My journey has been about returning to the word of God. At first, I did not know I needed to, but soon would see the church was not the church of the gospels. I have always had questions and I have spent my adult life seeking answers. At the beginning I felt I needed to follow the guideline of the church I was part of and find a guru to follow but that quickly changed to following the word of God. Read Psalm 119. This has been a long and arduous journey with lots of cost, but my life changed when I came to understand that the bible was not just words in a book, but the living word of God. Therefore, I have committed my life to those words. As Moses said Deuteronomy 32:47 “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” I also came to understand that what I knew to be church was not the church Jesus was the head of, and I realized that the power and authority Jesus said the church would have, did not exist. Since I truly believed that the bible is God’s word, that left only one option; the church has rebelled against God’s word and God has turned His face from the church. This means the kingdom is not coming near, healing and casting out demons are not happening as they should. That also means the enemy has infiltrated the church which has brought about massive destruction and desolation. This helped me understand that what I was seeking was not happening but I also realized that the church, all of us, must repent and turn from wicked ways. I also came to understand and I am still learning that this journey is not about my timing but God’s. Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

    I wish I could say I understand everything in the bible, but I feel God reveals Himself as needed, so I do not worry about that. I am 61 and I have been involved with several denominations and I have seen many different types of churches, and my conclusion was the church is dead and I still believe that even more than ever. The good news as I came to learn, was God will keep His promise to David and there will be a remnant of survivors strewn around the world who are truly seeking and waiting for God to turn His face back to the church. Matthew 24:12 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” satan’s goal is to get you to curse God and turn away from Him as we see in Genesis with Eve and with Job. Eve listened but Job remained faithful to the word of God. Paul said 1 Corinthians 15:2 “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” I came to understand that the church does not follow the true gospel and has not stood firm. Paul also said 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord” We saw with Job that satan did everything he could to get Job to turn against God, but Job refused and was not moved. His wife said Job 2:9 “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Job also said to his friends, but really his responses were to satan even though Job did not know what was happening, Job 27:2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, 3 as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, 4 my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. 5 I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. 6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.” We on the other hand know exactly what was happening to Job and have no excuse and we should also say as Job said, Job 19:25 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!” David said Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? 13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

    I have found that satan is always whispering God will not keep word. What I have learned is keep my focus on God’s word and God will keep His word just as He promised. We must test everything. Here is the question most do not want to ponder because it has to do with death and hell. Most just falsely believe that they are going to heaven no questions asked, but they should have asked questions and tested the spirits. I will be honest with you on the subject of hell; it scares me and it should, as hell is an eternity totally void of God. This is why most do not talk about it but some even take it a step further and say God would never send you there. Many people are going to die without ever knowing the truth, even though they think they know the truth. Each of us are going to hear one of these responses from God. The first is Matthew 25:21 “Well done, good and faithful servant! 34 ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”  The second is the response you do not want to hear. Matthew 25:26 “You wicked, lazy servant! 41‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

    Are you really going to listen to those who tell you God will not allow you to spend eternity in hell or that hell does not exist or will you listen to the word of God. When Job’s journey came to an end, God said to Job’s friends Job 42:8 “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” If you are waiting, do not give up but stand firm on God’s word. Hebrews 10:36 “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” Isaiah 35:3 “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” Jeremiah 29:10 “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Psalm 130:5 “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”