and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15:11-24, NKJV)

Conversely, when a person quietly and patiently endures suffering and sacrifices for the cause of Christ, rewards are credited to that soul, certainly in Heaven, but sometimes on Earth as well. Notice that the father of the prodigal son did not try to restrain him because it would have violated the son’s free will. The example effectually depicts how God responds to our requests. He has granted each of us access to the freeway of decision-making, the choice to live for Him or to live recklessly. No one can blame Him for the outcome, thereby allowing His judgment to be fair and final for a prodigal lifestyle. Do you know where the distant land is? It is called planet Earth, and there is a spiritual equivalent, which describes the condition of the heart toward God. We are indeed significantly older than the number of happy birthdays we can count. I am not suggesting that we existed as physical beings before, certainly spiritual ones. In particular, verses in Ephesians 1:3-6 and Jeremiah 1:4- 5 present material referencing this truth, as they describe how God knew us before the foundation of the Earth.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6, NKJV) 306 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctiﬁed you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’” (Jeremiah 1:4-5, NKJV)

I do think the word ‘knew’ is an experiential reference. Some aspects of life are very mysterious, but there is signiﬁcantly more to us than the 70-80 years we are expected to live. Why do I repeat this? The Bible teaches that if we are not reunited with God through Christ in this life, the result will be hellﬁre, so this life on planet Earth is the last train of the night. If we don't reconcile to God before death, it is all over for eternity. The overarching truth is that all children will return home at some point, spiritually alive or dead. However, the redemption of the reckless soul is achievable only while still on earth.

“The days of our lives are seventy years, and if because of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we ﬂy away.” (Psalms 90:10, NKJV)

The next time you see a baby, don’t be swayed into thinking he or she is only as old as chronology or their physical appearance would suggest. As Jeremiah wrote, resident to the core of that infant is an alarmingly older spirit being, the one whose worth is linked to and equates the life of Christ in God’s eyes (1 John 5:11- 12). There is considerably more to us than meets the optics of natural vision; we are eternal beings. Jesus would not have died for us if our true worth only spanned the life of the physical self. Why would He have died for dirt, after all? Dirt is what remains when His spirit is removed. Moreover, it is important to recognize that the story of the REDEEMING THE PRODIGAL | 307 prodigal son is a depiction of God’s relationship with us. Notice that the prodigal son seemed to be of an age to make the decision: stay or go. Is he any different from a person who was a true follower of Jesus and then decided to go to the swine-camp and resort to eating slop? Or anyone who turned to Jesus for the ﬁrst time after years apart?

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11- 12, NKJV) 11

THE REASON FOR MY ACTION

NO ONE IS GOOD BUT GOD

Consider your responses to life’s questions. Whose approval are you seeking?

“We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.”

— ROY T. BENNETT

"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So, then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:11-12, KJV)

ir Isaac Newton, in his Third Law of Motion, explains that for Severy action there is an equal and opposite reaction. To that extent, I don't think it is farfetched to reason that he was well acquainted with these Bible verses: THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 309

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his ﬂesh will of the ﬂesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:7-9, NKJV)

There is no doubt about it, even in the absence of academic support, we are familiar with the laws of cause and effect. We plant apple trees and reap apples; we work and get paid; we sleep, and we become rested, ordinarily; we serve God and go to Heaven; we serve Satan and go to Hell — these are the facts. To offer what I hope would be an indelible example of how our lifestyles inﬂuence and ultimately determine our eternal value, allow me to introduce an excerpt from The Jerusalem Post. The writing is from a November 2012 article "Eisenbud's Odyssey: The third law" by Daniel K. Eisenbud:

“I was never a good student in physics, or Hebrew school, for that matter. In fact, I still vividly remember the stress and indignation of failing physics in high school, which forced me to quit a reasonably-paid summer job to retake the course, at which point I miraculously eked out a C-, after groveling to my teacher. As far as Hebrew school was concerned, I demonstrated the attention span of a petulant gnat and turned truancy into an art form that would have made Ferris Bueller proud. Indeed, I was to intellectual growth in both areas what a kazoo is to an orchestra. However, despite my collective ineptitude and apathy in understanding the majority of either subject matter, two concepts made perfect sense to me and served as epiphanies far beyond the limited conﬁnes of both classrooms. 310 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

They were Isaac Newton’s third law of motion, which states: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” and the Bible passage, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” This simple logic transformed my thinking in terms of my actions, and how they affect me and those I encounter. Most significantly, for the first time in my life, it put into quantifiable terms how my interactions would define me, and the world around me – for better or for worse. Since then, I have become acutely aware of the “third law’s” far-reaching applications – and implications – knowing that every encounter and decision I make has proportionate consequences, in virtually every respect.

— DANIEL K. EISENBUD, THE THIRD LAW

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses [bolded text: God’s law for human interaction].” (Mat 6:14-15, KJV) "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? [bolded text: God’s law for human interaction]” (Mat 7:1-3, KJV) "With the merciful, You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure, You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious, You will show Yourself shrewd (judicious) [bolded text: Laws that govern God interaction with His children]. " (Psalms 18:25-26, NKJV) THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 311

One aspect of the big picture is working with unruly brushes that result in well-intended strokes missing targeted areas on the canvas, which then precipitates the need for greater patience to regain and maintain focus. Love must propel one's commitment to obtain a whole, complete life. The virtue of love is grounded in mutually pleasing exchanges of affections, and it is expressed in relational closeness but supported by loyalty through obedience; this was typiﬁed in the Garden of Eden where all the creatures were at peace with God and man, living perfectly in a heavenly sanctuary. Nonetheless, after the Ancient Serpent overcame Adam and Eve through pride-based temptation, that perfect relationship deterio- rated to the point that it put many onto a pathway that leads to eternal death, to an irretrievable loss. Through the centuries before the coming of Christ, God used laws as a shepherd’s rod to guide yielding souls into everlasting life. Today, millenniums after Christ’s departure to Heaven, the gift of salvation is still cleansing souls, making them suitable for Heaven, thereby reclaiming what was lost in Eden and restoring sections of the canvas of humanity that sin has devastated.

“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the ﬁlth of the ﬂesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22, NKJV)

On the prospects of hope and the potential outcome of uncontrollable brushes (on the canvas of Life and Time), the Louisiana State Penitentiary comes to mind, a maximum-security prison ﬁlled with murderers, kidnappers, and rapists serving life sentences. An expectation that some will enter Heaven is promis- 312 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME ing. Why? Despite being called one of the bloodiest prisons, conditions began to change when Burl Cain took over as warden in 1995. He introduced a 24-hour Christianity-based radio station that is operated by the inmates. Also, the warden added two new chapels and offered about 400 religious services and courses a month. In one report, Cain said he was offering hope to those who had none. Still, too many are descending into eternal darkness. This spiritual massacre is nevertheless the order of the day despite the growth of mega-churches around the world and widespread acces- sibility to digital, home-based evangelists and laypeople via the internet. The reason humans are often susceptible to the ambushes from the underworld is that we are all fallen beings. Now, by the laws of gravity, which are the same for spiritual gravity, anything falling will continue to descend until brought to a stop by an external force greater than the free-fall of gravitational pull. The spiritual degradation issue, I believe, can be expressed regarding the properties of attraction in magnetism, as it relates to the origin and nature of sin. In this regard, I can visualize Hell as an enormous magnet that is the core and fullness of sin, and an unregenerate person as a smaller magnet. As we know, magnets attract. For that reason, Hell is always pulling sinners to itself, and the more widespread the extent of sin in a person, I reason, the stronger the natural and supernatural pull. Conversely, a repented and holy soul responds much more readily to the pull of the heavenly magnet, so the goal is to be free from sin. Because of the Adamic transgression, I can easily envi- sion each sinner falling like raindrops in an invisible, parallel chute or channel. The more one sins, the stronger the magnetic attraction becomes, and the faster the downward pull until repentance introduces a breaking action, courtesy of the redemptive process provided through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. In the end, the degree of our obedience or disobedience is an accurate measurement of our seriousness about Christ and eternal THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 313 life or death. I once heard a prophet say, “Heaven and Hell equally rejoice over and welcome each soul.” Why? It ties back to the wages of sin (Romans 6:23), which is death. A “payment” is associated with every action we perform on Earth. Good Deeds are rewarded with wages of life while the opposite, with wages of death. The quality and quantity of accumulated earnings corre- spond to the desire of one's heart.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NKJV) “And he said unto them, follow me, and I will make you ﬁshers of men.” (Matthew 4:19, KJV) “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.” (2 Peter 2:15-16, KJV)

In its totality, everyone is working for either Heaven or Hell, not both. We cannot serve two masters or travel in opposite directions at the same time. To this point, do you know that when a snake is born with two heads, the heads fight each other for food? A person living in sin has effectively handed over his or her life to the enemy and notice I did not say a portion of his or her life. It is because God will never enter a partnership with Satan. Each unregenerate is free falling into eternal death as a natural outcome of the first sin. I visualize the struggle to arrest the fall holds a strong correlation to the mandate God gave His disciples to become fishers of men. Why fishers? Catching a fish offers challenges to the netting process and, as such, strategy, diligence, and timing must be employed to entrap a somewhat slippery target in a wide-open sea, often amidst treacherously crashing waves. In 314 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME studying the problem and its solution, the methodology of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) comes to mind. RCA, a problem-solving method for identifying the root causes of faults or problems, was formalized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1950s. A root cause method delves beyond the symptomatic veneers and goes right to the core, addressing “the evil at the bottom” that sets in motion the entire cause-and-effect chain causing the problem, according to ASQ.org. The focused objective of the analysis gathered through RCA is to determine the cause for nonperformance and to eliminate it permanently. What investigation reveals is that meticulous- ness in the effort is the bedrock of a good RCA. What is remarkable is that the efficiencies sought by NASA and similar corporations often overshadow our attention and commitment in preparation for life in the hereafter, especially for Heaven. As a result, and as a comparative rational, I reason it is even more important for each of us to conduct an RCA on our lives to ensure that each spiritual untidiness is cleansed through effective repentance. You may ask, “Where do I start? What factors can I analyze right now and mull over to get a practical grasp of the issues at hand?” Start by reading the Bible and do what it says and be willing to live according to God’s leading. Ordinarily, as Rome was not built in a day, hardly anyone falls into an untreatable state overnight. Usually, the process of decay, spiritually or physically, is a slow one. In one of his video lectures titled “Is America on the Brink?” Jerry Kroth, Ph.D., an associate professor emeritus of Santa Clara University, identifies seven major factors that are responsible reasons for bringing a society (or a person) to collapse: natural disasters, empire overextended, disintegrating family, bizarre & perverse entertainment, parasitic elite, war, violence, crime, and debt. Each of the seven societal issues has a root cause, and it reaches back to the original sin of pride and self-gratification. For now, let’s examine RCA a little more. Implementing an RCA in an organization can be an elaborate and arduous undertaking because it is THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 315 often a mission-critical analysis that can test and challenge the survivability of a company. Imagine the aircraft manufacturer Boeing conducting an RCA to eliminate an electronic issue. The process can be costly, and it may even exact a toll on the employment status of employees who did the initial design of the systems. In the case of a human being, matters become infinitely more expensive because the complete life of each person is linked to the life of Christ, particularly in value. Eternal life is the value of Jesus through redemption or salvation. For this purpose, when a person decides to follow Rabbi Jesus wholeheartedly, that person has accepted the priceless gift of eternal life, and the opposite goes for those who refuse to follow Him. Refusal tells God that His life is not needed. Though every sin stems from Adam’s initial wrongdoing, an appreciation and lesson of RCA should reinforce our determination to avoid transgressions so that we do not continue a heritage of grievous activities against the holiness of Christ. God wants us to abandon the tradition of mischief that has enslaved far too much of God's creation to dark rulers. After all, at the core of every event, I propose, exists a cause and effect relationship that produces a result, pleasant or otherwise. I believe a 1) lack of love, selfishness, 2) unfamiliarity with the role of Christ as our lawyer, 3) disregard for punitive measures, and 4) misinformation about the hope of redemption are factors that impede spiritual progress and lengthen the bridge to the tender-heartedness of Christ. Because of these beliefs, this section will present four points to help us embark on a journey to eliminate the causes that prevent each of us from being a fruitful tree in God's garden. To assist with what I hope would be an abandonment effort, let’s consider four factors to ensure nothing impedes, but only advances, our path to a complete life. The goal is to examine one’s life using the points outlined below and to embark on strategies, where applicable, to eliminate all root causes that hinder a holy walk with God. 1. The sensitivity of love – Without love, it is impossible to 316 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME express sympathy. As God’s love is perfect, so is the tenderness of His heart. He can and does punish to a level that equals the measure of the offense. It is perhaps for this reason that the Bible says that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Nonetheless, He is merciful and will not turn away a humble and repentant heart.

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.” (Psalms 103:10, NKJV) “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” (1 John 4:7-12, NKJV)

2. The attorney and the judge – Jesus is the human form of God, but He is still God. Remember Jesus is in Heaven interceding for us, much like how an attorney enters a courtroom on behalf of a client. The Bible is our law book or instructional guide and Jesus is our legal representative. Both the life of Jesus—as an example of how to live righteously—and the Bible are preparation guides for a day when we meet Him in “court” for the last time. On that day, he will no longer be an advocate; instead, He will be the Judge. No excuses! THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 317

“They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (1 Peter 4:5, NKJV) “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” (James 4:11-12, NKJV) “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24, NKJV) “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34, NKJV)

3. Jail versus prison— A jail is a holding place while awaiting trial. Prison, on the other hand, is a place of conﬁnement after a courtroom decision. When a person dies without Christ, he or she goes to a holding area, or jail, in the bowels of the Earth called the bottomless pit. When Jesus comes back for the second time to judge the world, those who did not make it to Heaven will enter the prison, which is the lake of ﬁre. Concerning jail, I must introduce two other words: sentence and damnation. Customarily, the result of a legal proceeding may be a sentence. One unique aspect of such a judgment is time; the judge must specify a time element to complement its verdict. In the spiritual world, matters are very different. On Earth, we live in the context and between the boundaries of time. Beyond the grave, in eternity, the notion of a sentence becomes foreign and is replaced by a supernatural counterpart called damnation, which is unending isolation.

“And cast the unproﬁtable servant into the outer darkness. 318 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30, NKJV) And the angels who did not keep their proper domain [obedience], but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange ﬂesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal ﬁre.” (Jude 1:6-7, NKJV)

4. The reclamation process – No one lives forever on Earth. No kidding! We die in 24-hour decrements. From birth, our physical bodies begin to dissolve, even though we classify the process as growth; only our soul and spirit are familiar with increases in time. Did you know that babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood, the number dwindles to about 206? Infants also have three times as many taste buds as adults, and they are born with no bacteria in their bodies. Natural materials come from the Earth, and our physical bodies are no exception. As a result, the ground is always extending its invisible tentacles, trying to reclaim everything back to itself. It is partly for this natural pull or consumption- readiness of the dirt as a living entity that everything decays, even our physical bodies, while still alive—the primary reason for the deterioration is the original sin, of course.

“What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the ﬂesh proﬁts nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:62-63, NKJV) “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 319

ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, NKJV) “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11, NKJV)

After considering the issues and the sobering factors listed above, it is perhaps convincing why an overall RCA of one’s self might be a good step to understanding who we are, who we are not, who God is, and who the Devil is. Proper knowledge of those influences should discourage us from sin and encourage us onto the path that leads to a complete life. Destruction is a normal response to sinful activities, both in a physical and a spiritual sense. To explain, Romans 13:1-4 describes how to avoid conflicts with God’s authority. The warning applies to physical interactions as well. Any place where sin is found is an area targeted for destruction unless timely reclamation is accomplished through God’s mercy, through repentance. Think about Sodom and Gomorrah for a minute. In Genesis chapters 18-19, the Bible described an account of how grievous God was with those cities and how He eventually destroyed them with fire and brimstone after not finding even ten righteous people. Noah’s neighbors met a similar fate, though with water. The overwhelming warning is for us to avoid sin because it will eternally kill when left unchecked.

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be 320 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” (Romans 13:1-4, NKJV)

Though we cannot wipe out the original sin, as such, not accommodating its temptation is a sure way to gain victory over it. It is essential to surface the clear danger and root cause of various fallouts in human interaction with God and others, all of which are attributable to sin, to the Adamic fall. Dr. Kroth’s results are conclusive, and social issues like the ones addressed in his report are the result of mankind’s attempts to align with the enemy, whose intention is to kill (John 10:10). The collapses or breakdowns in human rights, rules and laws of justice, family union, peace, health, national sovereignty, ﬁnancial sustainability, and unity in the body of Christ are all attributable to sin, as the root cause contributor.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, NKJV)

Arresting and eliminating the sources of sin-based setbacks are prerequisites for functioning at peak performance in the spiritual realm, for cooperating with the role assigned to each of us, and for visually enhancing the section of the canvas through the quality of our lives. Each person is a vital member of God’s plan, whose action or inaction is impactful in some way to the network of inseparably connected members spanning the globe. Overall, a thorough understanding of God and having a THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 321 personal relationship with Him enriches a soul with a desire for obedience and an attitude of humility, and this position is not necessarily the result of fear, but often more gainfully, out of a feeling of loyalty and respect. It is at this level of intimacy with God that one begins to step outside of the box of sin entrapments. To this end, we are appropriately humbled by His awesomeness and benevolence, and this helps to spring forth a longing for a substantial connection with Him. This, I consider, is the cornerstone of living a complete life. We must each muster a sustainable awareness of self and its potentials, as described in Romans 1:28-32 as a list of our natural tendencies. A human being is of nuclear potential, both physically and spiritually, and is not to be toyed with; even Jesus referred to this in John 2:24-25 when He said He knew what was in man, and it was not a compliment:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not ﬁtting; being ﬁlled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:28-32, NKJV) “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” (John 2:24-25, NKJV) “For there is not a just man on Earth who does good and does not sin.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20, NKJV) 322 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Through disobedience, a person provides a portal or gateway for communication and interaction with the underworld, and as such, a sin is born. As a result, it is important to talk about earthlings in a clinical sense. Though each one has primary responsibility in building out their section of the picture, it is reckless to forget we are each a unique being with different perspectives on various matters. This consideration should be acknowledged with respect, but it should never be accepted as a standard of conduct of a complete life unless it passes the scrutiny of God’s Words. In fact, I seek not to underestimate or overestimate anyone. It’s just the rational thing to do without partiality. As an example, in science, the term half-life refers to the time taken for the radioac- tivity of an element to reduce to half of its initial potency or, in a pharmacologic sense, the time taken for a drug to lose one-half of its activity or strength. So, what am I saying here? Every substance has a time when, through a process of steady deterioration, it reduces to nothingness. The course could last millions of years, as it is for Uranium-235, an ingredient in nuclear weapons. Just the same, a human being does not have a half-life as such. It’s primarily spiritual, and it lives forever; its inherent traits, good or evil, continue to increase positively or negatively in Heaven or Hell, respectively. It is for this reason that I say a human is not to be misjudged, for there is an eternal world behind the epidermis, the outer layer of one’s physical self, and it is the world that Jesus wants to control for the overall betterment of the person. I remember living in a roach-infested apartment in Brooklyn, and at night those pests would scamper when the flick of the light switch disrupted their mischief. Where did they come from? I don't know, but I am sure somewhere in the far recesses of the stove, those creepy crawlers had one or more entry points to invade my apartment. I don't like roaches, but somehow, they found a passage into my natural sanctuary. Nonetheless, I could have, with diligence, eradicated them. Similarly, the Ancient Serpent and his minions enter one's life through a door that was flung open by sin. With disregard to the THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 323 invasion, the soul grows weaker. It lingers and seeks for identification; it becomes aloof, staggering on life’s journey and remains tremendously vulnerable to the evil one who walks about like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8-9), seeking someone to devour. Let us stay clear of present danger.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9, NKJV) “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:10-11, NKJV)

Pride is perhaps the most dangerous action one can take or embrace, and it is a matured tactic of the enemy. Throughout generations, our (sometimes) voracious appetite for undeserving admiration, or our headlong attempts to elevate our minds with the elusiveness of a competitive edge over others, has created a bountiful harvest of hearts that are bursting with pride—a yield that is proﬁtless to God. Lamentably, only the enemy of our souls has a sizable dividend in this offering. Why? A feeling of superiority against someone is equally against God because what is projected toward another is entirely absorbed by Him, so the same is being done to Him. I have heard respectable teachers of the Gospel say that the intelligence quotient (IQ) of demons is zero, and yet they rule and command lost souls in the underworld (see Hebrews 2:7 and consider that demons are fallen angels). Nonetheless, would you not say that it is quite an accomplishment (no pun intended), 324 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME considering the many holders of advanced degrees who are now in that hellish domain under their administration of torture? Recog- nize that even if their IQ was zilch, which I doubt, the fact that they can see us, and we cannot ordinarily discern their presence, tells of a lost battle at the outset.

"Thou madest him [man] a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands.” (Hebrews 2:7, KJV)

We can win against them only with the ever-present support of Heaven, of God and His angels. Remember, fallen angels are from Heaven, as that's where they fell from. I am reasonably sure that they have maintained their intellect, and the following two transla- tions of Romans 11:29 provide evidence. From what the scripture says, the fallen beings still have their given capabilities, but they are used for evil, and the irrevocability of that gift applies to mankind as well. More speciﬁcally, God does not withdraw His spiritual gifts, even after a pastor backslides, and as a result, at His choosing, such a person may continue to speak in tongues or prophesy, depending on the type of gift, and still unknowingly move at breakneck speed toward the abyss. God can use a donkey (Numbers 22:28), inspire a rock (Luke 19:40), and at the same time prepare us to ﬁght the powers of the evil world (Ephesians 6:12).

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29, KJV) “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29, NKJV) “Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” (Numbers 22:28, NKJV) THE REASON FOR MY ACTION | 325

“But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40, NKJV) “For we do not wrestle against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” [referring to the domain of some fallen angels and Satan]. (Ephesians 6:12, italics by me)

Life is a very spiritually advanced and far-reaching operation that is booby-trapped with temptation and perforated with failed tests galore, so let us pray without ceasing because countless distractions and avenues can lead one to a deplorable state. Pray in, and for, everything, because the enemies of our souls live within our world, only a thought or an arm’s reach away, and only God and His angels, supported by our obedience, can restrict the scope of their stinging tentacles and voracious appetite for our souls. In closing, I know it is necessary for us to live with the end in mind. This proposed mindset will enable us to embrace a bottom- up or end-beginning method of thinking to help combat actions that will eventually end in remorse and unnecessary sorrow. Considering the consequences of an action more than the upfront allure or promise should prove vital to using our time efﬁciently and living an effective life. I have tried this approach multiple times with rewarding results. 12

SEVEN LIGHTHOUSES

49 LIGHTBULBS

Inspect your living room light. Does it shine as brightly as the one in you?

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't ﬁre cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.”

— DWIGHT L. MOODY

“You are the salt of the Earth; but if the salt loses its ﬂavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16, NKJV) SEVEN LIGHTHOUSES | 327

ne of the most troubling patterns on planet Earth is O watching brothers and sisters living lives blatantly contrary to God's will, as perhaps unwarranted smiles and laughter escape from their mouths with such relative ease. Without guidance from the Holy Spirit and the Bible, one's life may accurately resemble a crash dummy moving at a high rate of speed toward a brick wall. As you know, a human does not enter the world with the resources to live independently of its Creator. We would have to be like Jesus himself to have that capability. That being so, the need for wisdom and discernment against folly are required to support and shoulder us into a complete life. We must effectively realize that everyone on Earth is on a homework assignment. As a result, when we see somebody failing to ﬁnish theirs promptly and correctly, perhaps through outright sins, we should lend a merciful heart. We should not express criti- cism, contempt, arrogance or judgment. The concept is identical to when a parent patiently and lovingly assists with schoolwork.

“As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” (Psalms 103:13-16, NKJV)

The list-based information below, though expressed as a summary, is intended to offer a quick guide for how to effectively ﬁght in the ongoing war between good and evil, between humans and the willful assaults of the grave and dark underworld. Often, what we call busy and productive lives are merely opportunities sparked or initiated by our spiritual adversaries with the sole

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! intent to catch us off guard. The urgency of and the detail in which the enemy gathers intelligence about us cannot be stressed enough. Without a doubt, we are in a very active and lifelong war where both friendly and enemy ﬁre mounts the casualty toll. Let us try to stay off the casualty list.

7 Examples of Foolishness

1. Rejecting an invitation to reconcile with God by living righteously 2. Saying you love God but not doing His will 3. Cursing God for the ills of life (yours or someone else’s) 4. Having a heart plumped with arrogance 5. Giving oneself the liberty to lie 6. Developing a heart bent on evil thoughts 7. Causing strife at home, work, school or play

“And he said, that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:20-23, KJV) “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” (Ephesians 5:3-4, KJV) “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, KJV)

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! 7 Examples of Wisdom

1. Repent to Jesus for past sins (forgiveness) and stop doing them (repentance) 2. Effectively love God, which is by doing His will – it is more than words 3. Read the Bible, pray daily for wisdom, mercy, and grace for yourself and others 4. Restrain from sexual activities outside the bounds of marriage 5. Be patient in hard times – don’t complain, because it won’t help 6. Be kind and giving; not stingy– the Lord loves charity – God likes a cheerful giver 7. Avoid fear and resist anger – they proﬁt nothing, are very corrosive and degrade the soul

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is ﬁrst pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:13-17, KJV)

7 Reasons to Effectively Avoid Hell

1. God did not create it for humans, only for Satan and the fallen angels 2. There is no light there, only tangible darkness

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! 3. One can hardly breathe there; the stench and sulphur is off the scale 4. There is no rest, just untold tiredness, thirst, hunger, pain, and loneliness 5. There is no mercy there—cries are useless, and demons have no compassion 6. The hottest temperature on Earth is like a cool breeze when compared to temperatures in Hell 7. There is no hope of escape; it’s sealed damnation where memory and regret add to the eternal torment

“Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisﬁed.” (Proverbs 27:20, KJV) “Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like, unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So, shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of ﬁre: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50, KJV)

7 Reasons to Effectively Seek Heaven

1. God sent Jesus to die so we can be accepted at its gate; it’s a gift the wise accept 2. Redeemed people get to see God and live with angels, families, and friends 3. One lives in complete joy and unity with animals and all 4. Jesus has gone to create homes and prepare rewards and gifts for His children

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! 5. Memories of the pain and suffering of this life will vanish 6. The life is forever, and we grow from glory to glory, becoming ever more like Christ 7. The food there does not produce waste – since everything there is perfect

“And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth: for the ﬁrst Heaven and the ﬁrst Earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2, KJV) “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” (Luke 13:28, KJV)

7 Reasons to Effectively Respect Time

1. Once spent, it slips into history and can never be regained 2. It has a duration; only God knows the grace period, or the window of opportunity allotted to a person to seek reconciliation with the Trinity 3. Realize that the close of each day is effectively one day less to remain on Earth 4. Know that time can and does run out because the Lord allows a divinely ordained amount of it to prepare a soul for Heaven 5. Do not allow the enemy to restrain you into thinking that tomorrow is promised; too many have gone the way of perdition with that same misperception – Satan’s

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! minions love to see repeat performances (in a theatrical sense) or acts of eternal destruction on humanity 6. Consider that about 55 million people die each year, 151,600 die each day, and 6000+ each hour 7. Consider that God is very serious about time and that He wants a good report on its usage – did we help His kingdom?

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, KJV)

7 Reasons to Effectively Respect Life

1. It’s the only one we each have, and God wants us to live it completely, spanning Earth and Heaven, not ending it incompletely by living in a manner not suited for the Celestial City 2. Jesus left Heaven and “relaxed” his divine power while in the ﬂesh to show us how to live in humility and love, all prerequisites for meeting Him on good terms on Judgment Day 3. God is perfectly loving and kind, but He does not tolerate sin, so He is not to be triﬂed with

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! 4. Both Heaven and Hell are eternally long, and I know that humans like pleasure and comfort, so plan for Heaven 5. It belongs to God, so we are merely stewards 6. It is so important to God that the underworld’s sole occupation is pursuing all endeavors to take it from us, particularly eternal life 7. We want to be numbered among the wise because it is foolishness to be consumed by death – the absence of life

“By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honor, and life.” (Proverbs 22:4, KJV) “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:29-32, KJV)

7 Rules for Effective Human Interaction

1. Firmly realize that our interaction with others is not outside of God; He is not just an observer, but He feels the joys (holy) and pains of His creation. Therefore, treat everyone according to Biblical standards 2. In the study of physics, there is a law of action and opposite reaction, and it is like sowing and reaping. Act kindly and sow good seeds 3. Give help when you can do so; don’t turn away in

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! selﬁshness. If you don’t assist, it will be charged against you on Judgment Day 4. When and where applicable, treat others even better than you do yourself; considering the life of Christ, the breath of God in that person – you are indirectly interacting with God 5. Show mercy because you will obtain the same in your time of need 6. Do not scorn or look at another in contempt; the same is done to God through that soul 7. It is wise to follow the prior six rules for yourself and your family because sin has long fang-like tentacles that reach out to infect and affect other family members, so righteousness helps all in the family

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things are in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8, KJV) “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.” (Ephesians 4:25, KJV) SEVEN LIGHTHOUSES | 335

Not the way to live or leave this life — Jesus is The Truth, The Life, and The Way.

