The holy meme Bible created by the Almighty Shrek himself.
Basically, I'm translating the bible to meme language.
Enjoy!

\
\\
...


WELCOME 

Have you ever read the entire Bible at least once? If you have, share how this experience affected your relationship with God & others. If you have not share what hinders you from doing so & what will you do to overcome that starting this week.

WORD

Acts 17:1-15 New International Version (NIV) says

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

One can make an eternal impact in the lives of others by studying the Bible, applying what you learned & teaching this to others.


2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version (NIV) says
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

that all Scripture is inspired by God & is useful teaching, rebuking, correcting & training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be equipped for every good work. This is why we need to study God's word, not merely for knowledge but for transformation.

STUDY GOD'S WORD

As we continue to study the Book of Acts, we follow Paul into chapter 17 where he engaged with all kinds of people that he encounters in his travels. The first place that Paul often went to in different cities was the synagogue. Here in Thessalonica, he gives an account of the Messiah, the promised deliverer of the Jews. Paul refers to the Old Testament to create a 'dialegomai'(Greek) or dialogue from the Scriptures. He explains that the Jesus Christ had to suffer & rise again, as written 


in Isaiah 53:5 New International Version (NIV) says

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.


& in Psalm 16:10-11 New International Version (NIV) says
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful[a] one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Obviously, Paul studied Scriptures & knew what it says about the promised Messiah. Paul related ancient prophesy from Scripture to the historical event of Jesus death on the cross & His resurrection. Paul proclaimed Jesus with boldness & trusted the Lord for the outcome. Indeed, Paul would preach in the synagogue & would get beaten up after, yet he would do the same thing in the next city they would go to. He was not discouraged even if he faced opposition. He knew what his calling was, to preach the good news first to the Jews & then to the Gentiles. His calling was sure & getting beaten up & opposed to his face did not stop him from continuing on his mission. When you have an impact, you will have an uproar. In the things you are doing for God, are you experiencing an "uproar"? Doing God's work  might mean facing hostility from the very people you are trying to reach out to.

APPLY GOD'S WORD 

We must also check our eagerness in approaching God's word. Do you find the Bible bland & boring? Are you excited to encounter God in His word? 


Psalm 1:1-2 New International Version (NIV) says

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.

Though the Bible does not promise a life without problems it is a deep source which God uses to guide you in making wise decisions as you face life's difficulties & challenges. Apply what you learn from the Bible in your life even before you attempt to share it with others!

TEACH GOD'S WORD  

The next group of people that Paul engages within Acts 17, were the Bereans who were more open to Paul's teaching compared to the Thessalonians. In matters of discernment, we must be like the Jews in Berea who not only studied the Scriptures but also used this to examine what was being preached to them. In listening to preachers, we must have an unbiased eye & be opened to the truth that a preacher teaches but always go back to Scripture & check for ourselves what we heard from the preacher against what the Bible says. Is this how we view the speakers we encounter? With an unbiased eye but a discerning spirit? We need to be careful because there are many false teachers & many more will arise. Like Paul, are you willing to take a beating for something you believe in? It is so hard to teach what you do not believe in, so make sure that you know why you believe what you believe & teach. One of the greatest hindrances to God using you to teach others about the Bible is your unwillingness to apply God's word. Have a self-check, is your Bible knowledge making you arrogant? Beware that it does not, as 


1 Corinthians 8:1 New International Version (NIV)

Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that "We all possess knowledge." But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

As one grows deeper in the knowledge of Christ & the Bible, one should be more understanding, loving & humble. Is this true for you? The Thessalonians did not accept Paul's teaching the first time & yet even with the initial resistance, a church was established in Thessalonica. Paul's commitment to teach God's word no matter the personal consequence to him, eventually bore much fruit. The Thessalonians became an example of how lives surrendered to Jesus can become a vibrant church. We too can be an example of how a surrendered life that studies, applies & teaches the Bible can be transformed because of Jesus Christ.

DISCUSSION QUESTION (PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANYMORE HERE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW AT THE PRESENT TIME)

1. Which part in this process you excel in & where you need help to improve on? 

Mia's answer: In this process I excel in teaching God's word, I need to help to improve in my studying God's word

Kathy's answer: I would excel in encoding in QuickBooks and Excel.  I also excel in issuing invoices.  I also excel in following up dues from the customers or clients.  I need to improve my character skills.  I should be more patient towards other people.  I should learn to control my emotions. 


2. How will you apply our lesson STUDY, APPLY & TEACH  to your next week of your life? 

Mia's answer: i will apply our lesson to my next week of my life

Kathy's answer: I would apply my lesson to my next week of my life by first reviewing my lessons and then study what's my weaknesses and strengths so I could improve them. 


3. To whom will you teach the Bible this week? 

Mia's answer: I will teach the Bible this week to the workshop I will volunteer

Kathy's answer: I would teach Bible to my online network in Toluna PH and webnovel by sharing our own ideas in this Devotional Time Session.


\
\\
...
-END-

Lists of thoughts... Random thoughts... (considered as communion to God Almighty!)

Chapter 5
The sweet taste of hypocrisy
 
Texas was a fine place to eliminate morons from the human experience. But first, a final test to see if he was correct about his powers. 
Nom was driving a stolen car. He needed to get off the road and get some sleep, before he was forced to test his powers against the might of the Texas Highway Patrol. He saw the glowing sign of the Grand Hyatt ahead. It was next to a municipal airport. 
How perfect. He thought. I'll dump the stolen car in the long-term parking lot, get a rental, and then check in for some sleep. Who knows? Perhaps I will find an ideal lab rat along the way.
Nom pulled into the parking lot and rented a luggage carrousel. Loading his gear, he left the lot ticket in the stolen car, and walked into the airport. Conveniently, a trash can by the door accepted the keys to Tripp's father's car. 
Thanks to the Patriot Act, Nom knew that he wouldn't have a choice but to register the rental in his own name—a convincing fake ID would take too much time. The woman at the counter for Enterprise Rental quickly had him on the road in a late model Ford Fusion. Since Nom was from another state, it was easy to claim he had just flown in for the week. Why, if the feds checked out his little fib, they would see that he did have cousins in the area. The flight bit could be seen as an oversight by an airport worker.

 

Nom knew he would need to do a number of experiments to get even a basic idea as to the scope of his powers. He could kill, but could he simply maim? Could he reverse one of his wishes, or alter it? Was there a range limit to his gift? His efforts to study that last one with Tripp had not exactly been precise. Could he eliminate multiple people at one time, or could he only effect one? Was there a limit on how gruesome a death he could inflict, or on how slow of a death?
The irony was that the power of death made Nom feel alive for the first time in years. Probably since around the time that he had lost his faith and become an atheist. The old saying, ignorance is bliss, is only true if you are ignorant of your ignorance. 
Nom had once been ignorant of the fact that there was no god. In his upbringing, Nom had been taught that the King James version of the Bible, and it alone, was the answer. Whether it be the pocket copy he carried, or the study Bible on his night stand, that book was literally the user manual to the universe, written by the coder who had engineered everything, and who was actively in control to that very moment. 
Any answer he needed was simply a Strong's Concordance search, or a browse through the Spurgeon or Scofield Commentary away. What need was there to know anything, or even think for himself, when it was all just a few pages away?
Christianity was easy: simply blindly believe. Reject the information reality fed you, and obey regardless of the consequences. After all, the afterlife was the real life. Atheism was hard, the consequences were real, and the answers had to be won rather than simply given. Faith was easy, just be a good little robot, and do what the bronze age myth told you to do. Knowledge and reality had to be studied and interpreted through reason. It was back breaking never ending work. 
Nom put in a reasonable start and effort at being a good atheist. He obsessively self-educated himself. After getting two undergrad degrees, a masters, and studying for a second one, he admitted to himself that he was miserable. 
What was the point? What could he possibly accomplish, regardless of his credentials? Nom's great dream was to start a national movement to finally crush religion through its greatest weakness, children. Nom wanted a law, one that made it so that no child could ever be brain washed into a cult as he had been. True freedom was not freedom of religion, but freedom from religion. All children would be legally entitled to a public, secular education, regardless of their parents' wishes. No child would even be exposed to religion until they were an adult and could legally consent. In Nom's mind, religious educators were worse than pedophiles. They did not only defiled the bodies of children, but they destroyed young growing minds.
It was a task that Nom threw himself into. For a while it seemed that the American people were ready to potentially embrace a change of this magnitude. The Affordable Care Act was passed, the first black President of the United States was elected, and for the first time in US history almost a quarter of the population identified as non-religious. In those moments, it actually looked as if the modern political dark ages of the US, started by Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, were at an end. Nom took a minor civil service job to support himself while he completed his education. He would need government experience before he could found the non-for profit he dreamed of using to spearhead his vision.
Then the walls came tumbling down. For years the most ill-educated and moronic fools that the GOP could muster rallied the forces of the TEA Party. Behind the scenes, using their demented senior citizen activists, they managed to take over most of the municipal level governments in the US and use that power base to take over state level and national governments. 
Their average budget proposal called for a slash to social welfare programs for the neediest of Americans. Why should the US Government feed the people it impoverished? Mass incarceration, slashed regulation, gutted unions, an unlivable minimum wage—if this caused poverty who cared? After all, that same money could be spent on a wall. One that would remove twelve percent of the economy by deporting innocent people. Even better, it could be spent on new military toys, like aircraft carriers. The US already spent more than all of its allies and enemies combined, what was a bit more waste? Then they could take the rest, and give subsidies to corporate profits through tax cuts. 
Funnily enough, many of the Republican voters were themselves beneficiaries of the very programs they elected Republicans to eliminate. When newly elected Republicans tried to do exactly that, suddenly, their voters were in the media spotlight protesting. 
If the American populace could manage to vote in the most regressive regime since Herbert Hoover, what hope did Nom have of achieving his wish in even ten lifetimes? He could have gone to his grave a happy man knowing he had simply started the ball rolling on protecting minors from religion, but to work already knowing that the bet was a loser? Who could do that?
One of the turning points in his evangelical faith had been when he had discovered that having the faith of a mustard seed did not mean that he could literally levitate mountains. Most modern Christians would claim that Bible verses were metaphorical, but Nom had been raised to literally interpret the Bible. It was a soul crushing revelation that God was not a genie, with the Bible as his lamp. The election of 2016 crushed his faith in saving mankind just as thoroughly.
In many ways Nom had been slowly coming to the conclusion that the only way to save humanity was to cleanse it. The world was overpopulated, polluted, and corrupt. Morons bred like rabbits. The natural forces that had restrained the human population since it began had been curbed thanks to modern technology. In the US, Nom's native country, a cult had long existed that worshiped the common man. That same cult cursed learning and intelligence. The folk wisdom of a plumber about economics was somehow more valuable than someone with an actual degree in the subject.
What the US needed was an apocalypse. Nom was sure if the rest of the Western World would benefit from the same. The same trends that had destroyed the US were now appearing in Europe. The UK had voted to succeed from the EU, racist and anti-immigrant parties were on the rise in central Europe in a wave not seen since the 1930's, and regressive conservative parties were winning election after election. It was building to the same crescendo America had seen only a few short years before.
The woods around Nom's childhood home in northern Michigan were occasionally set on fire by the DNR. The native bird, Kirtland warblers, were only capable of breeding in the aftermath. Not that they needed ash and desolation; they needed a specific species of pine tree. Those trees were short-lived, and had a problem: their pine cones had a coating that had to be burned off before they released their seeds. No fire, no trees. No trees, no birds. 
Nom was convinced that the same must be true for humanity. He was not sure if he needed to burn down the whole forest, or just a grove, but humanity needed to lose a lot of stupid people so that its best and brightest could flourish without all the dead wood. 
Taking his rental car to the Grand Hyatt Nom checked in and decided to start experimenting…

