Awaken O' Sleeper

By Nathaniel Stalling Jr.

This book was written in response to questions that I get from various people of many different denominations. Many people today claim to be too busy to do any serious studying of scripture. My response is we have to, at some point, make time. The collection of essays in this book, hopefully, will shed some light, and answer some of your questions.

I was literally stunned by some of the beliefs I was hearing from different christians I had the opportunity to hold discussions with. As Paul told Timothy, and others, it isabsolutely imperative that we safeguard the gospel from corruption. Is your Church safeguarding the Gospel?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 4, 2007
• ISBN: 9781467813976

Nathaniel Stalling Jr.

Nathaniel Stalling Jr., born in Chicago ILL., 1953.  He is one of eleven children born to Nathaniel Stalling Sr. and Emma Naomi Stalling. Living in one of the most notorious housing projects in America, The Cabrini Green, in Chicago, Illinois, would have a profound effect on his young life and in turn help shape his world view. While doing time in a Michigan State Prison in 1986 he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  He spent the last 6 (six) years in prison as a Christian.  Fourteen years after being released from prison He is still a born again Christian, founder of BURNING BUSH MINISTRIES, a prison ministry, and CHURCH OF THE BURNING BUSH.  His commitment to Jesus Christ and His gospel is rock solid. He is now committed to teaching and safeguarding the gospel from corruption.  His motto is:  ETERNITY IS TOO LONG TO BE WRONG!

Book preview

Prologue

Is the Church marching to the drumbeat of ‘Extremism’? How far to the left is too far. How far to the Right is too far. I think there is so much bickering inside the Church that no one is watching the front door.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy to guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge… I Timothy 6:20 NIV.

Is the ‘Enemy’ among us, within the Church? Is ‘Tongues’ for the Church today? Are there ‘Prophets’ among us? Is ‘Tithing’ mandatory for the Church? Etc., etc.

These questions alone do not signify a ‘Schism’ within the Church; but they do signify great differences. How we deal with these differences will testify to our relationship with Jesus Christ.

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles. Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthews 7:21-23 NIV

Awaken O’Sleeper

How many times have I done things that I have regretted, and yet, at times, have not done things that I wish I had, and wondered why on both counts? More times than not we do not understand this conflict of interest within us, at least not until we are fed up with getting the short end of the stick. By this time, our human and spiritual standards are so distorted that it is a job in itself trying to put them in their proper order. You see, while you are reorganizing your life and putting things in their proper order, the world goes on, and directly opposes you and your attempted transition. The ruler of this world does not like losing one of his servants, and will do most anything to prevent it. You are a servant of the ruler of this world if you treasure the things of this world more than you treasure its creator.

As long as you are trying on your own Satan is not worried because you cannot free yourself from under his rule. He has filled you with desire for all the things you value in this world. The ‘love’ of money, the big expensive cars, and the free-for-all sex, the biggest and best homes, political power. He is constantly telling you, All this can be yours, just keep your eyes on them always.

It makes you want to give up, stop trying at all. Wait a minute …. That is it! Satan wants us to give up altogether. He wants us to stop resisting him, and make his job easier. It would be foolish to do that, after all, the Holy Script says: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NIV

Jesus said, all ye that labor and are heavy ladened come unto me, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 KJV

Well I labor all day long and am yet heavy ladened. I wonder if these words apply to me. I want to know more about this man and his message.

This is the first step toward ridding oneself of all the false hope and counterfeit pleasures this world has been instilling in us all along. Realizing at last that this world and all within it are temporary, and must not take precedence over its creator.

There is, of course, a part of us that know right from wrong. This part is known as our human spirit. This part of us communicates with the Holy Spirit. When we do something wrong and feel bad about it we know the Holy Spirit is convicting that particular sin through our human spirit.

There is a war going on between the flesh and the spirit, and since we are more familiar with the needs and desires of the flesh, we are more apt to lean toward it than toward the spirit, which we, for the most part, know very little about. That is why the written word of God is so important. It is the only means of giving us the food and nourishment our spirit needs for strength to resist the temptations of this world while we are here to carry out the will of our father in heaven. Even in the midst of near total turmoil and confusion. Our battle has already been won. All we need to do is believe it and take the word of victory to others.

I get up every morning at 5:45 am and languidly began preparing for the day. Waking up sometimes is so hard to do. Sometimes even when we get up, take a shower, get dressed and eat a hardy breakfast with