“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23, KJV) “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that ﬁnd it.” (Matthew 7:13-14, KJV) 13

THE POWER TO CREATE

BUILD FOR ETERNAL LIFE

Construction is an effort of responsibility. What are you building today?

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light." (Genesis 1:1-3, KJV)

od, by His inﬁnite power, has created all we need, and what G He has created cannot be destroyed to nothingness. It can only be reused and refashioned. Moreover, God has given us the authority and capability, within limits, to control the production, distribution, and consumption rates of Earth’s bounty, but never the ability to increase or decrease the original amount of the raw material that was supplied by His sovereign power. An eighteenth-century French biologist and chemist, Antoine THE POWER TO CREATE | 337

Lavoisier, discovered that the quantity of matter is constant (Eccle- siastes 3:14). More of that matter cannot be created nor can existing amounts be destroyed while it is in an isolated or closed system, as Earth is. What is available on this terrestrial ball today existed when God spoke all of it into existence in the beginning.

“I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:14, KJV)

But aside from the material things that God has created (some people just like to call it “stuff”), what about you and me? Well, God has created all things, including you and me, and He has great plans for us, but we can ﬁnd those plans only by having a relationship with Him. Let’s see what God has created: First, God created living things for the air and sea:

“And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may ﬂy above the Earth in the open ﬁrmament of Heaven.” (Genesis 1:20 KJV)

Second, God created a multiplicity of life forms on the surface of the Earth:

“And God said, ‘Let the Earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the Earth after his kind’: and it was so.” (Genesis 1:24 KJV) 338 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Third, He created the ﬁrst human:

“And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the ﬁsh of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth.’ So, God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created He them.” (Genesis 1:26–27 KJV)

In the ﬁrst two points above, God commanded the waters and the Earth to bring forth a variety of life forms. Nevertheless, when it came to the creation of man, observe how God’s creative language addressed the exceptional moment. Instead of saying, “Let the land bring forth humans,” He said, “Let us make man in our own image.” Do you see God’s tenderness toward mankind? Do you understand why He later surrendered His life on Calvary’s cross for the redemption of man’s soul? Do you see how special you are to God? His care toward mankind is the same today as it was in the beginning at the date of creation. He does not change.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV)

The following is a verse from the much-beloved hymnal Holy, Holy, Holy, by Reginald Heber (1783-1826). Sir Alfred Lord, poet laureate of England, dubbed it the world’s greatest hymn, and I can clearly understand his intellectual and spiritually rational perspective: Just a single stanza demonstrated not only Reginald’s knowledge but more importantly, his respect for God’s creative power: THE POWER TO CREATE | 339

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in Earth and sky and sea. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

— REGINALD HEBER

This likeness we have with God is not of corruptible ﬂesh. God does not have the body of a human. The shape may look similar, but the makeup is of eternal essence and substance. God’s resemblance to humans, or vice versa, is a spiritual one because God is a spirit—the Holy Spirit. The physical body of Jesus was a manifested form of God on Earth for a purpose in time. Today, the body of Jesus is not the same one that walked on the Earth before His ascension to Heaven; it’s a gloriﬁed body. Our body is a corruptible one, but that will change for each person who makes it to Heaven, where he or she will then be clothed with an incorruptible body, one that cannot decay or suffer from the ailments doctors and nurses treat in hospitals.

“God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 KJV)

The likeness of humans to God includes intellectual capability and the capacity to express love and devotion. It also includes moral likeness to differentiate wrong from right as well as social likeness to fellowship with each other. In other words, our capabilities and desires—the righteous ones—are a sample of who Jesus is. He is eternally informed, and He loves people and wants to communicate with them; we are His children. 340 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35, NKJV) “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” (Romans 12:9–10, NKJV) “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31–32, NKJV) “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12, NKJV)

Furthermore, humans are neither close cousins of any animal nor distant relatives of primitive plant life. As Russell Grigg of Creation.com writes in “Made in the Image of God”:

“Rather, he [man] is someone great, wonderful, and different, the most excellent of all God’s works, and a special expression of the divine nature, created by God’s own personal activity. God introduces him with solemnity, dignity, and the honor of an intimate deliberation on the part of the Godhead.”

— RUSSELL GRIGG

Isn’t that description a cause for pause and reﬂection? Doesn’t it beckon more than a casual reﬂection on how important you are to God, to Jesus? It does make me think about life and about how THE POWER TO CREATE | 341 non-trivial it is, and I hope we share that belief. You and I are extremely important to our Father. Grigg further states:

“Although man was formed from the dust of the ground, God personally ‘breathed into his nostrils the Breath of Life; and man became a living soul’ (Genesis 2:7). Man’s life is thus not the result of spontaneous reorganization of molecules within his body, nor is it derived by evolution from any animal or ‘lower hominid’ (as theistic evolutionists teach) but is a direct gift from God.”

— RUSSELL GRIGG

Also, as I believe you know, we are all part of a very complex system of life that neither ends with a eulogy nor with a six-foot ceiling of clay in a cemetery. Let’s look at everything we’ve explored so far using a common mineral as a point of illustration. Iron ore is a very common mineral, and its abundance on Earth has fueled the speed of manufacturing from inefficient, handmade production to a mechanized assembly that uses machines and chemicals to improve manufacturing efficiency. The shift in production methods is called the Industrial Revolution, and it has improved the quality of life for people around the world since around 1760. After iron ore is mined and smelted in a furnace, it is then transformed into steel, among other things. The steel may be used to build cars that, after years of service, are retired to a scrap yard, where they may become smelted again and then reused to build something else—part of a medical device, for instance. It is a cycle that fashions and refashions the same ore. We are made of trillions of molecules that, upon our last breath, follow a process of rejoining their molecular origins, but that is not the end. Humans are more important than steel, and as such, they don’t just disappear after death. Once a person is born, he or she 342 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME will never die. The real person, the soul, lives on forever. Since we are created in the image of God, and God certainly cannot die, we will never die either. Therefore, do not be deceived into thinking that a person can live waywardly on Earth and then disappear at death without any consequence. No, it is not that trifling. If it were so, then I am convinced Jesus would not have come to Earth and subjected Himself to the great suffering and humiliation that He experienced at the hands of His own creation. Let’s be careful!

“Then He said to them, thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.” (Luke 24:46, NKJV) “And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, ‘the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.’” (Luke 9:21-22, NKJV) “But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” (Matthew 17:12, NKJV)

As creatures of delights and pleasure, we are mesmerized by both wonders of the ancient world, such as the great pyramids of Giza, and modern marvels like the Golden Gate Bridge. These implementations of God-given skill-sets represented outstanding human intelligence and the advanced state of design and architecture in the time periods when they were created. Human beings are fantastically more impressive than those marvels and wonders. Each member of mankind uniquely ﬁts into a body, which is a spirited tapestry of ﬂesh and blood, of emotions and yearnings, of hope and joy, and of mortality and immortality. THE POWER TO CREATE | 343

God does not make mistakes; His precious, perfect hands have created every single person. Admittedly, some people leave the womb in less than stellar physical condition, and that is perfectly okay, because a person’s beauty, in God’s sight, is not the ﬂesh that would dissolve in soil in time to come. It is the soul that has a present and eternal worth. All the same, I am not discounting the value of the physical body. Each has its own role and worth. So, again, what is so special about you and me? Well, compared to mass, matter, and energy, which are reusable, we are non- reusable. God is not in the business of recycling people either through reincarnation or other concocted and misleading notions of mortal minds. Each person is as unique as unique can be. Each person is one of a kind, with a unique ﬁngerprint and a unique soul. Reusable material lends itself well to a feature of mass production known as a commodity, where each unit of output is a marketable item that can be produced by many different companies with hardly any difference. We are not commodities. Each of us is a unique being who was created by a single creator, God Himself, and is given a span of time called a lifetime. Please cherish your time! How you spend it on Earth will determine your value in the end, whether it is worthy of Heaven or not. The depth of this truth can only be unfolded to your heart and your understanding by God Himself. Perhaps, the most relevant question is what are you creating today? Are you building permanent things?

"According to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by ﬁre; 344 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

and the ﬁre shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abides which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by ﬁre." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, KJV) 14

THE POWER TO CHOOSE

CHOOSE LIFE TODAY

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”

— ROY T. BENNETT, THE LIGHT IN THE HEART

“Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us. “

— ANNE FRANK

t is crucial to realize that sinning burdens the Lord and we are I accountable for doing so. It is the nature of Love to feel sadness as loved ones are destroyed. So let’s make a fervent attempt to stress the enemy; obedience to God frustrates the kingdom of darkness mightily. Why? Salvation and damnation are “business” operations in the spiritual world. One operation is to save souls and the other is to damn them. There is no horseplay or tomfoolery 346 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME in the undertaking. Both sides are intent on success. Which team are you helping? Sometime ago while instant messaging a friend who is an admirably intelligent fellow well-versed on many topics, the discussion switched to free will. He tried to reiterate his position that we do not have free will. Before typing my response, I deliber- ated and then offered:

If we did not have free will, we wouldn't exist; or, the faithfulness of God would be in question and so would His perfection.

Bondage is the opposite of freedom, so I presume we would be yoked to doing either good or evil entirely, not both. Possibly surprising to you, a demonstration of free will started in Heaven when Satan and other angels were expelled following their rebellion. Later, the same fate befell Adam and his genealogies when he maliciously exercised free will in the Garden. Moreover, there would be no reason for our existence because God doesn't need people; He is complete. We need Him because we are incomplete Perhaps the critical question is what does humanity have that God wants? Nothing! Denying the gift of free will is an attempt to reduce the Bible to a lie. A lie is an imperfection; it is an incomplete or faulty state that leads to the eternal realm of the spiritually dead. Imperfection needs support, hence the reason Christ died for us; perfection does not need support. Often, when someone questions free will, I consider it is usually from a position or mindset of doubt about situations in their sphere that they deem questionable or doubtful, intolerable, or dissatisfying. Free will, however, does not suggest carte blanche privilege or divine authority to rule the world or disrupt the law and orders that are foundational to its providential existence. Instead, it is an opportunity for each of us to demonstrate our commitment to God, to be obedient or disobedient, to manage the scope of THE POWER TO CHOOSE | 347 entrusted authority over self, and prove whether we qualify to reenter Heaven. While the topic of free will is highly controversial, the following visualization might help to lessen skepticism.

The “Free-Will Test”: An assessment of one’s heart toward God’s. "Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore." (Psalms 37:27, KJV) "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand." (Psalms 37:23-24, KJV)

What the “Free-Will Test" illustration attempts to convey is that each decision, whether it pertains to a thought or action or whether it pertains to performing acts of good or evil, can be boiled down to the straightforward question: "Do you wish to follow God?" The answer is always mutually exclusive. Only one selection is possible: "Yes or No" or "Yea or Nay.” Pressing the "Submit" button is evidence of your verification, acknowledgment, and accountability for the outcome of your choice. We press the proverbial “Submit” button every time we exercise our free will. Virtually every choice we make is handled by the spiritual equivalent of what this 348 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME computer-based image represents. As sophisticated as computer systems are, fundamentally they work based on the principle that if a condition is not true, then it must be false or vice versa. Free will does not mean having superhuman or godlike authority to rule the world or someone else. It's merely a divine opportunity for each person to decide where he or she wants to spend eternity as an outcome of the power to choose. It is the capability to listen to God's voice or His enemy's, and a measure of the competence and culpability to say yes to God and no to Satan. However, when challenges mount, we too often resort to questioning the scope of our free will and God's justice and loyalty. Perhaps what is excluded from the possibly erroneous thought process is that we are all interconnected beings, and when one fails (through disobedience) to manage his or her free will effectively, the repercussions can be far-reaching, affecting and offending many and leaving them stunted by doubt and confusion in their beliefs. So, we must be careful about the impact of free will on oneself and others. Possibly not too evident, but it takes infinite power to create a world where the dynamics of good and evil transact or interplay as seamlessly as the free market laws of demand and supply. Still, what is most remarkable, at least to me, is the degree of creativity and the principles of ethics, not to forget love, that the Creator must have employed to fashion such a complicated process of human interactions and interrelationships and yet remain blameless for its outcome or production because of the power to choose. That is untold POWER. The POWER of the I AM. Even from a tender age, some children display benign stubbornness in wanting to make their selections, whether it is to pick a flavor of ice cream or to insist upon a style of dressing. This desire for self-actualization is etched into the natural and spiritual DNA of each person, and its manifestation can display an array of behavior from the humorous and daring to the frightful and ominous. The only reason you and I are still on earth today is that our THE POWER TO CHOOSE | 349 power to decide for or against God has not evaporated; there is still some time. The ability to choose is so priceless that the king of terror will appear as an angel of light, ever seeking to "wine and dine" away that divine privilege from an individual (2 Corinthians 11:14). The prince of darkness salivates over the blessedness of free will.

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14, KJV)

Regrettably, lacking appreciation for the blood-paid liberty, some among us have become agents of the night (not light), working for the underworld as witches, warlocks, and garden- variety idolaters, essentially selling their birthright for the unattainable and unreachable. But it is all for nothing. Why? God provides the energy that powers the soul-based decision engine. As a result, each lost soul forfeits that energy, because its destination is not the New Jerusalem, not the City of God. The day the menu of mortal activities disappears, is the moment a person’s address changes, either toward the home of God or the abode of His foe. When the graces that support the power to decide are lifted from a soul, so is the strength that undergirds the capability to select, hence let us choose timely and wisely—God is waiting for us. Having the power to choose is an opportunity to demonstrate stewardship and commitment (to act with a certain standard of care). A power that is devoid of these two tenets quickly succumbs to selﬁshness, immorality, and even gross depravity. Lives are either enhanced or worsened by the power to choose. Many a good person—a respectful manager, a prudent judge, a beloved and promising politician—have fallen victims to the power of choice, especially when the power is to choose for others who are under one’s authority. 350 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Without looking too far back, we can see that history has made it abundantly clear that some members of humanity have become intoxicated by power, demonstrating a tendency to behave irra- tionally and even diabolically when the graces of great trust and inﬂuence were bestowed upon them. Many politicians and heads of corporations are obvious examples of the fallout of unchecked ego and runaway pride. Chief among the violators of trust and authority is the famed old devil or the Ancient Serpent. He rose to the pinnacle of deception after uncontrolled longing for the praises that were rightly ascending to God. He has mastered the art of trickery and—from the point of his downfall until today—he has demonstrated unending hatred toward God and His creation. One day while I was reading, I came across a new phrase called Hobson’s choice:

“A situation in which you are supposed to make a choice but do not have a real choice because there is only one thing you can have or do.”

— MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM

The phrase is said to have originated with Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), who was a livery stable owner in Cambridge, England. It is a free choice in which a single option is offered, which translates to having no choice at all since there is only one choice you can make. When God created man, He gave him the power to choose. Each of those options boils down to accepting or rejecting Him, choosing good or bad, deciding to be rebellious or obedient:

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day THE POWER TO CHOOSE | 351

that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17, NKJV)

Though it might appear incidental, the power of choice is very, very blessed, and how one uses that favor not only determines one’s quality of life on Earth, but it also predicts how life will continue in the hereafter. Even more, eternity-based decision- making is a far-reaching opportunity because we are interacting with God, not through an intermediary. Often in a workplace, only a few employees have direct one-on-one communication with the CEO. Not so with the Boss of eternity, everyone has access to His door, and that does indicate the level of one's importance. It is a very pressing matter to enter this world and live long enough to be able to differentiate wrong from right. Life is so much more than growing up in the right neighborhood, having excellent health, obtaining the best education, having a house with a brick façade bordered with neatly edged white fences, and—of course—more than enjoying the grace of decent neighbors and respectable friends. We make choices every day, and each one weighs for or against our eternal value. But what should we choose? The answer is life, and life abundantly. It’s eternal life. God has created us in His own image, and that does not primarily refer to the physical structure of a person, as when He, through the person of Jesus, dwelt on Earth clothed in ﬂesh and bones:

“Now, this I say, brethren, that ﬂesh, and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:50, NKJV)

Instead, God is referring to His spirit, which He placed in each of us. The spirit enables us to connect with God and have intimate 352 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME communication with Him. The soul acts as an intermediary between the spirit and the physical body. Now, while the soul has a natural tendency to sin—to act against God due to its sinful nature, courtesy of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—the spirit is the whisper, the soft nudge to do the right thing, to please God by one’s deeds. Both the soul and the spirit are fundamental to our makeup, and they are eternal. The soul is the spiritual factory of our being that produces either good or bad. It is from within that core of operation that we decide to accept or reject God’s commands. In fact, God created us to have eternal life as He has it. None- theless, while we were born to live forever, things got more intensely complex after Adam and Eve violated God’s instruction and chose to partake of the Tree of Knowledge. The sinful deed enabled them to tell right from wrong, but on the ﬂip side, it began a sin march throughout civilization, a journey into human existence that would eventually cost the life of Christ as a penalty for the cascading impact of sin for centuries of Adam's descendants. With this power to choose, Adam and his descendants’ journey into eternity are no longer a straight path directly into Heaven. It became a path that forks off into two different directions. Things are getting serious. It means that every action has either a positive or negative result, and we are never in a constant state. Each step we take is just another forward movement into eternity. Earlier I talked about the power of choice. But there is an even higher power, which is the capability of giving someone else the power to choose. I’m sure you’ve heard about artiﬁcial intelligence or AI, but what is it? Merriam-Webster describes it this way:

“An area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence. It is the power of a machine to copy intelligent human behavior.”

— WWW.MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM

AI is man’s attempt to build a human being or at least some- THE POWER TO CHOOSE | 353 thing that behaves as such. Undoubtedly, God has given humanity the ability to understand the psychology of human behavior and the physiological makeup and operation of ﬂesh and bones, but humans are more than merely physical material entities. Each of us has a unique soul given to us by God which cannot be duplicated or copied. Further, an AI machine is entirely programmed to work as the designer wishes, which means it’s only as smart as the people who put it together, and just “knows” as much as its builders know. On the other hand, we are not constrained in those ways, because God had given each of us the power to think and to choose independently of Him. Nevertheless, according to the Bible, from those to whom much has been given, much is expected.

“And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:47-48, KJV)

So, again, we should choose wisely because all results of our actions are counted, and records are kept in heavenly journals. The power to choose comes with consequences. God, by His inﬁnite power, is the only one capable of giving a person the ability to choose, and it requires supernal and awesome power to create something or someone that can function independently of its creator in decision-making exercises, in innumerable ways. Please think about that for a minute or two. Without this level of separation, we would be no more than puppets, but God wanted us to be intelligent, with the freedom to either choose or reject Him. What this means is that God has given us the authority 354 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME to choose whether we want to serve Him or not, to love Him or hate Him, and we demonstrate our position by our responses to sinful enticements:

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4 KJV) “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God [For the sinful nature is always hostile to God]; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7, NKJV)

Consequently, if a person ends up in the city of light or darkness, it is due to a decision made by that person. God has given us His word, His preachers, and His Holy Spirit to direct or nudge each of us toward the path that leads to eternal life. If God did not grant the power to choose, the only logical and fair outcome would be either for all people to go to Heaven or all go to Hell. Other- wise, for some to make it to Heaven would mean that God had favored some over others in ﬁnding the path to eternal life, and you know that would not have been fair by any standard. The good news is we don’t have to worry about that because God is impartial:

“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6, KJV) “Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore, He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my THE POWER TO CHOOSE | 355

iniquity, for it is great. Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.” (Psalms 25:8-12, NKJV)

One might argue that yes, God is fair, but how does one account for many of the unjust events in life? As I have told a friend before, and I’ll do the same here: if it were impossible for people to be influenced and even possessed by dark forces, I would say, “Wow, that’s an interesting question for which I have no answer,” but that is not the case. At least part of the answer is that Satan and his demons roam and control this world primarily through the willingness of humanity to side with defiance of God standards and, as such, the infernal enemy influences many of the decisions that are made in this world—we are not alone:

“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:31, NKJV) “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the Earth, and his angels [now demons] were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:9, NKJV) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NKJV)

Still, God has supreme power. And of course, He does test people, not tempt them, but ultimately the power to choose is in the hand of the person. Satan cannot make a person do anything unless such a person had dabbled sufﬁciently with diabolic groups and tools, such as séances, tarot, Ouija boards, palmistry, pendu- lums, I’Ching, horoscopes and the like, and has become possessed, essentially losing some control to choose. Indeed, in such a condi- 356 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME tion, the person’s actions may be strongly controlled by wicked beings, but even then, God can redeem the person if He is permitted. You do have control over your eternal destiny, so take it as seriously as you do the most important undertaking in your life. In fact, take it more seriously. Take care of your spiritual life and your power to decide:

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace … So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5–6, 8 KJV)

In any event, we should also consider this message because right will always win in God’s court:

“There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the LORD's counsel—that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21, NKJV) "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways." (Hebrews 3:7-10, KJV) “If you really fulﬁll the royal law according to the Scripture, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2:8-9, NKJV) "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods [idolatry] which your fathers served on the other side of the ﬂood, and in Egypt; and THE POWER TO CHOOSE | 357

serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the ﬂood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15, KJV)

Overall, free will is not applicable or needed in Heaven or Hell because the opportunity was already used to arrive at either location. In other words, the eternal state of one’s soul exactly resembles one’s earthly choices. 15

INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION

LIFE IS AN ASSET OF GOD

Examine your resource management strategy. How are you using God’s investment in you?

“We were not born the same, we are all not born with the same abilities and capabilities, but no matter what seed God has given to us, be it small or big, He expects a good returns from us in the end and we must endeavor to be good stewards and managers of our abilities and capabilities regardless of where we live and the challenges we face!”

— ERNEST AGYEMANG YEBOAH

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 359

neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the ﬁre, and they are burned.” (John 15:1-6, NKJV)

hile still considering the big picture, it is now relevant to W portray Jesus not only as the Shepherd, which He is, but also as the Chief Executive Officer, or CEO at large that holds the highest-ranking management position in God’s corporation, which is comprised of living entities that span Heaven and Earth. I am motivated to write in business terms because working for a company is a significant aspect of life for many. Throughout generations, we have grown accustomed, for better or worse, to associ- ating power with those wielding the authority and influence to hire and fire. As a result, a certain level of respect is bestowed upon them, sometimes unduly. As the impeccable business owner, Jesus also expects His operations to yield profitability; he expects a good return on the investment he has made in His corporation, you and me. As you continue reading, it may become evident to you that every being God created strictly operates within the context of the expressed capabilities and desires of God, of which their spiritual DNA or blueprint is composed. More exactly, do you like these things: truth, respect, humility, fairness, peace, and justice? Read God’s position on them in Proverbs 6:16-19. Notice the other instance of the number seven in that verse. Here, I believe the number is expressing God’s complete dislike for sin, for all wrongdoings; this is no different from the laws, rules, and policies that oversee and enforce fair business practices, procedures that must be observed for the survivability of the organization. 360 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19, NKJV) “For the kingdom of Heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord's money. After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So, he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them. His lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 361

scattered seed. So, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I would have received back my own with interest. So, take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unproﬁtable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:14-30, NKJV)

A traditional corporation is a group of people organized and authorized to operate within the scope of a single legal entity which represents the makeup of shareholders and the board of directors they appoint to oversee the management of the business. We are each a spiritual business operation in God’s worldwide enterprise, and like Apple, Walmart, and Exxon, we each operate in a particular climate or environment. For some, the operating space is a household of violence, and for others, it is a family that, although they do not have much, has plenty of palpable love amongst themselves. Even more, as a savage workplace, the lion’s den was the crucible for Daniel. Envious and competing peers (presidents and princes of his day) tried to usurp Daniel’s favor and authority by instigating charges of defiance against the Baby- lonian king, Darius. Today, many Daniel equivalents throughout the world are allotted arduous training by the heart of God—it’s all about love, not punishment. Like Daniel, the life or office of Joseph is also a Biblical epic for an operating environment; it was an attention-grabbing saga of rejection, isolation, betrayal, and reparation. At age seventeen, his envious brothers sold him into slavery to Potiphar, a remarkable man who was an assistant to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Later, Potiphar’s wife lied about Joseph and had him thrown in jail. In the end, Joseph rose to prominence when he interpreted the troubling dreams of the Pharaoh. Then he became second in command 362 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME in Egypt and played a pivotal role in ensuring the survival of his distanced family during a seven-year famine—read Genesis chapter 37. The principle of these experiences illustrates how the operation of each office varies. Nevertheless, God has created each office to perform a unique function in His earthly body, but the members are all equally important. Moreover, conducting business can be challenging against the headwinds of competition and other obstacles. As we operate God’s business on Earth, efficient assessment and management of certain vital aspects are critical to its overall success. We have just introduced the business operating space or environment. The next two areas that offer support for the success of the office are effectively valuing the skill-set of each human resource, our brothers and sisters, and understanding the risks and challenges (tests and temptations) of conducting business, of interacting with each other. I consider it is common knowledge that no human being is self- sufficient or entirely independent; we each are not separate beings in the universal scope of God’s creation. Instead, while adorned with free will, we are all interlinked to form a global network of living entities or nodes, connected by the spirit of God, who added His life to our physical component (Ephesians 4:1-6, KJV and Ephesians 4:16, KJV). Physically, we are each appropriately and rightly independent, but not so at the spiritual level. In the same fashion that companies are linked via network and telephone cables or waves, so are we connected to each other and to God by spiritual parentage (Colossians 2:5 & Romans 8:10-11).

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 363

one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6, KJV) “From whom the whole body ﬁtly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16, KJV) “For though I am absent in the ﬂesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:5, NKJV)

For any company, its human resources (or HR), or its people, are the most important assets. HR represents a strategic body of influence and force that is structured to anchor the organization to withstand external pressures and minimize internal ones, so it remains viable in any environment. A critical aspect of HR management is the ability to deploy members in many departments or units using a divide-and- conquer approach against competitors. It’s a fundamental reason a company grows from 100 employees to 1,000. HR oversight includes benefits administration and how to compensate employees adequately; it addresses safety and health, how to keep a staff mentally and physically efficient and reduce harm. HR also focuses on training, ensuring the acquisition of mission-critical information to sharpen a competitive edge, and it focuses on time management to maximize output.

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body —whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have 364 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

all been made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12- 13, NKJV)

Though still a single body of operation, every member or office of the corporation of Christ is created to perform a strategic mission. The goal is not only to form a unified body of resistance against the onslaught of evil but also to equip and mature the operation of each office to perform the duty for which it is established. His wage is eternal life, not just a paycheck to secure food and shelter. Unlike some traditional corporations that exploit workers, God is entirely fair and righteous to all His officers. He is flawless, so nothing but fairness comes from Him, never even a hint of misdeed (James 5:4). Both Hebrews 7:25-28 and Hebrews 8:12 add more evidence of God’s perfection and His commitment to helping us, and the following verses promote the excellence of His lordship through a comparison with the Old Testament priesthood.

“Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” (James 5:4, NKJV) “Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.” (Hebrews 7:25-28, NKJV) INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 365

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12, KJV, NKJV)

We are children in God’s eyes, so He wants to keep things as simple as yes or no, true or false, obedience or disobedience. Every action evaluates to a conclusion that either pleases God or displeases Him, a sinful or a righteous doing. Perhaps you are aware that peanuts are not only agents of protein for building muscle, but they are also a familiar ingredient in dynamite. Like- wise, free will is a double-edged sword. On one side, it can be used to clear a path of emotional and other spiritual shrubs leading to a godly environment. But it can also be used to clear a path leading to the enemy’s advertisement. The soul has a very hefty decision to make on how to use the privilege of free will or its managerial authority, and it is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Each office of Jesus’ corporation is sufficiently equipped and endowed to decide whether it wants to continue working for Jesus, or His arch-rival, to labor towards Heaven, or away from it. It cannot do both. God rewards those who work for Him diligently. Knowing the role of free will does not, in and of itself, fortify us to run an efficient and effective office. We need a better understanding of our potential to wander from the flock, from the guidance of the CEO. In 1 John 2:16-17, we read about the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (Romans 8:6-8, NKJV).

