Category: Ministry

Why Jesus Spoke Figuratively

So, the age old question is upon us, "Why would Jesus say He would be three days in the belly of the Earth, three days and three nights, like Jonah?" And Jesus seems to have been crucified on Friday Morning, put in the tomb Friday evening, in the grave Friday night, Saturday morning and night, and raised on the third day, Early Sunday morning.

Atheists will say, "Aha! Jesus is a liar!" 

But no... much the same way Bible discrepancies are also called into question, when they shouldn't be, and here's the reason.

It is not healthy for the human being, to think about things so literally. As some researchers point out, the Left Brain, which focuses on such small trivial details, is the predatory brain, while the right brain comprehends the larger picture, and is not focused on such things.

This gets to the fact that the Bible is very much meant to be interpreted as a story. It's a true story--like Alexander, or Caesar, or Cyrus or Darius--but it is more fluently understood as a story, in that plot framework. Which, inconsistencies are not as important as the words themselves, and their meaning.

Too many people interpret things to the literal letter, and such is bad for the brain. It draws out all the wrong instincts in people, and makes them too focused on trivial matters, and doesn't get to the wider berth, nor does it comprehend the wider breadth of what's being said.

With this being told, when King Saul dies two ways, or Judas, we can part hairs trying to reconcile it--and it can be reconciled--but need it be? The fact is it's told in a story narrative, to make it interesting, and what's more important--like the stories of Alexander, or Caesar, or Cyrus or Darius--is what the stories mean. The events, surely, happened, and likely Cleopatra would have presented herself to Caesar in a fascinating way--we know it's  not two ways--but it's still recorded that she impressed him by smuggling herself to him, and making him fall into fatal attraction with the mere appearance of herself from the carpet or laundry bag or what have you.

So it is with the scripture, people are meant to look for the wider truths, and not the narrow truths, as it's more respectable for the brain, and it helps it comprehend the important structures, rather than the unimportant, which those unimportant things draw to the brain the schizophrenic and predatory instincts.

***

[U]pon further looking at the thing, it seems Passover may have been on Wednesday and Christ may have been crucified that very day, as the Resurrection happened in 31AD, and Passover was on a Wednesday that year, and Christ was in the grave from 15th of Nisan to 18th of Nisan. There's nowhere in the Bible where it says "Friday" was the day he was crucified. And Guang Wu says there was an eclipse of both the sun and moon on 31AD, and Phlegon of Trelles does too. And they wanted Him off the cross for the High Sabbath. And there's literally only a six day discrepancy with the eclipse recorded in China, which is easily accounted for.

{}

However, there are some things which are too deep. Trust me... if you ever encounter that, just have faith in God that He's omnipotent, and can work everything for the good. And trust the Bible, no matter what. Just trust it... even if you see something you can't understand one day... trust it. It's like the News Report of God's dealing with His people.

I mean, maybe that's also understood in the Church Liturgy, on Ash Wednesday? I think I remember that, actually.

https://brandon.water.blog/2024/05/29/the-annals-of-guang-wu-31ad-the-eclipse-happened-and-a-month-later-guang-wu-issued-the-decree/

7 Levels of Philosophy

Level 1: Marx, Freud, Christ, Confucius, Jefferson, Washington
Level 2: Plato, Major and Minor Prophets, Solomon, Aristotle, Kierkegaard, Machiavelli and Eric Hoffer, Camus, La Rochefoucauld, Orwell, Bradbury, Huxley
Level 3: Tolstoy, Wordsworth, Byron, Keats, Coleridge, Lao Tsu
Level 4: Moses, Mozi, Mencius, Nietzsche, Jung
Level 5: Blake, Western and Eastern Mythologies, Tolkien, Lewis, Euclid, Lucretius
Level 6: Pythagoras, Christ and Confucius again, Ptahotep, Paul. You also realize Buddha and Kant said practically the same thing, and that all philosophy is cyclic. And that similar ideas produce similar effects on the consciousness, which produce similar behaviors.
Level 7: My Lanta, the Bible had it all and I didn't even realize it.