Death, a Biography, is a fictional horror novel. It is crass, violent, profane, and not meant for the light hearted reader. Imagine living in a world surrounded by fools. For years your frustration grows, and no matter what you try to do you cannot free yourself from the preverbal ideocracy. Nom DePlume is just such a man, only one day he is granted the dearest wish of his heart. Nom, a grad student working as a truck driver is: intelligent, well educated, and the sort of person who always can find a reason to have a chip on his shoulder. One day while driving in Texas he finds that he has the ability to wish death on those he hates. Being scientifically minded, Nom proceeds to experiment searching out the scopes of his new found powers. He begins in Texas, a state he despises. As he moves on from each experiment, he picks his prey to match some facet of modern western life that he hates. Each receive a fate customized to match what Nom feels they did wrong. Nom then travels home to Michigan after initially defining his new role in life. In Michigan he uses his powers to settle a few old scores and family business. A run-in with an old friend convinces him that he is being selfish for not using his god like powers to better mold humanity. The end of the book sees him taking on the leader of the free world. Nom now personifying Death, learns that he has a true foe, Life.Nom will return.

d@Xgj%F <***********@*****.org>
To: 2Lifw)r3<***********@****.com>, Ig4(3dl_d2 <***********@*******.com>
Dear Z and A,
I know you two have a lot on your plate. But I hope you find time to study this. I offered L to send him some of my sermon notes so that he can peruse it as it seems that giving him this information would be extremely beneficial for the future. But he rejected it.
He said that he would rather listen to me speak about it personally. Apparently, he wants to believe in it and given his intellectual bias, he may turn deaf ears to the lessons in my notes. He wanted to not only know of what I know but have a chance in believing and he hopes that listening to me would do far more benefit than just reading some letters. I understand his intentions. The best way to learn about something is to believe in it. So he suggested having a personal meeting. I'm wanted to conduct a Bible study but with the way things are now, I guess it will have to wait.
Z, I hope our previous discussions from so long ago, (it feels like it's been another lifetime, right?) have somehow created a foundation of belief. Perhaps what had happened to you is one of the miracles that the Almighty allowed. I firmly believe this. So I am hoping this letter would allow you to better understand what actions to take and that you could pass this information along to anyone who you think could help in this. You have been taking the right steps and I guess it would be attributed to our talks from long ago.
Anyway, here is the draft of a conference message I've prepared to give on one of our upcoming Bible Conferences. Perhaps this may give you some insight on what to do with your life and how you can be of benefit to the lives of others.
Also, that kid from Psalms 1 might also benefit from reading this. I have a feeling that he wouldn't want to attend a Bible study hosted by me because of our 'conflicting' methods.
Best regards,
Calvin Luther Eagle Senior Pastor at Grace From God Ministries
1 Attached File
A Study on Typology (I will be discussing more of this during the Bible Study and explain the key aspects in detail. Treat this study as a primer for the things to be discussed soon.)
Prophecy has always been something that people found intriguing and mystifying.
The Bible contains the most prophecies that have been accurately fulfilled in human history.
For example, the prophecy on Tyre in Ezekiel 26…
In that Prophecy, several prophetic elements that seem extremely unlikely to be fulfilled if we apply the science of probability. For the sake of time, I will only go over several key aspects of the Prophecies and will not deal with any other prophecies made against Tyre on other verses in the Bible.
I have selected five of the 'most intriguing' prophecies that were fulfilled right down to the dot and remind you, that the chapter consists of more elements that have been fulfilled.
As a background, Tyre as a city is composed of two parts. One city in the mainland, called 'Ushu' or Old Tyre, and another city built on a small island about half a mile away from the shore of Old Tyre. This city on the small island is commonly known as Tyre.
In Ezekiel 26, Tyre was supposed to be:
1.       Attacked by Nebuchadnezzar (v. 7)
2.       Attacked by "many nations" (v.3)
3.       The stone and timbers of this city would be thrown in the sea (v.12)
4.       Will be scrapped like a bare rock (v.4)
5.       The Ocean depths will rise over it (v.19)
A popular opinion regarding prophecies is that any prophecy may eventually be fulfilled as time pass by as the things that have been written may be fulfilled by chance. If Chapter 26 of Ezekiel talks about any city, with any conqueror, that is indeed true but this chapter exclusively talks about the city of Tyre.
This prophecy is not talking of any city. No, it's not the city of New Birth Forth or the City of World's Helm. It's taking about the city of Tyre.
And this city is to be attacked by Nebuchadnezzar. Not by Hitler, not by the Fire Nation, not by Team Rocket, but by Nebuchadnezzar. A specific person living in a specific time. And this city would also be attacked by many nations, its stone and timbers would be thrown in the sea and the city will be scrapped like a bare rock and that the Ocean will somehow rise over the city itself. It's interesting how specific it is.
Now, historically, the first aspect was easily fulfilled.
About a decade after the prophecy was believed to be written, Nebuchadnezzar attacked the city and we have evidence to support this historic fact. But Nebuchadnezzar was only able to conquer Old Tyre as the other city on the small island was naturally protected by the sea and Tyre had an impressive fleet of ships.
So none of the other prophecies were fulfilled. Numbers two to five on our prophecy list were not fulfilled during this attack.
Should we now mock the Bible for its inaccuracy?
Be aware, that the remaining clauses of this prophecy are almost impossible to fulfill.
Why would the city be attacked and someone would be so bored as to take the stones and timbers from the wrecked city and throw it on the ocean? Why would they do that to the point of scrapping the ruins of the city to a point that what remains will look like a bare rock? And how will the ocean rise over it?
The fulfillment of the other aspects of the prophecy occurred nearly 200 years later.
The Prophecy was written sometime on 587-586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar attacked it on 573BC, but the fulfillment of prophecy points numbers 2-5 would be on 332BC when a man who conquered nations led an army consisting of armies coming from different nations and attacked the very city of Tyre.
We know this man to be "Alexander the Great."
We know Alexander the Great would force another nation to submit and aid him in his conquest so many nations could easily be fulfilled at this point.
He led his armies and attacked Tyre, conquering Old Tyre once more. But this wasn't enough.
Tyre was arrogant and mocked Alexander for failing once more as the settlers have retreated to their city-island protected by their vast fleet of ships. Seeing as how Tyre remained safe like a turtle and having the sea as a natural barrier with a fleet of ships that even Alexander the Great could not easily destroy, Alexander and his armies came up with an ingenious plan.
A great task of building a man-made bridge from the coast of Old Tyre to New Tyre started. Alexander ordered his men to take the ruins of Old Tyre, throw it to the sea to build a bridge to which they can use to attack the city of Tyre.
In this, Prophecy points numbers 2-4 have been fulfilled. The prophecies which seem almost impossible actually happened.
Many nations came, attacked Tyre, took the ruins of the city and threw it to the ocean to make a small bridge, scrapping Old Tyre like a rock.
But what about number 5?
Well, because of the man-made bridge which supported and allowed Alexander to send his armies to attack Tyre, the topography of the island changed making the bridge leading to Tyre into a peninsula which exists to this day. Because of this change which led to a massive geographic change on the area, the location of the Old Tyre was eventually buried by sand and water ultimately, burying the location of Old Tyre underwater forever.
God sent Nebuchadnezzar and later fulfilled it some 200 years later in the person of Alexander the Great. But the last bit of prophecy would be fulfilled about a thousand years later as the coastline of Tyre changed because of the man-made bridge of Alexander.
Now you calculate the odds of this prophecy being fulfilled? What other nation, since 587 BC, was named Tyre, attacked by a Nebuchadnezzar and later by many nations, and apparently, the entire city structure is thrown to the sea, scraped like bare rock, and later sinks to the ocean? What are the odds of that happening? And remember, I haven't listed ALL the prophecies that Tyre is supposed to fulfill!
Now this may come as an intriguing historical study, but the reason I'm discussing Tyre is to formally challenge whether or not this Prophecy would have only ONE fulfillment or will it be fulfilled again? What if, the verses in the Bible may be foreshadowing something that will happen in the future.
Now, let me clarify, I honestly believe that in Ezekiel 26, most of the prophecies written there have already been fulfilled. What I'm saying, is that we open our exegesis to the possibility that it could be fulfilled again!
How would something that had literally happened be fulfilled again? To argue, I would like to point you to the study of Eschatology, or the interpretation of the End of Times. We call it the Apocalypse, the Last Days and so on. Many camps and theological schools all have different opinions and interpretations as to their fulfillment. And throughout the course of history, there have been several interpretations which the people of that time were sure of because it made sense.
During the time of Apostolic era, if you read the Book of Revelation, you would say, the anti-Christ is Rome.
Hundreds of years later, Martin Luther made the same conclusion during the Reformation period. Their study of the Word led to this conclusion.
Back in World War 2, everyone believed that the Anti-Christ was Hitler. The Jews who suffered so much would certainly think so as well.
During World War 3, everyone then blamed Graden Pouterfisx to be the Anti-Christ as it led to the further destruction of Israel.
Right now, because of the Australian Avarice, many even say that Australia is the Anti-Christ.