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the ﬂesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16- 17, NKJV) “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity 366 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the ﬂesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:6-8, NKJV)

Who does not like pleasure? Our physical bodies are designed to acknowledge what we genuinely enjoy tangibly, and they support the enjoyment of the moment by releasing what is sometimes called the “pleasure chemical,” or dopamine. Research has shown that our brain treats rejection like physical pain and that even a small boost of increased authority changes the operation of our mind to the extent of a decrease in empathy. Again, humans are complex creatures and only need the right, compelling mix of thought and time to set off either onto the road to righteousness or the road to perdition. Fleshly or carnal desires are commonly described as “mammon” (Matthew 6:24 & 1 Corinthians 2:14-15). The word, by medieval writers, is used to depict the name of the devil of covetousness, and presently, it is regarded as the evil inﬂuence or false object to which worship and devotion are directed. Mammon is represented in the lust of the eyes, the ﬂesh, and the pride of life, all of which operate in hostility to the Spirit of God and create a vacuum in our soul that can be remedied only by the Holy Spirit.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24, NKJV) “But the natural [carnal] man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15, NKJV) INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 367

Fleshly things, or mammon, are often appetizing, and Satan and his angels of darkness persistently ensure the availability of an abundance of bait to trap the imprudent soul or ineffective office into wrongful conduct. As a natural outcome, the desire for material pleasure or self-indulgence is just one reason fasting and other methods of self-denial are so challenging, yet so heavenly-pleasing and soul-uplifting. The spirit yearns for the rewards of Heaven, while the physical yearns for material goods. Again, somewhere between them, the soul or HPU is positioned and coordinates the workings of the entire system. The souls, or decision engines, too often do not follow the office guidelines in the policy handbook called the Bible. Propelled by free will, the HPU analyzes each request, each test or temptation, and then determines the direction of attraction, either to gain wages (Romans 6:23) from Heaven or not, whether to support the Ponzi scheme that oversees the destruction of the office.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NKJV)

Since the result of the HPU processing is so important, it is easy to comprehend why the Lord is reminding us to gird up the loins of our minds (1 Peter 1:13-16). It is a fascinating point that God is illustrating because the loins, spanning both sides of the spine, are nestled between the lowest ribs and the hip bones, along with the reproductive area. Reproduction is the result of certain, biblically qualifying actions or events. The mind is inﬂuenced by what we see and hear; this was demonstrated by Eve when she looked upon the tree and considered it good for food. Her eyes, as an input device, fed her HPU some raw material, which it processed into the mess of a product known as sin, and a product we are still digesting and producing today in different ways and quantities (Genesis 3:6). What makes it through our input passages is 368 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME processed by the HPU and then combined with other knowledge and experiences to form a decision for good or evil. For an example of the evil, let’s look at Genesis 3:2-3. The lust of the ﬂesh did not only lure Adam and Eve to their spiritual death alone, but the consequence was also cascaded to their descendants:

“Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:13-16, NKJV) “And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, you shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.” (Genesis 3:2-3, NKJV) “So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6, NKJV)

The life of Jesus is the consummate example of one that only allowed good, raw material to process in His mind; He did gird up His mind against evil. The computer uses GIGO to describe the results of a bad input. I believe this is what the Lord is warning about. He is warning us to be careful about what we see and hear because these things do influence our relationships for or against Him. The same consideration holds for the office at large. We must follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) guide, which is the Holy Word, the Bible. Please allow me to make an important point about the Bible here. It is His love letter, owner’s manual, setup guide, trou- INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 369 bleshooting guide, complete life handbook, prescriptions guide, and recipe guide to humanity. Every word is alive and individual- ized, between you and Him, between Him and me (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible is alive because real spiritual beings are representing the words. Who would you like to work for today? Do you want your time and effort to count for all eternity? Then join the corporation of Jesus Christ. Again, He is perfectly merciful and gracious (Romans 6:23). Consider this fact: everything we do on Earth is work, and appropriate wages do apply. Why? Work is the exertion of force used to overcome resistance or to effect a change. A case in point: The only way for a person to lift a 100-pound sack of rice is by demonstrating the capability to apply a force greater than the resistance associated with the weight. Likewise, when we resist temptations, we are exerting a retalia- tory force superior to the gravitational pull of sin. The level of a force is a hint of the resistance that must be mustered to gain a victory over it. For instance, have you ever observed how an ordinary request could feel so pressurizing when the same comes as a test from the Lord? Any spiritual test is a pressure against a person’s will to validate its commitment to God in the targeted area. One’s resistance or resolve must be greater than the external influence to gain triumph and rewards. The battle between our will and the vigor of the test is work, and its outcome evaluates to a payment, either of life or death, either of obedience or less. Another observation is that the magnitude of struggle one must engage in to overcome an immoral behavior or to yield to self- denial is the same measure of one’s commitment to and one’s entrapment in conduct or a pattern thereof. This profound thought, and perhaps a bedrock in identifying the power of free will, explains that each decision is branched from this base of reasoning, either to go left or right. 370 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NKJV) “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.” (Psalms 145:17, NKJV) “Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore, He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the Earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.” (Psalms 25:8-14, NKJV)

The strength of a company is not entirely mirrored in towering buildings and financial surpluses; rather, the organization is secured in the quality and makeup of its employees, the engine that offers its primary propulsion. As you know, inanimate components cannot think, or can they make the level of effective decisions to combat the tide of ever-changing physical and spiritual influences, all of which are leveled against the traditional company in varying degrees and at different times. It is no different in God’s kingdom. Human beings represent the offices, and they are like the wheat and sheep the Bible uses to explain the importance of our relationship with Him and His son, Jesus. How is each office constructed? Well, you and I are not built entirely of Earth-based building material, as you know, but we each represent a section of the big picture canvas. Each God-directed life is robustly built and divinely guided to intersect with and augment others, while, at the same time, magnificently display the perfect qualities of the Trinity, INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 371 which the Bible describes as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22- 23, NKJV).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV)

This is no different from the ethical practices expected from an organization, especially those representing Christ in the physical body. Efﬁciencies in God’s corporation are understood; then they are demonstrated in members’ togetherness, in relationships that surpass the tendency or appetite to gossip, falsely accuse, lie, steal, lust, or do anything that would compromise factors that support the proﬁtability of the holy kingdom (Matthew 25:29-30, NKJV).

“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unproﬁtable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:29-30, NKJV)

God demands unity in His family or body. Why? As Ecclesi- astes 4:12 advises, a three-strand rope is not easily broken—there are strength and momentum in unity. It is crucial for us to understand that when we speak positively into the lives of others, we are praising God, we are conﬁrming His creative power, we are glori- fying His Breath-of-Life in them, and it must be an intentional and enduring effort. What’s more, a kingdom or body divided cannot stand. 372 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NKJV)

When, as always through free will, the enemy is given the opportunity to cause disunity in the body of Christ, among the ofﬁces, he, the accuser, is given the latitude to level charges against us in the courts of Heaven (Revelation 12:10). Satan is cunning, and he knows a few things; he was an angel, so he recognizes that he cannot accuse Jesus. He had no case against the sinless Jesus. He consistently stages charges against us when we, the brethren of Jesus, sin. Does the word “accuser” hint of a courtroom scenario? Well, I believe it does.

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” (Revelation 12:10, NKJV)

As you know, a sinful action is a violation of the office policy; on that account, arbitration or a settlement is required to regain and maintain the right standing with the CEO. Repentance is the procedure that facilitates the reconciliation and recovery to good standing, to control or remove the prodigal tendency. The atonement strategy provided by the divine Boss effectively defeats the enemy, but the responsibility is for the officer to stay away from bad business practices, which the adversary often lures the unwary into with glittering bribes. So, as a human resource in the office God has given you, what’s the goal or purpose of free will? It’s the responsibility God gives a INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 373 person, for a lifetime, to make clear-cut decisions for or against Him, and it is for this reason that there cannot be a gray area or haziness in our decision to follow Him. We are each responsible for the operation of our office, and I believe free will can be exercised up until a short time before physical death. Why? Do you think about the bizarre and unbecoming actions some people pursue before their deaths? Each day is another occasion to check and double-check that our offices are in proper order. It’s a grace moment in time to resolve all conflicts with God and one’s neighbors, and it should be done promptly, as the devil prowls, seeking a door to pry himself into to apply a regimen of destruction. Early detection and resolution of issues is a prescribed antidote.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:26-30, KJV)

Allow me to draw your attention to an article at ChristianityTo- day.com titled “You Cannot Keep People out of Hell: God does not fault us with anyone's eternal destiny.” The author provided many Biblical references, but I do not agree with his interpretation. I would have preferred to see this: “You Can Keep People out of Hell: God can fault us with someone’s eternal destiny,” and yes, we can keep people out of Hell. How? Not by self-power, but by obedience. It is God who does the redemption. As noted above, we are spiritually connected beings, and from time to time, the Lord 374 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME may prompt us to interact with another person in a certain way, maybe through an act of kindness, the voice of a warm greeting, or admonishment. If we ignore His voice, the result can be eternally ruinous for ourselves and others, all because of disobedience, and we know God’s wrath awaits waywardness. We are members of the body of Christ, as the fruit and branch example demonstrate in John 15:2. If He wants to use a person as His hand to help someone, it may be trimmed if it does not respond.

“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience, many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19, NKJV) “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6, NKJV) “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2, NKJV) “Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 375

Nevertheless, if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also, you will have delivered your soul.” (Ezekiel 3:16-21, NKJV)

We are one body (Romans 12:4-5), one spiritual, universal corporation, but each of us represents an ofﬁce of the operation, so we have a critical responsibility to give Jesus a good report of its operation. One example of our spiritual relationship can be found in Luke 1:39-41, as it described when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was ﬁlled with the Holy Spirit. I strongly recommend reading the entire chapter of Luke 1. It’s a beautiful picture of the prenatal life of Christ and John the Baptist, but the section of text also illuminates the potential for profound spiritual interconnectedness, even in the womb.

“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (Romans 12:4-5, NKJV) “Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was ﬁlled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:39-41, NKJV)

To flourish within an operating environment, a traditional corporation must account for factors such as taxation, government engagements, labor laws and rules, and banking operations. These aspects of the business are usually set up as departments or units within the company, and they become part of the ecosystem that 376 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME prepares for and fosters the organization’s survivability. They each are foundational, and any hint of upfront unsolvable issues during the planning phases is often a showstopper. There is also the requirement to file articles of incorporation or certificates of incorporation with the appropriate government agency. This legal filing is the process that transforms a plan into a legal entity. The documents specify, among other things, the corporation name, business purpose, number of shares, par value of a share, directors, and address, so it does take effort and diligence to form a legal body that may not survive its first two years of operation. To emphasize, in August 2015 on Inc.com, Bill Carmody wrote that only 4 of 100 businesses survive past the 10-year mark, and in a September 2012 write-up, Eric Wagner, a contributing writer for Forbes.com, referenced a Bloomberg report that stated 8 out of 10 businesses fail within the first 18 months. While the numbers may seem gloomy, they do suggest that competent management can position companies to weather the storms, so hope is still present. Fortunately for mankind, for each spiritual office, for each person, all preparatory work has already been done by Jesus; there is no filing required. Instead, only a heartfelt bent toward seeking forgiveness and pursuing atonement as often as needed is required. He only expects us to assume the role of an officer with an attitude of responsibility and loyalty. When does this occur? Well, in the U.S., for example, a person must be 18 years or older to form a corporation. In Jesus’ corporation, one becomes an office manager at the age of accountability, which is different for each person. It is a period in life when the difference between what is wrong and right is understandable, a point when one can recognize the outcome or consequence of an action in the current atmosphere spanning a lifespan. The reason no filing is required is that God knows the point in time for each person. We hardly know the full capability of our hearts, and God will ensure that there will never be an excuse for ignorance. The Lord likes simplified operations that everyone can understand, interact with and complete under a INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 377 light yoke. He does not want anyone to struggle with complexities, which can cause uncertainty.

“There is one who scatters, yet increases more, and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” (Proverbs 11:24-25, NKJV) “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” (Colossians 3:23-25, NKJV) “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” (Proverbs 13:4, KJV) “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” (Proverbs 12:24, KJV) “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.” (Proverbs 6:10-12, KJV)

The most important aspect of valuing a corporate team member is through compensation. Linda Ray, an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of reporting experience wrote: “How Does Salary Affect a Worker's Productivity?” Her report shows that “to motivate workers to increase productivity effectively, you need to employ a set of tools that incorporates salary increases while placing added emphasis on non-monetary rewards.” Adam and Eve communicated with God and relished the favor of having their needs met without having to employ an effort or a force called work. These, I would say, were the good old days. Were they? 378 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Being descendants of such a privileged ancestry, it is understandable why humans find it challenging to settle for anything but a just compensation. Since a job is often a demanding task, it must be balanced between crashing waves of personalities and conflicting ambitions. As a result, work is a formidable opponent for many. To them, this is an almost ever-present sacrifice, week after week, until an interruption brings about an end, welcomed or otherwise.

“For the scripture says, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his reward [wages].” (1 Timothy 5:18, KJV)

In the big picture, work does have an eternal aspect and a corresponding consequence, and it is referenced in Romans 6:23, which tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NKJV)

The Bible prompts us to recognize two types of wages. Sin, even as unassumingly as it might appear, does issue a payment or compensation. As does righteousness. This operation on Earth we call life is an efﬁcient system that accounts for every activity and assigns a value or a reward to each one—the good, the bad, and the ugly. There is no disposable bin as such for a misdeed; the offender either shoulders it or have it is removed by God through repentance. Every action or unit of work has a paymaster, and God only rewards holiness. Hence, you know what to do to avoid working for the other master. INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 379

At this point, I’ll offer one weighty reason why no one should work for anyone but Jesus, but we need to introduce the word called “yoke” to describe the labor. A yoke is a wooden harness fastened over the necks of two animals; the Lord is making us aware of two types of yokes. The love He has for us will always ensure a bearable, light yoke because He is helping us to bear it— it’s the nature of Love; it keeps giving and helping. The adversary is entirely devoid of love, so there is no mercy, and as a natural outcome, the weight a sinner is saddled with is crushing and ruinous. Accordingly, as we continue to manage the operations of our individually assigned ofﬁce, all activities, everything we do, must be done according to the policy manual, the Bible, for our labor to be eternally rewarding.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will ﬁnd rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV)

As a different viewpoint on the topic of charity, Corporate Social Responsibility (or CSR) is an initiative by U.S. companies to improve society in some way. The government does not mandate it. Be that as it may, it is recognized as an extra effort to enhance local and global communities, as described by the gift-matching firm called Double the Donation. Some traditional companies acknowledge the virtue of giving, perhaps even cheerfully. God loves people to give willingly, and though He is not against some having surpluses, He does not want us to love material wealth. Each office must be an agent of charity. One fantastic example of generosity can be found in the womb, between mother and child, and it’s a remarkable example of the heart of God to give, to share. During pregnancy, if a mother 380 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME sustains damage to an organ, the baby sends stems cells to repair it. So, what about money? How do we express exaggerated affection for it? Selfishness is the short and direct answer—see 1 Timothy 6:9-10. I believe an arresting example is found in 1 John 3:17-19, where it describes God’s desire for us to demonstrate a willingness to use our bank balances as tools to encourage and make light the yoke of someone, to inspire them and to gladden the heart of Christ.

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10, NKJV) “But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him.” (1 John 3:17-19, NKJV)

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, the Bible describes the rewards of those who give both sparingly and bountifully. Research has shown that spending money on others yields more self-fulfillment and, in an inverse way, arguing about money is a top predictor of divorce. Jesus does not want us to close the doors and windows of our offices to someone who is in need, especially when we can help — Proverbs 3:27-28. The overall intention of God is to help us and to detach us from the glue-of-greed that firmly constrains many offices from flourishing in godly and eternally beneficial activities. INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 381

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So, let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7, NKJV) “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,’ When you have it with you.” (Proverbs 3:27-28, NKJV) “Whosoever stopped his ears at the cry of the poor; he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard.” (Proverbs 21:13, KJV) “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38, KJV) “For I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, because you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:35-40, NKJV)

So far, we have looked at the operating environment and the HR factors of managing an office. Risk management is another aspect of a company; it is a strategy to safeguard the assets of the business. It brings into the equation the potential of a mush- rooming situation on the horizon, the outcome of which is usually 382 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME unpleasant. It hints of a potential loss. The word “risk” to a business person can be synonymous with bankruptcy: the chance to lose it all. As a result, traditional organizations, depending on size, may have an entire department of specialized and formidable Human Resource (HR) talents performing risk assessments and developing sound strategies to support risk management. A business often tries to develop contingency plans against possibilities such as fires, power outages, staff illnesses, and disasters. Organizations have devised recovery procedures to foster operational continuity against terrorism and widespread natural adversity. There is risk associated with the production quality of goods and services, marketing plans, HR management, project management, fierce competition, government overreach with harsh laws and policies, and the depreciation of the business good- will. These different undercurrents of risk indicate how tenuous business can become and emphasize the urgency for vigilance and proactive tactics. We don’t need to perform a rigorous comparative analysis of spiritual versus traditional risk because it perhaps won’t be well- founded, for it would be like comparing apples and oranges, even like comparing the limited and the limitless. What am I saying? Plainly, a conventional business has many risk factors to consider, but itself is an inanimate entity with a definite end. Oppositely, the spiritual business has both a physical and a spiritual presence, a finite and infinite scope, so the risk is immeasurable. I find myself giving thanks to God that I am alive despite the risks of living on Earth, and this self-analysis, I believe, is in part attributable to my acknowledgment of the 151,000 people who die each day. The other reason for this seamless self-examination is not apparent to me. I consider it is God who is fashioning my spirit into an attitude of thanksgiving, especially for giving me not only the hope of calling out to Him in prayer, repentance, and confessions but also for giving me the spiritual sensitivity and sensibility to recognize His grace and mercy in keeping me from falling into the underworld. Keeping a soul out of the bottomless pit is a task INVESTMENT AND COMPENSATION | 383 that only God can perform, and it does take both heavenly effort and our willingness. It is good to be alive, but it is even better to understand that death stands at the door, waiting to close and execute the contract on one’s final exit—see Ecclesiastes 7:2-4. Even if a traditional operation fails, it may still be recoverable. However, the same is not true when a spiritual office closes; when a soul dies, it’s an extinction event from an earthly perspective. The idea of reincarnation is folklore.

“It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth [amusement].” (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, KJV)

The most significant and threatening risk of one’s life is leaving this world without Christ. Mark 8:35-37 asks the question of what it profits a person to gain this whole world then end up in the pit. It’s the way I calculate the meaning and essence of a complete life. Anything else is a lollipop that did not even taste good anyway. I don’t like to lose; I imagine you are the same way. As a program- mer, I write thousands of lines of code and textual content for documentation. To express how much I dislike having to rewrite, I usually have many backup copies, and I save very frequently. I don’t want to lose anything of interest or effort. Though the scale of that example is negligible when compared to an eternal loss of a soul, I am sure the point is clear and perhaps well taken. As mortals, we spend an inordinate amount of time toiling with things that are very trivial in a broader and proper perspec- 384 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME tive, and we each will give God an account of the time we have wasted. God wants us to live in the confidence of obtaining eternal life, but the choice is ours to manage the risk. Jeremiah 29:11 writes that the plans the Father has for us include giving us a future and a hope, compensating us for living a complete life.

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it proﬁt a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35-37, NKJV) “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV) 16

CANNOT SET IT AND FORGET IT

DAILY MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED

Examine your attentiveness to friends. Do you call just call or visit them once a year?

Season Pass grants admission to an event as many times as A one wishes for a certain duration. For one thing, the key characteristics of a Season Pass are convenience and surety of a seat. However, while the benefits mesh well with the human desire to create a repeatable process, there is a critical exception to the rule, particularly as it applies to following Jesus, and we will examine this here. There is a common deception that once having accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, the soul is saved forever, irrespective of one’s subsequent lifestyle or level of interaction with God. That attitude is irrational because every living thing or being needs support and access to its life source. A one-time interaction with God is certainly insufficient to sustain a soul unless the person dies moments after the spiritual conversion. Why is there a need for continuous communication with God? Well, we are engaged in a war, supplies are always needed, and we need to be in frequent communication with the Tactician, Jesus Christ. Otherwise, as 386 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME soldiers, we will either die or become captives with no way out. As such, we should not entertain the deception that once saved, always saved, as Matthew 12:43-45 notifies.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45, NKJV)

Towards the end of the chapter titled "Foundational Thoughts," we saw the first use of the word "micro". This use of the word micro pertains to the rapture, which is characterized by the trans- porting of believers to Heaven in the blink of an eye. In this section, the word takes center stage to describe the duration of the seasons in our Life and Time. In computing, a macro instruction is a single instruction that expands automatically into a set of microinstructions to perform a certain task. In addition, the prefix macro is used to describe the large-scale, more general details of a field of study, while ‘micro’ is applied to mean in instances focused on individual or specific cases. We live for a macro season called a lifetime, but there can be a micro-season that operates side-by-side within the macro period; in this context, it begins when a person decides to follow Jesus, to begin a lifestyle of holy living. I term it micro because the duration varies quite vastly; a converted soul may follow Jesus for 1, 2, 5, 10 or more years and then backslide. As would be expected, the macro season always ends when a person dies, for the period represents a full life. A full life is not CANNOT SET IT AND FORGET IT | 387 necessarily the same as a complete life, which indicates that the soul reenters Heaven after death. A micro period is different. It does not always end when a person dies because a person could turn back from God and live for many years afterward in sin. God’s plan is for both seasons to end at the same time, which means the person dies in Christ and is prepared to spend eternity with Him. Now, some of the advantages afforded to the holder of a Season Pass in the physical world are not applicable to the spiritual world. In fact, they can be eternally destructive. To illustrate, the ticket holder for a ball game enters a “set and forget it” mindset after buying the Season Pass. He or she doesn’t worry about seating availability or the journey to one’s seat from the gate. Though useful and efficient, it is a kind of sluggish mode that does not work in the Christian walk because of these truths:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 KJV) “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly [is] ready, but the ﬂesh [is] weak.” (Mark 14:38 KJV) “Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2, KJV)

How does God treat or react to the person who is not a Christ- ian? Well, in that state, the soul is on the broad road that leads to destruction. Until that soul enters the micro-season, a redeemed and holy stage, God still loves him or her and will continue to offer help when He is called upon (particularly for salvation) and extend outstretched arms of mercy as a good father would even to a prodigal son. However, ﬁrmly keep Psalms 7:11-12 in mind. 388 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turns not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow and made it ready.” (Psalms 7:11-12, KJV) “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45, NKJV)

Now, according to the television ad for the American Express Card, “Membership has its privileges,” and who can argue against this? Parents will always treat their children better than they would other children; this is natural and perhaps reasonable. When a person enters the micro-season, the new life, he or she becomes a child of God and has entered the narrow path, and is given a ticket to Heaven, not a Season Pass. As a result, the redeemed person is considered a son or daughter, appropriately, and can enter God’s presence to obtain mercy and help without feeling guilty and with the conﬁdence that God will hear his or her cry, which is always good for us, though an impatient attitude would argue otherwise:

“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18, NKJV)

Only those who surrender their lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ are given the spiritual ticket called salvation. Who paid for it? The answer is Jesus Christ, the one who offered His life on the Cross of Calvary. He paid for the ticket, so it’s free to CANNOT SET IT AND FORGET IT | 389 anyone who wants it, even now. Because of the hefty price, the ticket includes all the beneﬁts God allows in this life and the one to come. Some of these beneﬁts are protection from the evil one who always tries to guide souls into spiritual darkness.

“Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and ﬁnd grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV)

As a Christian, do not be misguided into thinking that saying the sinner’s prayer is all that is required to see the face of God. For as long as we live, purity, meekness, and mercifulness are required. There is no shortcut to Heaven, no loaﬁng, no “set it and forget it.”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the Earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be ﬁlled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:5-12, KJV)

The following verses are God’s advice against the deception of “once saved, always saved.” These verses reveal that diligence is 390 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME required to please God and make it to Heaven and that Jesus expects the redeemed to remain faithful:

“Now If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:18, NKJV) “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6, NKJV) “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His ﬂesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:21-23, NKJV) 17

DESTINED TO WIN

ETERNAL LIFE IS A DELIBERATE EFFORT

"It's very hard at the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually, you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.”

— GEORGE SHEEHAN

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV) “Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and ﬁnisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NKJV) 392 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

s a comprehensive statement, a complete life is one that has A purposefully decided to walk with Christ. It is a good steward; it knows its value to God and its operating environment; it is a successful ofﬁce under the CEO of Jesus Christ; it is actively working to reduce or eliminate the risk of losing it all for absolutely nothing (Psalms 89 & Psalms 24:1-2). Can you see yourself in the big picture? In fact, can you see yourself gymnastically advancing despite the persistent headwinds blown by the oppo- nents of pandemonium?

"The heavens are thine; the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them." (Psalms 89:11, KJV) "A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the ﬂoods." (Psalms 24:1-2, KJV)

It is critical to realize that we are not alone in this world; we do have enemies in high places which can exact lasting damage. Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us that we are in a war against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness. Our enemy is not ﬂesh and blood (other people) but a band of commissioned and eternally determined adversary from the underworld.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, DESTINED TO WIN | 393

against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:10-12, NKJV)

We are our own greatest enemies. Why? I’ll tell you a story. Up until about the year 2015, my understanding of mammon (Matthew 6:24) was a dictionary one, which describes the word as perceiving wealth as an evil inﬂuence or as an object of devotion or worship. My understanding changed one morning as I was getting ready to leave my home. I felt the equivalent of a whisper to my soul, not an audible voice, awakening me to the truth that mammon is not outside but inside of me, and I understood the dispensation right away. It was not a condemning impartation but an enlightening revelation. Why? Earlier, we introduced the three parts of a person: body, soul, and spirit, and from that discussion, the idea of a person having a soul or an HPU was introduced. What we have inside of us is the seed or potential of mammon, which is a leaning toward or an appetite for idolatry, for wrongdoing, but with God’s help, we will quench the ﬁery darts of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:13-17, NKJV).

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24, NKJV) “Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the ﬁery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:13-17, NKJV) 394 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

It is about effectively mounting a consistent and strategic effort against the lust of the ﬂesh and the pride of life that we overcome the desires in us to do wrong. It is about living a life of self-denial to gain a closer, dearer walk with Christ and to hear His voice. The Lord is providing a similar example in Matthew 7:5 with the admonition of ﬁrst handling our internal faults even before thinking about correcting another person.

“Hypocrite! First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:5, NKJV)

Think about our internal ally, the person of Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit. His inspiration and guidance is the source of a complete life. Yes, we must struggle and wrestle with internal and external battles, respectively. Just the same, and again, we have a helper, representing a heavenly host of assistance with Jesus the Leader. Let’s apply RCA and our HPU to properly funnel our energies and live a complete life throughout the time God has given us. Please permit me to talk a moment about the value of prayer— see “Growth Through Prayer.” Why is prayer so critical to a successful, complete life, an effective run? The answer is free will. It’s that simple. When we don't pray and still expect God to perform a miracle or do something for us, it's indirectly asking or expecting him to lie, to violate the God-given process of allowing us to make decisions, without His “interference.” Conversely, when we do pray, we are asking Him to use His omnipotence to steer the outcome of our actions towards His perfect will; otherwise, the Lord is gentleman enough to wait until we call on Him. Nonetheless, in His great mercy and power, God may begin the process of assisting us even before our petitions, and this is to arrest the corrosiveness of sin from dissolving DESTINED TO WIN | 395 humanity into nothing. As Psalms 103:8-9 encourages, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. In any event, the effectiveness of God’s help is best realized through prayer because an answered petition draws us closer to Him as we experience His faithfulness and Love to attend to the needs brought directly to His throne room.

