Student of God

Authority of the Book Of Revelation

2011-11-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

I have often been ridiculed for my non-belief in a rapture, or the book of Revelation in general.

I have always urged people to study the origins of the text, so they could learn for themselves.

The book of Revelation was not written by one of the disciples. I realize that is what most people are taught from the pulpit, but that doesn't make it true.

The following article is an excellent read that helps explain all of what was happening during the times of the writing of John of Patmos' vision.

It barely made it into the New Testament at all. There was a reason for that near omission. It was a current prophecy for its day, not current in our day.

Interesting, how we judge prophets today by if and when their prophecies come true, but we do not apply such stringent rules on prophets such as John of Patmos, who lived 2,000 years ago, and whose prophecy did NOT come true, at least not in its entirety.

The Book Of Revelation: Prophecy And Politics Edge master Class 2011 | Conversation | Edge

God is Good

2011-10-25T14:16:00.002-07:00

Zoroastrianism is an ancient religion but is still active today, although their membership is only about a quarter of a million people.

Zoroastrianism is the oldest monotheistic religion known in recorded history.

Many scholars believe that this religion was the foundation for the Judean, Christian and Islamic religions.

Modern day Zoroastrianism stresses that God is not capable of doing harm.

I like this description of God, and I believe it to be true.

God as a judge and therefore one who doles out a sentence of eternal torment has never felt true to me, neither logically nor spiritually.

When we assign these characteristics to God, we are doing the same thing that many of the early civilizations did when they attributed natural disasters to the fury of one of their deities.

If this is true, then how can one say that God is love?

I realize that many will attempt to explain WHY God would judge, but I don't think that one should have to explain God's actions.

If God's actions need defending, then why would one choose to enter a relationship with him?

Yes, I know, we have free will, and what happens to us is our own fault, not God's. Right?

Wrong.

A loving creator God will not create a trap infested life just to see if you can make it through to the other side without falling into one of the traps. So spare me that flimsy explanation.

Think about who God really is.

Don't look for him in a book, but rather look for him in his kingdom.

Look for him in nature, in the skies, the forests, the animals and yes, even the humans, especially in yourself.

Eisenhower's Prayer

2011-04-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Farewell Address

“To all the peoples of the world, I once more give expression to America’s prayerful and continuing inspiration:

We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand, also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to the needs of others will learn charity; that the scourges of poverty, disease and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth, and that, in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love.”

What is the Word

2010-06-04T02:24:00.000-07:00

The study of God. It's on on-going process and I encourage everyone to become a student. There are many discrepancies and contradictions in the Bible, which to many people today wrongly call "The Word of God."

I don't know when the Bible became the "Word," but when I was a child the Word was God, it was not a book.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (KJV Bible, John 1.1)

Somehow, this term has gained popularity and is considered truth by countless numbers of those who claim to know God.

Step by step, I will be probing into the secrets that are hidden between the lines of the scriptures and which have been buried from our conscious minds. Unfortunately, many of our churches, denominational doctrines and many of our pastors have contributed greatly to our ignorance of God.

It is time to return to the way of the ancients... those who developed a relationship with God without the dubious benefit of preachers and Bibles.

It is my personal opinion that it was actually much easier to develop a relationship with God in ancient times because of their primitive ways, which kept them close to nature, which reveals God. They also spent more time alone, which is also conducive to gaining understanding and communicating with God.

The Native Americans had a custom of sending their young men on a vision quest, which involved solitary living and fasting to help them learn their life's purpose.

Prayer and meditation are very important to fulfill this mission. Prayer is when we talk to God, and meditation is when we become quiet and listen for that still small voice which some refer to as intuition. When evangelists and others claim that God told them something, they are rarely referring to an audible voice, but rather to a series of thoughts that suddenly entered their mind after seeking guidance or answers from God.

We all have this ability.

The God that lives within each of us is equally able to enlighten each of us. It is not a gift just for the ordained. We are all ordained - if we choose to be.

As you pray today, try to find time to meditate and see what God has to say to you. If you fear that God is not the one placing the thoughts into your mind, then by all means, ask for signs of confirmation. He is happy to comply via the angels, the birds, or serendipity.

For instance, you may ask about something specific and then hear something on TV that relates to your question/answer. You may hear a song that specifically relates as well. Someone may speak words to you that give you pause so that you know that Heaven is paying attention to you.

You are loved.

You are not alone.

The Precious Gift

2009-11-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, when God had finished making the world, he wanted to leave behind a piece of His own divinity, a spark of His essence, a promise to man of what he could become, with effort. He looked for a place to hide this precious gift because, He explained, what man could find too easily would never be valued by him.

"Then you must hide this gift on the highest mountain peak on earth," said one of his counselors.

God shook His head, "No, for man is an adventuresome creature and he will soon enough learn to climb the highest mountain peaks."

"Hide it then, O Great One, in the depths of the earth."

"I think not," said God. "for man will one day discover that he can dig into the deepest parts of the earth."

"In the middle of the ocean then, Master?"

God shook His head. "I've given man a brain, you see, and one day he'll learn to build ships and cross the mightiest oceans."

"Where then, Master?" cried His counselors.

God smiled, "I'll hide it where every man and woman will be able to find it if they look sincerely and deeply enough.

I'll hide it in their heart."

~ Author Unknown

A shout out to Amy Flynn of All About Energy for sending this out.

Prosperity and Faith

2009-10-29T03:47:00.000-07:00

The topic of prosperity can sometimes cause controversy among believers, churches and denomination. It’s a complicated concept and there are no easy answers, yet the Bible says that God wants us to prosper. It's a well-known bible teaching even though some preachers refuse to talk about it.

There are many reasons WHY we do not prosper when we think we should.

I believe we should always have faith in God’s promises, and seek the blessings He proclaimed to us. Prosperity is promised to those of faith... but there are conditions to prosperity.

One of the primary blocks to prosperity is the condition of our heart.

Sometimes it seems that God is just not listening, but we should not lose hope or faith. Perhaps we should examine our hearts from time to time, and see if there is something lingering there that is actually blocking the blessings that God wants to send our way. Some hurt or offense that is buried deep in our psyche and deep in our heart.

Believe me when I say that I am speaking for myself also. I have been plagued with financial problems for the past 5 years. That’s why I can talk about it.

I’ve been reading “Your Best Life Now” by Joel Osteen, and I have come to realize that the “bitter root” of resentment and anger have been living inside of me. They have taken root in my heart without my permission. Giving in to anger allowed the seed to be planted. Even though the seed may not have grown into a full-grown plant, it rooted itself into me and stayed beneath the surface, poisoning my life and my walk with God.

How can God fill us with love, light and blessings when we are hiding anger, resentment, bitterness and maybe even hatred?

Ask God to show you what you are hiding in your heart that needs to come to the surface and be dealt with… then listen for the answer.

Once you know what bitter root has taken a home in your heart, you can choose to forgive the hurt – forgive the pain – and forgive the person or persons who brought you to that place.

It’s a daily thing for me now, I MUST remember to pray for this person and choose to forgive him over and over again until I am full of love for that person. It has not been a one-time event, but a process. That bitter root has been living inside of me for a very long time, and it has affected my life in numerous ways.

Grace abounds when we ask for it, and there is more than enough grace to forgive and start anew.

There are certainly more meanings to the word prosperity... you can prosper in health, wealth and spiritually. I believe the word pertains to all of these and much more... I do not agree with many of the faith who say that God wasn't talking about financial prosperity.

What Father doesn't want his children to prosper?

God bless you!