And for the Australian natives of today, they would say, Harker or that gamer-turned-terrorist Lowengren is the Anti-Christ. (Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised.)
Others believe, that it's the World Governing Powers, and still some point to that miraculous E-Sport Gamer, Seeker Carlean to be the Anti-Christ as he must have sold his soul to the devil to be that good in Piercing! (Z, as you noticed, I like to add current events like this as a sermon illustrations to draw attention to the younger audience. It really makes most gamers listen to my sermon if I mention famous e-sport players.)
And quite honestly, except those saying its Seeker, the rest had a valid reason to claim that this was the Anti-Christ as they displayed a shocking level of depravity, wickedness, and immorality.
Are we to assume that they were all wrong? Perhaps… Or maybe perhaps from Hitler, all the way to the Australian Avarice, they have been "Types" or signs that will simply point us to a Final Anti-Christ. Perhaps, God, in order to constantly remind us that His Word is True and indeed miraculous, has destined history, as written in the Bible to have several fulfillments, many of which are partial fulfillments or foreshadowing to a final fulfillment?
And it is in this vein, that we find ourselves in the study of Typology.
Typology is the study of signs, symbols and the interpretation of Types.
Let me take a positive example to further cement my case…
You've heard me say several times that I say Samuel in the book of 1 Samuel of a "typology" or a sign that points to Jesus. In many ways, an appropriate approach would be to read 1 Samuel with the assumption that Samuel foreshadows Jesus.
If we go to the prophecy in 1 Samuel 2, God got angry at the current High Priest, Eli, and prophesied to Eli that Eli's lineage would-be priest who wouldn't reach old age and that their line would stop serving in the altar. After that, God gave this prophecy in 1 Samuel 2:35,
"I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always."
Now the immediate assumption as to the fulfillment of this prophecy, if we follow that story, is that we would assume it to be fulfilled through the priest to Samuel. Samuel took over when Eli died, he ministered faithfully and replaced the line of Priest that served in Israel.
According to the Bible, we do not have any records of Samuel ever committing sin, and even on his death, he challenged Israel of this, to which Israel responded that they have noted no sin in Samuel's lifetime. If you think David had a magnificent title, "a man after God's own heart," consider Samuel's title. A man who will do according to God's own heart and mind.
But on the other hand, many would challenge that this verse does not refer to Samuel but to Jesus because of the clause that this priest will "minister before God's anointed ones, always." Which basically implies this priestly line will forever serve God. And only Jesus could fulfill this role.
My interpretation and I hope this congregation's interpretation and conviction, would be that this verse was fulfilled in two ways.
Samuel was the initial fulfillment and is a typology to the final fulfillment, which is Jesus.
The Bible has been doing this several times and using a certain Old Testament verse and make it a sign that eventually points to Jesus. In other words, these verses have more than one fulfillment.
A partial fulfillment of the sign in the form of Samuel, a righteous Priest who was impeccable in actions and wisdom, and later the Great High Priest that we have in Jesus.
1 Samuel also introduces David, a typology of Jesus in the areas of being a King.
But of course, this alone could not be supporting evidence for my theory in the study of Typologies. So let's take a look at another interesting and puzzling verse which shows a unique example of a typology.
We go to Hosea 11:1 and find an interesting phrase here that was used by the Gospel writer Matthew.
"Out of Egypt, I called my Son."
This is a strange verse to use because mainly, according to the context of Hosea 11:1, the son here refers to the nation Israel. Why did Matthew later use this verse to mean Jesus? We all stand with the idea that the Holy Scripture is inerrant. So why would Matthew, in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, use this verse in its wrong context?
My answer is Typology.
Let us first analyze what's going on in Matthew.
Joseph and Mary had escaped from Bethlehem because of Herod. They lived in Egypt and waited for Herod to die. Upon Herod's death, Joseph returns to Israel and so, Matthew summarizes it in verse 15 of chapter 2, And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1 and immediately assumes that this is speaking of Jesus when in actuality, the context rules that we so hardly adhere to, dictates that Hosea 11 is talking about the nation Israel!
Typology easily resolves this issue. If we are to assume that Israel has always been a typology of Jesus, a temporary sign and can have more than one fulfillment in the great passage of time, we can then easily accept this verse.
By accepting that Israel in Hosea 11, represents Jesus, we can actually see that in many ways Israel did foreshadow Jesus.
Jesus, like Israel, stays in Egypt and leaves to return to the Promised Land. Jesus, Like Israel, is sent to the wilderness to spend a passage of time connected with the number of 40. Israel spent 40 years wandering in the desert, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert.
The Gospel records that Jesus was sent to the wilderness to be tempted and tried, wasn't this the case for Israel?
And isn't it interesting, that in the famous encounter between Jesus and the Devil in that same wilderness where Israel was tested, Jesus answered the Devil quoting verses from the book of Deuteronomy?
Deuteronomy discusses most of the consequences that Israel suffered because they failed. In this Typology, Jesus acts as the perfect version of Israel. He goes out of Egypt, is tempted by the devil in the wilderness exposing Him to hunger, thirst, and the danger of being killed by wild animals.
In Israel's hunger, they complained to God, and the reluctant response of God was to send Manna from heaven, Satan uses this same strategy and tells Jesus to make stone bread, but Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy saying that man shall not live by bread alone.
Jesus fasted in that 40 days in the desert. The Israelites feasted with unlimited manna and even by sending birds which the Israelites can easily capture and eat. I can go on and on, but if you analyze the remaining challenges that Satan poised to Jesus, we find that the Israelites actually failed on all of these temptations. In fact, I would go as far to say that the temptations Jesus faced and the temptations Israel faced were roughly the same!
But it doesn't stop here, if you've read through the Bible, you will know that the moment Israel finally enters the Promised Land, you'll be reading through the Book of Joshua. And in Hebrew, the name for Joshua is Yeshua, the very same name to which we translate the Name, Jesus!
So Joshua becomes a typology, a foreshadowing that the book of Joshua will also repeat in history. We've already seen hints of that! That scene in Joshua 10 where kings in their retreat hid in caves to flee from Israel. Is this not the same vivid imagery explained in the book of Revelation which will be the scene when Jesus returns?
At this point, I argue, that perhaps in the dogmatic ways of our interpretation of Scripture, we have long set aside the possibility that if the Bible is promised to be the Word of God, Inerrant, relevant and true, then would it not be true for all ages? Is it possible to see this foreshadowing's again and again?
I will not be surprised, ladies and gentlemen, that in the near future, the very events we read in the book of Revelation will become a typology! A sign that we may soon see, in anticipation of the Second Coming!
We have long interpreted the book of Revelation and its various events to have passed! How many writers and Bible teachers have risen up to explain how World War Three fulfilled many of the verses in Revelation.
I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm saying they could be right. But in this sense, that what they explained are but typologies and these signs that may repeat itself unto final fulfillment.
So read the Book of Revelation! Read the book of Joshua! Read the Book of Daniel! Of Zacharias, of the many verses and the many books in the Bible which speaks or alludes to the coming end!
We could all come witness to various typologies of events that will have its ultimate fulfillment when Christ return. As for me, I may sound insane, but with the recent events that have been happening, I am certain now, we will bear witness to many foreshadowing's itself! Make no mistake!
Perhaps, in the coming days, chaos will be revealed. And perhaps, in the coming days, someone will rise up perhaps as another foreshadowing of Jesus who will appear in Power and Might! Perhaps, in the days to come, you will all see the Way!
Let's close in prayer…
(A and Z, I do hope this gives us a roadmap of future actions you have to take. Revisit the stories in the Old Testament. I have a feeling that one of our friends may be anticipating the revisiting and fulfillment of the prophecies in Egypt. It might take some time until the Bible study after all. So the specific plans that I have in mind to make the world believe in God  cannot be explained. For now, read and follow the Word. Oh, and if C and G are free, have them visit me here in the Americas.)


An alien race invaded the Earth on June 6, 2128. At the midst of this war, many nations allied with the alien threat and the war nearly wiped out the rebelling humans of the planet. At the edge of mankind's survival, the United Nations Army launched its forces to eliminate the immediate stellar threats that loomed over Earth.

General Seeker Carlean, commander and leader of the mission, risked and gave his life to destroy the immediate stellar threat. The battle was won though Earth lay in ruins. Perhaps mankind will live to see a few years of peace before the alien threat returns to wipe out their existence.

At the immediate aftermath of the stellar battle, the fallen Seeker Carlean awakens and finds himself at aged 17, living the peaceful life he lived 16 years before he died.

So begins a new game in the battle for humanity's survival.

----
Cover art by Jayps. http://www.behance.net/Jayps

Ricky got up early and still in his pajamas, He found the kitchen with ease. Large windows overlooked Euphemia's gardens and the distant hills. He got to watch the sun rise over the horizon as he prepared breakfast.

Bith Harry and Ricky knew there way around a kitchen, for Harry it was due to the Dursley's. For Rick however it was for survival, he started working in a kitchen during his senior year of high school, and as soon as he was done with basic training they stuck him right back in one.