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.” (Psalms 103:8-9, KJV)

Throughout this guide, I have also expounded on the hopeless- ness of humanity without Christ and have ﬁrmly expressed that only a life in the underworld awaits those who did not decide to abide with God while on Earth. I write it all with intent, for it is true. Amen. My desire is the absolute best for all, in this life and the next. Like you, I too experience mortal and immortal opposition; I must appropriately address the wearisomeness of interacting with unfriendly people. I also engage in prayer, Bible reading, and fasting to effectively combat the seemingly ever- present malevolence of the fallen world. There is some good, useful news, though. There are two streams of inspiration that I have found rather nourishing, and perhaps they may offer similar nutrients to you. The ﬁrst is what is commonly referred to as The Lord’s Prayer:

Matthew: 6:9 “After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 396 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

6:13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

— THE LORD’S PRAYER (KJV)

I believe this prayer is often not given the time and respect it is due. After all, it is The Example of how to pray, and it came from the one to whom we pray. How can there ever be a better, greater pattern? Of the verses representing the supplication, the one that gives me comfort and enduring assurance is “Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven.” What Matthew 6:10 tells me is to “Let go and let God,” words I have heard in church. When taken to deep contemplation and trust, that single verse (Matthew 6:10), I believe, can help many against self-doubt and depression. The single verse is calling to us to rest in Christ and to fully acknowledge that God can only support His will on Earth and therefore cannot and will not help us with anything less; anything less than His will is a sin, a contradicting event. If we are willing to release our earthy aspirations and resign them to the preeminence of God’s will, calmness in body, soul, and spirit will be ours.

“Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:27, NKJV)

In psychiatry, a dictionary meaning of depression describes it as a mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despon- dency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep. I would like to expand on the topic of depression and resting in DESTINED TO WIN | 397

God’s will, just a bit more. I resolutely believe that depression, particularly when it starts to affect the physical body in a psycho- somatic way, is a response by the soul, or HPU when it is bombarded. The physical body is not as robust as its spiritual counterpart, the soul, and spirit in this instance. As a result, when the soul is crushed or attempting to endure and overcome an extreme level of mental pressures, the physical body cannot cope, resulting in a breakdown. This process is synonymous with an overheating engine. The excessive energy spent trying to solve issues that only God alone can solve may cause the HPU to overheat, and the destructive spiritual high temperature is transferred to the physical body. Strokes and other ailments can occur as compensating outlets. I believe the root cause of mood-based depression and its accompa- nying variety of disorders is sin related. Why? The emotional despair is a condition where the focus is usually entirely on self, thereby shunning any advice from Faith, Trust, and Hope in God. It is a sin because the Lord said not to worry, pray, as it is declared in Philippians 4:6-7 and Matthew 6:25-31.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV) “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of 398 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

the ﬁeld, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the ﬁeld, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?” (Matthew 6:25-31, NKJV)

I know it is easier said than done, but it’s doable because God has promised He won’t give more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Since it is impractical for a person to be depressed and happy at the same time, the options do hint of hope; we can think and act opposite of the tide of emotions that leads to extreme bleakness.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, KJV)

Perhaps outside the realm of clinical depression, which may require medication, I believe depression is a choice because free will has all the ammunition to relax the heart and soul. Depression is a countermeasure against letting go and letting God, I reason. The solution is to stop worrying and instead rest in the hope of God’s strength and in His willingness to help us. It does take practice, but as they say, do it enough times, and you’ll perfect it.

“Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of DESTINED TO WIN | 399

emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.”

— MAYO CLINIC

Another source of inspiration and encouragement can be found in Isaiah 45:7. Without the knowledge and a proper appreciation for this exceptional cuisine of information, depression and frustration can both easily overwhelm anyone. Why? Most, I imagine, is associated with certain events with God and others with the devil. Consequently, when there is conﬂict in expectations, God is usually the one who is blamed, but an adequate understanding of Isaiah 45:7 should help us better align our expectations with the reality that God oversees all actions; results are not surprising to Him. When we have appropriately grasped the lesson in Isaiah 45:7, we will become free at last. Free to “Let go and let God” demonstrate His will on Earth.

“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7, NKJV)

Let’s be careful to effectively remember that an act of disobedience introduces an obstruction in the spiritual race that God has set before us and for the world. Though the universal process of living might appear as parallel streams of sprint runners, it is a complex arrangement of a single race with the passing of batons at providential junctures. Each junction is divinely ordained, and it represents a unique combination of a person or people, time, and activity. The trio of animate and inanimate combines into an indi- visible unit and is expected to obediently and responsively adhere to perform one or more actions to progress God's will on Earth— 400 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME even time is obedient to God. Rebelliousness to His will obstructs a foreordained plan, and as a result, it leaves an untold number of spiritual casualties in its wake. Every action has a corresponding effect, a gain or a loss. On top of that, a violation of God's will causes an injury to the offender; it is a non-trivial matter. Saying that sin is "non-trivial" may not produce the desired impact I am trying to dispatch. Why? The answer, in my opinion, is the "joys of sin." As I have said before and throughout this guide, everything we do, be it bad or good, offers compensation. Who doesn’t like a payday? As implied in Proverbs 9:17-18, sin gives a bounty of a short-lived comfort; otherwise, people would ignore it — nothing in life is free, not even self-destruction.

“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Hell.” (Proverbs 9:17-18, NKJV)

Satan must entice a person toward eternal havoc; otherwise, the bottomless pit would be the place God intended, empty of human beings but full of fallen angels. I have told friends that if going to Hell was hard, then nearly all would ﬁnd Heaven, and it correlates with the reality that many sinful acts are quite appealing, even pleasurable. The decision one must make is whether one wants heavenly rewards or a temporary high on the fumes of illicit pleasure. So, let’s all stay clear of present danger and control what dopamine secretion lures. Consider this truth: hardly anyone becomes a spiritual giant overnight or falls in a single day. It’s often a gradual progression heavenward or a slow fade into spiritual obscurity. One action at a time. In the case of habitual rebelliousness, these sequenced events are followed by an increasing unwillingness to repent until the capability to be remorseful is lost in a heart that has become encrusted by stubbornness. DESTINED TO WIN | 401

In the case of righteousness, the heart becomes soft and malleable to God’s voice. Void of a spiritual transformation or a rebirth, the gradual decline is strategic, as the enemy slowly poisons the soul, injecting just enough venom to keep the weary soul comatose. Only a decisive act of seeking help from Jesus Christ can help. On the topic of a transformation, flamingos are a good example. The distinctive pink color of these birds was not given entirely by genetics; they were born with grey feathers. Over time, as these fowls of the air steadily consumed brine shrimp and blue-green algae, a dye contained in their food source was ingested and eventually produced their pink color. My point here is the importance for vigilance about what we consume, for it changes us spiritually. Any input that does not please God, that does not honor Him, adds to the withering process. As humans, we often avail ourselves of the pride of having certifiable experience in occupations that compensate for labor. We smile, laugh, and rejoice when our imaginations, thoughts, and plans line up like ducks in a row under blue skies, but Ecclesiastes 7:14 advises the unwary to be effectively observant about seasons in life. The Bible counsels us to be watchful for when things change and when the movement of events suddenly make the 180- degree turn or flip, potentially leaving us staggering and exasper- ating as we raise our spiritual diaphragm for a fresh breath of air, for spiritual encouragement and strength.

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can ﬁnd out nothing that will come after him.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14, NKJV)

On the heels of life’s joys are dark, invisible agents conspiring, shooting darts, and patiently waiting for a potential victim to show 402 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME symptoms of spiritual stupor or incoherence. When that condition is spotted, the weakened soul is made more intoxicated with doubt, bitterness, and impatience, as it strenuously tries to regain footing while still relying on mammon, not God. Without understanding God’s allowances for seasons, the soul can become swollen and inﬂamed with rebellion. It is a potentially disastrous state to occupy. Isaiah 45:6-7 gives sensible advice on how to prevent a spiritual decline, which can occur when we blame God. Let us respond with a Job-like attitude against life challenges (Job 1:21).

“That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:6- 7, NKJV) "And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.’” (Job 1:21, NKJV)

I believe the transportation method that safely ferries a wounded soul across the bridge linking joys and pain is called tempered-expectation, which is a spiritually rational adjustment to shifts in circumstances. A person is disappointed when he or she receives less than expected. Having sufﬁcient understanding and knowledge is fundamental in enabling us to balance our expectations and remain stable throughout; it is very achievable but only with an absolute commitment to its practice as Philippians 4:13 encourages — the Bible is the complete answer.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens DESTINED TO WIN | 403

me.” (Philippians 4:13, NKJV)

Why is it pointless to rebel against God? It only leads to a state of self-imposed destructive behavior. It is imperative to understand and to believe entirely that nothing, absolutely nothing, happens outside of what God allows or ordains. A divine corrective measure usually follows an allowance, so following His prescribed instructions should not be burdensome, since it leads to eternal life, and not death. Therefore, resisting God’s period of testing is practically the same as actively seeking another source of help, thereby discounting His provision and rejecting His jurisdiction, which is nothing short of wholesale deﬁance. He will not force anyone to adhere, so leeway is granted to become Absent Without Leave (AWOL). To counter this point of view, one might ask, is it God who is responsible for the disquiets and agonies in someone's life? The answer is yes and no: “yes” because He allows it, and “no” because it is all the result of living in a fallen state due to our Adamic nature. Still, to better realize the purity and faultlessness of God, one must improve that perception enough to recognize such qualities as powerful proper nouns, not common ones. Hence, the new and appropriate way of reasoning will enable one to appreciate the singularity and completeness of God as being Good, Love (1 John 4:7-21), and Wisdom, as in giving wholeness and body to each characteristic.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love 404 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He ﬁrst loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” (1 John 4:7-21, NKJV)

If one wholeheartedly believes in the essential character of love, the uncompromising extent to which it would defend, and if one combined these with the overarching and underpinning reliance on God’s perfection, then one would readily understand the scope of God’s commitment to helping His children to win. Considering that perfect love is void of malice and other negativity such as deceit and unfaithfulness, then why do many members of His creation still question or even wrestle against what appears to be unfairness in life? Perhaps more growth is needed in knowledge and trust and patience.

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one DESTINED TO WIN | 405 receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so ﬁght I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, KJV) "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and ﬁnisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, KJV) “To God, our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:25, NKJV) 18

TIMELY REPENTANCE

SPENT TIME IS GONE FOREVER

Evaluate your time management. How much time do you allocate each day to your Creator?

"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work." (John 9:4, NKJV) "So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalms 90:12, NKJV) "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the ﬂesh, to fulﬁll the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:11-14, KJV) "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his TIMELY REPENTANCE | 407

transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live." (Ezekiel 18:21-22, KJV)

ime scopes out the duration of painting the big picture, but T what is the purpose of time? On occasions, it aligns with other words to convey a more precise meaning of its context, sometimes to express urgency or calmness. Some of its more expressive qualities include terms such as time-frame, to mark off boundaries and instill respect for punctuality; time-lag, to indicate a state of waiting and nudge us to pursue patience; time-out, to prompt a pause and reflect on the fleeting moments of life. A formal definition from the American English dictionary describes it as, “an indefinite progression of existence and events that wrap, as a unified whole, activities in the past, present, and future.” Also, time is like a tongue-tied guardian that gauges and checks off all deeds under the sun. When accompanied with deep inspection of oneself, the outcome is arresting as the seriousness of life begins to emerge and gain a greater magnitude of respect for God, His beauty, His love, and His supremacy. This outcome is not obtained by being mired in the competing and often unrelenting demands of life, but through deliberate attempts and effort to find God in the secret places through prayer and substantive medita- tive moments. In doing so, one begins in earnest to recognize the endless potential of the dust-based construction called a human being into which God has breathed everlasting life. Fully persuaded of the brevity of time and the responsibility of managing it, we each must live with an eternal perspective before our time is spent and dust reclaims its own. Time is a stopgap that spans the human experience, and it is suspended between a divine expanse of eternity, beyond which point its relevance is lost. Altogether, time is the period that acts as a microscope through which God and His 408 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME angels observe and record man’s trustworthiness, loyalty, and overall tendency towards good or evil. Life and Time are an inseparable pair; for each person, both elements are providentially combined to oversee one’s lifespan. On the website philosophynow.org, Dr. Harry Fuchs responds to “What is Life” in this manner:

But what is life about, if anything? The two possibilities are, life is either a meaningless accident arising from the laws of physics operating in a meaningless universe, or it is a step in a planned ‘experiment’. I say ‘step’ because this cannot be the end. The current state of life is as yet too unstable and undeveloped for it to be the end.

— DR. HARRY FUCHS

While I do not side with the evolution notion, I do agree with his realization that life on Earth cannot represent the end, for it does not. Though perhaps not for the same reason, I also agree that this life is unstable and undeveloped because of sin or exploited free will, not a design oversight of God to produce a stable and fully developed environment. If God were incapable, He would not be God, and the whole world would have more issues, if existing at all. God would have to be perfect to save an imperfect being completely. This thought is also supported by the understanding that two magnets cannot be separated unaided; a stronger and external force is required to cause their separation. It is for this very reason that Jesus alone can save a soul from sin because He is sinless; He is stronger than the bonds that affix sin to our hearts and the clutch Satan wields to hold fast an unrepentant soul. What does that last statement mean? Though born of mankind, Jesus is not an offspring of Adamic parentage or seed; His conception was a miraculous engagement by the Holy Spirit, so He was born sinless, entirely complete in every way outside the realm of TIMELY REPENTANCE | 409 sin. If that were not the case, He could not have had the capability to save or redeem society from sin—can a sinner save a sinner? No. Can a kingdom divided against itself stand? No. If anyone doubts why we need the Lord, I hope this answer will help somehow: Whether it is recognized or not, if a person has not been redeemed, has not sought forgiveness and entered a state of abstinence from wrongdoings, such a person is firmly in the camp of darkness. Now, since all streams of darkness from the abyss or a person's heart merge and exist as a unified body of evil, the unrepentant cannot adequately understand the extent of its commitment to and involvement in the work of darkness until the light source (Jesus) is introduced through repentance, which must be done in a timely fashion.

“And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He has Beelzebub, and, By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons. So, He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:22-25, NKJV)

Comparably, as can be read from American English dictionary, life is described as, “The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from non-living matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change until death.” This narrative is not complete but would have been if life ended when the physical body ceases to exist. That understanding directly equates life to a primer or first coating of paint on a canvas, but a vibrant, more vision-durable paint is needed to portray a discernible portrait. To admit the truth, the first twenty years of my life served as a primer. During that period, my expectations of life were mostly 410 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME nurtured by social norms and financial longings and were often expressed in these terms: “Live by the golden rule,” “Go to school and learn well,” “Seek substantial employment,” “Save for a rainy day that might come before or after retirement,” and “Prepare for an imaginary afterlife.” Though “imaginary” was not the precise word, I now reference it as such because the spiritual-based knowledge gained from educators or the clergy was incomplete in that the weightiness of the subject of eternal life was not expressed enough to draw me to a dearer, closer relationship with God. Most of the teachings fostered a cocoon-like existence, an environment of social well-being that was enough for me, and others I am sure, to feel comfortable with our self-worth but not necessarily to feel we were measuring up to and preparing for the life that surpasses the bounds of Earth. I was spiritually dead; my lifestyle reflected desires mostly associated with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life as it is written in the first book of the apostle John.

The victory over death that is secured by the incarnate, invisible God through Jesus Christ is the effective power that sustains a soul and arrests its natural descent into darkness, as a fallen being. So, what applies brakes to one’s plunge into the abyss? It’s God’s mercy working through the ﬁshers and harvesters of humanity, helping in the redemptive effort of salvation—see Romans 9:14-18, Matthew 4:19 and Matthew 9:37-38 below. TIMELY REPENTANCE | 411

“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, ‘I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE COMPASSION.’ So, then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ‘FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I HAVE RAISED YOU UP, THAT I MAY SHOW MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE DECLARED IN ALL THE EARTH.’ Therefore, He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.” (Romans 9:14-18, NKJV) “Then He said to them, follow Me, and I will make you ﬁshers of men.” (Matthew 4:19, NKJV) “Then He said to His disciples, ‘the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” (Matthew 9:37-38, NKJV)

What’s more, a reasonable question might then be presented: What is the value of my life? I’ll attempt to offer an answer by surveying the disrespectfulness of pride in the eyes of God. Remember, self-importance is the weapon Satan used against the ﬁrst parents. The Bible says that pride goes before a fall, and it was that same deﬁcit in godly reference and irrational introspection that oversaw the fall of Adam and Eve (Proverbs 16:17-20). Pride gives an unfounded promotion to self by disregarding those to whom the recognition and credit are due. It is because of this reason that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). It is God who gives the desire and the strength to do his will (Philip- pians 2:12-13, NKJV). 412 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who heeds the word wisely will ﬁnd good, and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.” (Proverbs 16:17-20, NKJV) “But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will ﬂee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double- minded.” (James 4:6-8, NKJV) “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13, NKJV)

Still another explanation tells us that all the world belongs to God and that He wouldn’t have to seek a meal from us if He was hungry. Now, considering that the Bible tells us that He owns everything and that He is the one who gives us the wherewithal to do His will and to achieve anything, then it is both logical and evident that we can do nothing without Him, so what’s the purpose or value of being proud? Do you see how misguided and reckless an act of pride is? After all, we are dust (Genesis 2:7 and Psalms 90:2). How arro- gant is the contemplation to reckon for more? Nonetheless, the value of one’s life is compared with the spirit of God in us, and it is priceless. I sometimes consider all humans as children, all of us being in His sight (Matthew 18:2-5). Some are gentle, kind, and caring, while others are ill-mannered and outright obnoxious. TIMELY REPENTANCE | 413

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the Breath-of-Life, and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, NKJV) “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the Earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” (Psalms 90:2, NKJV) “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.’” (Matthew 18:2-5, NKJV)

A serious point to this is that many children (and adults) are lost to eternal damnation for not saying they are sorry, for not apologizing and repenting to Jesus for unruly and disrespectful conduct. When we sin, it hurts Jesus, but all He wishes is for us to show Him proper manners by offering an apology, followed by a firm and persistent stance against a reoccurrence. The challenging question for me is why go to Hell for not saying you’re sorry? This is something to ponder. Time is running out! I am pleading with you to turn to God with all you have before it’s too late. Some people are confident that it’s never too late. My response to them is this: “Then why plan or make a schedule, and why not throw away watches?” Many adults are too aware of the term “grace period,” for it reminds us of a legally and binding contractual agreement with a creditor to fulfill a payment obligation. Often, the period is a reasonable extension before legal or other corrective action is employed to enforce repayment. Corre- spondingly, I firmly believe that the lifespan of each person is a God-given grace period to reconcile with the Father, as in the example of the prodigal son and his earthly father. There are two 414 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME ways of living: one for God and the other for Satan. A gray area is not a human being, so Jesus did not die for it. In 1995, the movie Dead Man Walking was released. I have not seen the feature (and I am not suggesting you do), but I am interested in the title, for I see a correlative aspect to the spiritual realm. Unfortunately, many spiritually dead men and women are walking around and will continue in that state until repentance. Who are they? Only God knows, but I do know the Bible gives more than a hint of how that state of being is obtained (Hebrews 3:7-19). It’s an inattentive heart fueled by noncompliance that calcifies the heart and stiffens the soul against God and His beckoning to such an extent and for such an elongated period that all graces for eternal life are spent. Even so, the person remains physically alive. Such a soul may still conduct spiritual activities; they may even appear flamboy- antly holy with the gifts of speaking in tongues and prophesying, but it’s all for naught concerning entering the gates of Heaven. So how does one avoid that catastrophic loss and enter His rest? We surrender to God through repentance, prayer, praise, reading His Word, and keeping our hearts pliable to His workings. No one is excluded from this request! I include these observations both to encourage and warn of danger, even as our time on Earth ends.

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice, Harden, not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. So, I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made TIMELY REPENTANCE | 415 partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our conﬁdence steadfast unto the end; While it is said, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So, we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:7-19, KJV) 19

PROTOCOL AND ENERGY

NATURAL AND SUPERNATURAL LAWS

How are you using His energy today?

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13, KJV) “When Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the ﬂute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.” (Matthew 9:23-26, NKJV)

od created everything in this world, seen and unseen, G animate and the seemingly inanimate, and each thing is very much alive and able to hear the commanding voice of God uniquely. That obvious statement does not end there. Consider the following two questions: “Is a stone alive?” and “Does physical death end a person’s existence?” PROTOCOL AND ENERGY | 417

Bear with me in rehashing the familiar, but there is a difference in context here. One may respond with conﬁdence that there is no life in either instance, please be aware that they both are still very much alive: In recognition of the vital and responsive life of nature, Isaac Watts composed “Joy to the world! the Lord is come!” Born in Southampton, July 17, 1674, he is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. Let us see how the pastor and songwriter urges both Heaven and nature to sing praises to God in the ﬁrst stanza of this Christmas favorite:

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room, and heav'n and nature sing, and heav'n and nature sing, and heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing.

— HYMNARY.ORG

In the case of the departed soul, what the living witnessed is a transformation that is no different from observing the three phases of water: solid (ice), liquid, and gas (vapor). Life is about transformation, and it is an intrinsic and undeniable factor in life. In Luke 19:40, we see an example of stones having the capability to speak, and John 11:38-44 and Mark 5:36-42 present cases of decaying ﬂesh responding to the voice of its Creator. Have you ever heard a donkey speak? See Numbers 22:28 below.

“But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’” (Luke 19:40, NKJV) “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. 418 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Lose him and let him go.’” (John 11:38-44, NKJV) “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.’ And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, ‘Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.” (Mark 5:36-42, NKJV) “Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” (Numbers 22:28, NKJV) "No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to ﬁll it up taketh from the garment, PROTOCOL AND ENERGY | 419

and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish [Perish means to die or pass away, to lose life, to come to an end — does the bottle have life? — I believe the application is both literal and ﬁgurative (as it pertains to mankind)]: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." (Mat 9:16-17, KJV)

Moreover, our perception of death is different from the truth God wants to convey because that understanding will enable many to live less callously, if at all. Notwithstanding, the eternal enemy of our souls has convinced much of humanity that it is all over with one or more of these solemn graveside persuasions: "Dust to dust," "ashes to ashes," or "Earth to Earth." Please don't believe it; it's a lie. Life continues well beyond the tomb, and it behooves us to investigate our options while we are still alive. Examples of belief in life after death can be found in Egyptology. For evidence of this, look at Joshua Mark’s February 2017 online publication by Ancient History Encyclopedia titled “Mummiﬁcation in Ancient Egypt”:

The practice of mummifying the dead began in ancient Egypt c. 3500 BCE. The English word mummy comes from the Latin Mumia which is derived from the Persian mum meaning 'wax' and refers to an embalmed corpse which was wax-like... Early graves of the Badarian Period (c. 5000 BCE) contained food offerings and some grave goods, suggesting a belief in an afterlife.

— ANCIENT HISTORY ENCYCLOPEDIA

The Bible informs us that it is more than a suggestion; life does continue after the earthly member has been mortally spent. The physical container itself still has life, though in a different form, 420 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME and God can still command it to regain its original shape, even in a gloriﬁed form, using a heavenly protocol, as Luke 7:14-15 exem- pliﬁes.

"And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And He said [using His divine protocol], Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother." (Luke 7:14-15, KJV)

Dr. Leham Strauss also adds support to our immortality in his 2009 book titled “Death and Afterward”:

There are three accounts of our Lord’s raising the dead. Each time He approached the dead and spoke to him as if he were alive. To the son of the widow of Nain He said: “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise” (Luke 7:14). When Christ came to the daughter of Jairus, we are told: “He took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise” (Luke 8:54). Finally, He said to the brother of Mary and Martha: “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43). In each case, Jesus speaks to the person as if he were alive. We can only answer that each was alive. As G. Campbell Morgan says: “The body was dead. The man was not dead. No man is ever dead when his body lies dead!” The soul of man will never enter into a state of non- existence nor unconsciousness. In Christ’s account of the rich man and Lazarus, we have the matter summed up and settled that the soul is conscious after death. Both men died and were buried. Though their bodies were in the graves, each of them was alive and conscious. The rich man in Hell could see, hear, speak, and feel (Luke 16:19-31). PROTOCOL AND ENERGY | 421

God communicates with all of creation, and trees are a notable mention here. As a practitioner of computer science, there is one area of digital graphics that I ﬁnd quite fascinating, namely the generation of a pattern known as a fractal. Contributors to Fractal- foundation.org offer the following deﬁnition:

“A fractal is a never-ending pattern. Fractals are inﬁnitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop. Driven by recursion, fractals are images of dynamic systems – the pictures of Chaos. Geometrically, they exist in between our familiar dimensions. Fractal patterns are extremely familiar, since nature is full of fractals. For instance: trees, rivers, coastlines, mountains, clouds, seashells, hurricanes, etc. Abstract fractals – such as the Mandelbrot Set – can be generated by a computer calculating a simple equation over and over.”

— FRACTALFOUNDATION.ORG

Excerpted from the "The Nature of Code" (Natureofcode.com), Daniel Shiffman, an Arts professor at NYU, provided the following explanation:

"The mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot in 1975 coined the term fractal (from the Latin fractus, meaning 'broken'). In his seminal work 'The Fractal Geometry of Nature,' he deﬁnes a fractal as “a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole.”

— DANIEL SHIFFMAN, NYU

It can be gleaned from the descriptions above that fractals are 422 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME simple to complex geometrical shapes that simulate patterns found in nature, such as those in clouds, rivers, mountains, and trees. The graphic of the tree branch, shown to the right, is not a result of the technological marvel of photography but is the creation of a computer. At this point you may be wondering why I have included this section. Why am I referencing computer graphics and comparing them to nature? I will tell you. To delve a bit deeper and add Fractal tree more comparative emphasis to the life of a stone or the surprisingly communicative capabilities of a donkey, I wish to introduce an observation that has long fascinated me. When the occasion permits, from my office building, I enjoy staring with wonder and reverential amazement at the energetic trees swaying to each impulse of the wind and stretching upwards from their robust trunks into numerous slender branches and furthermore into independent twigs adorned with leaves. For years, I marveled at the seemingly effortless way shrubs and trees respond to their environment, while diseased and fully aged appendages (perhaps a leaf or branch) quietly surrender to nature. During these moments of awe, I conceptually compare nature and fractals, becoming ever more confident that a computer could never sufficiently mimic the magnificence of a single tree. I knew that, indeed, a tree has life while the output of a computer does not, but I needed a more in-depth understanding and I believe the Lord attended to my unspoken supplication. One afternoon, during my occasional contemplation of the trees, I felt a delicate impression on my spirit. In a flash, I came to realize that trees and all other living things behave according to the principles of free will. Wow! The free will of a plant is not about choosing between God and Satan or deciding between PROTOCOL AND ENERGY | 423 wrong and right, but about how growing from a seedling, perhaps without daily or even occasional intervention by God. That feat shows the POWER of God and His commands. His voice is the spark that sets life in motion. In other words, I believe the spoken word of God, which He used to command the world into existence, is the initial and lifelong sustaining super- structure that supports the flexibility in which humans, animals, and plants manifest their respective right to exist and express life through a myriad of characteristics. However, let it be known that the intention here is not to equate people to other life forms, but to illustrate the protocol-based power of God throughout the Earth. In general terms, a protocol is a standardized procedure or system of rules for effective communication. Consider, as an illustration, that protocol often fosters diplomatic engagements, and the concept is identical to how computers and telecommunication equipment interplay using various established rules or commands. Without a verbal or written contract for interaction, chaos would ensue. Similarly, God uses a precise method of communicating with all His creation. The language He used to control the waves of the sea may not be understood by the mouse in the basement. He is God in many languages, able to speak to decaying flesh with the same ease as He commands other areas of His handiwork—below and above the Earth. It is imperative for us to realize that we live in the space of God. In Chapter 11 of the book of Job, it is revealed that His "limits" are higher than Heaven and that His knowledge and presence of God are broader than the sea and longer than the Earth. From this explanation of the immenseness of God and His all-encompassing power, I estimate that we are occupants of the Originator of life. We live in Him, not outside of Him. Lord, teach and help us to be well-behaved children by giving you the respect and honor due to your holy name. Amen. 424 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“Can you search out the deep things [knowledge] of God? Can you ﬁnd out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than Heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol [abode of the dead]—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the Earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9, NKJV) “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.” (Acts 17:28, KJV)

While we enjoy life as earthly tenants, we must be careful to realize that we are effectively accountable for time and energy management, as each is a depleting component of physical life. Divine decisions were made about our fleshly characteristics long before conception. To this end, a human body is designed to gain and maintain energy, thereby giving it the power to perform work. Be that as it may, at the atomic level, whether the atoms are high- energy as they are in liquids, or low-energy as they exist in solids, life in each of those states is confined by time as it corresponds to energy level. We spend energy to work for God or someone else, to make our soul better or worse. Each hurdle or state of calmness is allotted sufficient energy to perform according to God's standard. Often, the setback is in knowing this truth and applying it. All physical matter is consumable, which means it is no longer viable in a particular state due to the reduction of supporting energy and time. The decline of power in one area effectively represents a shift, transfer, or loss to another region, and this continuous spent- and-transferred exchange is what causes progression or regression in a matter. As a result, I believe Psalms 90:12 cautions us to be mindful of time and energy. God wants us to use our strength wisely, both for physical and spiritual health and productivity. Sin causes a soul to use energy inordinately, and like the five foolish virgins, we may not leave enough for the journey ahead. PROTOCOL AND ENERGY | 425

“So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12, NKJV) “Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now ﬁve of them were wise, and ﬁve were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” (Matthew 25:1-4, NKJV) 20

MISPERCEPTION OF GOD

IGNORANCE IS DANGEROUS

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3, NKJV) “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3, NKJV)

misperception is a wrong or unintended interpretation, and A though we are readily disgusted by mistakes, some have been known to produce some unusual but fortuitous results. One example relates to artiﬁcial sweetener. It was discovered when a scientist, who was working on an anti-fever medication, put his cigarette down in the powder and realized the sweet taste of cycla- mate, which is a salt of a synthetic acid. Often, a misinterpretation is met with surprise and disappoint- ment. Nevertheless, when a matter pertains to God and our eternal life, more careful inspection is required to avoid spiritual oversight because no excuse will be accepted on Judgment Day. MISPERCEPTION OF GOD | 427

To this end, all the following are erroneous beliefs:

1. Being good alone is sufﬁcient to enter Heaven. 2. The punishment in the pit does not last for an eternity. 3. After death, one goes through a process of regeneration and is then reborn as something or someone else. 4. Praying to Mary (we should not pray to her, only to God) is sufﬁcient to receive forgiveness of sin and to gain entrance to Heaven. 5. A person can obtain forgiveness in Hell and be released. 6. Prayers are answered from the pit, and forgiveness is granted. 7. When a person dies, he or she simply ceases to exist. 8. God will ignore one’s shortcomings because we are only human. 9. God is too good and merciful to send anyone to the abyss — sin sends a soul to hell. 10. My family and friends love me more than Jesus does. 11. Seeing is believing. What I cannot see does not exist.