Karmelo Anthony

He needs help. I was just praying for him to find Jesus, but you're right. He does need a life sentence. Maybe even the death penalty. I mean, Moses murdered an Egyptian, and David Bathsheba's Husband, and Paul murdered a lot of saints before he met Christ on the road to Damascus. There is redemption for a murderer. But, there needs to be consequences. What he did was beyond the scope of reasonable. I think he's a perfectly sane individual, too, and there needs to be some manner of consequence for this heinous crime.  If in a State with no death penalty, then life without parole.

Moses' consequence was he had to wander with the Israelites, and never entered into Canaan.

David's consequence was constant war and strife at his borders.

Paul's consequence was imprisonment by the Roman emporium.

There's no need to feel a weight of guilt on you, for having sinned--as that Christ lifts off our shoulders--but there do need to be consequences for actions. Mercy shown where mercy needs to be shown, but he showed no such mercy to his victim, and doesn't seem to be that much bothered by it. Should he be bothered by it, and his conscience overwhelmed by the guilt, God will endear his heart toward salvation, and that is about all that can be done here.

On Changing My Faith

I’ve changed my religion a few times.

My first faith, was American Paganism. I believed in Astrology, and Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy. That was my legitimate faith. I remember arguing with the Sunday School teacher about it, way back when I was a little boy. I believed in Santa Claus and the Zodiacs and things like that.

Well, I somewhere along the line, got into contact with Jesus—metaphorically speaking, but maybe also literally in some sense of the word—and at my new church, we had Vacation Bible School. And I learned about the miracles of Jesus, and the morals of Jesus, and I just loved Jesus. I would sit and listen to His Parables, and I did not like Paul at an early age. At all. I thought Paul was bad, and bad people needed to be punished. Of course. That’s part of my American Paganism. I hated Paul… I remember running around with my fingers in my ear, whenever Paul was discussed. Because, bad people need to be punished. Hell I was just fine with. I liked the concept of Heaven and Hell, and I was like, “Good people go to heaven, and bad people go to hell.” That was my mind made up. The A-Team shot at the bad guys, and the Ninja Turtles beat them up, and Luke Skywalker did too—I didn’t understand why He didn’t just eviscerate Darth Vader… but then Darth Vader turned on the Emperor, and I was fine with that. Darth Vader did his redemption, and I was happy.

Well… I’d soon sin. Everyone probably will know that about me… about 14 I did something very dangerous and stupid, and Paul started making a whole lot more sense at that moment. It was the beginning of my doubt. So, I’d say I became a Christian the moment I realized that I wasn’t perfect. At all. And I converted to Lutheranism.

Well, the Lutherans betrayed me. Here’s that story:

https://qr.ae/pArEn3

So, I became a Messianic Jew when I saw some moral agent—as I always wanted to be moral, that was the core of why I became a Christian, was I needed a way to express what’s good. And at that point, I became kind of dangerous, and did another bad thing that was about as stupid and dangerous as what I did at 14. So… I really wrestled with the faith. I wanted moral guidance, but my American Paganism was “Bad guys need to be gotten rid of.” That is just the American Way, and what I did was part of that stupid belief structure, that there were some bad people in my eyes, and they needed to pay. For what? That’s neither here nor there, because soon I’d be convicted of four misdemeanors, and start my psychiatric treatment.

So, fast forward, I found out the victim in my first thing was really upset about it, so upon deliberation and trying to talk to her about it, I realized I probably should pay for this. It’d be better for both of them, so I went and confessed. And at that time, I was highly involved in Pentecostal Churches, but was still primarily Messianic Jewish. I still observed the Feast Days, I still observed the Sabbaths, I still wouldn’t eat pork or shellfish. That’s about as deep as I went with it. Probably wouldn’t have worn flax and wool clothing, either. But I did wear Polyester. And celebrated some Passover meals. And I was beginning to attend a Baptist Church too, and soon after that an Black Church, when I was awaiting my conviction. And then I went to jail, and talked with the Chaplain, and realized I was more or less wrong about the Messianic Jewish thing.