Ricky smiled remembering the army kitchen staff, they were a bunch of oddballs, while reminiscing he had the frying pans washed and the table set by the time Fleamont and Euphemia entered the grand kitchen as Ricky thought of it and its adjoining dining room.

His grandparents/parents were left gaping at him, the table, then back to him again.

"You did this?" Euphemia asked.

Ricky nodded, "I like to cook." Well, he liked to cook when no one was threatening him with head trauma and foul dogs.

Fleamont's eyes narrowed, "You look like my dad but I am starting to believe you two are extremely different people."

Ricjy Ricky blinked a few times before replying, "That's because we are. Wait isthat a good thing?"

Euphemia, with all the grace and energy of a woman half her age, went to the table and snatched a slice of bacon. Her expression was pure bliss, "If it means you cook like a professional chef, yes, it's a good thing."

"Come sit, Masterchef," Fleamont said waving Ricky over to the table, "come eat with us."

Ricky smiled and hurriedly took his seat beside Harry's grandfather and across from his grandmother, Well now they will be his parents.

"Thank you, Ricky," Euphemia said.

Fleamont echoed her, only with a mouth full of bacon.

Another man wandered into the kitchen and Ricky jumped out of his seat. 

"Sorry," he said, "I didn't realize there was anyone else here."

"No need to apologize, my dear boy," the man said and held out his hand for a firm handshake.

The man was old, his hair a shock of white on his hair, but he looked like he was in shape, and his pale brown eyes were bright. In fact, Ricky thought he looked more athletic than Fleamont, definitely bulkier with broader shoulders.

"Euphemia," he said in a chiding voice, "why didn't you tell me you had twins? One that looks like a younger version of me?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "Ricky, this Henry Potter, Fleamont's father, Henry, this is Rickard Potter."

She waved her wand and another plate prepared itself, Ricky and Henry took their seats.

"So, Ricky," Henry said with a smile, "-they call me Harry back in the days, by the way, tell me about yourself."

"Um," Harry said, elegantly. But he silently casted the 'time stop' spell, and followed that by 'Alter memory'. He quickly added an scene from an old movie he had watched, where a man goes to a bar to drown his sorrows and ended up meeting a woman who was doing the same.

And in they're inebriated selfies, they ended up having a one night stand. The next day when they woke up, hung over and all they attempted to explain that this was only a one time thing and that it would never repeat itself.

But in the process the woman dropped her wand, after picking it up she tried to pass it as a random object, much the delight of the man. He proceeded to tell her that he to was a wizard.

He introduced himself as Henry Potter of the Noble and most ancient house Potter, She followed suit. Her name was Clementine Lilyana Raeven, of the bible and most ancient House Raeven from Gibraltar.

They went they're separate ways and never saw each other again.

In reality the scene was from a cop movie were the man was an undercover cop while the woman was from the FBI, and the wands were they're badges.

Feeling good about his work he quickly canceled the spells and before he could speak  however a voice said.

"Harry was sorted into Ravenclaw," Euphemia answered for him, seeing his apprehension.

"Fleamont and I told you Ricy's story last night, no need to get into his full history at the table."

"Ravenclaw!" Henry exclaimed, "No Potter has ever been sorted into anything but Gryffindor before, that is if they attended Hogwarts. Although Ravenclaw is a respectable -if an underrated, house. My darling Clarissa was a Ravenclaw."

"I myself was guilty of being sorted into Ravenclaw," Euphemia whispered.

"Clarissa," Henry said as if he hadn't heard Euphemia, which perhaps he hadn't, judging by how loud he was speaking. "She was the kindest girl on the planet. Kindness, my boy, there is no strength in this world so undervalued as kindness in this lost and scrupulous world."

Henry began to regale them with stories of his youth, of his Clari, Ricky's great-grandmother who had been a midwife. Fleamont gave Ricky an apologetic look, but Ricky was enthralled.

This was his family, this was his great-grandfather telling him about his life and Ricky's family.

It was by far the best breakfast Ricky had ever had.

As the conversation went on Henry suddenly stopped talking for a moment, he proceeded stared at Ricky with an intense look on his face. 

Every occupants in the room were immediately on edge, waiting for his next action.

Henry cupped Ricky's face with both hands, after staring at his eyes for a few seconds before bursting out in a full belly laugh. It took him a few moments to calm himself down before he was able to speak.

"I should have known, you have your mother's eyes you know. specially that annoyed eye roll, Yes, without a doubt your Clementine and i's son. Ha I bet she was not pleased you inherited my black hair instead of her flaming red."

Fleamont and Euphemia casted axquickly look at each other before shaking their heads and smiling at Henry.

Ricky just shrugged at this, after all he knew that the memories he was recalling were fake.

Breakfast went on for a while until, Fleamont, Euphemia, and Ricky decided to getvready for the trip to diagon alley.

...

Diagon Alley was… it was more and less than it would be in the future. There were more shops and people. The storefronts were polished and orderly, without the rustic and somewhat beaten exteriors that Ricky had come to expect.

On the other hand, despite the greater number of shoppers, they seemed more secretive and wary of one another. Ricky was afraid to either spill his own secrets or say something that might alienate his new family so he remained mostly quiet. However, his clear interest in his surroundings and in what his grandparents/parents were saying kept the conversation flowing.

Sure, Ricky knew about the wizarding world, but he had received only a crash course from both Harry and Voldemort's memories. Add in the few bits picked up little pieces along the way with the Weasleys, who had just assumed he knew about the world. Fleamont and Euphemia were more detailed and less exasperated by Ricky's questions.

Ricky let Euphemia pick out his clothes. Harry Potter didn't have much of a preference as long he fit in with his peers. Standing out, except for on the Quidditch pitch was never his favorite thing.

While Voldemort was a drama queen, even he would not dare fight a woman on the subject of fashion.

Fleamont bought Him one present, a new broom. He had let Him pick it out and Ricky had not chosen the most expensive, he chose the one that had the most build up of speed and least stabilization. 

Ricky was glad that Fleamont didn't let Euphemia see the broom's low safety score. But he didn't want safe. He wanted fast. Besides with Harry's skill and memories he was sure he'd be a good enough flier that he could keep his own balance in the sky. As much as he liked the Firebolt, in some respects, some of the older school brooms had been faster in a dive.

Speaking of old brooms he will have to go through the pile and study the runes and enchantments laid down on them soon, after all he was trying to create his own brand.

He was brought back from his thoughts when Euphemia came back. They picked James up from the station before lunch. and Ricky watched the semi-familiar faces pass bye.

His heart skipped a beat when he spotted the Black sisters, all three of them. Andromeda and Bellatrix looked alike. Andromeda was perhaps the most beautiful person Harry had ever laid eyes on. Even at a distance, her brown eyes were warm and intelligent, her hair a waterfall of chestnut waves. Bellatrix was a colder, darker version of her sister. 

Her black hair was held back in a sleek ponytail, her eyes hard as granite and when they met Ricky's gaze of the ground he didn't see the insanity from her image on the Daily Prophet, he saw a dangerous, cold intellect. Like staring into the eyes of an eagle, predator and inhuman, but not mad.

Ricky didn't look away, and Bellatrix soon dismissed him.

She walked with a stiffness that was at odds with her sisters' liquid grace.

Narcissa must have been a year or so younger than Ricky was now, she was a petite blonde, and if it wasn't for her attitude he would not have believed the three of them were related. But her expression was a cross between Bellatrix's coldness and Andromeda's elegance.

It was almost sad to know one day they would be separated, they walked in a unit that was apart from the crowd.

Sirius caught up with them after waving goodbye James, a mini Sirius, Ricky assumed was Regulus following at his heel. The five Blacks disappeared into a fireplace that was set up on the wizarding side of the station.

"Ricky!" James called as approached them.

"Hi, James," Harry said with a smile.

"How'd you like the family manor?" James asked.

Ricky's smile widened, "I love it, you were certainly lucky to be born with such a family."

James laughed, "I don't think being born is decided by luck, weirdo."

"No name calling," Euphemia chided.

"Where are we going now?" James asked, as Fleamont shrunk and pocketed James' luggage. He spotted someone over Ricky's shoulder and shouted, "Bye Lily Evans! Have a spectacular summer!"

The red head ignored him. Ricky spotted Snape who shot James a taunting smirk as he walked with Lily shoulder to shoulder as they went through the barrier.

James deflated, "Would does it take to get her attention?"

"Maybe you should try to stop yelling at her," Ricky suggested.

James gave Ricky a skeptical look, "But I want her to notice me."

Ricky swung an arm around James's shoulder as they walked out of the station, "The thing I think you're missing is the difference between positive and negative attention."

James tilted his head, and asked with a heaping serving of drama. 

"Go on, wise one."

Ricky tried to explain color to the blind with a patience that some would call saint worthy.

"Yep," Fleamont said to his wife, "I don't think our two boys could be any more different if they tried."

Euphemia took her husband's hand, smiling up at him she said joyously, "Our sons."

Fleamont smiled back at her, he had always regretted not being able to give her more children, and Ricky, well, Ricky was more than they could have wished for.

After lunch, the Potter family, excluding Henry who was still at home reading his books, went to the beach. A small cove near London with a little stretch of beach, that didn't have have any other visitors, considering the beach was mostly rocks.

Ricky and James didn't mind the rocks. They kept their shoes on and removed their shirts, soaking up some much needed vitamin D.

They searched for odd reflective stones and played tag as the waves crashed into them. Fleamont and Euphemia stayed closer to shore walking along the shoreline like newlyweds. The love between tangible and unfaltering.

As Ricky paused to watch them he noticed the strange formation of rocks that met the water. There wasn't anything he could point a finger at as being out of place but he thought the cave…

He shook his head. Cave? There was no cave in those stones, or at least no way for him to know that there was or wasn't a cave there. So why did he have the third sense that there was something there? Something familiar? Something-

"Ricky!"

Ricky turned to see James waving his arms in the air as he ran towards him.

Ricky frowned and waved back.

When James got closer Ricky saw the horror and panic on his father's face through the droplets of water on his glasses.

"Run! Ricky, Ru-"

The warning came too late. Something with sharp teeth bit into his leg and pulled him under the water.