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32, NKJV) “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, NKJV) “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:6, NKJV)

It is of eternal significance that we thoroughly understand that God is God. He is not a man, and He is not one to trifle with. To repeat, He is loving, but He is also a consuming fire. His love is perfect, but so is His fiery wrath, which is perfect in execution. If 428 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME you learn nothing else from your time reading this guide, I hope that you take these truths to heart: God is love …

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the Breath-of-Life, and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7 KJV) “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8 KJV) “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us.” (Ephesians 2:4 KJV)

But God is also a consuming ﬁre…

“For our God is a consuming ﬁre.” (Hebrews 12:29 KJV) “For the LORD thy God is a consuming ﬁre, even a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24 KJV)

Everyone needs the love and reassurance of a stable relationship, and God provides these necessities. Nonetheless, one may argue, if God loves us, why does He allow so many to suffer? And if He knows the life of each person, why does He let good people suffer? I’ll answer the last question first: Of course, God created us, and He knows all about one’s day of birth and day of death, and absolutely everything in-between. How could he not know? If He did not know, then He would not be God, and neither would He be perfect in knowledge. I assure you that you wouldn’t want to serve a god with knowledge deficits. God is perfect, and He cannot lie; He said He loves you, so please take it to heart. I do. The other question can be answered in one word, and it is called sin. Its ancestral qualities MISPERCEPTION OF GOD | 429 have been destructive to humankind from its outset. Adam and Eve ignited the fire of sin that continues to burn across their descendants, spanning countless generations. Because of that first sin, people today—even very good people—sometimes suffer:

“For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, nor [are] your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For [as] the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from Heaven, and do not return there, but water the Earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:8-11, NKJV) “For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:16-17, NKJV)

Unquestionably, God’s prerogative, and ownership through His creative powers, should always be respected. Another misperception is something I call the forgiveness easement. We all know what forgiveness is about, but what about the easement part? “Easement” is a legal term, and it means the right to cross or otherwise use someone else’s land for a speciﬁed purpose. Encyclopedia Britannica describes it as follows:

An easement, in Anglo-American property law, is a right granted by one property owner to another to use a part of his land for a speciﬁc purpose. 430 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

When use of the easement is restricted to either one or a few individuals, it is a private easement. Use of a public easement, such as public highways or a portion of private land dedicated by a present or past owner as a public park (also known as a dedication), is not restricted. An owner of an easement is referred to as the owner of the dominant tenement. The owner on whose land the easement exists is the owner of the servient tenement.

— ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA

I’ve coined the term “forgiveness easement” because it reminds me of a case I studied many years ago while pursuing a certiﬁcation in British law. In the case, the plaintiff was allowed a shortcut to his own land across the defendant’s property, and this alternative path was made use of for many years. When the defendant decided to close off the pathway, the plaintiff took legal action to maintain the easement and won, because he had been using it for such a long time, and it had become a necessary convenience for the plaintiff. In a sense, the opportunity to pray provides an easement to the throne of God, to one’s Father, but praying is done on earth, while in the territory of the enemy. When a person commits sinful deeds, he or she is giving the Ancient Serpent the means to bring a case against him or her before the Throne. The plaintiff (Satan) is seeking to not only shut up Heaven against the defendant (the wrongdoer) but to inﬂict severe injury on the soul. Still, in an unrepentant state, the offender has entered the property of the enemy who seeks nothing but the rights to kill the intruder — there is never an intention to take a prisoner. Let's use the easement provided by Christ, which is maintained by forgiveness and repentance: MISPERCEPTION OF GOD | 431

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” (Revelation 12:10, NKJV)

Without a doubt, Satan blames us and carries our faults to the court of God, seeking for the right of way to torment and destroy us. Demons are the worst of instigators; they lure mankind into disobedience and then try to convict and sentence us to damnation. Nevertheless, we can win the case if we show up in court through prayer seeking forgiveness. Yes, God does forgive sin, but we need to understand that though prayer is an easement to reach God and obtain the blessing of forgiveness, it cannot be abused since God knows the heart …

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV) “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19 KJV)

But God also wants us to carry out His commands; God may require more than simply asking for forgiveness, though that is always required. The enemy knows of the easement that exists between God and us through Jesus Christ. As a result, the arch- enemy of mankind constantly attempts to set up barricades to the easement, essentially barring us from God, and it is my perspective that unrepentant sin does automatically erect such a barrier; 432 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME seeking forgiveness and engaging in true repentance are the only methods for ensuring access through the easement. Continuing with the importance of obedience: When God told Jonah to go Nineveh and preach, Jonah disobeyed and went to Tarshish. Surely, sin is equivalent to ﬂeeing God’s presence, to running from His instructions to turning our backs on Him.

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to ﬂee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD and went down to Joppa, and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (Jonah 1:2-3 KJV)

As you know, Jonah ended up having to do what God instructed. He was thrown overboard and then swallowed by a whale that expelled him on the shores of Nineveh. You may consider reading the short book of Jonah in the Bible for a complete picture. Moses found himself in a similar struggle following God’s commanding him to go to Pharaoh and tell him to set the Israelites free.

“Then Moses said to the LORD, ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ So, the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?’” (Exodus 4:10-11, NKJV) MISPERCEPTION OF GOD | 433

In both cases, God’s will have had to be done. He uses people to accomplish some of His missions on Earth. Imagine what would happen if everyone simply ignored God’s commands and tried to make amends by saying, “God forgive me” each time as a forgiveness easement. God is not going to force you. In fact, He may give us a solid nudge, but the power to choose is still ours. We don’t want to go against God’s will because the consequences will be disastrous. It is important that we grapple with the fact that we are dust and that it is God’s life in us that adds value to our being. Therefore, we should earnestly seek to avoid and abstain from distractions such as pride, which is at enmity with God and often causes disobedience. We must be willing to listen, obey, and respect God by doing His will. There are two types of easement: one that leads to the throne of God and another that leads away from it right to the district of the enemy, through disobedience, and it leads to eternal death. Keep in mind that we do not own ourselves, each of us ultimately belongs to God or the enemy, and that is determined by relationship. If we do God’s will and enter Heaven’s gates, then we belong to God. Otherwise, lost souls belong to the devil.

“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Luke 4:8, NKJV) “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is The image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, NKJV)

Please pause and consider this point for a moment: Elephants, alligators, orangutans, octopuses, and polar bears, in that order, are the most protective mothers in the animal kingdom, according 434 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME to experts. As God’s most intelligent earthly creation, we go to great lengths to protect our children from harm. Parents have jumped in front of trains and cars, taken the lives of others, plunged into deep waters when they couldn’t swim, and the list goes on, yet God’s love for us is far greater, and it is even more reason we should not vent anger toward Him. Instead, target your anger against the instigator, against the troublemaker, against Satan himself by refusing to follow him. God holds no malice, and all His works and intentions are good. Yes, He is merciful and willing to forgive, but He also expects obedience, not a lackadaisical relationship where the “Forgive me, Lord” cry is used as the first, second, and third response to His prodding. He expects obedience. There is one other misapprehension about God that the world must know. In school, we have heard about the god of love in clas- sical mythology. In ancient Greece, he was known as Eros, the son of Aphrodite, who was the goddess of love and beauty. To the Romans he was Cupid, the son of Venus. Love, for the Greeks and Romans, was a pleasurable and passionate affair—a different concept than the Christian ideal of love. Our God’s love is not carnal, like Cupid’s. Rather, it is selfless and unconditional, and it is eternal love for our souls. God loves, but I need to caution you about something important. Many conceive of God as a merciful Ruler who could not mash a fly, a holy being who just waits in the wings to give us a spiritual hug, and certainly, He is that warm and merciful. However, the Bible holds many examples of God’s ability to do more than crushing a fly:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:18-19, NKJV) MISPERCEPTION OF GOD | 435

“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15, NKJV) “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV) “And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30, NKJV)

Wrath means strong, vengeful anger. What do you think happens when God is that vexed against disobedience? Sin is serious, and God will handle it seriously. Let’s not play with our eternal future by vexing the person of Christ Jesus with sinful lives, by merely seeking after material gains. Instead, we seek after things of eternal signiﬁcance:

“And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, ‘Rabbi, when did You come here?’ Jesus answered them and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were ﬁlled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you because God the Father has set His seal on Him.’ Then they said to Him, ‘what shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘this is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” (John 6:25-29, NKJV) “And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings; the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29, KJV) 436 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

The book of Matthew, especially chapter 21, verses 12-13, presents impressive evidence of the obvious and supernatural influence Christ had against all sins, even against the influences behind them, human or otherwise. In those verses, we see Jesus flipping over the tables of the merchants. That was quite a daring move. Undoubtedly, then or today, hardly anyone else would attempt what Jesus did unless there was a lapse in reasoning power. Only Jesus could have done such a human-transcending act and step away without injury from a swift backlash. Why? No one could have touched Jesus unless permitted to do so. Jesus said in John 10:18, “No man taketh it [his life] from me, but I lay it down of myself.” That is the essence of absolute power!

“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, it is written, ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.’” (Matthew 21:12-13, KJV) “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:18, KJV)

The humility and love of Christ are the bedrock of His self- restraint against the coarseness of man’s disrespectful attitude toward Him, but what more can we say about the humility of Christ? We'll have to enlist the support and evidence found in Colossians 1:19 and 2:9. These inspiring and profound verses report that while on Earth, the complete power of God resided in Christ. MISPERCEPTION OF GOD | 437

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” (Colossians 1:19, KJV) “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9, KJV)

Now, it was Lord Acton, formally known as John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, an English Catholic historian, politician, and writer who is best known for the popularized phrase, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” According to Wikipedia, a laboratory has tested the idea. These verses and quotes underscore the power and love of Christ for humanity. To have unlimited power and yet behave utterly humbly conveys inﬁnite Love which, in proper noun form, is another name of God. Entirely sinless in a human body, Jesus had just as much power as His Father. None- theless, He demonstrated immense humility to interface with humanity in a brotherly way. The Lord is a very sophisticated person; His royalty extends inﬁnitely beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. It is for a reason like this that pride is foolishness and a gross misunderstanding of the nature and majesty of God.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:15-16, KJV) 21

THE PERFECT CHARACTER

THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREE

Building a good reputation takes diligence. How much does your character reﬂect Christ?

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, KJV) "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1:27, KJV)

esides being known as the Son of God, Jesus is also called “I B AM THAT I AM”, Ancient of Days, Bread of Life, Living Water, The Word, Lamb of God, The Righteous One, The Truth, The Life, and The Way. Jesus is a beautiful person. Discard those negative things that have been conceived and said about Him, and let’s look at some undeniable facts about God. Do you know anyone who is perfected in any of the attributes listed below? I don’t. What these personality traits show is that God is not a lofty and standoffish being in the sky. He is a personable, reliable, dedi- THE PERFECT CHARACTER | 439 cated, and practical being. In any event, never be led into thinking He is “the man upstairs” or He is “your buddy.” Please don’t address Him in that way. He is God. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Do not view Him casually. God is our friend, but He is also a consuming fire. Let us not trivialize His kindness. On the other hand, the Ancient Serpent and his minions have no love, no interest in people other than to kill them and drag them into the abyss; they are notoriously wicked and cannot befriend anyone. So, any involvement in demonolatry (worshiping of demons), black magic, witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, or wizardry is an insult to the intelligence of humanity, a provoking display before God, and a disregard for one's life. Entanglement in the black arts, occultism, diabolism, devil worship, devilry, voodoo, hoodoo, white magic, witchery, and mysticism is no less eternally ruinous. Why? John 10:10 gives us the answer. Satan intends to steal and kill, but steal what? Assuredly, it is less about confiscating material possessions and more about terminating lives. He wants to lead us into sin, bring an accusation against us before God (Revelation 12:10), then obtain the right to snuff out our lives prematurely.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10, KJV) "And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:10, KJV) "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Revelation 12:9, NKJV) 440 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Attributes of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)

My goal here is to offer examples of common characteristics so that we can readily recognize and believe that God is not a ﬁgment of our imagination, and although our physical eyes cannot see Him, He is very much alive and well. Nearly everyone likes to be associated with someone of good reputation. It’s for the same reason that some businesses are interested in potential customers’ credit scores. If we can extend reliance on mortal beings who are demonstrably imperfect, how much should our faith be readily elevated in the One who has created us, the One who cannot lie and is entirely capable of upholding all obligations? A good character provides more than basic hints that a person is trustworthy and can be reliable in conﬁdence-based interactions.

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1, NKJV) “A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one's birth.” (Ecclesiastes 7:1, NKJV)

The Bible tells us that Jesus is consistently the same. He is faithful to His promises, and He gives good gifts. Let’s examine the perfection of Christ, our Lord: THE PERFECT CHARACTER | 441

Accessible: “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalms 50:15, KJV) Admirable: “I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:4, KJV) Calm: “And he saith unto them, ‘Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:26, KJV) Capable: “And he said, ‘the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.’” (Luke 18:27, KJV) Cheerful: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, KJV) Consistent: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, KJV) Courageous: “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7, KJV) Creative: “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth.” (Genesis 1:1, KJV) Dedicated: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, KJV) Effective: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, KJV) Efficient: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, KJV) Energetic: “He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be 442 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31, KJV) Fair: “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven.” (Colossians 4:1, NKJV) Faithful: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV) Fearless: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32, KJV) Firm: “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Hebrews 3:6, KJV) Focused: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Matthew 15:8, KJV) Generous: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6, KJV) Giver: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 KJV) Impartial: “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (Colossians 3:25, KJV) Innovative: “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19, KJV) Intelligent: “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound THE PERFECT CHARACTER | 443 wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.” (Proverbs 2:6-7, KJV) Inventive: “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Isaiah 64:8, KJV) Knowledgeable: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7, KJV) Logical: “’Come now, and let us reason together’, saith the LORD: ‘though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’” (Isaiah 1:18, KJV) Methodical: “Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus saith unto him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’” (John 3:3-6, KJV) Obedient: “Jesus saith unto them, ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (John 4:34, KJV) Objective: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13, KJV) Observant: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore, from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:9, KJV) Omnipotent: “For with God nothing [is] impossible.” (Luke 1:37, KJV) Omnipresent: “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3, KJV) 444 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Omniscient: “Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.” (Psalms 147:5, KJV) Optimistic: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9, KJV) Organized: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40, KJV) Peaceful: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV) Perceptive: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12, KJV) Personable: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, KJV) Practical: ‘“Come now, and let us reason together,’ saith the LORD: ‘though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.’” (Isaiah 1:18-20, KJV) Precise: “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” (Psalms 18:30, KJV) Principled: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbe- lievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, KJV) Reliable: “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the THE PERFECT CHARACTER | 445 moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalms 121:3-8, KJV) Serious: “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.” (He- brews 12:28-29, KJV) Sociable: “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17, KJV) Trustworthy: “And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant.” (2 Samuel 7:28, KJV) Warmhearted: “Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79, NKJV) Welcoming: “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7, KJV) Unshakable: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, KJV) The imperfect world seeks and applauds the demonstration of exceptional qualities, and so does God. Why? Characteristics that are righteous not only please the Holy Trinity but also extend valuable support to relationships at various levels, spiritual and physical. Who wouldn’t welcome traits like accessible, patient, considerate, knowledgeable, intelligent, and methodical? Isn’t it refreshing to know that God alone is flawless in all these attributes? What is most important to me (and I hope to you as well) is that these examples of world-class qualities are reflections of the nature of God through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. 22

MORE THAN A WORD

IMPACTING THE WORLD WITH SPIRITS

Inspect each word. Does it promote life or death?

“Be polite in your speeches. Good information rudely communicated will make no positive difference.”

— ISRAELMORE AYIVOR

can recall a stirring story by an African preacher, Michael I Sambo, who was captured by the Nigerian Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram. In his testimony on YouTube, Michael described why he was targeted, how he was captured, the bodily harm they inﬂicted, and the miracles of God’s hand in the life- threatening ordeal. In the end, Mr. Sambo described how two angels visited him, and when he asked for their names, the response was astonishing; they were Grace and Mercy (2 John 1:3 & Hebrews 4:16).

“Grace, Mercy, and Peace will be with you from God the MORE THAN A WORD | 447

Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” (2 John 1:3, NKJV) “Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV) “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” (Psalms 141:3, KJV) "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils and He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick:" (Matthew 8:16, KJV) "What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalms 34:12-14, KJV) “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it on the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37, NKJV) "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." (Psalms 33:6, KJV) "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20, KJV) "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." (James 3:6, KJV) "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:11-12, KJV) 448 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

"Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening [to pay effective attention] unto the voice of His Word [when we speak in agreement with God’s Word, angels are sent on assignments].” (Psalms 103:20, KJV)

“False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.”

— SOCRATES

Why does the Bible say it is what comes out of a man’s heart and mouth that defiles him, and not what he spiritually ingests? I suppose that what goes in is only the seed, symbolizing the planting of roots into the flesh. Inputs to the soul could come from reading, hearing and seeing, but remain sealed unless provoked or aroused by the will to expose it. What comes out is the result of both natural and supernatural germination, as from the loin of the mind. The outcome is the beginning of a growth process that has eternal bearings, either good or evil. Why? As innately spiritual beings, when we speak, we trigger other spirit offspring, either for the progress of God's kingdom or something lesser. Words released into the air help to either pollute or purify the operating environment, not only for society but also for God. Pollute the environment, and He most likely would leave the area. Without a doubt, when we speak negatively, I reason it is quite similar to a pig muddying its pen by purging itself of undigested consumption; the animal is defiling its dwelling. The word defile is synonymous with pollution.

“Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and MORE THAN A WORD | 449

they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” (Matthew 15:17-20, NKJV)

Now, imagine your full name is "First Last." Your parents gave it to you, and you value your name and wouldn't resist offering a stern, even an unforgettable rebuke, to anyone who calls you "Firstly Lastly" or something else.

"Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Hebrews 1:4, KJV)

In my teenage days, I witnessed rather intense exchanges relating to verbal distortion or other misrepresentations of someone's name. Now, as creatures made in the image of the Creator of Heaven and Earth, our appreciation for and our defense of our names is not a modern marvel of reasoning and conduct; neither is it entirely entrenched in respect for its ancestral connection. Instead, I suggest that it is unmistakably spiritual, and perhaps I can successfully support this point here. Each of us desires, even demands, respect, and God expects the same. The following verses charge us to be careful about what we say about God. Here we are sternly reminded that provoking utterances to and about God must cease, followed by saying you are sorry for past offenses.

“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands 450 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (Jude 1:14-15, NKJV)

As offspring of God, the esteem to which we often acknowledge our name holds an expected similarity to the vigorous exhor- tation Moses gave to the Israelites, following their emancipation from years of slavery in Egypt. God's appointed leader and mediator told the people in Exodus 20:7 that they should not profane the name of God. Then in Ezekiel 36:23, we see an account of God using His mighty Hebrew prophet, Ezekiel, to prophesy in defense of His great name that the ungodly reviled in his day. The wisest person who ever lived, Solomon, also offers sensible advice as he tells us that the Lord's name is a strong tower that provides safety for righteous people (Proverbs 18:10, KJV).

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7, KJV) “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD when I shall be sanctiﬁed in you before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 36:23, KJV) “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it and is safe.” (Proverbs 18:10, KJV)

From the references above, it is apparent that a name is more than mere words to facilitate natural human communication and interaction; attached to it are consignments of encouragement or MORE THAN A WORD | 451 discouragement, life or death. Why? Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. That is an interesting verse because it certainly reveals that each spoken word (a name or otherwise) is released into the air and then transformed into a pure zap of energy or lethargy that is consumed or absorbed by a receiver, in this case, another human (and God). From this potential, one can imagine the compounding effect over time.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21, KJV) "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice [utterance] of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the LORD divideth the ﬂames of ﬁre. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests, and in His temple doth everyone speak of his glory." (Psalms 29:3-9, KJV)

The name assigned to a person (at birth or otherwise) or the one accepted in marriage is not passive because the acceptance reflects a process of analysis and deliberation, a decisive action. As an illustration, dating back to Victorian times, couples who are marrying may opt for a double-barrel surname or a hyphenated one. Either way, and based upon the agreement, both last names would acquire an additional element of identification and a new meaning. For instance, if Susan Foxx marries James Trott, a combination such as Susan Foxx-Trott, James Foxx-Trott (as in the case of mutually hyphenated surname), and Trott-Foxx may emerge. A 452 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME name represents or describes an intention or condition, harmful or otherwise. For instance, X-rays are a type of light ray, and they are like the visible light around us, but we cannot see them with our naked eyes. While undergoing an X-ray, beams of concentrated, high- energy rays travel through the air, meet the body and produce a picture on metal film. After the X-ray film is developed, black areas represent soft tissues, and white regions reveal dense tissues such as bones. Similarly, I reckon, beams or waves of life or death are emitted from our spirit after our HPU (soul) initiates them, a spiritual X-ray machine in this scenario. Aided by the tongue, we dispatch the spiritual rays. Often, though, we don't readily see the impact on another since only the omnipotent and omniscient Radi- ologist, God Almighty Himself, can develop the film and observe the total health of a soul. As bones and other thick tissues absorb X-ray radiation, I believe spiritual bones of the soul, right through the marrow, receive strength or weakness by spoken words, as the Bible verifies in Hebrews 4:12 about the life-giving word of God.

“The word of God is quick and powerful, and it is sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces to the soul and spirit and to the joints and marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12, KJV)

On the efficacy of God's Word on the spiritual body, please let me offer an example. I went to sleep one night in a pensive, distressed mood after giving my tongue undue liberty to speak something I should have muzzled. My soul bore the brunt of it that night as the burden exerted its weight. The following morning, I began my prayer session in an unfamiliar way; I started with Bible reading and did not end with worship as I often do. Instead, I read the Bible throughout the devotion. During the session, with a moderately raised voice and on bended knees, I pelted each verse MORE THAN A WORD | 453 into the air, into the enemy's camp; in faith and with vigor. As I lifted myself after perhaps 30-40 minutes, I realized the oppression was gone; I was entirely revived. That experience has significantly bolstered my confidence in the word of God. I was not praying in the traditional sense of the word, only reading God's word with emphasis and the expectation that it would produce something meaningful in my life, which it did. The bombardment of powerful rays associated with each spoken word makes spiritual deposits or attachments that promote either spiritual growth or decay in a person. The following list shows names that have a negative connota- tion. Now, consider a person with a name like "Mallory" and imagine the potential impact every time someone calls a person by that name.

Cecilia — blind Claudia – lame Deirdre – sorrowful Emily – rival Kennedy – misshapen head Leah — weary Lola – lady of sorrows Mallory – unlucky

This correlation might not be precise because, as a denominator, the intent of the heart is what effectively correlates to the impact of the utterance. Despite that, it might be worth the effort to perform an Internet search for the meaning of your name—a search for “Wyne” tells of Anglo-Saxon roots, and it means “friend.” Still, ﬂinging words of ill-will or curses to anyone, especially directly at the heavenly Father, is very rude, and Matthew 12:35-37 warns us that we will give an account for every idle word. 454 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justiﬁed, and by thy words, thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:35-37, KJV)

In June 2012, SALON journalist Jaime Cone presented a write- up titled “Your words matter,” and the following is an excerpt from its introduction:

Everyone’s had the experience of leaving a conversation feeling frustrated, convinced the other person didn’t understand a word of what they were saying. Whether it’s a bad meeting with a coworker or an argument with a spouse, ineffective or negative communication may lead to more than just a bad day; new research has shown that it can change the neural pathways in our brains and foster long-lasting negativity. On the other hand, there’s evidence to suggest that positive words expressing values such as kindness and respect can go a long way toward building a better brain.

— JAIME CONE, SALON

From a physiological viewpoint, the result of the research is reasonable, but to go a bit further, I consider a similar impact on the soul because the physical body typically responds to the workings of the HPU and spirit. Now it is time to brace for the impact of this next ﬁnding. Nonetheless, the seriousness and urgency of the message could MORE THAN A WORD | 455 be lost quite quickly in a casual read. In Ephesians 5:8, the Word of God plainly tells us that only holy people are light, while unrighteous ones are darkness (still living in sin—but salvation through repentance can change this state). Both darkness and light are nouns. As a result, in this instance, I consider it reasonable to turn the words into proper nouns, Darkness and Light (John 1:8). I pursue the name change to promote their applica- bility in describing the uniqueness, within each life, of the condition of a soul and its relationship with Heaven before and after conversion.

“He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light.” (John 1:8, KJV) “And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19, KJV)

Observe that the words are not saying that the person was “in darkness or light;” it is just a clear-cut distinctive state of being. Why? Light and darkness cannot coexist. We cannot be in Christ and the evil one at the same time; remember, we cannot serve two masters at once. Moreover, having a name of Light or Darkness, Death or Life (John 5:24), Good or Corrupt (Matthew 7:16-20) is more than an attribution; it’s an intrinsic measurement which describes the fabric of the person before and after conversion, from repentant to unrepentant or the inverse. Accordingly, it behooves us well to understand our correct names, not only how a Register of Deeds or birth certificate office in a local county, province, parish, or state identifies us, but much more importantly, how Heaven recognizes us.

“Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were 456 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:7-11, KJV) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24, KJV) “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or ﬁgs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the ﬁre. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:16-20, KJV) “Jesus answered them, ‘did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?’” (John 6:70)

Does one want to be named Darkness or Light? Free-will holds the answer but consider that Darkness cannot enter Heaven. Today, a name such as Mr. or Miss Darkness would elicit a curious or even negative reaction from a stranger. Applying the renaming scheme to James Trott, for example, will produce James Darkness, but not the double-barrel, Mr. James Darkness-Trott. Why? Obtaining salvation is a singular event with ultimate accountability; a spouse cannot serve as a stand-in for the other on Judgment Day, nor can a parent for a child. Ordinarily, one would never accept a surname of Darkness, but most of the world is dancing and prancing with its use. Not in logic but lifestyle; it is a measurement of holiness, not a form of escape to an emotional inclination about a naming standard or lack thereof. Much more, Matthew MORE THAN A WORD | 457

15:8-9 and Luke 13:22-24 enlist accounts of the number of people whose lives may not pass the Light test, but we don’t have to be counted in that lineup due to free-will.