So… I did some soul searching, went to an Evangelical Free Church and a Bethel Church, and met some people who were unique. One was very good, but the whole episode with those churches, I thought I knew a whole lot more than I did. And I’d argue with them, and the pastor, still having my cult tendencies… and I knew some things, but they were very judgmental people, and not very nice. They, I think, got tired of me, and cast me out of the church. So, soon after that I got baptized—as that was a whole issue, I wanted to be baptized and my Lutheran pastor wouldn’t, so she anointed me with oil, but that wasn’t good enough, so I got baptized at the Free Church. And so did my brother on the same day. In fact, my brother was one of the two people who pushed me into the water. And the one guy knew the Didache, and moved the water as I was being baptized.

So… I was without a home… maybe Pentecostal, and kind of mixed up about a whole lot of things. So… I just studied. And soon found the Apostolic Fathers, and Martyr’s Mirror, and received an NRSV from my Mimi with the Apocrypha, and received her old Hymnal. And I was acquainted again, with the faith I knew. And I studied Paul, and for years before that I read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, and St. Augustine’s Confessions. And that gave me some framework, but I think the combination of Jay Vernon McGee having the same interpretation of the Bible, and so with Matthew Henry, and then the striking similarities between my theology and those of the Anabaptist tradition—I’m kind of somewhere between Catholic and Anabaptist.

So, that’s generally where I’m at now… I don’t know which I want to lean toward. Either the Catholic or the Anabaptist—which you’d be surprised how similar both of them are. I think I have an identical faith to Michelangelo and John Bunyan. I’d say that’s my theological bent, is “intelletto”. But, I’d probably be some combination of Catholic and Anabaptist. That’s kind of my faith as it stands right now. And I think I’m comfortable with it. I accept all the traditions of Orthodox Christianity, and don’t really prioritize them, as they all sort of have their strengths and weaknesses, but I’d say Michelangelo is probably the closest to my personal beliefs.

https://kingdomwinds.com/michelangelos-spiritual-life/

My Rough Road

That Paul explicitly warns about not needing to observe the Jewish Old Testament Law, I wish I would have learned that in Sunday School instead of how to save the world.

Like, I get it. The world is bad—it really wasn’t that bad, but the church I was at wanted me to solve Global Warming, and poverty and all that nonsense. I mean, it was good… I used it as a muse to develop Psuedo-technologies for Sci-Fis, but generally, I should have been learning solid theology and foundational Christianity.

At about the time I was fourteen, that’s when you really need to encounter Paul. Christ is for a young child, you learn Him, and build the foundation, but Paul’s for a teenager, because by about that time you’ve made some big mistakes, and need to learn the lesson of Christianity, which is we all fail, and need redeemed. At about 30 you need to learn Moses, and the time for War, and the harsh realities of life, that it’s not candy, and sometimes morality is ugly. Which, you know, we know when we watch TV the bad guy gets it, but we need to know what war is by 30 because that’s when we have the most mature reason to understand it.

But, I’d say around 14 I needed to be taught Paul and Song of Songs, and some of the other epistles. As I was not fully aware of what Christianity was by the time I got sucked into a well meaning, but destructive Messianic Jewish cult. I mean, the man who taught me, taught me a lot about Judaism, and I respect the ideas of the Covenant, and the Sacrifice and all that other stuff… it let me understand the Old Testament, from having lived it. But, to be forced into it, or to think I needed to do those things to be saved, really that’s why I needed a better teacher in my youth, who could teach me Sunday School.

Instead, he taught me the Bible was a bunch of stories, and even theologians say so, which made me disdain theology with a passion, if it could teach you that about the Bible. As I had bad influences all around me, and I needed the tools to combat it. As, I dealt with true spiritual forces, and I needed to know the good. And I needed to know Paul at 14 and 15 and 16 instead of about Feminism, Global Warming and how to solve Poverty. Which, you know… it got me thinking about those things, but I’m in no position to fix any of that. I would have been better off with a sound theological framework so I wouldn’t get sucked into a cult. Because I really wanted the morals, to fight back the evil that was surrounding me, and wanted to make me a prey.

So, he taught me some good things… in Sunday school my teacher taught me to help the poor. That’s foundational to who I am, and I’m thankful for that, just like the Cult Leader taught me about Judaism… so it worked for the good. I have a very deep theological depth, so quite inadvertently these traps sprung on the devil, and made me far more aware of the true religion, and capable of understanding it.

So, I’d never say either of them were bad people… they’re not… they’re just mistaken on opposite ends. One’s a secular Christian, the other a Messianic Jew, and they taught me dual things about the faith… but the meat and potatoes wouldn’t be taught to me until I was in jail, when the Chaplain told me to read Galatians, and I heard Jay Vernon McGee sermons on the radio, and found he had identical readings of the book of Jeremiah. Which, backtrack, was prepped in me by a Baptist church I was going to, but that’s a whole other story. I think he tried to tell me, but the damage was already done, and he might have called the authorities on me, because I used the wrong name… he was kind of a weird dude, too.

So, anyone who cries about abuses in the church, I don’t think I ever had a religious leader who taught me anything close to resembling the truth, except Christ Himself, and I’ve always somehow figured it out, and I guess that’s the Holy Spirit in me teaching me as I go… and I’m really understanding the concept of the Law’s Abolishment, that all things that condemn you, are abolished in the cross, so it leaves you with hope to become a better person.

On the good side, however, I had great Sunday School and Vacation Bible School until the Lutheran Church became secular. I had a good catechism teacher. And at the Baptist church I was going to, I learned fundamental theology from the Pastor, and had a good Sunday School, who I think were the authorities in question, called in to deprogram me from whatever cult I belonged to... which I'm a little miffed at actually because I think they hindered me in many things, and no such apparatus ought to exist in a free country. But, that's generally the fact. I appreciate what they taught me in the realm of apologetics, though. But, generally, the spying and all that other crap needs to stop, as the person who was in that cult and taught me is harmless. He just believed something eccentric.

Natural Religion vs Christianity

{}Natural Religion, {} is found all throughout the world, from Druids to Egyptians to Babylonians. Confucianism is probably the best example of natural religion, or some combination of it with Mozi and Lao Tsu. And from that we get Natural Law. But, that law is self evident, and can be understood by rational minds. Christianity is interesting, because it first assumes that rationale for it to exist. As we sin knowing sin is sin, and so therefore need redeemed from it by Christ's death and resurrection.

Isaiah 29

29 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.

So, Jerusalem is under siege by Assyria and Sennacherib. It’s called “Ariel” or “God’s Lion.” Because it was the measure for justice for many years, but it had backslidden. Therefore, Sennacherib came up against it, and attacked it, and besieged it for its sin. “Let them kill sacrifices”, let them offer their sacrifices, as it may deliver them. Their suffering will be prolonged, “Year to year.”

2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

The LORD will distress Ariel. Sennacherib might be coming against Israel—Satan may be attacking the Prophets, and the Wise Men and those who make mention of the LORD—but the LORD will cause heaviness and sorrow for her sin. And the whole land shall be as Ariel. There will be heaviness and sorrow.

3 And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.

The LORD, through Sennacherib—Lucifer, the Covering Cherub—he’ll lay siege to Jerusalem for her sin. The LORD will raise the fortress against Jerusalem, and use the Assyrian to attack her.

4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

The LORD will cause Jerusalem’s voice to be heard as a whisperer, and a familiar spirit. She will whisper from the dust and murmur and whisper. She will be as if she were demon possessed, and a whisperer.

5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

Yet, those who come against her, the strangers who are attacking Jerusalem, shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be chaff that passes away… it will happen in one instant, their whole army shall be destroyed and defeated.

6 Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

The LORD shall visit Jerusalem with thunder, earthquake, and great noise and storm and tempest, and devour the invaders with a flame of devouring fire.

7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.

And as the nations are coming up against Jerusalem, the LORD shall cause it to be like a Night Terror, and Jerusalem shall awaken, and be safe from her danger. She will be unharmed.

8 It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

For the nations attacking her, it will be like a dreamer, that when they’re starving and eating, they will awake, or when they drink, they will awake, and they shall be hungry, and not have destroyed her. They wished to feed upon the substance of Jerusalem, and the treasures, but they cannot. Both Jerusalem and her enemies shall awaken, and it will be like a dream, to Jerusalem's safety, and to the Assyrian’s utter destruction, for they shall be barren and wasted. As is what happened to Sennacherib’s army, the angel passed through, and wasted it with a virus.

9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

For those who are drunk with power—not with wine—they will stagger, but not with strong drink. They will stagger for their misuse of powers and judgments.

10 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

The Prophets are sleeping, and are covered. The seers are sleeping deep, and cannot awaken.

11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

The people will not be able to understand the vision. It will be like a sealed book, where the reader will be unable to understand it—for it will be sealed. So, the learned will not be able to understand it, because it will be like the vision is sealed.

12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

Then, it will be given to the lay, but on account of their being unknowledgeable of God’s Word, they will not be able to read it.

13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

The people draw near to the LORD with their lips, and honor him, but honor him through the precept of man. They withdraw their love, mercy, kindness, and fruits of the Spirit, and honor a god of riches, power, revelry and drunkenness. They forget the statutes of the LORD, and the plain law handed down by Moses, and given to us by Christ. For the vision is sealed, and they cannot know it. They cannot know the truth, and therefore err in everything they do, seeking for a life to fill it with all the pleasures they can muster. 

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

The wisdom of the wise men will perish—the “Evolution isn’t real” and the interpretations of the Bible will all be foolhardy, and the idea that we need God for morals to be subsistent and extant—and their common arguments shall all fail, and it shall be as chaff, as the LORD wishes His people to see the truth, that God’s law is established in nature, and is apparent to all and within all creation, and that is the proof He exists, that His law is established in nature, and need be observed there. And those who have wisdom, will be hidden from the people.

15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

Those who are against the prophets, seek counsel to destroy the LORD. Sennacherib has deep counsel against the LORD’s anointed, and wishes to upset and destroy his ministry, before revival happens. And they say, “The LORD does not see us.” For they are false, and believe that the LORD does not live, and therefore corrupt everything with their errant philosophies and confuse what is plain to even children.

16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

They turn all wisdom upside down, and this is the snare of Jerusalem and Israel, and they are created for this purpose, to reveal the majesty of the LORD. Shall they hate the LORD, though He created them to hew, and to bring about His mysterious purpose? To establish righteousness and His law forever?

17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

The forest, and untamed and wild man will be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall become untamed. It will be a reversal of fortune, as those who should have known the statutes of our God will be made wild and ferocious, as those who didn’t hear it—a people not called—shall know and bear fruit.

18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

In that day, the deaf will hear the words of a book, and the eyes of the blind shall be opened. And such has already happened.

19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Those who are poor shall increase their joy—as the Gospel is to the dispossessed, not the mighty. The poor received the true Gospel, while the rich forsook it for worldly gains.

20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:

The terrible one is brought to nothing. The scorner is consumed. Sennacherib, who scorns God’s people, and teaches them error, and watches for iniquity which he has reaped in their hearts, with his errant philosophies, he shall be destroyed, since he was a hypocrite and liar, and performed every gross sin imaginable, while watching for it in the saints, to accuse them, and thereby make their hearts sorrowful.

21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

The people of Jerusalem made a man an offender for a word—for simply unburdening himself with sins, and trying to make a confession—he who reproved at the gate—the one who taught the statutes wisely, and told the truth, that judgment must come—and turned aside the just—they deprived the poor man of his right, and distressed him heavily, and would not let him up for even a moment, though his heart was toward the LORD in everything.

22 Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.

Jacob shall not wax pale, and shall not be pale. The LORD shall restore comfort to Jacob—to the man of Israel who held to the Law and Statutes, and did not depart from them, but made them his treasure.

23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

When Jacob shall be restored, he shall see his children—the converts to the true law, and the converts to true religion, and possibly the children he will bear with Zion—he shall sanctify the LORD and forget all his sins, and his wicked thoughts. He shall fear the LORD, and know He is a rewarder of those who seek Him with everything they do.

24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Those who erred in spirit, shall come to understanding—those who erred from the way, and were riotous with the Spirit of God, and who did unseemly things in worship—and those who murmured against Zion, shall learn doctrine.

A Christian on Nature

As time passes on, and men lose their faith, it'll be asked, "What did Christians view about nature?" And the staunch Conservative places forth an unwieldy verse in Genesis,---that is Antichrist---saying "Aha, we must subdue it!" Yet the LORD curses those who destroy the Earth in Revelation, and speaks of the Sabbath in the Torah. Why did Israel get sacked by Babylon? It was because the land needed its rest. The Sabbaths needed to be observed, and the soil made healthy again. 

Man is Nature's steward, and in that verse in Genesis is the opposite point of view... not that man must severely disappoint Nature, and destroy her, and strip her of her resources, but quite the opposite, that we are her steward and defender, and protector. Through Sabbaths, through the beasts which were given to us for our company--as the animals were made to help Adam be less lonely, before Eve was formed.

Then, in the restoration of Zion, the animals shall have a part in the kingdom. Nature is to be preserved, and will God not destroy those who destroy His earth? Surely He will. For Nature is beautiful, and the Natural Splendor close to God's heart.

My Role Model

He was a good man. He did nothing wrong. He healed the deaf, the blind, the lame. He fed thousands. When I needed Him, He was always there.

I was happy as a child. I had good parents. He gave them to me. I had good grandparents. A pool to swim in. Good aunts and uncles. A full belly.

I sat on my Pop-Pop's lap. I watched the birds feed. He gave me that, too. He gave me my Pop-Pop's love. He gave me my Mom's love. He gave me my Dad's love. He gave me my Grandma and Pappy's love. I was full of love.

Then He gave me play. He gave me lots of play. He gave me four good dogs. He gave me piano playing skills. He gave me writing skills. He gave me lots of love. He gave me lots of talents.

He gave me friends. They were good friends. He gave me freedom of speech and religion. He gave me cooking skills. He gave me poems in my dreams. He gave me knowledge of math. He gave me knowledge of history. He gave me knowledge of science. He gave me knowledge of people. He gave me knowledge of English.

What did they do to Him? They took Him. They beat Him. They whipped Him. They scourged Him. They spat on Him. They teased Him. They put nails in his hand and feet. He hung. And then they cut him with a spear.

I didn't do my homework. I got a little crazy. But I passed school. I had work. I have a good brother. I learned to love him.

I made mistakes. I hurt people. I told lies. I got angry at God and told Him mean things. I did what I wasn't supposed to do. A lot of things I wasn't supposed to do. God did a lot of good things for me. And I thanked Him with doing bad.

I played violent video games. I was alone a lot. I didn't like anyone but myself for a while. Then God showed me love. And I fell in love. With who? With Peace. And I loved Peace. And I was bad. But then I knew what was good.

And I loved Peace so much. It was my constant friend. And I took it everywhere I went. It taught me good. It taught me what was bad. I saw lots of beautiful art in school. And then I saw ugly. That sort of taught me good and bad. But Peace taught me what was good and what was bad. And that man on a donkey and colt taught me peace.

I fell in love with good. And I hated evil. So I wrote everything I knew. Every drop of what I knew. I wrote it. When I was sixteen I began writing what I knew. And at age 35 I continue to write what I know. And I know Peace is good. And I know He is good. They killed Him because He was good. They hated Him because He was good. He set an example for me to follow.

I knew what I did was wrong. Whenever I did something bad, I knew it was bad. That didn't stop me. But I think it's the same for everyone. They know it's bad, but they still do what's wrong. But they do it anyway. My friend saves us from that. His name is Jesus. And He is my role model.

He is my teacher. He teaches me everything I need to know. He gives me peace. And when I'm sad, I know He still loves me. I know He loves me because I see it every day. Food on my table. I have a comfortable bed. I have clothes in my dresser. And even if I didn't have those things, I still see what He did for me. He hung on a cross, and bled and died.

What I learned about life is it is not good. It is full of evil and sadness. I cried a lot in my life. I cried over good men dying. I cried over evil men getting rich. I cried over little children being naughty. I cried a lot. I cried because I was naughty, too.

At times, I don't want to go on. But then I think of Him. And I know He would want me to carry on. I know He loves me because scars are on his hands and ankles. That says He loves me. If I get nothing more in life, I know He did a good thing for me. He's good.