Even through the waves, he heard the muffled sound of feminine screaming.

Ricky reached for his wand and tried not to thrash against the thing that had a death grip on his left calf. He never reached his wand as another set of teeth latched onto his right forearm.

By some miracle, his glasses stayed on and even as he breathed in lung fulls of burning salt water. He was able to get a glimpse of the creatures set on murdering him.

Black horses, at least their front half, and fishtails for their rear half. Unlike real horses, their teeth were razor sharp, and they were carnivorous.

Ricky knew that they drowned their prey before consuming them and that fending them off by magical means wasn't exactly hard to do, that is if he had his wand and was not suffocating.

Knowing the incantation Ricky shouted the spell, pushing his power through his hand even as his lungs screamed and black dots clouded his version.

The charm worked, or at least Ricky's power got the Kelpie to release him. Ricky pointed his hand at the other Kelpie, and throw his energy into it again, the water horse released him.

Ricky was left to float under the waves, his body cramping with the lack of oxygen, his wounds bleeding crimson to pink into the water around him. Before he could summon the thought to swim up, he was caught in a current.

Like a lifeless bit of debris, he was rolled in the waves and slammed against sharp stones. His skull connecting with a distinctive clunk.

For the briefest moments, Ricky envisioned a golden cup and silver, somehow sibilant locket in a crystalline cave. The locket hissed at him and then the moment was over and blackness consumed him.

Rickard Potter knew no more, as he succumbed in the embrace of darkness.

When next he woke next, it was to the relieved and wane face of Euphemia gazing down at him.

"Oh, Ricky," she said, voice breaking as tears trailed down her face. "You're awake, you're finally awake. The healers said you would make a full recovery but when you didn't wake up…" She shook her head and wept silently holding onto his hand in an almost painful grip.

Ricky was not surprised or all that worried about another near death experience within the jaws of yet another unexpected magical creature. However, he did have one pressing question, how long had he been unconscious?

Not my novel I only uploaded it here for the purpose of listening to it on the audiobook feature.

The author is a student currently attending Notre Dame university, Screen name is Fleeceem44. He is part of a private chat group consisting of ppl whom try to combine they're favorite fanfiction novels into one while tweaking then a bit.

The credit goes to the original authors of the novels used, for this particular remix I want to give credit to 

Jacobapples who wrote the novel 'Broken reflections'
https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12977048/2/

ORFgrunt who wrote the novel 'Till the gates of hell'
https://m.fanfiction.net/s/11327757/1/Till-the-gates-of-hell

Wand description 
Lenght- 14 inches 
Wood- Yew
Core- Dragon heartstring

Visual link: https://www.yourpatchstoreonline.com/Alchemy-The-Vault-Dragon-Wand-p/ac-v31.htm

In space, a person can be seen floating looking towards a green and blue planet .

James: is this really Dxd when seen through outer space. This body really feel nice I should thanks ORIGIN for the gift now where I should go according to ORIGIN now in this time except God no human being are born so I should just tour around the world.

when I enter the sky unexpectedly I saw a big castle like thing in the sky with my curiosity when I reach the place I saw man in mid thirties seeing me with curiosity.

James: Hello is this place built by you. Why the way I am James Lucifer can know who are you.

(Biblaic God POV)
When I was watching over the world I saw some one descend from space. When looked carefully he can be described a tall young man with well toned body which is unknowingly releasing a strong pressure which is more stronger ophis . he had a handsome which can make any valkary in Asgard fall in love him.
(POV END)  #I WILL CALL BIBLAIC GOD AS BIBLE.

Bible: Hello, myself Yehowah! nice to meet you. I had been living for long time are you new here sir I had never seen in you in this world sir.

James : well you can say that this world is made by friend . I m a Traveller so I thought it can make good place for travel. you can call me universal God.

hearing my answer cold chill run down in Bible god's body but he somehow remain in his poker face.
Bible: sir it is my honor to meet you what this planet have nothing to watch only some animals and humans . they can't gain interest to come here sir.

James: Bible you should stop calling me sir just treat me as your brother and still I want remain here to enjoy a care free life.
thats how I and Bible met each other.

TIME SKIP

after sometime I and Bible become good friends we travel every where in earth . he also teach human about church and God presence I never interfere his teaching as I don't want future to change completely. We meet other faction like in Japan, Shinto ,yokai . in Europe Norse faction really Thor and Loki really cute naughty children this I even become their best uncle.

first reaction of these faction that they got scared of my power they even wanted to surrender to me to which I politely decline and declare I don't want come into their affair they also gladly accept. 

Bible also made angels, archangel even give her second daughter Lucifer upon my name I was really happy that time. cute children every where 😍.

one day Lucifer and Gabriel came to me wanting show them my wing to which I gladly accepted.who can reject two cute lolis hehe..

James: now don't be impatient let go to Eden there I will show you. a few moments later

both girls are now having stars In  their eye seeing my beautiful God wings .they really like when sky turn red when my wings appeared they even ask Bible why there is no such phenomenon happen when display their wings.
hehe it really fun to spend time with young Lucifer and Gabriel.

the most shocking moment when one day ophis and great red both came to heaven to talk to me. it really don't similar how great red and ophis fight each other which was shown in series I think this is due to newly born great red who does not disturb ophis.

(Ophis in her cute loli form ask MC)
Ophis: what are you ? You feel familar but different and your power is above anyone i have seen ??
what is the reason you have come to my world are you trying to steal my Home??

(Hearing this I and Great Red facepalm ourselves! Great Red also looking towards me for answer.)
Great Red is also in her mature female form having a sexy curvious body which is cannot by one word i really think why Ophis who born 1st is less mature than Great Red who act more mature well whatever they both have there own charm. 🤤🤤

James: Hello I am James Lucifer or universal God after your father or creator. For some reason i will living here . so Take care of me 😇 say this i can seen different reactions from future wives.

(after listening me they replied at same time)
Ophis/GR: You know our father but how father had left our world long time ago. 

James: well your father or ORIGIN we are actually friends and I want to live an interest life so I get his permission to come . so now you knew I don't want to steal your home can you just stop staring me so intensely.

Ophis : ohh, what why father never after leaving. also this baka red had disturbing my  peace dimensional gap can you help me drive her away.

GR: Hey Ophis don't be that ride I am just touring around dimensional gap. I can't be sleeping all the day that is boring…

James : now now don't fight in heaven just for some small problem now anything I can do for you two beautiful lady's.

after both ophis and great red return to dimensional gap my rest of the day pass normal. some playing with Lucifer and Gabriel . training Michael, azzeal, Uriel etc.

@it is fandic but due to some error its type is change to novel.

All the credit for cover goes to artist! I don't own the cover.

DxD novel's is property of it's original author. all rights are reserved to him only ! except my characters!

our MC traveling through black hole which accidentally leads him to house of ORIGIN(creator God) who later become friend with him and Grant his wish to live in Dxd world. travel with OP MC in his adventurous life.