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9, KJV) “And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, ‘Lord, are there few that be saved?’ And he said unto them, ‘strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.’” (Luke 13:22-24, KJV)

Using a different train of thought, using different names of God, like the Hebraic ones listed below, is my humble attempt to describe the majesty and power of Christ. Notwithstanding, the Greek language does lend itself nicely to expressing the perfection and grandeur of God with Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, respectively.

Hebraic names of God

In the first chapter of Revelation, verse 8 assuredly ascribes not only two additional names to God, Alpha and Omega, but also adds a third name, Almighty, which is an Abrahamic term. To this 458 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME list, I will add Humility, from its Latin counterpart, humilitas, because it perfectly describes the nature of our Father in Heaven. Unpretentious and modesty are synonyms for humility, and though shyness can be readily fit into that list, I’ll not include it because Jesus demonstrated authority and immaculate reliance on His Father while He was in the flesh, but He did not give allowance to pride. It is important to remember that we are primarily spiritual beings. Therefore, as we communicate with God and others, our souls are the source of the exchange, aided by the proxy effort of the physical body. Our words have a weightier significance than what a natural interpretation could reveal. 23

A FATHER’S DAY GIFT

A GIFT OF LOVE

hink about selﬂessness. Does God's will take priority in your T life?

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (1 John 3:1, NKJV) He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. (Luke 11:23, KJV)

Today, facilitated by an array of underwater, transatlantic cables, and low moving satellites rapidly orbiting the earth, not only is international business made more readily feasible, but children can connect with fathers in seconds and start a phone conversation anywhere around the world. Oh, the joys of the modern marvel of telecommunication. Perhaps in addition to the familiar "Happy Father’s Day" message, there may be gifting of cards, trinkets and more extrava- 460 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME gant expressions of appreciation. The hearts of many dads or pops will swell with gratitude as they each reflect on the choices and decisions that Life and Time have produced in their offspring. The ceremonious "holiday" is an exceptional time for lavishing recognition on whom it is due, and most of us appropriately give the honor. Father’s Day was adopted by the Americas and Europe many years after it was introduced to Latin America by the Spanish and Portuguese. My grandparents oversaw my more formative years up until age 11, so they are the ones with whom I share a seamless bond of parental connectedness, though I can't give an account of any time that we celebrated either Mother's or Father's Day. Nonetheless, they are still precious to me, though their time on Earth completed many years ago. Today, I have a relatively happy teenage daughter, and I do my best to attend to her needs. However, I see her as a distinct person of God's will on Earth, sent to accomplish a divine mission, and my wife and I are only guardians appointed to help her. To say it differently, she belongs to God in the strictest application of the word “ownership.” As a result, she is an investment of the divine Trinity. Passive supervision, as it would be called in professional financial management, is unacceptable; my involvement as a responsible guardian must be active, and as caring and respectful as required or possible. God will hold us accountable for the lives He has invested in and entrusted to us regarding the quality of guardianship we contribute to our children. Conceivably, many fathers would favor the warmth and togetherness of agreeable siblings over any acknowledgment sourced from financial means. Still, when there is unity at home, a father's gift would find an open heart. Often, the type and quality of a gift reflect the level of appreciation, barring no other restriction. Why? Independent of the form or method of a present, it is first fashioned in the heart. That being so, selecting a gift for a dear one is a moment of bliss in an otherwise imperfect world. When I think about a A FATHER’S DAY GIFT | 461 present, words such as choice, choose, and preference all pervade my mind. Have you ever noticed that even the wealthiest among us wouldn't blush at the prospect of receiving a gift? I believe the occasion is less about the physical tangibility of the gift and significantly more about the spiritual yearning to receive love, appreciation, and admiration. Perhaps this is the reason many fathers would gladly accept just a phone call. As immortal beings, our hearts are always ready to be made stronger with the high tensile strength from cords of applied love. On the importance of choice and choosing, I will introduce Hobson's and Sophie's Choice, not only because I like the names, but also because I find them applicable to this writing, especially the point at hand. Again, a Hobson's choice is a choice of taking what is available or nothing at all, essentially take it or leave it. According to Wikipedia,

"The phrase is said to have originated with Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), a livery [mail carrier] stable owner in Cambridge, England, who offered customers the choice of either taking [renting] the horse in his stall nearest to the door or taking none."

Hobson adopted that approach to avoid overtiring his animals. Doesn't Hobson's care resemble the light yoke of Christ? A Sophie's Choice regards deciding in a particularly challenging situation where a person must choose between two equally deserving alternatives. Sophie’s Choice is the title of a 1979 novel by William Styron. The story is about a Polish woman in a Nazi concentration camp who is forced to decide which of her two children will live, and which one will die. The dilemma faced by the Polish lady is like a Catch 22 which, by deﬁnition, offers no escape because of contradictory rules or an improbable situation. Comparatively, the expectation of entering Heaven without having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord is foolhardy or ill- advised of the Truth, as John 14:6 reminds us. All the same, 462 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Sophie's Choice, in this instance, is imprudent, as it suggests an equivalent to Christ, which is a profane suggestion.

“Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’” (John 14:6, KJV)

Ordinarily, those who love more are more vulnerable to hurt, and the opposite goes for those who love less. God loves us perfectly, so, in Him, there is no indifference toward us, and our rejection of Him (through sin) hurts Him completely. I believe God's love for His children is our most signiﬁcant asset, particularly considering our corrupt nature. The story of Pharaoh Ramses II lends a helping hand, helping us appreciate this truth about God and His people. Now, despite the expressed stubbornness of Pharaoh during the nine plagues, we see a turning point during the tenth. Where unlike his relative absorption of and resilience against general social and economic disruptions caused by menacing frogs, biting insects, unrelenting locusts, thunderous hail, palpable darkness, livestock disease and boils, we now see a battered leader yielding to God’s wrath after his only son became a victim. The love he had for his son (and God’s preeminence) was the leverage the Israelites needed to pry open the jaws of slavery that had them pressurized and contained for 430 years. Parental support is the bedrock of families. Irrespective of culture or creed, parents dutifully offer selﬂessness to their children year-round. The composition of the adhesive factor that binds such a union is love, and it is made possible by Love (God is Love), the name of its source. We are encouraged to love everyone, even those we may classify as enemies (Luke 6:35-36). Above all, love does not harm, as Romans 13:10 tells us. A FATHER’S DAY GIFT | 463

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36, KJV) “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulﬁllment of the law.” (Romans 13:10, NKJV)

To this end, and considering all the Lord has done and is doing for us, what type of gift would you like to offer Him as an expression of love, honor, and respect? Let me give you a clue — any gift we give to the Lord is mutually beneﬁting; we both enjoy its fruits. The one I am considering is called Free-Will. Yes, we can offer it to Jesus; I have. How? From a pure, willing heart, tell Him, "Father, I know you have given me the power to choose, but I lay that privilege down at your feet so that your will be done in my life." As God’s will is done, your life will become holier, effectively becoming like Christ and ever gaining strength and power over evil. It is this step and process that prepares a soul for living a complete life, all the way to Heaven. Delight the heart of God, our Father, today with the gift of yourself. 24

COPING WITH LIFE AND TIME

NOT MORE THAN WE CAN BEAR

Do you know you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you? “Without Christ, there is no hope.”

— CHARLES SPURGEON

“Notice the word ‘hope” (in Psalm [71:5]). The Hebrew term literally means “a cord, as an attachment.’ Every one of us is hanging on to something or someone for security … if it’s someone or something other than God alone, you’re hanging on by a thread – the wrong thread.”

— BETH MOORE

"For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth." (Psalms 71:5, NKJV) "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalms 27:14, KJV) "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be COPING WITH LIFE AND TIME | 465

content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5, KJV)

I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages.

— CHARLES H. SPURGEON

orgiveness and repentance are preliminary measures to free a F soul of the stain and corrosiveness of sin and provides the tools to help us cope with the ups and downs during a lifetime. However, I do effectively consider rules around cause and effect. Just as Paul suffered after his conversion, one may have to endure some hardship, particularly after having lived a life of habitual wrongdoings before coming to Christ (Psalms 71:23).

"My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed [the soul is what is saved from hellﬁre and re-enters Heaven]." (Psalms 71:23, KJV)

I am not correlating the before and after spiritual regeneration in a rigid way, for only God knows the future. I am merely hinting at the need to prepare one's heart for what may come. Why? I have a friend who is filled with the Holy Spirit; however, he is currently struggling due to financial pressures. His spiritual conversion was miraculous. The outstretched hand of Jesus lifted him up after a drug overdose nearly plunged him into eternal doom. Following years of trading and using drugs, and living contrary to Jesus, the Lord brought my friend a new chance at life, but, early in his journey, he found it frustrating and depressing to cope with his lack of necessities. Today, he is doing much better, but I can still remember when he would vent his anger and say he would be 466 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME better off selling drugs and living with the dealers he called his “friends.” My life is not a spiritually polished one either; I am guilty of holy contempt (or disrespect) as well. I made a mention of my friend to help us to live victoriously. Over the years of my religious schooling, the Lord has been teaching me hard lessons on how to cope with life, how to let go and let God have His will. I am still learning. I am convinced that God is entirely in control in all circumstances and that His love will extend nothing but good to us, that spitting and hurling words of dissatisfaction will not advance my position in the line of seeking His assistance. The Holy One wants us to trust and rest in Him, not to be overheated with carnal works. I believe the life of Job is included in the Bible to illustrate a lifestyle of holiness that though entirely punctured by the fangs of death and the pangs of rejection, even disdain, continued along the path of sustained righteousness in the omnipresent eyes of the only wise God. Much more, consider the holy life of Christ, though being God in power and all, He patiently endured the cross for us. Sincerely, I do believe we can overcome the works of testing and temptation, but we must effectively realize this truth and fully apprehend it through our soul. God did promise we can succeed and that He will always ensure we can withstand trials. There is already a pathway created through the difficulty. Let me suggest that if we couldn't overcome the provocations in life, it means God did not tell us the truth…I am sure you see my point. It is the full time, vacation-less, and never-tiring occupation of Satan and his minions to intoxicate us with the gratification of venting, with the foolhardy satisfaction of trying to dart someone else with blame and at the same time to thoroughly wax us with impatience. Comfort and discomfort are ordained and allowed by God, so we must brace ourselves for impact. The following message may be shocking to you: COPING WITH LIFE AND TIME | 467

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7, KJV)

Some of us fail to grasp that life is a boot camp, training school, and house of correction for Adam's fallen descendants. Some children of God learn life’s lessons the hard way, if ever. Consider this case: Every sinful deed is like a car veering off into a ditch. Correc- tive measures are required to resume travel, but we are impatient and want to continue as if nothing ever happened. All God's allowances are events that test and tempt (Satan tempts, not God) us to help us grow, but many think that they do not deserve to face difﬁculty or challenge, as if they know more than God. Look at Jesus, born without a speck of sin, who suffered unimaginably for us sinners. Also, consider Job and his struggles, despite being a righteous man.

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV) "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." (Job 1:20-22, KJV)

Ultimately, God knows what is best for every one of His creations. He has a unique design and plan for each of us, and just like we would not try to bully a sculptor about their design, appropriate and reasonable understanding must be ascribed to God’s plan for our betterment as His perfect and holy will is done on 468 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Earth. It is entirely useless to wrestle with God to pursue one's intention. If that were possible, He would not be God. In total, it's a signiﬁcant decision to willingly trust and live by faith; it is a ﬁrm awareness, a wholehearted acceptance of the truth that God cannot lie. Why should He? Who does He fear? Who can hamper Him? Who created everything, seen and unseen?

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hosea 4:6, NKJV) “I will lift my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made Heaven and Earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” (Psalms 121:1-8, NKJV) “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacriﬁces acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHIEF CORNERSTONE, ELECT, PRECIOUS, AND HE WHO BELIEVES ON HIM WILL BY NO MEANS BE PUT TO SHAME. Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,’ and A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A COPING WITH LIFE AND TIME | 469

ROCK OF OFFENSE. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.” (1 Peter 2:4-8, NKJV) “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” (Matthew 12:30, NKJV)

Throughout this guide, I have emphasized God's demand for holiness, as Hebrews 12:14-16 evidently exhorts, for without righteousness no one will see the Father. A churchgoer, prophet, evangelist, pastor, bishop, and the pope will all enter the lake of doom if his or her life ends in an unconsecrated lifestyle; there are no exceptions. Romans 2:1 tells us that there is no partiality with God, no act of favoritism.

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become deﬁled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.” (Hebrews 12:14-16, NKJV) “For there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:11, NKJV)

A partiality is the unfair treatment of one person at the expense of another. Not only is it fundamentally wrong, but to engage in such conduct would also diminish God to be a deceiver. Why? Since it is the life of Christ, the essence of Himself, that lives in us, an act of one-sidedness would equate to God mistreating or unseating Himself in one person while doing the opposite in another. We know that God cannot lie because that would render Him imperfect (Titus 1:1-3). On that account, we each are supported by the hope and God's faithfulness to keep His 470 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME promises, and as a result, we can live more meaningful, peaceful and enduring lives.

“Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior.” (Titus 1:1-3, NKJV)

Still, too many display distrust in our Creator, but why? I suggest a lack of knowledge is the cause, and I am referring to a conﬁdence level of God's faithfulness that equals our acceptance of one plus one is two. Besides, not knowing the hindrance to a restful engagement with Jesus is disastrous for a soul. One should discern that we are at war against the invisible but dark and powerful opposition in high places, as the Bible informs in Ephesians 6:12, and for the sake of one’s eternal life, this truth is not to be taken lightly.

“For we do not wrestle against ﬂesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV)

Giving support to our predisposition to sin is our natural tendency to deﬂect responsibility, to see the plank in another's eye (Matthew 7:5). Unfortunately, the minions of darkness that intelligently monitor us ensure that we are generously fueled with the prerequisites for bitterness, distress, and anger and to ensure we COPING WITH LIFE AND TIME | 471 are ever poised to retaliate against one another and, indeed, God Himself. Why do we repeatedly blame God? How are people somehow self-justiﬁed by sustained resentment toward Him? The answer, I suppose, is they don't know God, so they don't believe that He is as holy and as perfect as the Bible admonishes. Sorry, it is that simple—it's my understanding, anyway.

“Hypocrite! First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:5, NKJV)

The biblical account of Job's loss and his immense suffering springs eternal hope as it also tells of how God's faithful servant remained holy throughout the ordeal; in fact, Job 1:22 reports that the afﬂicted steward did not sin and did not charge God with wrong. The story of Job is an ageless and awe-inspiring example of an enduring relationship with God. Trusting in the holiness of God takes practice, and the strength of the conﬁdence rope increases as one is victorious over temptations and as one patiently endures hardship without succumbing to bitterness and uncontrollable vexation. This is the ability to see the big picture and not to become blinded by spiritual nearsightedness.

“In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:22, NKJV)

To this end, some followers of Christ are dismally surprised, even irreversibly so, by unexpected challenges. Often, the shock is rooted in the misinformation obtained psychologically or otherwise, that Christians have entered a safe harbor after their spiritual conversion, that bright skies are perpetually ahead. While the lives 472 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME of some are comparatively comfortable, more than a handful must endure turbulent times. Our conﬁdence should be anchored in the Truth (God Himself) or moored to the pier of perfection and holiness in Christ Jesus. The lives of Job and Paul offer a great dichotomy between blameless and blamable lives, respectively (Job 1:7-8 and Acts 9:1-4 — He was called Saul before his conversion). Compared to Job, Paul’s pre-conversion life was ﬁlled with the persecution of not only the disciples and followers of Christ but also Jesus Himself. The persecution of Jesus is evident through this question to Paul while he was on the road to Damascus: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” The Bible followed up that question with a sobering warning in Acts 9:16: “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.”

“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9, KJV) “Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?” (Ecclesiastes 7:16-17, KJV)

Still, though sin and its repercussions are the chief reason for the imbalances in justice and peace throughout the world, as a ﬁnal note, I must encourage you to believe that not all exasper- ating events are associated with sin. There are times when the Lord allows certain circumstances to demonstrate His preeminence to support the spiritual growth in one or more lives, as John 9:1-3 describes, and it is for this reason, if for no other, that we must allow God to do His mighty works and not complain against them because Love is the cornerstone of all His interactions with humanity. COPING WITH LIFE AND TIME | 473

"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:1-3, KJV)

“The only hope for this or any other society is to hear the Word of the Lord and obey.”

— JOHN MACARTHUR

At this point, I would like to remind you that if the universe seems to be acting against you and you feel entirely unloved, there is still some good news: you have not lost anything at all. Why? Because the person who loves you most and can help you the best is all around you and is very much alive, and He wants you to know that no one is more important than another:

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

— ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

"If the world hates you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:18-19, KJV) 25

LIFETIME SUPPORT

THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY

Call for help. Did you know you have that option?

esus says to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Why J would he flee? One day, while I was driving the Lord, gave me an interpretation: Perhaps not unlike how businesses are concerned about time management, the enemy is even more calculating how he uses time. He knows that it is running out, and he intends to maximize every second of every day to persuade many souls into eternal darkness. Unfortunately, Satan has an excellent understanding of the value of a person. He knows that the real value of each soul represents the life of Christ and His death on the cross, and, since Satan hates God, he works feverishly, using every second to destroy another soul. The person who resists him by choosing to do what’s pleasing to God, is the person he would flee from, if only for a while. We are in a spiritual war, and it must be fought every day. One cannot delist oneself or go AWOL, for that would mean death. It would be like turning from the narrow road that leads to life and detouring to the broad, high-traffic highway that leads to death. LIFETIME SUPPORT | 475

“Fight the good ﬁght of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12, KJV)

As you know, most reputable companies offer some customer support. I prefer ones that provide a telephone number because I prefer to communicate with a live person rather than through email or traditional ‘snail’ mail. Often, the more expensive the product is, the better the quality of support or attention to care will be. Now, our lives are priceless to God, and he has provided a process to obtain steady, 24x7 support, anytime, anywhere. The process can be started must faster than one can make a phone call, as it is done through prayer. Sometimes all that is needed in hardship or danger is just to say, ‘Help me, God’ or ‘Help me, Jesus.’ One should not allow the enemy to drench one’s soul with frustration or guilt. One should not hesitate to get support from the maker of all souls. After all, who knows a product better than its producer? One should not be too shy or vexed to ask God for help and direction. He has a vested interest in his creation, and He is never too busy to take a call or send out one or more from His hard-working staff of angels to minister support.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the ﬂesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2, KJV) “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” (Psalms 46:1) “For we do not have a High Priest, who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points 476 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and ﬁnd grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Today, if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, you are still among the most blessed people in all the world to be reading this guide, speciﬁcally this section. Jesus wants to support you and prepare you for eternal life with Him. This offering is far less about my contribution and far more about what God has given to you through the opportunity of reading it. You are more precious than gold, more valuable than all that can be imagined—your life is linked to His. I do love you, and I don’t want you to be lost—I seek the same for myself. I want you to achieve eternal life. You may not readily understand or appreciate what I have said, but if you call out to Jesus, He will explain pertinent things to you by His Holy Spirit, a response you will feel in your heart. He is the Teacher and the One who saves and redeems a soul from eternal death, through His love and support:

“Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.’” (Jeremiah 33:2-3 KJV) “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:15-18 KJV). LIFETIME SUPPORT | 477

Pause for a moment and think about how far eternity stretches into the future. Go ahead and think about it for 30 seconds. Try it now. How do you feel about it? Did your mind carry you far enough to understand or reach an endpoint? I presume the answer is no. I cannot measure it either, and it is one reason I am following Jesus because that’s where He lives, in eternity. The devil lives in eternity as well; that is why it’s so critical we turn to Jesus. When I say I care about your well-being, I sincerely mean it. Why? God, by His grace, has poured speciﬁc knowledge and understanding into my soul, and I want to share these things with you, to help point you in the right direction as I was many years ago. Just as you go to a doctor because he knows a lot about the human body, and you go to a car mechanic because that professional is trained to ﬁx vehicles, you would rely upon a learned, devout person to teach you about God and His promise of eternity.

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 12 KJV).

For that reason, I hope and trust that you will take these words of guidance to heart. The intention here is not to dupe you into religion, but rather to introduce you to a real person, an extraordinary person—Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. I am not one who sides with the reasoning that it is never too late. People are in the grave today because a disease was diagnosed too late, or they’ve had to pay penalties because they ﬁled 478 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME their taxes late or missed ﬂights when they arrive at the airport late. Being too late is possible; if not, why wear a watch?

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7 KJV) “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:39-40, NKJV) “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the ﬂood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the ﬂood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:35-39, NKJV)

It will be too late for the person who dies in an unrepentant state. Redemption can only be had while on Earth, never from beyond the grave. While alive, one can choose, but after death, judgment is set. A person can be removed from this life in one of two ways: through physical death, or the Rapture. Only God knows which one will take a person into eternity. The Rapture is a time in the future when believers — those who are ready — are transported to Heaven before the Second Coming of Christ. The transformation will occur very quickly, in the twinkling of an eye: LIFETIME SUPPORT | 479

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NKJV)

Here the Bible is telling us that all will not “sleep” or die a physical death, but that some will be changed from this mortal, from this fleshy body, to a new heavenly body that will never die, a body that cannot decay or become corrupted. Sin creates corruptible bodies, and it’s the reason the flesh must die and return to dust. In Biblical terms, the body we live in today is corruptible; it will decay. The new body of those who go to Heaven is one built for eternal life; it will never die. The new body of a lost soul is eternal as well, but it is made for eternal death. The new body of the soul will never die; it will never just dissolve into nothingness. In the same way, the new body in Heaven will live in bliss for eternity, the body in Hell will burn in the untold heat for eternity since it cannot die or become vaporized. Throughout our lives, we have heard a word called process, which means a series of actions taken to achieve a certain result. The process of becoming a follower of Jesus is not complicated. Jesus has always been a person of simplicity, for the sake of teaching His children on Earth, but why does Jesus favor the straightforward approach? We are children in His eyes and, as you know, children must be spoon-fed. God’s intent in being reachable in understanding is to ensure that everyone can connect with Him, that no one will feel He is too lofty to engage in communication. He wants to save the whole of humanity. We become followers of Jesus by speaking words, by confess- ing, like how someone offers a confession in the courts. We talk invitingly and honestly to Jesus, after having examined ourselves 480 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME to evaluate the extent of the breach caused by sin in our lives. God seeks words of repentance from a broken, humble heart. A contrite soul is a sorry one, one that effectively recognizes its wrongdoings and aims to make a 180-degree flip, to become converted. I like the chorus of the song “As Long as the Heart Still Breaks” by Larnelle Harris:

“As long as the heart still breaks there is hope Grace can see the heartaches When pride won’t let it show He is waiting in the shadows And He refuses to let go, cause He knows As long as the heart still breaks there is hope.” As Long as the Heart Still Breaks

— LARNELLE HARRIS, “AS LONG AS THE HEART STILL BREAKS”

Though Jesus hates sin, He has an undying love for the offender — the sinner — and He wants to save this person from His wrath, which is aimed at disobedient people.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10, KJV)

If you love pain, if you love terror, if you don’t mind feeling as if you’re reaching for your last breath at every moment, you might be the type of person who would enjoy Hell. But if you, like I, would run from such things, then Jesus is the only hope. If a person is alive, he or she has the great privilege of obtaining LIFETIME SUPPORT | 481 forgiveness for all sinful deeds. If death ﬁnds a person in an unrepentant state, all that remains is eternity without God in a lake of ﬁre without end.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of ﬁre and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10, KJV)

King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, tells us to think about death, not only about pleasure or how much one should hoard away in a bank account or a retirement plan. Do you know that many people save for a day they will never see? That’s why they leave a will to pass on the excess to others who will continue the cycle. Of course, it is wise to save for the future, but even wiser to prepare for one’s eternal needs. After all, if you are not right with God today, are you willing to throw away your eternal future? Are you willing to forego eternal life for a few ﬂeeting years of pleasure on this Earth?

“It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2, KJV)

Please take some time to watch the YouTube videos of Bill Wiese and Mary K. Baxter. You may ﬁnd out more in the references. Also, bettergetsavedtoday.com offers excellent information. Seek support now! 26

PREPARATION FOR MARKET

A DAY OF RECKONING

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a proﬁt;’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13-16, NKJV)

n this section, I will attempt to provide a basic yet substantive I answer to an age-old question: Why do some souls end up in the underworld for eternity? The fundamental answer is that sin put them there, but I believe you would expect a more reachable explanation, so I will provide an example that encourages us to become a luscious fruit suited for the King's table. I grew up on a Caribbean island, and in those early years, my grandfather had a farm where he grew banana plants. The banana, though botanically a berry for its fleshy inside and enclosed seeds, PREPARATION FOR MARKET | 483 is the king of all fruit when measured in consumption, second only to apples. During the cultivation period (which entails planting and application of fertilizers), weeding through the rows of planted suckers (the young plants or shoots) was a back-breaking effort. To compound things further, this method of farming and relative hard labor was carried out under the unrelenting, scorch- ing, tropical sun. Nonetheless, after about 10-15 months, the hard work paid off, and each plant grew into a bulky bunch of bananas. Now, imagine the effort it took to cut or harvest each of those bunches and then prepare them for transport to the market. There is no doubt about it, witnessing the results of one's hard work in this regard is quite a memorable experience. Like any other business undertaking, cultivating and marketing bananas has its own risk because the harvest must pass the market inspection process before they are shelved in supermar- kets, particularly in regards to exportation. Farmers invest numerous hours and often acquire loans to help manage their crops efficiently so that they can yield a bountiful harvest. When it comes down to the process of inspection, characteristics such as being clean, firm and mature are major inspection points. The fruits are examined against a defect list to remove the ones having mechanical damage, ruptured skin, bruising, fungal infection, foul smell, doubles (stuck together), sunburn, abnormal curvature or insect infestation. Unquestionably, each blemish reduces the worth of the harvest or may make it fail inspection altogether, if not in part. Overall, it is the farmer's responsibility to know these marks of failure or rejection and to safeguard against them. Hence, the farmer must be a competent grower and an efficient farmer to produce a quality, market-approved harvest. Now, let us look at things from a different perspective. The process of spiritually cultivating and maturing a human being for heavenly inspection, the point where life ends on Earth, holds an amazing resemblance to the inspection process that oversees the readiness, or lack thereof, of that delicious and nutritious yellow fruit. Though we may compare carnality to the skin of the banana 484 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME and holiness to its delightful taste, this writing intends to support a keen awareness of the fact that God cannot be held responsible for one's eternal outcome. Why? As earthlings, the Creator has placed a seed called life or breath into each mound of an entity we know as a human being, and He structured and equipped that person to be a steward of His life. As a result, the principle of human guardianship of God's Breath-of-Life is no different from a farmer caring for his crop with the purpose of producing a quality yield. Day by day, by our doing or undoing, we are each supporting or opposing our preparation for the holy market under the leeway of the power to choose. Consider this point: Without free will, everyone would end up either in Heaven or Hell. There would be no middle ground. You’d either pass or fail the market tests. Without the liberty to decide for or against God (free will at work), He would be unfairly helping one side to enter Heaven, and that would be unfair would reduce God to being untrue and imperfect. Such a stance would invalidate the credibility of the spiritual market.

“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Similarly, as human-made inspection rules ensure quality bananas for our kitchen tables, the Blessed Trinity has a rule book called the Bible to help prevent spiritual fungal infection, foul smell, and a myriad of defects and infestation caused by sin or our willingness to remain in a standoff with our Creator. Further, a standoff is a deadlock between two individuals or PREPARATION FOR MARKET | 485 parties. Examples of this are sometimes evident in a bank robbery and other criminal activities where suspects aren't willing to comply with law enforcement, and, as you know, such a stalemate usually has a dire consequence. At this point, allow me to issue a forewarning that anyone who is still in an unrepentant state has effectively entered a standoff. Not with Satan, but with God Himself. It is a standoff because the unrepentant does not want to measure up to God’s standard and He most certainly won’t step down from His. I am sure you don't want to remain on the losing side. Why should you? A person who disregards God is no different from a child, or even a conﬁdant who was sent on a mission and promised to remain in contact but did not, and now is ignoring all telephone calls and other communication attempts. Therefore, as a perfect Parent, we can imagine God reaching out with teary eyes and a broken heart, ever trying to redeem and rescue His prodigal children. Everyone is responsible for the quality of his or her soul at the time of harvest and inspection. The love of God will always be available for us, but we don't get to Heaven just because He loves us; we get there by living a holy life, which of course is facilitated by His strength and power. If you were a banana inspector, I am sure you would take your role seriously and fail all defected fruits. Now, why wouldn't God do the same? Are we more righteous than He? The grading process is not a partial one; there is no favoritism. Instead, the procedure is perfect, and it ultimately passes or fails the produce, the soul. So, how are you growing today? It does not matter whether you are the Red, Lady Finger, Pisang Raja, or Cooking type of banana; that is irrelevant; you must be suitable for heavenly dining. 27

RETURNING TO HEAVEN

A COMPLETE LIFE

The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it is hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our ﬂesh.

— JONATHAN EDWARDS

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15:7, KJV) "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he ﬁnd it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15:4-7, KJV) "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and RETURNING TO HEAVEN | 487

there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4, KJV)

hat does an Olympic athlete have in common with an W enthusiastic baseball fan? Though one has the desire to win and the other has a desire to observe someone winning, I submit to you that their core, the underlying factor that generates a commonality between them is their readiness and preparation for pleasure and thrill associated with an expected outcome. In a more far-reaching contrast, what is the supporting motivation that enables some to express calmness in the face of death while others cringe when confronted with the same prospect? I would say it is the unpreparedness for the potential outcome. With this understanding in place, the goal of this section is to raise awareness and anticipation of what it takes to live a complete life and get back to Heaven. For quite some time now, I have believed in a pre-mortal existence. That is, that we existed as sinless beings (in the presence of God) in the spiritual world long before coming to Earth with a mission, and the Bible provides more than a hint of this possibility. Why? Considering the loving, patient and merciful nature of God, it's challenging, if not insuperable for me to accept that our Creator just decided one day to fashion and then place me on Earth with no prior preparation and then relegate me to make an eternal, free- will based decision for my soul. Even companies that are often managed by irreverent leaders usually train employees before releasing them to the production ﬂoor. Can you imagine God doing any less for us? Roman 8:29 holds a reference to God's foreknowledge of us, and Jeremiah 1:5 introduces the word "knew" to describe our prenatal relationship with the Father, and I am certain the word "knew" attests to more than a conceptual understanding of us. I reckon the word "knew" reports of a personal relationship. The book of Ephesians also 488 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME interjects into the discussion with a pointed mention of the fact that God knew us before the foundation of the world.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30, NKJV) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NKJV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6, NKJV) "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims [we are foreigners on Earth], abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:11-12, KJV)

At this point, I will offer a reason to support my position on a pre-mortal existence, which relates to a dream I had some time ago. In that experience, I saw Jesus in the distance, and with great excitement, I began running toward Him in a bowing posture, all RETURNING TO HEAVEN | 489 the while shouting "Jesusss! Jesusss!" Somehow, in reﬂection, it was as if I knew Him and was very happy to see Him again. Nonetheless, I suppose that you may be inclined to discard any proposition that is based on a dream. To dispel any doubts, I will aptly contribute evidence which proves that God does use dreams to guide us. In 1 Kings 3:5, we see God appearing to Solomon in a dream and asking him a question that will eventually set the stage to make him the wisest man who ever lived. Later in the Bible, Matthew 2:12 described how baby Jesus escaped the evil intent of King Herod, and toward the end of the life of Jesus, Matthew 27:19 presents evidence of how Pilate was warned by his wife to avoid becoming entangled in the cruciﬁxion of Christ.

“In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give thee.’” (1 Kings 3:5, KJV) “And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” (Matthew 2:12, KJV) “When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, ‘Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.’” (Matthew 27:19, KJV)

Each of those dreams was a pivotal impartation, not only for steering yielding mortal souls to the will of God but also for exem- plifying His power to communicate with us in ways beyond the reaches of our physical senses. Admittedly, of the myriad methods the Lord uses to guide us, three of the somewhat unfamiliar ones include dreams, visions, and prophetic declaration. But, of course, the two primary ways are the Bible and His Holy Spirit. Moreover, keep in mind that God-inspired direction could come through 490 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME family members, coworkers, and even a pesky neighbor; perhaps even a donkey:

“And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, ‘What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times’”? (Numbers 22:28, KJV)

Using a different thought, think and reﬂect for a moment on how eager you are to do something that gives much satisfaction. With great anticipation, many of us could hardly wait to dine, to have a vacation, to attend a game and to spend time with our family and other loved ones. God feels the same way toward us, particularly prayer time and engagements in activities of His will. Praying is not the only interaction with the Father of light. When we are obedient, He is present with us as we do His will and the opposite is also true; neither He nor angels abide with us during works of darkness, although He sees it all because of His omnipresence. The enthusiasm level we often experience for pleasure or comfort can be quickly reduced to zero when faced with the prospect of punishment, and Romans 13:3 tells us that only wrongdoers should fear terror or hell, because of evil work.

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.” (Romans 13:3, KJV) “For if we sin wilfully after that, we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacriﬁce for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and ﬁery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26-27, KJV) “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed RETURNING TO HEAVEN | 491

speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Ecclesiastes 8:11, KJV)

Ordinarily, the expectation of delight is associated with an action we deem legitimate, scripturally based or otherwise. As humans, we merely are skittish and often pensive about the unknown, about anything we are not ready for or able to embrace with the surety of a satisfactory outcome, and for many, their outlook on death is no different. To them, their pending earthly departure is the most ferocious of enemies, but it does not have to be that way. The solution is to analyze and determine the root cause of the trepidation and embark upon a strategy to mitigate or alleviate the dreadful influence. Graciously enough, the answer is easy, it's in the Bible, but the process and its maintenance can be arduous because of its sustained demand for a life of sacrifice, the requirement to deny oneself for the glory of God and the spiritual betterment of others and self. Altogether, a life that demotes or deemphasizes self by promoting Christ is the bedrock of a mortal existence that is propelled by spiritual strength, courage and a well-founded expectation for a positive outcome in the hereafter. Have you ever noticed how some run from death? The thought here does not suggest one should do the opposite, but a more in- depth meaning looms. As hinted above, for many, I believe the expression of unwillingness to leave this earthly pilgrimage is an unspoken cry of unpreparedness to meet God (to return home), to avoid facing Him in a spiritually undressed and untidy state. Though if being asked the question outright, the reasoning may be linked to not wanting to leave earthly relationships and possessions, but I believe the internals of the soul would unfold a more heartfelt and pointed response, one that more expressly identifies shortcomings as the soul gauges and aligns its performance or position to the holiness of Christ. Perhaps, somehow, an unprepared soul could sense what the Bible describes as the sting of 492 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME death, which is an eternal pain for the person that has squandered the grace period we know as a lifetime and is facing permanent separation from God:

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-56, KJV)

So, where do we go from here? How can one be made ready to face a departure from this life the moment the heavenly bell tolls? How can one return home in a state of topnotch readiness, without a trace of fear? To answer this question, I will introduce the term inflection point. In mathematics, it is a point of a curve at which a change in the direction of curvature occurs. In business, it is a time of significant change in a situation, a turning point, and in Biblical expression, I will re-term it as an inverse prodigal relationship or a redirection of movement in lifestyle. Again, the central points of the parable (or idiom) of the prodigal son are these: the son sought his portion of the inheritance, left his home, fell on hard times, decided to return home, and his father welcomed him with loving arms, all despite the scolding disapproval of his brother. One should not casually read the account because it is not a superficial example of father and son or brother and brother relationship. Instead, the narrative describes our relationship with God, especially the before and after prodigal or sinful living. Comparatively, God is represented by the earthly father in the story, but the son's decision to return home is a repentant effort, a watershed event, and an expressed willingness to be reconciled with his father and to redirect loyalty and commitment from Satan and his minions to his real family. The decision to return home demonstrates a motive of seeking a change, seeking salvation, of wanting to abandon wretched activities and pursue a standard of living that pleases the father, and this is precisely the stage God RETURNING TO HEAVEN | 493 wants all His children to reach. It is not a question of perfection, but it is a readiness to flee sinful territories and return home to right living, even to return to our heavenly home at the end of this journey. Besides, it is at the inflection point and beyond, that we experience an elevated and godly-aligned lifestyle sufficiently enough to behold the horizon of Life and Time and become better able to live through the twilight days of this mortal excursion, right into Heaven. Undoubtedly, no one is perfect, and Jesus knows that more than any of us. If our salvation or redemption was hinged entirely on self-effort, I am quite sure Jesus would not have wasted His time to die for us. The fact that He gave Himself as a sacrifice markedly demonstrates hope for all, despite our shortcomings. We cannot save ourselves from the eternal destruction caused by sin. Therefore, what He wants is a change of heart, a shift in lifestyle back to Him — make it an inflection event. Why? Let us turn a bit to physics for one answer, and it is found in Newton's first law of motion, which states an object will remain or persist in a certain state or consistent motion unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed on it. Both you and I are the objects in this scenario while the state represents our lifestyle (being influenced by the world), and uniform motion describes habit or repetition. The challenge here is ensuring the repetitions are representative of God-fearing activities. Let us be compelled to change, to respect His Breath-of-Life in us, to value His love and to safeguard our souls from eternal discomfort. Let us not remain in a state of spiritual idleness or foolishness (sin). The other answer is deeply rooted in our innate and headlong bent toward self-will and its persistent nature therein. You see, at the point of death, the inclination and condition of one's heart is sealed, they cannot change direction; if the devotion of the soul is toward God, it will continue advancing in that direction for all eternity, and the opposite is true with a heart of evil. The inflection point cannot be made beyond the veil; it can only be done while still in this mortal body, while in this grace period. 494 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Moreover, consider this point, outside of this human body, if allowed, we can operate and move at the speed of thought. The value of faith and trust all lose their essence because the truth is no longer hidden; one has entered eternity, an environment of infinite knowledge, never again to be restrained by the limitations of physical weight and its containment. As a molding and steering instrument of God, life on Earth in these physical bodies is no different from a child learning to walk and talk; we need these earthly bodies and experiences to shape us for eternity. The concept is similar to what is called the Butterfly Effect, which is an idea that says that a small change can make much more significant changes happen. All in all, having a fearful expectation of returning to our heavenly home, especially a fear based on the uncertainty of our destination, is highly indicative of an unhealthy spiritual state of the soul. The condition is a warning for remediation through Jesus Christ, and the sooner one acts, the wiser one would become in discerning the eternal trajectory of one's soul.

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth.” (Psalms 34:15-16, KJV) “Then came to him his mother and his brethren and could not come at him for the press. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, my mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:19-21, KJV) “Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Psalms 31:23-24) “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not RETURNING TO HEAVEN | 495 as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” (Philippians 2:12-16) 28

SALVATION: JOY AND OBEDIENCE

THE PATH TO OBEDIENCE

Consider life on Earth. Did you know you can have a perfect life after it ends?

“The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.”

— DWIGHT L. MOODY

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalms 16:11, KJV) "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalms 30:5, KJV) "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love [To love Him is to do His will, to live an obedient life.] him." (1 Corinthians 2:9, KJV, italics by author) SALVATION: JOY AND OBEDIENCE | 497

ne of my favorite websites is TheGreatCourses.com. I O believe it offers some of the best learn-as-you-go education outside of a classroom. No, I am not affiliated with it. Nonetheless, I do like the wording of some of their titles, including “Joy of Science,” “Joy of Mathematics,” “The Joy of Ancient History,” and “Joy of Thinking.” Do you see the theme? Yes, they promote the joy of learning in these disciplines. But doesn’t it appear as a contradiction when many who have finally exited the classroom might instead say “The pain of this or that.” Often, the rigors of obtaining an academic certificate are experiences that most would prefer to remain in the classroom, but, indeed, there is a supernatural joy that accompanies a steadfast walk with Christ, and it exceeds any hardship that preceded it. Growing up in a church, I would hear fellow Christians talking among themselves and differentiating joy and happiness. Joy is an overwhelming and a hard to express or explain spiritual bliss they shared, one that was not based on emotion or dependent on circumstance. Happiness to them relies on chance, on what is happening to elevate their feelings if only for a moment. Alto- gether, I share the same beliefs.

Theopedia.com describes joy as a state of mind and an orientation of the heart. It is a settled state of contentment, conﬁdence, and hope. It is something or someone that provides a source of happiness.

Now, let's get a Biblical perspective: Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, which means that when the Holy Spirit indwells in a person, joy will be noticeable:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, 498 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

temperance: against such, there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV)

Since Heaven is the home of the Holy Spirit, the highest form of joy is there, and it is also experienced when a person turns to Jesus after having abandoned a life of sin and decided to follow holiness and righteousness:

“I say unto you that likewise, joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7, KJV)

This other verse is fantastic, for it tells that God gives joy to those who obey, and as you know, obedience pleases God very much:

“For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 2:26, KJV)

What these verses are telling us is that true joy is found in fearing God, in doing His will, in being obedient:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7, KJV) SALVATION: JOY AND OBEDIENCE | 499

I submit to you that a person filled with joy will not seek suicide as an exit strategy against life’s troubles. Being filled with the Holy Spirit helps the soul to levitate above the trials and tribulations of planet Earth. I have experienced this joy, and I am living it today. Nonetheless, I do face considerable challenges at times, at my workplace and in my home, but I do feel the support and comfort of God’s Holy Spirit. I have heard about people travailing through a deep depression, and I understand the helplessness they feel. I can remember one morning waking up to a horrible, saturat- ing, and unfathomable feeling of depression. I cannot tell you the cause of the downheartedness; it came as a surprise, and it was emotionally and spiritually crippling. Relief came that fateful morning when I took to my knees to engage the enemy using prayer as my weapon, and by the time I lifted myself, the depression had vanished. I was left moonstruck by what had happened and about what others are continually bearing. Against depression, I would like to say I believe that medicine is but a bandage, a stopgap solution, resting with the confidence that complete deliverance is had through God alone. What about salvation? Salvation and joy go hand in hand. Joy is a natural expression of the redeemed, of those who have obtained salvation.

Oxford Dictionary documented salvation as deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ.

Salvation is God forgiving you and me of our sinful actions and after having obtained forgiveness through prayer, granting us the awesome privilege of walking with him because He loves us. Think about it for a moment and, again, you will see forgiveness and repentance at the core of salvation. Repentance is recognition 500 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME of one's sins, and a continuous effort to stay away from any recurrence. Our desire to reject a sinful lifestyle is the fruit of our love for Jesus, our care about not hurting Him since every sinful action hurts Him. The expressed joy of salvation is sometimes manifested in tears, as in tears of joy, ease of will, and the desire to spend substantive time in prayer and in deep fellowship with Jesus and other Chris- tians. It engenders and enhances social interaction even with the unfriendly and the unloving. It prompts the redeemed to be holy and to do righteous deeds. It represents a conversion from darkness to light, from physical birth to spiritual birth, from engrossing in mortal aspirations to holy ones. As one grows closer to Jesus and begins to experience and appreciate His great love, the things that attract or entice us grow strangely dimmed as the desires of the ﬂesh become weakened, giving way for the soul and body to be managed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus loves you. As an example of God's love, not an invitation to sin, I genuinely believe that no one goes to hell by accident or unwar- rantedly or for a single sin, possibly not even a couple of them— blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the exception, of course. How did I arrive at this conclusion? God told us to forgive one another seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). Now, since He expects us, as imperfect as we are, to pardon to such an extent, how much more willing would He be to forgive us? God is very merciful, but we must pursue forgiveness (say you are sorry) and repentance (stop doing it) daily, not yielding to the destructive and sloppy desire to take Him for granted; He knows the intentions of the heart.

“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” (Matthew 18:21-22, NKJV) SALVATION: JOY AND OBEDIENCE | 501

“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.” (Job 36:5, NKJV) “He delivers the poor in their afﬂiction and opens their ears in oppression.” (Job 36:15, NKJV) “Look to the heavens and see; And behold the clouds— They are higher than you. If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?” (Job 35:5-6, NKJV)

I also believe that only a broken and contrite heart has any interest in God, and we should pray to have it. Let me explain: Only a penitent soul can recognize its waywardness, its need for Christ, and its blessing to have a fervent spirit toward holiness. Without an effectively God-fearing attitude, the ﬁeld of the soul becomes overgrown with runaway self-esteem (or tares: Matthew 13:24–30), producing nothing proﬁtable for the Kingdom of God. Further, void of contriteness is the materialization or infestation of mammon and its instincts for self-preservation. In other words, an unrepentant soul may seek to avoid hell or a conversation about it, only because of its torture, not because of any interest in God or Heaven. As we can imagine, life is a fascinating, but profoundly accountable, human experience.

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, ‘The kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his ﬁeld: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So, the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy ﬁeld? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, 502 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather ye together ﬁrst the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30, KJV)

Now, as each person is a complex being that comprises emotions, yearnings, and ambitions, our desire for God and an introduction to Him (salvation) may appear to vary quite vastly. Nevertheless, I contend that our innermost desire is ferried, or perhaps tugged, along by a longing for spiritual and emotional fulﬁllment, that is all. I think that we each wrestle against the prospect of retiring to a life of unbearable emptiness, and unyielding searches. We desire self-actualization, respect, and regard, not wanting to be unseen, in a world that sometimes resembles only crisscrossing faceless, emotionless entities, and to some degree that is the bare truth. As a result, while one person, a wandering soul, may be drawn to Christ through a reassuring message about God's love, someone else may become reachable only after hearing and pondering, or even experiencing, a warning about Hellﬁre. The latter was my case. I grew up in a very loving family, so nutrients from messages of God's love formed a staple diet, no craving there. However, during a Sunday night service over thirty years ago, a sweating evangelist expounded on the dangers of a "life" in the underworld, and that caught my attention. The timely persuasion from the pulpit was a watershed, a stirring message that, by God's grace, would help to maintain focus, through the peaks and valleys of my life. Though my spiritual rebirth, possibly yours too, occurred in the 20th century, plans for our existence and eventual salvation began eons ago, well before the foundation of the Earth. But how were conditions before the establishment of this terrestrial ball we call SALVATION: JOY AND OBEDIENCE | 503 home, before animals and other living things? Well, the Bible describes the dark void that covered the waters, and how the Spirit of God hovered over the vacuum, thereby transforming and energizing each jot of the expanse with the likeness of His being, His Spirit (Genesis 1:2). Everything that would eventually become a member, or an aspect of humanity, would end up living in the space or embodiment that God had transformed. To this end, it should be no wonder why the Bible says His Spirit is broader and higher than the Earth (Job 11:7-9). Now, without any speculation, I assume it is easy for one to comprehend that everything and everyone exist in the person of God. In this context, God is not observing from the outside, He is looking inside Himself, observing the behavior of each member, and that includes you and me. Again, how did I arrive at this conclusion? The answer is in the Bible, and two prominent verses come to mind. Job 11:7-9 hints at the immensity (omnipresence) of God's Spirit, and Revelation 3:16 expressly adds more dimension- ality, with a stern warning against being lukewarm(engaging in an idolatrous lifestyle) and facing possible expulsion from His mouth. In total, a human has a lifetime of responsibility to God for the way his or her Life and Time is spent. Oh, for the joy of salvation!

“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2, NKJV) “So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:16, NKJV) “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you ﬁnd out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than Heaven —what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9, NKJV). "Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt 504 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous [obedient] is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in Him." (Psalms 37:34-40, KJV) 29

WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN

ONLY LIGHT CAN ENTER HEAVEN

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the ﬂesh is ﬂesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:1-7, KJV)

he subject of Jesus' divinity is constantly debated among T historians, theologians, and even some Christians! To eliminate any doubt and put an end to this, let us examine the facts 506 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME surrounding this topic. God created all things on Earth through the person of Jesus Christ, and this is so whether his children acknowledge this truth. In Heaven, there are saints, angels, and the blessed Trinity. Unmistakably, Jesus is one of the three members of the Godhead. The redeemed (Christians now in Heaven), angels and archangels all worship Him. Jesus existed before the foundation of the Earth, and He is the ﬁrstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:13- 17). In a forbearing or instructive response to Philip on John 14:8- 11, Jesus says, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." There- fore, the person of Jesus Christ on Earth was not a partial manifestation of our King; He was and still is the King, nothing missing.

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the ﬁrstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:13-17, KJV) “Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufﬁcient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you, I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” (John 14:8-11) WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN | 507

Jesus in the ﬂesh is the perfect demonstration of these divine attributes: love, humility, compassion, and patience. God did not send a substitute to redeem humanity from the Adamic fall. He could not have sent a representative to ransom us because any offering (to His Father, our Father) less than Himself would have been equivalent to an incomplete payment, an ongoing indebted- ness to sin. He came in the person of Jesus so that we could perceive and experience His love, mercy, and humility which He demonstrated, principally when He was brought before Pilate and the high priests to answer questions about His preeminence and majesty. Can you imagine the queen and king of England resigning from their palace and nobility to live like paupers, to exist with scorn and the state of sharp destitution? I cannot! There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” Jesus answered and said unto him, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“Nicodemus saith unto him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the ﬂesh is ﬂesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.’” (John 3:4-7, KJV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son 508 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17, KJV “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36, KJV)

Today, if you are still not a committed follower of Jesus, this information is an invitation, another God-allowed opportunity for you to reconsider your spiritual standoff from the only one who has been supporting you to this moment. You may quickly protest that your help is from your effort, even from family and friends, but please consider that it is God’s Breath-of-Life that supports everything they do, and that sinful Adamic seed cannot produce righteousness. It can only produce its kind: evil. Do not allow this occasion to be used against you on Judgment Day when it would be eternally too late. The prospect of entering a relationship with Jesus might seem so foreign that one may feel bewildered. Your mind and heart may be heating up trying to determine even a question like this one: How can a person who died over 2000 years ago save me from Hell or help me enter Heaven? You may even question the possibility of an existence beyond the grave, in Paradise, or even in the underworld. The answer which we must accept by faith is he was not just a man; He was the sinless person of Christ Jesus who was God Himself in the ﬂesh, so the event was a heavenly intervention to save Adam's offspring and His children and bring them back to Heaven. God created us, and He is from Heaven, so we (our souls) are also from Heaven. Therefore, the salvation plan is to gather us from prodigal or sinful lifestyles and reunite us with our heavenly Father. Nevertheless, we must realize that each of us is primarily a spiritual being. In the supernatural realm, faith is to it what our eyes are to the physical world, and faith is central to a belief in Jesus. God wants to draw us to Himself to enable us to see as He WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN | 509 sees, so our faith could be established enough to study and accept His biblical teachings and His truths and practice them daily. One of these truths is that we must be born again. What does that mean? Assuredly, it has no bearing on the human transformation of a fetus to a child or from a child to an adult. Instead, it is an immortal (spiritual) adjustment, process, and newness that God performs through His Holy Spirit on a soul to position it in holiness, which is the prerequisite for reentering heaven. How is the conversion initiated? God issues requests to each heart, bidding the soul to turn homeward, but as Hebrews 3:7-8 warns, we should not harden our heart by turning a deaf ear to His call. Why?

"Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:7-8, KJV)

Not unlike how a creditor gives a grace period to pay a bill before taking a sterner measure, God also apportions grace and mercy, but we usually don’t know when it will end, so if you feel He is drawing you to Himself, please respond. How does one respond? You may accept an invitation in a church, through a Christian witness at work or school, or even while you are reading this message. At this point, if you are prompted to refrain from a sinful lifestyle, you may get a Bible and, on your knees, please read Psalms 51 as a repentance prayer. For your convenience, I have included a personal version based on the ﬁrst ﬁfteen verses here:

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my sins. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. I do acknowledge my sins, and they are ever before me. Against You, O Lord, I have I sinned and done many 510 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

wrongs in thy precious sight, and You will always be justiﬁed when You speak and righteous when thou judge. Remember, O Lord, I was fashioned in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. You desire truth in my heart. Teach me your wisdom. Purge me from my sins, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine sins. Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and support me with a merciful Spirit. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God. You are the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips and my mouth shall you praise - Based on Psalms 51:1-15

Amen. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me.

It is important to realize that saying the prayer above (if you did) is just the beginning. Having a relationship with Jesus translates to you leaving the enemy's (spiritual) territory, so the battle will intensify to reclaim you to darkness but don't be afraid because those who are for you, God and His angels, are greater than all, visible and invisible (Hebrews 13:5).

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5, KJV)

Throughout your walk with Jesus, you will sin from time to time as I do, not habitually or intentionally; we stay away from WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN | 511 such as much as possible, but mistakes do happen, and God is merciful to pick us up each time (Romans 3:23, KJV). When we sin, we must tell Jesus we’re sorry (forgiveness) and try not to repeat it (repentance). God is always watching us, so let us be on our best behavior in all we do and think. Above all else, God wants holiness, not excuses, because we can overcome. We can do all things through Him who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13).

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, KJV) "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV)

Imaginably, you may feel that your sins are too much, too bad, and God won’t forgive you. Please dismiss that lie because such reasoning and acceptance of it is to side with the notion that the death of Christ was incomplete. The death of Christ covers all wrongs, all sins, as Isaiah 1:18, Hebrews 7:25, and Romans 10:9-10 tell us. You have just as much hope as all the disciples of Jesus had when He walked on Earth as a man.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18, KJV) "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25, KJV) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart 512 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10, KJV)

At this point, if you have decided to switch camp from darkness to light, to live according to God’s standards, you have done great and the angels are rejoicing (Luke 15:7).

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15:7, KJV)

Please ask God to help you ﬁnd a local church. Pray and read the Bible each day. As you continue to mature spiritually, there may be desert-like dry spells in the relationship where you may not feel His presence and you might even be tempted to doubt whether He hears or sees you when you pray. Please do not be deterred; He is everywhere always and sometimes He will test our commitment, so keep plowing ahead. God does not slumber nor sleep (Psalms 121:4), neither should us in our responsibility to Him.

"Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalms 121:4, KJV) 30

BIBLICAL SUSTENANCE

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

ehold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A B blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:26-28, KJV) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25, NKJV) And He said to them all, if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gains the whole world, and lose himself [or lose his soul], or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26, KJV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is 514 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME in the world—the lust of the ﬂesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17, NKJV) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. (Titus 3:3-5, KJV) Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Revelation 3:11-13, KJV) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the ﬁre, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:15-18, KJV) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:20-22, KJV) BIBLICAL SUSTENANCE | 515

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, these things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ‘I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.’ (Revelation 2:8-9, NKJV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. (Revelation 2:17, NKJV) I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the ﬁrst. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacriﬁced unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:19-23, KJV) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (Revelation 3:1-3, KJV) And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the 516 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Revelation 2:26-29, KJV) "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:5-6, KJV)

Stay ready for Heaven! 31

GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER

A COMPLETE LIFE STRATEGY

“Mind how you pray. Make real business of it. Let it never be a dead formality...plead the promise in a truthful, business- like way...Ask for what you want, because the Lord has promised it. Believe that you have the blessing, and go forth to your work in full assurance of it. Go from your knees singing, because the promise is fulﬁlled: thus will your prayer be answered...the strength [not length] of your prayer...wins...God; and the strength of prayer lies in your faith [and a holy lifestyle] in the promise which you pleaded before the Lord.”

— C. H. SPURGEON

raying for support and giving thanks to God always are not P only the right things to do, but they are also some of the most strategic applications of wisdom one can pursue. Try them today and experience how refreshing and liberating they are. Why? Everything that happens under the sun is signed off by Him, and 518 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME everything God does is right, even though we may not understand. After all, the world is His and so is everything that dwells in it. Thank you, Lord, for showing me each day how great of nothing that I am and how marvelous of everything you are. Sometimes, we become frustrated and even bitter against God and others. I believe the reason is rooted in ignorance of who God is, and who we are not. Godly knowledge enables us to supervise our expectations properly, braces us for fallouts in human interactions, and strengthens us to effectively manage our life and time during a deluge of grace on this terrestrial ball. A life that is promptly disciplined at repentance, not resting on the delights of past victories while still at war (fighting the good fight of faith), will escape the gravitational pull of sin toward eternal darkness. Accordingly, evidence of one's importance is the practical understanding that, though being God, He avails Himself to each soul personally as the inexhaustible resource of all needs, both spiritual and physical. His eyes and heart are the 24x7 surveillance that monitors His investment of Life and Time in us. God has created each of us for a specific role in His Kingdom, and your responsibility is equally as important as your brother's or neighbor's, independent of their professional and social status. Why? Everyone is using God's strength. His Breath-of-Life in one person is the same in another. In consequence, a tactically deployed effort is required to enter the gates of Heaven, and prayer is a sensible and effective strategy for seeing the face of God.