Part 3:
The verse from Ephesians 2 that appears at the beginning of this chapter tells us that we 
have been created to accomplish "good works." Why then does it seem that so often we are 
powerless to accomplish great things for God? I believe it is because there are several barri-
ers that keep us from experiencing God's power through the Holy Spirit.
I've heard that Seattle, Washington is a beautiful place to live. But I've also heard 
that Seattle's weather can be downright depressing. When the skies are clear, the weather is 
beautiful. However, fog is common and often dense and it rains 50 percent of the time. It's 
actually been recorded that 239 days of the year Seattle is covered by heavy clouds. There are 
physical barriers that are blocking out the effects of the sun. The sun is there, shining bright-
ly, but the fog and clouds are obscuring it.
I believe that Son Power is also obscured in our lives at times by things that present 
barriers to our seeing and experiencing that power. Think about it for a moment, what in 
your life keeps you from being empowered by the Holy Spirit? I've lived quite a bit of life and 
I believe most barriers fall under one of four categories: sin, reliance on self, head knowledge 
of God's Word that does not result in heart knowledge, and failure to surrender to God's will.
Sin
It is important to understand sin and to deal with it. The Bible tells us that God created 
humans perfect and in his image: "So God created human beings in his own image. In the 
image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27). God gave Adam and Eve meaningful work to do and told them the only thing they couldn't do was eat 
the fruit of one tree, but they decided to take matters into their own hands and, as a result, 
sin came into the world. You can read all this in Genesis 2 and 3; Adam and Eve's choice to 
do things their own way brought sin into our lives as well as their own.
Because of Adam and Eve, all of us have a sinful nature, and it affects every part of us. 
King Solomon wrote: "Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does 
what is right and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20, NIV). And in the New Testament John said, 
"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth" (1 
John 1:8).
Charles Spurgeon once said, "As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin 
affect every atom of our nature. It is so sadly there, so abundantly there, that if you cannot 
detect it, you are deceived."
There is only one person in the history of the world who did not have a sin nature: Je-
sus Christ. He was the "holy, righteous one" (Acts 3:14) who "never sinned" (2 Corinthians 
5:21). This allowed Jesus to be sacrificed on the cross as our perfect substitute, "the sinless, 
spotless Lamb of God" (1 Peter 1:19). It is through Christ that we are born again and begin 
a new life in him: "Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is 
gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). 
The whole idea of sin is very unpopular these days, even in some churches. The 
reason Jesus came into the world was to save us from our sins! Sin is alive and well and we 
must honestly own it and confess it. We cannot expect to experience God's power in our 
lives when we choose to sin because sin always short-cir-
cuits the work of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Isaiah said, 
"Listen! The Lord's arm is not too weak to save you, nor is 
his ear too deaf to hear you call. It's your sins that have cut 
you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away 
and will not listen anymore" (Isaiah 59:1–2).
Sin manifests itself in all kinds of ways in our lives; pride, envy, self-righteousness, 
the list goes on and on. The difficulty is in recognizing our sin and confessing it as such. It 
is important that we learn to detect the voice of the sinful nature. Those who are born again 
have this command: "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Ro-
mans 6:11, NIV). The Holy Spirit takes up residence in each believer and supplies the power 
we need to overcome the pull of the sin nature within us. "Those who have been born into 
God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them" (1 John 3:9). 
Romans 6 tells us, "Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the require-
ments of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace" (v. 14).
We need to confess our sin to God so our relationship with him can be restored immediately. "If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to 
cleanse us from all wickedness" (1 John 1:9). 
It is through the confession of our sin that we are telling God that we want to have 
our relationship with him restored, and it is then that the Holy Spirit will empower us to do 
God's work. Be honest with yourself. Are you stuck in a painful past? God's healing is avail-
able to you! Are you stuck in a painful present? God's power is available to you! Get sin out 
of the way! Take time today to confess your sin to God and begin to experience the Holy 
Spirit's power in a new way. 
Reliance on Self
Years ago, I was in a group experience where we were challenged to have a three-minute 
conversation without anyone using the words "me, my, or I" … we couldn't do it! Unfortu-
nately, each one of us has an innate desire to think about ourselves. This self-centered think-
ing, the "big I," needs to be broken.
It takes Son Power to remove the control of self. This power becomes operative in our 
lives when we ask the Holy Spirit, by faith, to take control of how we think, feel, and act. 
 We must learn to trust in the power of God alone to empower us and deliver us. Dying 
to self is painful, but God has promised that he will manifest himself in us. In Proverbs we 
read these words, "For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord" (8:35).
If we are to find favor with God and experience the 
Son-powered life, we must die to self along the pathway of 
life: self-reliance, self-trust, self-sufficiency, independence. 
All qualities the world values and encourages. Jesus said:
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is plant-
ed in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new 
kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world 
will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for 
eternity."
 —John 12:24–25
In order for a grain of wheat to multiply it must die. Our time, talent, treasure, and 
desire must be given up totally to God to be used for his world and his glory. If we just 
spend it on pleasuring ourselves, then we are missing the best that God has for us. Only 
when we die to self will God be able to multiply all that we are and all that we have.
An important KingdomNomics principle is that as we progressively die to desiring the 
perishable values of this world, we will find the desire to invest in the imperishable values ofthe kingdom. God's priorities will become our priorities. We will also experience God's fa-
vor and his abundant life. I have found these two verses in the book of Psalms to be critical 
as I keep my eyes on God's will and not my own:
Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with 
a shield.
 —Psalm 5:12, NIV
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no 
good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
 —Psalm 84:11, NIV
When we remove the barrier of self, God's favor is upon us and he protects and 
guides us.
Head Knowledge of God's Word that Does Not Result in Heart Knowledge
Many people make the mistake of thinking that knowledge is enough to experience the 
presence and power of God. However, such a belief will short-circuit the Son Power in our 
lives. We need to remember the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness who had knowledge, 
but no purpose. "For this good news … has been announced to us just as it was to them. 
But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God" 
(Hebrews 4:2). 
Is the Word of God important to you? Are you spending time regularly reading it, 
memorizing it, and putting it into practice? In order to have Son Power operative in our 
lives, we must commit ourselves to the study of God's Word. Our knowledge must move 
from our head to our heart in the form of conviction that impacts our faith and behavior. 
Failure to do so will certainly make our lives barren and un-
productive. However, when we immerse ourselves in God's 
Word we position ourselves to hear God's voice.
We must hear the Word of God, we must accept the 
Word of God, and we must live the Word of God. It is only 
through this process that we will experience Son Power and 
become seeds that produce a hundredfold.
I have had many experiences in my life when God has revealed his will for my life 
through his Word. When I immerse myself in that Word, I find that God works in me and 
through me. Scripture is either true or it's not … it will either make a difference or it will 
not. What Scriptures are important to you? What you learn from God's Word about who
he is, about his will, about his character, and about how he works will greatly affect how you 
experience the Holy Spirit in your life. You must take all that you have learned from God's 
Word and apply it to your life circumstances.
Failure to Surrender to God's Will
Another barrier to the Son-powered life is a refusal to surrender to God's will. This is what is 
often referred to as being a "carnal" Christian, one who is still influenced a great deal by the 
world and its enticements. This principle comes from the King James version of 1 Corinthi-
ans 3:1: "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even 
as unto babes in Christ." The NIV puts it this way, "Brothers and sisters, I could not address 
you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in 
Christ," and the New Living Translation says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with 
you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged 
to this world or as though you were infants in Christ." The bottom line, a carnal Christian 
is someone who has accepted the good news of Jesus Christ, but does not want to be trans-
formed by it.
To become a Son-powered person, it takes an affirma-
tive act of the will to choose to have the Holy Spirit control 
how we think, feel, and act. We shut off his power when we 
refuse to let him do so. It takes surrender of self.
Let's review Galatians 2:20: "My old self has been cru-
cified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives 
in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave 
himself for me" (emphasis added). 
In order to have Christ living in us we must allow Jesus Christ to take control of us. 
We must submit to him. Our life revolves around the Son. He lives in us. He is the source of 
the renewable Son-powered life. He must increase and we must decrease. The power of the 
Son is unlimited, and he can overcome the mountain of self in our lives when we allow him 
to do so.
Son Power at Work
1. At this point in your life, which barrier discussed in this chapter is the greatest 
 obstacle to your experiencing Son Power: sin, reliance on self, lack of commitment
 to obey God's Word, or failure to surrender to God's will?
2. What immediate steps can you take to remove that particular barrier from your life?
3. Take some time to reflect upon the sin in your life and then confess it to God, asking 
 him to forgive you and fill you anew with his Spirit.Scripture Meditation
"So now we can rejoice in our wonderful
new relationship with God
because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."
 (Romans 5:11)
Prayer
 Heavenly Father, thank you for the relationship I have with you because of 
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I thank you that I have put my trust and faith in 
Jesus Christ alone for my salvation. Thank you for saving me from the folly of 
trusting in Me, Myself, and I. Thank you for my salvation and for empowering 
me to live life through the Holy Spirit.
 I confess that there are times when I attempt to live my life through my own 
power, in my own strength, by my own ingenuity. Forgive me. 
 Today I choose by faith to die to self, as painful as it is at times, so that 
your life can be lived through me. More than anything else, I want to find 
the life you have planned for me to experience your favor. Thank you for the 
promises in your Word. What a blessing for me to know you and to learn of 
your way! Amen.
Memorize and Meditate

That night, Enoch was home with a pile of books next to his person, which he had borrowed from the library. By the dimly lit fire, he was reading on the history of the Kingdom of Flora, curious about its origins. After he had been reborn, he did not spend much time learning about the world and the happenings of the past eleven hundred years. Rather, he focused on the path to becoming a hero, which was currently the most prestigious and noble job in the world. 

In his past life, he also pursued the most prestigious and noble job in the world, the magician. Back then, before his time, magic was convoluted and confusing. The studies of magic were insubstantial and thus, powerful magicians held a great deal of prestige. It wasn't until Enoch revolutionized magic and created a complete system that magicians rose to prominence. 

Enoch was reading a book titled, "The Hero-Kings of Flora," which gave a brief introduction of all the Hero-Kings that had existed in Flora, past and present. 

While the academy touched upon the history of the Hero-Kings in Flora, they didn't go into exact detail. Enoch was curious just what kind of figures these peak existences were and so he decided to study up on them himself. The first person he looked for, though, was the current Hero-King, Mordred.

After looking up the page in the table of contents, he immediately turned to that page to see a portrait of Mordred, looking slightly younger.

"Hero-King Mordred," Enoch read in a soft voice, "Wait, he's only an acting Hero-King?! He's been in office for nine years!" Enoch was surprised. For as long as he could remember, Mordred had been the Hero-King, but he was only a temporary king?! Who is the current king then? Enoch turned the page back to see who was the actual Hero-King.

"Hero-King James," Enoch read, "Skilled in magics and the sword, he is the strongest Hero-King to ever exist so far. After the Third Hero War, he left Flora and there is no set timeframe of when he will return." Strongest Hero-King in existence?! This was an unfathomable type of person! Enoch wondered why he would go missing, but there were very little details about the Third Hero War. It was as if people did not want to talk about the events, or they knew very little of it. This raised some suspicions in Enoch. The world was becoming more and more mysterious since eleven hundred years ago. Enoch thought.

"He is also somebody who can use magic and swords." Enoch commented, just like him. It looked existences like him were still quite rare, even if there was a system of magic. It was understandable, after all. The pursuit of magic was a pursuit of the world's laws. One had to wholeheartedly dive into the study of magic. Somebody who has multitalented like King James were too rare, and would probably be considered sublime prodigies. Learning the sword was easy, but learning magic was difficult. 

Even with the simplified magic system that was created a little over eleven hundred years ago, it still stood that magic was an extremely complex area of study, after all. So much so that many of the top magicians at the time would focus on only one area of magic, such as fire magic, or thunder magic, or even water magic. Only the most wondrous prodigies and peak figures would be adept at multiple, or in even rarer cases, all magics. Enoch used to be the grandfather of magic, so it wasn't surprising that he had mastered every magic there was. Even then, it only fully completed the study of magic about two decades before he passed away.

With the knowledge of magic in his mind, Enoch had a shortcut to becoming a great and powerful hero. However, since he had already mastered magic, he would also learn how to fight in close combat in order to protect himself better. After all, powerful existences who were well versed in magic and physical combat were extremely rare. It was to the point where somebody like Hero-King James could be considered a top tier Hero.

As Enoch read more about James, he became more fascinated. He also become more aware of just how powerful the top tier Heroes were, and just what kind of people they were. He had underestimated the heroes of this age, but it was no matter, Enoch was essentially already halfway to the path of becoming a hero king. He was, after all, a master of magic. He only needed time to becoming a top tier magician, since the only thing he was currently lacking was his mana pool. He only needed to develop and train his mind more so that he would be able to use and store more mana at once. Other than that, he was already the best magician in existence!

Enoch read more about the other Hero-Kings for about a few hours before he went to bed. Michael wanted to meet up with them early tomorrow morning, so it was good to get some rest before the meeting.