“Now, this is the conﬁdence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14, NKJV) "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 519

went down to his house justiﬁed rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:13-14, KJV) "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:15-22, KJV) "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us [Solution: Praying, even fasting].” (1 Thessalonians 2:18, KJV)

“If you ﬁnd yourself in a hole, stop digging.”

— WILL ROGERS

If you find yourself in a hole, pray to get out and continue to pray to stay out. At this point, if I were to remove fingers from my keyboard without including this chapter, I would have failed at completing the purpose of this guide. I have described many aspects of life on Earth: about the pitfalls staged by our enemies to drag unguarded souls into the underworld and about the blissful prospects of Heaven. Despite all, I don't think I have provided sufficient direction on how to position oneself to live a complete life; so please, let's move on because there is much to cover. Building a house is not possible without nails. Though they are hardly ever visible after the construction, they are unsung heroes. In the same way, nails strengthen a house, it was the active prayer life of Jesus that strengthened and guided Him on His earthly sojourn. Surely, Jesus prayed according to the will of His Father 520 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME and maintained active and effective communication with His home: Heaven. Similarly, we must follow the precepts of Christ to be in right standing with the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Later, I will explain the importance of prayer. On March 31, 2006, Benedict Carey, a writer for the New York Times, released a rather provocative ‘analysis,’ albeit a very feeble attempt to numerically quantify the efficacy of prayer, and it was titled "Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer." The so-called research involved 1,800 coronary bypass surgery patients. I am using the term "so-called" not to discount the merits of scientific research but to underscore the blatant misunderstanding of God by ridiculously attempting to enumerate spiritual matters that utterly transcend mortal capabilities. According to their findings,

“Prayers offered by strangers had no effect on the recovery of people who were undergoing heart surgery...patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of post- operative complications like abnormal heart rhythms, perhaps because of the expectations the prayers created.“

— BENEDICT CAREY

However, offering a balanced and perceptive viewpoint to the same research, Dr. Richard Sloan, a professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia, wrote,

"The problem with studying religion scientiﬁcally is that you do violence to the phenomenon by reducing it to basic elements that can be quantiﬁed, and that makes for bad science and bad religion." GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 521

— DR. RICHARD SLOAN

I can think of three strong reasons or considerations why I should ﬁrmly oppose the force of doubt that the research seeks to mount against the effectiveness of prayer. 1) The productiveness of prayer has much to do with the lifestyle quality of the supplicant. James 4:6 tells us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble-minded. Hebrews 11:6 expands the requirement by promoting the basis of faith and belief, and Hebrews 12:14-16 emphatically informs that without holiness, no one will see God. This list is not a prescribed order; it merely includes factors that can affect prayer outcome — God's mercy, still, will pull us up above our shortcomings.

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6, KJV) “But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, KJV) “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become deﬁled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.” (Hebrews 12:14-16, NKJV)

2) The supplicant’s lifestyle and expectation should be aligned with Biblical principles. In the second verse of the Lord's 522 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

Prayer, Matthew 6:10, Jesus told us we should seek His will. Two verses down, we are guided to request the forgiveness of our debts, of our failings. As with 6:10, verse 6:12 introduces the quality of justice and accountability compatible with a rational and God-fearing way of life.

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NKJV) “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12, KJV)

Speciﬁcally, one verse ends in "... as it is done in Heaven" and the other modestly stipulates a similar condition with "... as we forgive our debtors." The key word is "as" because it requests an equal measure, and, as a result, we are driven to not only consider the characteristics of our petition but also to ask for fairness for all sides in the matter. Here, Jesus is illustrating against selﬁsh prayers, where the attention is solely on oneself. In addition, Romans 12:12 expresses God's expectation for patience and steadiness in hope. Further, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 urges ceaseless prayer and thanksgiving, and Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God is entirely in control of all activities under the sun, as He cautions us toward His preeminence. Useless utterance toward Heaven cannot bamboozle God. We must approach His throne with reverence and respect. This method of prayer is demanded, as 1 Peter 5:6 tries to steer. Altogether, the prayer of a righteous person is very effective. (James 5:16, NKJV)

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12, KJV) “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 523

is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, KJV) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV) “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6, KJV) “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16, KJV)

As a result, we should be inspired to live according to the standard established by God through Jesus Christ, our Lord, and only Redeemer. Still, we should make all effort to pursue prayer because God is very merciful, and He alone will decide how and when the results will be realized. I consider prayer as deposits of blessings. Often, when I pray for others, I imagine units of grace being credited to their account to help them in needful times. I believe prayer is a currency that can be accumulated and spent, hence the need for ceaseless prayer. Besides, since prayer requires effort just like any other job does, there is an associated wage because praying is an act of obedience, and obedience—in and of itself—is working for God, and He rewards those who diligently seek him or labor for Him (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, KJV) 524 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

3) A prayer translates to effective guardianship. It is demonstrated when we call on Jesus and ask Him to correct something that is affecting His investment in the target of the prayer, perhaps oneself or another. Each act of prayer is an invitation for God to intervene in the life or to visit a spiritual house, namely, a soul. If the soul is holy (having a tidy house), it is pleasing for the King of kings to enter and commune in it (Joh 14:23). He may even decide to bring along many angels. As follows, it is perhaps clear why a clean, consecrated heart (a holy, personal church) can easily serve as a seat for The King of Glory. Both are effective methods for fruitful prayers.

"Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (Joh 14:23, NKJV)

Prayer is a shield and structure, outﬁtting the body, soul, and spirit to be in alignment with God's will. Why? Ironically enough, there are millions of people around us who look healthy; they eat well and exercise often. Despite that, if one were privy to a peek into their HPU, their soul, they’d see nothing short of a dark, dried-up twig. A soul is made wholesome by holiness, but because its condition is not readily accessible to the naked eye, many languish in deception about their authentic health, which a doctor's visit cannot entirely reveal. Why is prayer so important? I will venture to answer in a single word: War. Many will squirm as the likelihood of an outbreak of a battle on the homeland, though we should be more careful and mindful of the personal, internal combat that ceases only when life ends on this earthly stopover. Even a night's rest does not hinder the opposition, which includes dark diabolic forces that human GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 525 strength cannot contain, as 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 advises; the warfare is not ﬂeshly, not carnal.

“For though we walk in the ﬂesh, we do not war according to the ﬂesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NKJV)

Unfortunately, it's not a conflict that one can just ignore without consequences, even eternal ones. Again, why? Our enemies don't have physical bodies, so they don't sleep and operate and travel at the speed of their evil thoughts, to and fro between Hell and Earth to cause chaos—within the bounds of God’s allowance owing to sin. If they are not held back by the power of God, which is often implemented by assigned angels (when we pray), they wreak havoc on targeted souls, leaving bodies with illness, minds entangled with bouts of depression, confusion, and illusion lives crip- pled by unexplainable misfortune and death. Combined with holiness, prayer is the established standard for offering an efficient defense against dark influences. The life of Christ on Earth was an example for us to follow. He prayed, so we must do the same to avoid and overcome temptation, as Luke 22:40 warns. When we avoid the invitation to prayer, we are somehow responding with the confidence that we can stand alone and don't need God's help. In fact, toward the end of His life, Jesus prayed with such intensity that his sweat was as if it were great drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:43-44); He labored in prayer. When we pray, we are actively combating, weakening, and even destroying the works of darkness. 526 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME

“And when he was at the place, he said unto them, pray that ye enter not into temptation.” (Luke 22:40, KJV) “And there appeared an angel unto him from Heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:43-44, KJV)

This point cannot be emphasized enough: For one’s prayer to be most effective, a holy lifestyle is required. Unholiness is a state of darkness itself; it is a condition where humans work in agreement with the underworld. This condition leads to questions such as: how can darkness dispel darkness? And how can a kingdom divided against itself stand? The effectiveness of prayer increases as one becomes more holy, and the measure will translate into nuclear power against Satan and his kingdom (1 Peter 3:10-12). The words we speak have the authority to affect positive or negative change. So, again, a holy person has more power, not self- power, but the power of the Holy Spirit. Always, it is the Spirit of God that causes positive conversion. A person is only an instrument of God's hand. Sorry for the overemphasis.

“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” (1 Peter 3:10-12, KJV)

If you are new to Christ, the process of praying might seem challenging. Therefore, I will offer guidance by enlisting two types of prayers.

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!! Type 1: Salvation Prayer

Use this one to invite Jesus into your life. Say it with conﬁdence and as often as necessary but live a holy, God-fearing life for it to be effective.

Father, I know that I have broken your laws and that my sins have separated me from you. I am genuinely sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ [Yeshua] died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' [Yeshua] name I pray, Amen.

Type 2: Daily Prayer

This type is directly based on Biblical verses. Praying the Word of God is very effective because each utterance is an agreement with God’s book of His divine will. Speak it with hope and faith every morning and evening. Five examples are provided here:

Monday

Lord,

Help us to learn to pray instead of complaining. Help us to hate the wages of unrighteousness.

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!! Deliver us from false teaching and help us to become righteous in every way. Help us to have fervent love for one another. Bless us with a willing heart to do your will and to not judge anyone. Help us never to be afraid to ask you for anything according to your will. Thank you for being our High Priest and the Prince of Peace forever. Help us to obey you and mature in you, not remaining babes all our lives. Help us not to shame you by how we live our lives. Help us not to be slothful but diligent to obtain your promises. Develop in us a distaste for evil and a taste for doing good. Help us understand and appreciate your heart of mercy and grace. Lord, please help me to not only look out for my interests but others interests as well. Help me to be kind to one other, tenderhearted, forgiving others, as You forgave me. Jesus, assist me to believe that I can do all things through You who strengthens me. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips, I pray.

Thank you, Jesus.

Tuesday

My King,

Thank you for the way you have consecrated us to come to you. GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 529

Help us to exhort one another and not to idle in our speaking. Please grant us the grace, patience, and love to serve you completely. Help us to entertain strangers that you send. Lord, help me to rejoice when brethren come and testify of the truth that is in You. Help me to walk in Truth. Jesus, help me to give in good measure, pressed down. Thank You, Jesus, for redeeming me from the curse of the law, and becoming a curse for me. Lord may Your blessings come upon me and overtake me. Help me to obey Your Voice. Lord, thank You for blessing my basket and my kneading bowl. Help us to be contented with as much as you have given or allowed us to have. Help us to be established with grace. Lord, thank You for blessing my coming in and going out. Thank You, Lord, for causing the defeat of my enemies. Scatter them in seven ways Jesus. Thank You Jesus for commanding the blessing on me in my storehouses and in all to which I set my hand. Lord, please establish me as a Holy place. Help me to keep Your commandments and obey Your statutes. Lord, may I be someone whom You have Your hand on, that I may be respected. Thank You, Lord, that You satisfy my mouth with good things So that my youth is renewed like the eagles. Help us to offer to you sacriﬁce of praise continually, giving thanks and praise. Help us to be perfect in every right way and to work for your glory and honor. Help us to follow you with profound, complete holiness. Help us to realize that vengeance is yours. Help us not to draw back unto perdition.

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!! Thank you, Jesus.

Wednesday

Dear Jesus,

Help us to please you and honestly reverence you because you deserve it. Help us to prefer following you and to neglect the pleasures of sin. May I be strengthened with all might according to Your glorious power and equip me with all patience and long- suffering with joy. Help us all to have the kind of faith that pleases you and produces good work. Help us to count it as joy when we fall into temptation so that our patience can grow. Help us all to endure temptation and never to see you as the source of it. Help us to firmly realize that all perfect gifts are from You. Lord, help me to remember that You can make all grace abound toward me, that I will always have all sufficiency in everything. Help us to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Help us to be doers of the Word, not just hearers of it, and help us to control our tongue. Help us to pour blessings from our mouth, never curses or bitterness. Let not envy and strife be among us, and help us to be peacemakers. Help us to obtain your grace through a humble heart. Lord help me not to be fearful, but to have a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Blessed are you Lord. Please give me daily loads of benefits. You truly are the God of my salvation!

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!! Help us to draw near to you and to resist the devil. Help us to humble ourselves and not to boast in ourselves. Help us not be transgressors of your law. Let the peace that You give rule in my heart and help me to be thankful. Jesus, help me to walk worthy of You and to be fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You. Let me shout for joy and be glad. Help me to favor your righteous cause. Help me to always meditate on Your word day and night. May you make me successful and prosperous in You. May I honor You with my possessions, and with the first fruits of all my increase; May my barns be filled with plenty, and my vessels overflowing with new wine.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thursday

Dear Lord,

Help us to be patient unto your coming and not hold grudges against one another. Help us to realize that faith without works is dead. Help us not favor one person over another. Help us to be fair to all despite social and economic standing. Give us your wisdom and help us to receive it by faith. Help us to realize that our life is just a vapor, and help us to not restrain from doing good when we can. Lord, thank You for making me the head and not the tail; above only, and not beneath, help me to heed the commandments of You, and be careful to observe them.

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!! Lord, please help me to please You. Make my enemies have peace with me. Thank You, Jesus, for sanctifying me and redeeming me. Lord, please help me to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is Your will for me. Lord, help me to do all things without complaining and disputing, that I may become blameless and harmless, a child of God without fault during a crooked and perverse generation, among whom I may shine as lights in the world Help us to see you as the faithful One. Help us to come boldly to your throne. Purify our heart and help us to not judge one another. Help us not to harden our hearts today as you talk to us. Help us to enter into your rest and to see you as compassionate and as merciful as you truly are.

Thank you, Jesus.

Friday

Dear King Jesus,

Help us to pray earnestly according to your perfect will. Let our hearts be ﬁlled with faith, and as we read your word, strengthen our faith. Fill us with your holy spirit and help us all to identify ourselves in You and to keep our eyes on spiritual things. Give us discernment and show us if we are rapture ready. Help us be found worthy to escape what is coming. Help us to obey you to the very end and deliver us from deception and temptation. Help us to love You in the true meaning of the word, which GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 533

is to obey you. Help us to be eager to do what is right. Help us not to worship any idols and help us to never turn from you. Thank You, Lord, that I am the apple of Your eye. Lord, please help me to think on whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, and anything of virtue or praiseworthy. Lord help me to have faith by hearing your Word.

Thank you, Jesus. If praying is new to you, you may start out with the Lord’s Prayer. Please speak it with intention and say it with the understanding and conﬁdence that God is watching and waiting for you because He is. Say it with boldness and live it out.

Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:9-15, KJV) “It is the Spirit who gives life; the ﬂesh proﬁts nothing. The

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# " words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63, NKJV) “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12- 13, NKJV)

Three Powerful Psalms for Victorious Living

The Lord Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalms 23:1-6, KJV)

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him after he had gone in to Bathsheba. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

GROWTH THROUGH PRAYER | 535 $ “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest. “Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.” (Psalms 51:1-19, KJV)

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A Psalm of David. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. “Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalms 27:1-14, KJV) 32

FERVENT: A WAR ROOM EVENT

MY DAUGHTER’S ESSAY

he following composition was written by my 17-year-old T daughter (Rebecca Ince), and I have included it here for high school and college students. Perhaps, where applicable, he or she would become more fortified to fervently fight the good fight of faith.

Fervent

“Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not.” Over the past month or so, I indulged myself in ‘Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer.” This book, masterfully written by Priscilla Shirer, really delves into the importance and significance of powerful prayer. I chose the quote above as my “quote of the book” because it sums up what the entire book is for and about. Shirer put this Lord of the Rings (though I haven’t seen the movie) quote at the very beginning of this book, and I imagine it is because of the weight it holds. It is incredibly true. The moment a person accepts Jesus to be their Savior, open war is waged against them. Now, the catch is that so many people go to church, hear a 538 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME powerful message, get saved and then think it is all good from there — no more opposition. That is precisely where the enemy wants them to stand. This book goes to prove, throughout every page, that prayers become so much more powerful when one “pulls off the curtain” and exposes the enemy and the schemes and land mines that he has been placing in one’s lives. Shirer points out that a battle cannot be won if one cannot see the enemy. That is exactly what her book does, exposes the enemy’s tactics and empowers women to battle for themselves spiritually, their family and their life. What I enjoyed most about this book is Shirer’s extensive knowledge and experience in the area of prayer. At the beginning of the book, Shirer writes about how prayer is a generational thing for her. I found it intriguing how her Grandmother prayed for her, years upon years, and I was in absolute awe of how her fervent and intentional prayers aided in shaping the woman Priscilla Shirer is today. Shirer now utilizes her “war room.” A war room is a place of prayer. I suppose it got that name because when one is fighting a spiritual battle, it is best fought in prayer. Remember the quote at the beginning of this letter? It was mentioned that open war is waged against our souls, saved or unsaved. Shirer really presses in and informs the reader that the enemy is watching us always, plotting and learning our weak spots. He has a war room; he has a plan. Shirer questions why many Christians don’t also have a plan. Personally, I think it comes down to spectrums. Most of the Chris- tians I meet are on two entirely different ends of the spectrum. They either think that the Devil doesn’t ‘care’ about them (or has an irrelevant existence), and the other end of the spectrum is being obsessed with him — knowing all about demons and witchcraft, and assuming that because their shoelace came untied, it was the Devil. This book taught me that Christians have got to reach the middle ground in acknowledging the Devil’s existence, but not being in utter and crippling fear of him, but to also have a battle plan of strategic and powerful prayers to demolish his plans. FERVENT: A WAR ROOM EVENT | 539

Throughout the book, Shirer covers the ten ways that Satan attacks us in our lives and follows up with prayers to combat those attacks. Shirer learned through her life and other women’s, that the enemy attacks in these areas:

1. Your passion 2. Your focus 3. Your identity 4. Your family 5. Your past 6. Your fears 7. Your purity 8. Your pressures 9. Your hurts 10. Your relationships

All in all, I pressed into this novel and sought God in prayer, asking Him to revolutionize my prayer life. Surely enough He did because He is faithful to do it. Instead of trying to shove God in somewhere for ﬁve minutes of my morning saying weary and unintentional prayers, I seek God earlier in the morning for a soulful coffee date, rich praying and intentional prayers. I am so glad I made this change, because the truth is, the Devil is a liar, and he has no place whatsoever in my life. This book was an absolute game-changer in helping me develop the ultimate “...Battle plan for serious, speciﬁc, and strategic prayer.” 33

YOU ARE LOVED

IT’S TRUE! AMEN.

Love is recognizable. Are you expressing it?

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36, KJV)

es, I am saying that I love you because I care about your Y soul. Often in life, we find comfort in an assembly: the crowd at the mall, the group at school or work. If we are familiar enough with the group, we call them a circle of friends and find relaxation in that togetherness. Be that as it may, we should be careful of the crowd syndrome, a term I’ve coined to describe the feeling of having complete protection and camaraderie associated with the emotional justification one finds in such an affiliation. I urge you to be careful of your expectations from a crowd. While friendships and acquaintances are “cool” unions of the day, be YOU ARE LOVED | 541 mindful that one needs to spend time preparing for eternal friendship, not just the temporal kind on Earth. Do not allow complacency and procrastination to take you off your marathon path. Do not comply with the urgings of the flesh and with the pride of life, but rather ensure that you pass your tests and overcome temptations using the strength of God’s spirit within you. Jesus loves us with an everlasting love, and it’s a love that will not fail or decrease throughout eternity. His love for us transcends, by far, even the most valiant effort of humans to express love because He is perfect, and He has perfect love. We are not capable of loving to the extent that He does because we are imperfect, and imperfection can never produce perfection. Even more, do not be sidetracked and fooled by your enemy, Satan, into thinking that because God so loved the world that you are on your way to Heaven. We enter Heaven by accepting Him as Savior and Lord and then by living daily by His eternal precepts:

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the ﬁrst commandment.” (Mark 12:30 KJV) “And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31 KJV)

Jesus wants us to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. We must obey Him in all effort of thought and action because to love God is to obey Him, not simply to be saturated by or enraptured with some emotional trappings. God expects us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, which means we do unto our neighbor what is right. In an Ammoland.com 2013 report, “FBI: More People Killed with Fists & Hammers than with Rifles & Shotguns,” it was found that 625 murders were committed using rifles in 2012, and 1,196 542 | THOUGHTS OF LIFE AND TIME people were murdered with fists, hammers, and other blunt objects. God expects us to love one other and to make a great effort to live in peace with one another. Further, though Jesus’ love for us does not require any effort on our part at all, our love for Him will demand the effort of self-denial or selflessness to overcome the besetting temptations and lusts that often threaten our ability to please Him. Some people are so calm and collected that it seems one could run them over with a car and they'll get up, brush off the dirt, disregard any bruises, and still affectionately ask the driver if all is ok. Don't laugh; I am serious because I know such a person, and his name is Jesus. Hardly anyone can fully perceive the love of God, but this simple logic may be helpful: if God were less than perfect in love, then He would have hate in Him, which would indicate that He and the devil have something in common, even sharing worlds and conspiring against us. To this end, the following section is the prophetic words of a friend who God uses mightily to admonish and encourage many despite his hardships.

“Even in our sin, our rebellion, our fault ﬁnding, our complaining, our murmuring, and our disobedience, God still loves us. We can live in blatant sin and get mad at God, and He will take us right back. NO questions. NO wrong kept. All overlooked. He is there waiting for us with arms wide open. Smiling, he declares, “That’s My child; even when he [we] sinned, I loved him [them] through it.” When he got mad at Me, I took him back; I never left him. In his anger, I smiled, listened, looked, and held him. I love My son unconditionally. When he does something deliberately that I asked him not to, I will still use it to help him. I love him so much that I will use his disobedience to help him. God's love is so deep, even in disobedience, rebellion, murmuring, complaining, and hard-heartedness; God works love YOU ARE LOVED | 543

through it all. He never stops. He is chasing you harder when you are in sin because He is jealous for you. He wants you so bad in your disobedience that He will speak to you, provide for you, correct you, and love you like you never did anything wrong. You can't run from God’s love. He is in you. He is in everything, working, moving, healing, providing, correcting in all circumstances God is moving. His love is unconditional. Nothing can separate. Even if you sin, it won't hinder God’s love.”

— MIKE, A PROPHETIC FRIEND

The message is about God's passion and His readiness to forgive us. Nevertheless, for those of us who would risk misinter- preting grace for passiveness, the corrective rod in God's hand has a long reach and an unforgettable touch. No one can abuse God's mercy because He knows all things. Thank you for reading this guide. I hope you continue your effort toward God. SING PRAISES TO JESUS

PRAISES TO THE ONLY WISE AND ETERNAL GOD

Song #1: And Can It Be, That I Should Gain

And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Refrain: Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me!

He left His Father's throne above, So free, so inﬁnite His grace; Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race; 'Tis mercy all, immense and free; For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain]

Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon ﬂamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain] No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]

Listen: https://goo.gl/n54W33

— CHARLES WESLEY

Song #2: To God Be the Glory

To God be the glory, great things he hath done; so loved he the world that he gave us his Son, who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Refrain: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he hath done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives. [Refrain]

Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; but purer, and higher and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. [Refrain]

Listen: https://goo.gl/xYYwy2

— FANNY CROSBY

Song #3: Praise, my soul, the King of heaven

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; to his feet your tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, evermore his praises sing. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise the everlasting King!

Praise him for his grace and favor to his people in distress. Praise him, still the same as ever, slow to chide, and swift to bless. Alleluia, alleluia! Glorious in his faithfulness!

Fatherlike he tends and spares us; well our feeble frame he knows. In his hand he gently bears us, rescues us from all our foes. Alleluia, alleluia! Widely yet his mercy ﬂows!

Angels, help us to adore him; you behold him face to face. Sun and moon, bow down before him, dwellers all in time and space. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace!

Listen: https://goo.gl/AsEhyC

— HENRY FRANCIS LYTE

Inspirational Videos: http://bettergetsavedtoday.com

Thanks. REFERENCES

Is America on the brink? (2017, February). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/j9DMCR Man A Trinity (Spirit, Soul, Body). (2017, May). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/WuZXPm What is Root Cause Analysis (RCA)? (2017, March). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/mdLAEt Michael Thomas Sambo Testimony. (2017, March). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/7GEbWB How Does Salary Affect a Worker's Productivity? (2017, April). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/RSCkxE Why Corporate Social Responsibility is Important. (2017, April). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/yV1WVa 7 Basics Strong Roots for Every Christian. (2017, May). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/88dmnA Mummiﬁcation in Ancient Egypt. (2017, May). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/EMGS6s Why 96 Percent of Businesses Fail Within 10 Years. (2017, April). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/3u5eYL Five Reasons 8 Out of 10 Businesses Fail. (2017, April). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/VHFhbr Another Inconvenient Truth: Joint-Hyphenated Married Names Are A Hassle In Most States. (2017, June). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/3UAkCx The Impact of the Spoken Word. (2017, June). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/G5cTDV Your words matter. (2017, June). Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/qSTHBJ Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer (2017, June). Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/XD2Xbt This Is 40: Bizarre Factoids About the Number 40 You Never Knew . (2017, July). Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/uxqgXt Dying words of famous atheists. (2017, August). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/ekSceR Famous Last Words ...... ( atheists on their death bed ) . (2017, August). Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/PLWRcz An 18-year study of 86,000 people has found that the more you watch, the greater the risk of suffering a pulmonary embolism. (2015, August). Retrieved from https://goo.gl/kCNEuq How "Six hours of TV a day takes years off your life. Retrieved fromhttps://goo.gl/GVT9H5 30 surprising facts about how we spend our time. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/6J3on8 EISENBUD'S ODYSSEY: THE THIRD LAW. (2012, November) Retrieved from https://goo.gl/UMQpqm 29 Answers to the Question "What is a Human Being?” (2013, May) Retrieved from https://goo.gl/anjhfw Why did God kill people who touched or looked into the Ark? Retrieved from, Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/cLA7PW Names of God: http://www. armyofjesus.com/articles.php Here's the strategy Navy SEALs use to persevere through impossibly tough conditions. (May. 28, 2017). Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com Impact of media use on children and youth. (2003, May- June). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC2792691/ NHK WORLD PRIME - An Honest Death - A Palliative Care Doctor's Final Days. (2018, April). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcBK6a3Y6Tw Why is everyone so busy? (2014, December). https:// www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2014/12/20/ why-is-everyone-so-busy The Destructive Power of Assumptions (2016, July) Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2016/07/13/ assumptions-policy-discovery-decisions/

Timely Resources:

Heaven is so Real by Choo Thomas - (Free audio download: http://64.71.77.248/cd/index.htm : https:// www.godtube.com/search/?q=heaven+is+so+real) Rapture & Great Tribulation - hhttps://goo.gl/HDJJpu How to Refuse the RFID Chip Like a BOSS... https:// goo.gl/4aZpNF RFID, Technology and THE MARK - https:// goo.gl/sndAPh Ex Satan Worshipper John Ramirez Testimony - https:// goo.gl/BqhgeW Heaven and Hell Experiences (NDEs) Dr. Rawlings MD - https://goo.gl/TZPSkt Mary K Baxter Describes Horrors of Hell - https:// goo.gl/Wwe9zm Experience of Heaven and Hell! She saw Pop Stars who were Tortured in Hell - https://goo.gl/AWi2rn Shawn Weed's Hell Testimony - https://goo.gl/CtDf6b Better Get Saved Today. Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/C3EeHD What Is Christian Persecution? Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/FrVFCE Vital Facts You Must Know About The Mark of The Beast (RFID Chip). (2013, April). Retrieved from https:// goo.gl/YJ6cEQ The RFID Chip - https://goo.gl/rK9bZk The 12 Stages of Life - http://www.institute4learning. com/resources/articles/the-12-stages-of-life/ Escape From Hell Ex Radical Muslim Testimony - https://youtu.be/8aGAD3tBUQ8 URGENT: 23 Minutes in Hell - https://goo.gl/7mPS3x URGENT: A Visit at the Gates of Hell - https:// youtu.be/jeEv08UdRxg URGENT: I saw Heaven - https:// youtu.be/_X5dc_Zd5mo

The Rapture

1. Are You Ready For the Coming of Jesus by David Wilkerson - https://goo.gl/e7aiZo 2. The 2nd Coming of Jesus - New World Order by David Wilkerson - https://goo.gl/YYqeWd 3. Chuck Missler Proves The Pre-Tribulation Rapture - https://goo.gl/z2bVar 4. 69 Charles Capps - The Rapture - https:// goo.gl/8mMhfF 5. 70 Charles Capps Endtimes 01 of 4 - https:// goo.gl/qoEU32 6. 71 Charles Capps - Endtimes 02 of 4 - https:// goo.gl/YgExrq 7. 75 Charles Capps - The Coming of the Lord - https:// goo.gl/xkvh41 8. 76 Charles Capps - Endtimes EMIC) 1999 - https:// goo.gl/BXXquR

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