The Era of Heroes ushered in after the First Hero slayed the Demon King, who plotted to destroy the world.

Nowadays, young heroes rise up to make the world a better place for friends, family, and love.

Prologue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the age of 30, James Filler was considered one of the top players in 'Another Fantasy Online'.
Having played for 20 years or rather 140 years in-game he managed to leave a lasting impression on the world as the game's most powerful undead. If one were to watch his adventures from beginning to end, only one word would describe him, 'Godly'.
Much like most players, he started out playing as a human. Dying from swarms of lv1 rabbit, lv1 birds, drowning in the city fountain, dying from a dropped vase, getting ran over by... well let's just say he died a lot in the beginning.
To be honest his fate only really started changing once he encountered some crazy hag who mutilated his body by slowly wrenching off the skin, muscles, and body tissue from his bones.
Now before you say:
'That's not true! The game can't be that brutal, right?'
'It's impossible, if that's the case then how come nobody else experienced this?!'
'He would have died from the damage taken, so how was he still alive?!'
Just hear me out.
We all know A.F.O (Another Fantasy Online) has its moments when it shows its sadistic side, negating player damage, for a 'more immersive experience' during special quests or events.
Fortunately, the game reduced his pain sensitivity to 20%; unfortunately, I don't think it helped much because he still screamed like a banshee.
After the torture had ended, he discovered his status no longer read 'Human', rather it read 'High Undead Skeleton'. Dissatisfied, he started cursing his luck and the heavens until he realized the perks of this change. As a High Undead he no longer had a hunger stat, gained infinite stamina, and as a race bonus he received a substantial amount of bonus stats for himself and his summoned undead.
By this point everything really started to ameliorate. He started slaughtering his way through monster infested areas gaining level after level; after rising to lv100, he unlocked the racial ability 'Bone Guard', allowing him to summon 4 skeleton guards that had around two-thirds of his stats.
Even though he was doing better by this point; his luck was still terrible. When trying to prank scare a Npc his skull got smashed in by falling stones, he was frequently used as a chew toy by a Cerberus that continuously chased after him, and a few more incredibly awkward/embarrassing things.
Hahaha, *Wipes away tears from laughter*
While I could keep you hear reminiscing about the good times, I think we all want to get to the part that matters.
10 years after he started playing A.F.O James created the dungeon we all know and love, 'Dominion'. For those that don't know, this dungeon spans about one hundred floors and is capable of merging into ten super floors. The type of monsters that could occupy the floors are golems, forest and mountain type monsters, undead, higher class undead, and demons; as of right now the remaining types are a unknown.
Over the course of a few years, in-game, he spent his time building his dungeon's power and sustainability in prelude to the 'Rise of the Demon King Event'. During this event he managed to go from lv363 to lv603 through conquest and Indulging himself in the mass genocide of all living creatures who stood in his path; he was truly one of the only players who embodied a true demon king, even to this day.
*Sigh*
A little more than six months ago we discovered he caught the XE15A virus from an individual within his apartment building. As most or all you should know this virus is an ongoing pandemic and those that get infected will die within the first six months if not treated.
 ***While there currently isn't a cure the first batch should be created six months from now.

After being told that there was currently no cure and that it would be possible to prolong his life until the cure could be created, he decided to turn down their offer and not live a life knee high in debt. Rather than waiting a year, he expressed his desire to be quarantined and to spend the remainder of his life playing A.F.O...
I received a call from him about a week ago asking me to post his story on the forums so he could forever be a part of the game or something like that, on the day of his passing. To be honest, I just wished he wasn't so stubborn and asked me for money to help treat him, but he wouldn't put his pride aside and accepted thing as is.
-Zodiac, you will be missed (James Filler), R.I.P

Posted by: Playful_Spooning48     Date: 29-9-2071
👍: 5.1b          👎: 2.5m

***

Four-hundred-twenty-nine years passed with the most notable thing being the invention of the Artificial Intelligence Soul. The Artificial Intelligence Soul, commonly referred to as A1S, was created by John Ark Noah, a world renowned neurologist; the purpose behind the A1S was to create the perfect dynamic environment for virtual reality games allowing them to become almost indistinguishable from reality while also boosting the life of the game to last longer than its counterparts.
In the Year 2501 the gaming company, Inquisitive, bought the rights to A.F.O with the intention of creating a rebooted version. The purpose is to show the world that A1S has the capability to turn a nearly five-hundred-year-old game into the most anticipated and played game in the world.
...…
...
…

[Beginning recreation of Npc No. 19970609.]
5%
7%
15%
30%
[Recreation Complete. An issue has been detected with character data, beginning repairs.]
[Repairs have failed. Proceeding recreate Npc No. 19970609 data from scratch.]
[Recreation of character data has succeeded.]
[Awaking Npc No. 19970609…]
...
...
"…"
A boy, who looked to be in his mid-teens, sat in the middle of an empty room inquisitively; confusion and growing interest could be seen plastered all over his face. He wore wool clothing with no footwear making it easy to notice his muscular figure.
"W-What's going on here!? But more importantly, where am I?"
As if to respond to his questioning, the system responded.
[Welcome Npc No. 19970609. Due to an error in your data you are currently undergoing recreation.]
Suddenly, a transparent bluish-purple screen appeared in from of him.
[Please select a race template to begin the recreation process. After which you will be placed into temporary stasis until the world has been successfully rebooted]
<Human Template><Beast-Kin Template><Elven Template><Dwarven Template> 
<Fairy Template><Half-Elf Template><Dark Elf Template><Dragon Template>
…
After looking through the list for what's seemed to be hours, he laid back and said dejectedly "Out of all the races not one even piques my interest. Ideally, I wanted a race that had the same statistics as High Undead. To be honest I can't really complain, I mean whoever said that this was Another Fantasy Online, as far as I know this is just…"
[Npc No. 19970609, the race High Undead has been removed for the upcoming rebooted version of Another Fantasy Online]
"…!?"
"WAIT WAIT WAIT, WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"
[Abnormal speaking habits detected. Proceeding to reset Npc No.19970609…]
Panicking he hurried and said interjectedly "No! there is no need for that, I was just surprised to hear what you just said! Also, my name is James, James Filler, not Npc No. whatever…" [Npc No.19970609]
 "Sigh. Yea that; I would really appreciate it if you stop calling me that and call me by my name. Also why was High Undead removed from the rebooted version of Another Fantasy Online?"
After waiting a short moment, the system calmly responded [The race High Undead was removed do to it purely being redundant. Lich, Death Knight, and Pure-Blooded Vampires could all be considered High Undead. To make the world more engaging, all elements that could break the feeling of immersion has been removed]
After thinking about its James realize that this was technically not wrong; rather than calling a skeleton High Undead Skeleton another title could be given, such as Skeleton King or Skeleton Knight. Even though he didn't want to give up on the class that made him who he was, he was still looking forward to making another legend.
With a face full of dejection, James began depressively scrolling through the list of races once more. Suddenly, he had an epiphany, throwing his head up he excitedly asked, "Rather than deciding on a race within this list, would it be possible for me to create a race?"
…
[Responding to Npc James. It is possible to create a new race, however if the created race threatens the game balance the race in question will not be approved or will be subject to auto balancing by the system]
*Ding*
Npc James has requested to create a new race. Do you wish to proceed? Y/N
With a face full of elation, he throws his head back screaming "Hell yes!"

Another Fantasy Online is back and ready to revolutionize the way people view virtual reality games.
A world full of mysteries, swords and magic, and a reincarnated individual who loves role-playing religiously.
Join James Filler, Zodiac, on his life journey as a World Boss in Another Fantasy Online.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A life filled with enjoyment and pride.
A death filled with disappointments and Lies.
The new world brings opportunity and war.
The old world brings corruption and more.

***NOTE: On 05/07/20 the MC's name was changed from 'Undead Ghoul' to 'Zodiac'.

Those who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. You will find that Prayer has been the mighty power that has moved not only God, but man. Abraham was a man of prayer, and angels came down from heaven to converse with him. Jacob's prayer was answered in the wonderful interview at Peniel, that resulted in his having such a mighty blessing, and in softening the heart of his brother Esau; the child Samuel was given in answer to Hannah's prayer; Elijah's prayer closed up the heavens for three years and six months, and he prayed again and the heavens gave rain.

The Apostle James tells us that the prophet Elijah was a man "subject to like passions as we are." I am thankful that those men and women who were so mighty in prayer were just like ourselves. We are apt to think that those prophets and mighty men and women of old time were different from what we are. To be sure they lived in a much darker age, but they were of like passions with ourselves.

[8]We read that on another occasion Elijah brought down fire on Mount Carmel. The prophets of Baal cried long and loud, but no answer came. The God of Elijah heard and answered his prayer. Let us remember that the God of Elijah still lives. The prophet was translated and went up to heaven, but his God still lives, and we have the same access to Him that Elijah had. We have the same warrant to go to God and ask the fire from heaven to come down and consume our lusts and passions—to burn up our dross, and let Christ shine through us.

Elisha prayed, and life came back to a dead child. Many of our children are dead in trespasses and sins. Let us do as Elisha did; let us entreat God to raise them up in answer to our prayers.

Manasseh, the king, was a wicked man, and had done everything he could against the God of his father; yet in Babylon, when he cried to God, his cry was heard, and he was taken out of prison and put on the throne at Jerusalem. Surely if God gave heed to the prayer of wicked Manasseh, He will hear ours in the time of our distress. Is not this a time of distress with a great number of our fellow-men? Are there not many among us whose hearts are burdened? As we go to the throne of grace, let us remember that God answers prayer.

Look, again, at Samson. He prayed; and his strength came back, so that he slew more at his death than during his life. He was a restored backslider, and he had power with God. If those who have been backsliders will but return to God, they will see how quickly God will answer prayer.

[9]Job prayed, and his captivity was turned. Light came in the place of darkness, and God lifted him up above the height of his former prosperity—in answer to prayer.

Daniel prayed to God, and Gabriel came to tell him that he was a man greatly beloved of God. Three times that message came to him from heaven in answer to prayer. The secrets of heaven were imparted to him, and he was told that God's Son was going to be cut off for the sins of His people. We find also that Cornelius prayed; and Peter was sent to tell him words whereby he and his should be saved. In answer to prayer this great blessing came upon him and his household. Peter had gone up to the house-top to pray in the afternoon, when he had that wonderful vision of the sheet let down from heaven. It was when prayer was made without ceasing unto God for Peter, that the angel was sent to deliver him.

So all through the Scriptures you will find that when believing prayer went up to God, the answer came down. I think it would be a very interesting study to go right through the Bible and see what has happened while God's people have been on their knees calling upon him. Certainly the study would greatly strengthen our faith—showing, as it would, how wonderfully God has heard and delivered, when the cry has gone up to Him for help.

Look at Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi. As they prayed and sang praises, the place was shaken, and the jailer was converted. Probably that one conversion has done more than any other recorded in the Bible to bring people into the Kingdom of God. How[10] many have been blessed in seeking to answer the question—"What must I do to be saved?" It was the prayer of those two godly men that brought the jailer to his knees, and that brought blessing to him and his family.

You remember how Stephen, as he prayed and looked up, saw the heavens opened, and the Son of Man at the right hand of God; the light of heaven fell on his face so that it shone. Remember, too, how the face of Moses shone as he came down from the Mount; he had been in communion with God. So when we get really into communion with God, He lifts up His countenance upon us; and instead of our having gloomy looks, our faces will shine, because God has heard and answered our prayers.

I want to call special attention to Christ as an example for us in all things; in nothing more than in prayer. We read that Christ prayed to His Father for everything. Every great crisis in His life was preceded by prayer. Let me quote a few passages. I never noticed till a few years ago that Christ was praying at His baptism. As He prayed, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended on Him. Another great event in His life was His Transfiguration. "As He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering."

We read again: "It came to pass in those days that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." This is the only place where it is recorded that the Savior spent a whole night in prayer. What was about to take place? When He[11] came down from the mountain He gathered His disciples around Him, and preached that great discourse known as the Sermon on the Mount—the most wonderful sermon that has ever been preached to mortal men. Probably no sermon has done so much good, and it was preceded by a night of prayer. If our sermons are going to reach the hearts and consciences of the people, we must be much in prayer to God, that there may be power with the word.

In the Gospel of John we read that Jesus at the grave of Lazarus lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me; and I know that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me." Notice, that before He spoke the dead to life He spoke to His Father. If our spiritually dead ones are to be raised, we must first get power with God. The reason we so often fail in moving our fellow-men is that we try to win them without first getting power with God. Jesus was in communion with His Father, and so He could be assured that His prayers were heard.

We read again, in the twelfth of John, that He prayed to the Father. I think this is one of the saddest chapters in the whole Bible. He was about to leave the Jewish nation and to make atonement for the sin of the world. Hear what He says: "Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour." He was almost under the shadow of the Cross; the iniquities of mankind were about to be laid upon Him; one of His twelve disciples was going to deny Him and swear[12] he never knew Him; another was to sell Him for thirty pieces of silver; all were to forsake Him and flee. His soul was exceeding sorrowful, and He prays; when His soul was troubled, God spake to Him. Then in the Garden of Gethsemane, while He prayed, an angel appeared to strengthen him. In answer to His cry, "Father, glorify Thy Name," He hears a voice coming down from the glory—"I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

Another memorable prayer of our Lord was in the Garden of Gethsemane: "He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed." I would draw your attention to the recorded fact that four times the answer came right down from heaven while the Savior prayed to God. The first time was at His baptism, when the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended upon Him in answer to His prayer. Again, on the Mount of Transfiguration, God appeared and spoke to Him. Then when the Greeks came desiring to see Him, the voice of God was heard responding to His call; and again, when He cried to the Father in the midst of His agony, a direct response was given. These things are recorded, I doubt not, that we may be encouraged to pray.

We read that His disciples came to Him, and said, "Lord, teach us to pray." It is not recorded that He taught them how to preach. I have often said that I would rather know how to pray like Daniel than to preach like Gabriel. If you get love into your soul, so that the grace of God may come down in answer to prayer, there will be no trouble about reaching the people. It is not by eloquent sermons that perishing[13] souls are going to be reached; we need the power of God in order that the blessing may come down.

The prayer our Lord taught his disciples is commonly called the Lord's Prayer. I think that the Lord's prayer, more properly, is that in the seventeenth of John. That is the longest prayer on record that Jesus made. You can read it slowly and carefully in about four or five minutes. I think we may learn a lesson here. Our Master's prayers were short when offered in public; when He was alone with God that was a different thing, and He could spend the whole night in communion with His Father. My experience is that those who pray most in their closets generally make short prayers in public. Long prayers are too often not prayers at all, and they weary the people. How short the publican's prayer was: "God be merciful to me a sinner!" The Syrophenician woman's was shorter still: "Lord help me!" She went right to the mark, and she got what she wanted. The prayer of the thief on the cross was a short one: "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom!" Peter's prayer was, "Lord, save me, or I perish!" So, if you go through the Scriptures, you will find that the prayers that brought immediate answers were generally brief. Let our prayers be to the point, just telling God what we want.

In the prayer of our Lord, in John xvii, we find that He made seven requests—one for Himself, four for His disciples around Him, and two for the disciples of succeeding ages. Six times in that one prayer He repeats that God had sent Him. The world looked upon Him as an imposter; and He wanted them to know that He was heaven-sent. He speaks of the[14] world nine times, and makes mention of His disciples and those who believe on Him fifty times.

Christ's last prayer on the Cross was a short one: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." I believe that prayer was answered. We find that right there in front of the Cross, a Roman centurion was converted. It was probably in answer to the Savior's prayer. The conversion of the thief, I believe, was in answer to that prayer of our blessed Lord. Saul of Tarsus may have heard it, and the words may have followed him as he traveled to Damascus; so that when the Lord spoke to him on the way, he may have recognized the voice. One thing we do know; that on the day of Pentecost some of the enemies of the Lord were converted. Surely that was in answer to the prayer, "Father, forgive them!"

Hence we see that prayer holds a high place among the exercises of a spiritual life. All God's people have been praying people. Look, for instance, at Baxter! He stained his study walls with praying breath; and after he was anointed with the unction of the Holy Ghost, sent a river of living water over Kidderminster, and converted hundreds. Luther and his companions were men of such mighty pleading with God, that they broke the spell of ages, and laid nations subdued at the foot of the Cross. John Knox grasped all Scotland in his strong arms of faith; his prayers terrified tyrants. Whitefield, after much holy, faithful closet-pleading, went to the Devil's fair, and took more than a thousand souls out of the paw of the lion in one day. See a praying Wesley turn more than ten thousand souls to the Lord! Look at the praying Finney,[15] whose prayers, faith, sermons and writings, have shaken this whole country, and sent a wave of blessing through the churches on both sides of the sea.

Dr. Guthrie thus speaks of prayer and its necessity: "The first true sign of spiritual life, prayer, is also the means of maintaining it. Man can as well live physically without breathing, as spiritually without praying. There is a class of animals—the cetaceous, neither fish nor sea-fowl—that inhabit the deep. It is their home, they never leave it for the shore; yet, though swimming beneath its waves, and sounding its darkest depths, they have ever and anon to rise to the surface that they may breathe the air. Without that, these monarchs of the deep could not exist in the dense element in which they live, and move, and have their being. And something like what is imposed on them by a physical necessity, the Christian has to do by a spiritual one. It is by ever and anon ascending up to God, by rising through prayer into a loftier, purer region for supplies of Divine grace, that he maintains his spiritual life. Prevent these animals from rising to the surface, and they die for want of breath; prevent the Christian from rising to God, and he dies for want of prayer. 'Give me children,' cried Rachel, 'or else I die.' 'Let me breathe,' says a man gasping, 'or else I die.' 'Let me pray,' says the Christian, 'or else I die.'"

"Since I began," said Dr. Payson when a student, "to beg God's blessing on my studies, I have done more in one week than in the whole year before." Luther, when most pressed with work, said, "I have so much to do that I cannot get on without three hours a[16] day praying." And not only do theologians think and speak highly of prayer; men of all ranks and positions in life have felt the same. General Havelock rose at four o'clock, if the hour for marching was six, rather than lose the precious privilege of communion with God before setting out. Sir Matthew Hale says: "If I omit praying and reading God's Word in the morning, nothing goes well all day."

"A great part of my time," said McCheyne, "is spent in getting my heart in tune for prayer. It is the link that connects earth with heaven."

A comprehensive view of the subject will show that there are nine elements which are essential to true prayer. The first is Adoration; we cannot meet God on a level at the start. We must approach Him as One far beyond our reach or sight. The next is Confession; sin must be put out of the way. We cannot have any communion with God while there is any transgression between us. If there stands some wrong you have done a man, you cannot expect that man's favor until you go to him and confess the fault. Restitution is another; we have to make good the wrong, wherever possible. Thanksgiving is the next; we must be thankful for what God has done for us already. Then comes Forgiveness, and then Unity; and then for prayer, such as these things produce, there must be Faith. Thus influenced, we shall be ready to offer direct Petition. We hear a good deal of praying that is just exhorting, and if you did not see the man's eyes closed, you would suppose he was preaching. Then, much that is called prayer is simply finding fault. There needs to be more petition in our prayers.[17] After all these, there must come Submission. While praying, we must be ready to accept the will of God. We shall consider these nine elements in detail, closing our inquiries by giving incidents illustrative of the certainty of our receiving, under such conditions, Answers to Prayer.

king james version study bible

The Holy Meme Bible

Crazy Chick's Thoughts

Death: A Biography

New Game+

Magic, Romance, and Mayhem

DxD Heaven of otakus

THE KINGDOM NOMICS SON POWER

Era of Heroes

Lord Undead

PRIVAILING PRAYER

People search king james version study bible also like: