Searching for God

By Dakota Stone

My name is Dakota Stone, and I am a first time author who through the calling of God and my constant searching for God decided to write this story around my main character Joshua Stones three stage saga on his life's constant search to find a God he could both love and trust. As many of us, his life is filled with many trials and tribulations that constantly pull him towards God, and away from living for and with God.

The story begins when he is a young boy who becomes obsessed with his strange and terrifying dreams that for him make no sense at all, and his friends and family only see him as a boy living in a fantasized dream world. All Joshua wants is to become a dynamic football star, and become rich and famous.

During the second stage of his life he falls deep into sin, and all the ways of the world where he turns completely away, and even decides that he hates the very God who seems bent on still being the driving force in his life of sin.

Finally after a span of about 15 years Joshua finally becomes a warrior for God, and he and his life long friend Caleb Rock are sent on a spectacular terrifying journey by God to change the ever present evil world that is under the hand of the nefarious rule of the Brotherhood of Man.

I wrote this deep rooted and faith inspiring story in hopes that once again people of all ages would wipe the many layers of dust off their hidden Bibles, and begin to discover how lost their lives have become, because of the temptations of our fast passed world, and become encouraged that no matter how far you have fallen away from the tree of life that in God it is never to late.

Jesus Christ, Yeshua our Savior said, "THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND, AND IT IS IN YOU!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491818787

Dakota Stone

My name is Dakota Stone and I am a first time author who felt inspired by God to write a novel about the trials and tribulations revolving around our human attempt to search and find the invisible God. I searched. I fell. All in hope to rise up again on the last day.

Book preview

Prologue

T he darkness of night held the army of the religious Brotherhood in complete obscurity as they secretly begin their rampage across the USA to subdue, and capture, and kill all people who refused to take on the mark of the Beast.

Nothing was able to stop them, thus to run, and go underground, or become like them were the only choices you had. To run had little success unless you found places of safety that only the true believers found, as for those caught you were either slaughtered on sight or delivered into locked up work camps out west.

The year was 2030 and the Brotherhood had moved across the country in a rampage against all churches, and all who professed the name of Christ as their Lord and savior. The regime was in almost complete control since all that was left was the vast desert beginning in Nevada and ending at the western border of California.

Here in the desert a line was finally drawn in the sand where the salvation of Yahweh set its wall of fire on the appearance of two men standing on the power of the gospel of Yeshua. They spoke in truth, and spirit, while signs, miracles, and wonders followed wherever they went.

The Brotherhood had no power to harm them, as a consequence all battles ended in a bloodbath of slaughter for the army of the Beast.

The whole world was on the verge of a war that could annihilate it all. In spite of that the coming of The Messiah seemed surly eminent, as death and carnage filled the whole earth.

A prophet and a priest in the wilderness spoke a commanding word, He is coming with the clouds, every eye will see him, including those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the Earth will mourn him, Holy men will say yes and amen! This voice they spoke feverishly tried to change the hearts of men, while many heard their word, however, few traveled on their narrow road of holiness.

However, because of the great falling away there were few such men of valor and these men of great Faith hid in safety in the arms of the Lord. In contrast evil men were begging for the mountains to fall on them, and to the hills to cover them. People were running to and fro as the ways of men and their knowledge and technology increased, which caused many people to ignore the proven ways of God.

However the crying voice of the two witnesses continued to preach, and their words were both piercing and truth, and they preached, Come out of Babylon before you are consumed by all of its fire and brimstone! The people asked, Who are these two powerful holy men causing so much fear and death upon the army of the Beast? What is more they cried, Where did their beginning rise up out of the earth to cause even the rain to stop?

Then through seven mighty angels that blew their trumpets, set forth the seven vials of wrath, and brought plagues, and spoke the oracles of God saying, In the beginning Yahweh created the word and the word became flesh, and Yahweh will send the spirits of Moses and Elijah back into the flesh of man!

God came off His throne in heaven and began to search for these two men in the four corners of the earth, and He breathed his spirit, and it was so.

A man out of the dust began to speak, I can no longer contain all that is in me so I must change. I have been on this road so many times before. I have been running and hiding all my life and always like a coward put down the sword, thinking who can defeat all the evil before us, after all what can the likeness of what I am bring forth an accomplished salvation out of the ashes of a burning and falling earth.

The feeling of utter failure is looming over my head like a many pound weight pulling me down. So I live on, and remain a watcher instead of a real player who can and could be the warrior of the Lord.

But the Lord remains steadfast in His calling to manifest in me to pick up His staff, so I continue to faintly hear His voice saying to me, Go before me and all power and might will be given onto you to fight the Beast and his evil army.

I fall prostrate before Him and cry out, Yes Lord, send me as the preacher, but rise up another who will speak and prophesize your words and together we will be one flesh.

1.

The Man as a Boy

I t’s the year of 2012 and a young boy named Josh Stone who is considered by many to be a dreamer of useless trivial things, so far out that he is laughed at by most everybody he knows. Except by Caleb, who is his only true friend?

Both of these boys dream that they will become the greatest two football players ever to play on the football field of dreams. Josh was going to be the quarter back and Cal was to be his wide receiver. They both daydreamed about playing in the big game where Josh would throw a pass in the last play of the game, and Cal makes a spectacular one handed grab to score the last second touchdown to win the State Championship.

All this would take place in Mountain View, a small town in rural Kentucky where winning football is greater than life. This town handed out no mercy to losers. So far the football team had yet to win a game in the last two years.

Josh had other dreams which he considered most to be good dreams that all kids might have in one way or another, but he also had other dreams, which were more like night mares. These dreams he sometimes shared with his Mother, Sister Madeleine, and Cal. Josh tried to live out his dreams through his imaginary world revolving around incomprehensible and bizarre thoughts in his search to find God. These thoughts caused him to be looked on by others as a real fruit cake.

You know, like Joseph in the Bible, who had the coat of many colors, but was hated by his brothers. Yet, Joseph had this real close relationship with God, so close that his brothers became so jealous that they had him sold into slavery.

In time God extended His love to Joseph and made him the second in command of all of Egypt. So in many ways Josh saw himself as a modern day Joseph, but others just saw a mere kid who sees and talks about things that are not real, nor can not have any impact on winning football.

The ringing of the alarm clock has Josh scrambling for the elusive button as he tries to wake up after a night of dreams and visions. The voice he hears sounds vaguely as his Mom’s. She is standing in front of the sun that is shining through his window with one single beam blinding him as he tries to focus on the strange face glaring into his eyes.

He first thinks that it is God, but God is definitely not a woman. Josh always had a fixation, and many wonders on what God looks like. And why would God even care or consider it was important to get up so he can go to school?

Then it all becomes real clear as he straightaway begins to hear his Mom’s voice as she yells, This is your last chance Josh till I go get Mr. Robert and you know what he will do!

Mr. Robert is Josh’s step-dad, and both he and his sister could never call him Dad, because for them he was hated, worthless, and feared by both.

Josh then quickly jumped out of bed, shook out the cobwebs, put his clothes on; and headed out the door. The last thing he needed on any morning is to have to stand face to face with the dreaded Mr. Robert; it would surly ruin his day of day dreams.

You see, Josh saw Mr. Robert, his step-dad as a type of evil God. This would be a terrible interruption, and he would not be able to reconnect with his vivid imaginations on the way to school, after all next to football it is what he did best.

Josh arrives at school, and he can’t wait till his 2nd period study hall, and then he can begin to wander into his vivid imaginations. It doesn’t take long, and Josh is nowhere near Mountain View.

2.

T he ball has been hiked, and as he scans the field, he sees before him a field full of chaos and ruin. He speaks of the world that has so much influence over human beings, causing so many missed tackles and assignments. Because so many teams of people are using different play books, while all proclaiming to have the right plays, to ensure their team will reach the Promise Land.

No wonder great players are always fumbling the ball. In one huddle a team is calling up a play that says that life is just a glob with no eternal end; while in another huddle life is for the moment, consequently do whatever you want.

Throughout the land people stand in their apathetical political right position screaming out their favorite saying — If it feels good do it! They make futile attempts to run the ball, even if there is a stone wall of unbelief standing tall and sure.

A faithless lineman misses his block, and the hard running tailback never makes it back to the line of scrimmage. There he is slammed to the ground making the thundering sound of sin, and not having victory again.

Time out is yelled, but as usual nobody lends an ear to the pain and anguishes tormenting the worn out gladiators, and again on the very next snap of the ball yards and valuable time are lost. The game being played is running out of time, and real estate. The contest is in the last two minutes, and as all eyes look down the field and see how far away the goal line is; only a last second Hail Mary will bring them glory.

Nobody knows what to do, the coach is losing his mind, and the fans are screaming for his head. Someone in the stands yells, Get me another beer, and in another place a fight breaks out and blood begins to flow. The fans have had enough, this team surly sucks.

Are you beginning to get the picture? Or like so many others do you cling to the idea that you have need for nothing, because you are filthy rich, and can’t see that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

The voice of the Lord is still desperately trying to get your attention, because He stands at the door of your hearts, pleading out all His love for you to come in.

His Grace will be given to all who play the game according to His rules and ways. Then you will have the victory, and sit with the Lord on His throne. But, because you are neither hot nor cold your lukewarm temperature causes you to become the very vomit that is triggering you to fall.

Yes, this game of life is never easy, and for sure you will always find yourself at the bottom of the pile feeling like it isn’t worth getting up again. There are so many plays given to you in the play book, but the question is always which one will gain the goal line. Should we pass, run, or punt— are the obvious question.

Nevertheless unanswered— will the execution be there to accomplish the goal.

The wakeup call like a loud ram’s horn is being blown so that all will hear. The watchmen are on top of the wall, and the house on the hill is fully lite.

Wake up, they yell! Some barely stop to pick up their worldly heads, while a few at least stop to gaze into the heavens, like you would for a slight fear of a pending thunder storm. They yell again, and finally several people begin to build their homes out of brick.

Surly, life is far greater than death, but you appear dead, and all your deeds remain unfinished in the sight of God. You act as if there is no God, and all your tomorrows are guaranteed no matter how you believe.

Again, wake up, before it is too late because the Lord will come like a thief in the darkness of night, and many will not be prepared for His Great and Terrible Coming.

Timing is always a great concern, meaning what down is it— and how many yards are needed for a first down. Looking at those possibilities you must ask, What are their motives that really drive them as the prize of victory looms on the long winding road? Are the motives right, or has the vision of truth been totally lost?

Losing sight of how to win is like a plague, and its disease stops them from gaining even a single yard. They no longer understand that is not if you win or lose, but it all revolves around how you play the game. In the scheme of the kingdom of God, the first will be last and last will be first.

All of God’s gold and silver are setting on His glorious lighted table, but because of corruption there is no wisdom on how to make an honest and truthful approach to obtain His Grace, that is His unmerited favor, but not lacking in your responsibilities.

So many once Saints have lost their first love, and continue to lose their way, because the Lord has removed His lampstand from its golden stand. The nature of men then cling to the god of Idolatry, and their motives of self and winning at all cost turns their stubborn hearts from following the commands of the Lord.

Then no longer able to endure patiently in all their trials and tribulations they in their callousness start to deny the existence of God. Where then God turns them into men with a reprobate mind.

Now all that is left is to lose is their faith, and fall into the grip of sin and death, where the war between flesh and spirit wages man against God, and man can never win that battle.

The established team has been running the same plays over and over again, being told, Practice will make the system perfect. Yet, the system has always had its flaws, because it has forgotten that for the lack of vision the people perish.

Yet, in examining the set game plan the field position is still on the same part of the field. The team fights and struggle, but they have still have not passed the 50 yard line.

Our coach is still losing his mind, and the fans have lost all hope that the ball will ever end up on the first down marker. So the coach, (our religion) is fired, and the quarter back, (our preacher) is disowned, and the search for something better becomes the new course of action. And with a new playing field, and a new hope all can look forward to a new and more improved game plan.

Again, instead of really believing that a transformation into a new man can be gained, where no longer will double mindfulness allow their selves to be tossed and turned by every new and exciting doctrine. All are left still lost, and still remain unbelieving. You will always reap what you sow. it would be far better if we would sow with our tears, and we just might reap with songs of joy.

Discovering the change for a moment the team is charging down the field and nothing is going to stop them from scoring a touchdown. Still the fans are drinking more beer and getting more adamant, that the team better win. Quickly learning that though the altered game, which implemented the idea to pass more and run less that though getting to the 50 yard line was gained with less plays, the ball still got bogged down and we still had to always punt.

Again the Promised Land became something still to dream about. What is wrong here became the ultimate question?

After all everybody was doing all they learned from the greater world of the religious gods. Definitely understanding the game was being fulfilled, because all were going to church every Sunday, praying for things in the name of Christ, tithing, and performing all those religious functions that their Fathers spent their whole lives teaching. What could be possibly wrong with doing it their way? It has been the traditional way ever since time began.

It’s finally another half time, and as all the gladiators plot down with blood running out of their noses, and the pain that is plowing through their mussels clear into their bones leaves them all completely spent, wasted, and abused.

Again it is time to reflect on all that is wrong. Though one good thought, the 50 yard line was finally reached. The gun sounded, and as the pile of flesh got untangled the Mountaineers all looked up to find the ball on the 20 yard line. Time ran out, but a new milestone had been reached in the quest to reach the Promise Land, which was they were beginning to understand that without works faith is dead.

These are Josh’s thoughts and concerns before him every day as he struggles to find God in his life. He keeps telling himself that there has just got to be a better way to make sense out of how far life has come, and humans still can’t live and thrive in peace and love, on God’s created Earth.

After all His written Word has been given— and is still speaking. His Son has died in the place of fallen man, and so many witnesses who have given their all in the name of Christ, our Messiah, Lord and Savior.

What is that noise ringing in my ears, as Josh tries to come unglued from his favorite seat next to the window overlooking the green grass between the two tall standing goal post, thinking to himself, "Lord please remove all these mystical concerns out of my life, so I might be like everybody else I know!

Maybe I can save the world tomorrow?

3.

L ife in Mountain View, a very small town in Kentucky like the other obscure towns has its life’s blood vested in the victories and loses on the Friday night battles taking place on a mere 100 yards of sacred turf. If you win you receive the hero’s welcome, plus the praises form the Men of Renown. If you lose you are worse than an infidel.

Any good that comes out of Mountain View can only come out of your performance dealing with the ever ruling Football Gods. It won’t matter if you obtain a better relationship with the God of the Church, or treat all men equal. Just live in the violence and destroy your opponent— your present enemy on Friday night.

Josh Stone has purposed in his mind and heart to become the new crowned King, being both the leader and valiant warrior on the sacred battlefields where life and death define who you are. Nothing will get in his way, for he is so sure it is his destiny. Though to his dislike there is this inner voice always prodding him in another direction that speaks of a different life and death position?

The football team has for 2 years been under the same coach and quarter back, and through their teaching and efforts have fought with all their might to gain every yard possible. The team is still yet to experience the thrill of victory.

Some good players have come and gone, and there have been a lot of changes and approaches to how to play the game. This year coach Mo has opened a new play book that he claims comes right out of The Library of the Football Hall of Fame.

The great thing about it is there are only 10 rules and 12 plays. You see Mo was a true believer in the gospel of Christ, and he taught that if you kept it simple was the key to perfection.

Mo promised that to be a winner the rules and plays had to be obeyed and executed as designed, and no matter if it were a run or a pass these rules would keep them headed to finally crossing into the Promise Land.

He even had a film in living color on how all great teams became winners. It even showed future things that would be achieved by eating right, talking right, practicing, which would build them up in perfection not only in the game, but would keep them focused around his 10 precious Football God rules.

More important coach Mo was so different because he seemed to shine when he spoke. He always said in a stern voice, LOVE the game with your whole heart, mind, and strength. Then he would say, "Grasp onto this and through faith believe that crossing over into the Land of Milk and Honey had already been accomplished.

A loud sound was heard by all, Touchdown! This was great, but the touchdown still had to be made.

The Mountaineers spent the whole year battling the weekly enemy and gaining some very hard fought ground. But, still the loud echoing sound of Touchdown was not yet heard in the town of Mountain View.

To make matters worse many on the team started to lose faith, and began to fall away from obeying Mo’s 10 commandments.

One important game coach Mo became so sick he didn’t return for the next two games. During that time a decision was made to party and go back to the old ways. This was almost a critical mistake, and if he wouldn’t have finally returned when he did most of the players were about to quit the team.

The town of Mountain View would have been a disgrace, and possibly even worse.

Josh and Cal were the only two players that continued to be obedient, while all the rest fell under the spell of the Golden Calf. You see the team was beginning to forget, and not live according to the FOOTBALL GOD Rules Mo was teaching.

You know the ones that spoke to Mo and made him shine like the sun.

When Mo finally got back he was so different, it was like he had more confidence that was hinged on a controlled relentless type of anger. He made the whole team memorize the 10 commandments; and watch the film that the FOOTRBALL GOD gave him every day.

He was becoming more and more everyday an obsessed teacher of the game, and a relentless fired up preacher of right and wrong. Though he was scary, and put up with no more rebellion the team began to once again be on the right path, and again believe on his every word.

Then one day a complaint against Mo was lodged by 10 of the Dads. It was based on the fact that Mo was only a teacher and a coach, and if his preaching didn’t stop they were going to make sure their boys would not be allowed to play for him.

Mo drew the line, and made it clear that any player who crossed over could leave with his blessings, because winning football would always take a backseat to becoming a winner for God.

With Josh’s and Cal’s persistence all the players who stood behind Mo remained on the team, and everyone who crossed over were cast out and never again wore the colors of gold and blue.

That’s when Josh finally got his chance to become the second string quarter back. He was super elated and just knew that one day he would stand before the Football Gods and receive his acclaim.

The next game the Mountaineers’ didn’t score a touchdown, or win that game, but Mo told the boys to keep focused and to believe that every opponent faced were not giants, and the Mountaineers were not grasshoppers.

After that Josh began to follow Mo around like he was his shadow. Josh did everything he said. He even watched his back on one of his visits to the Football God’s Hall of Fame. Mo was for Josh his greatest inspiration as Josh struggled to believe in a God he couldn’t comprehend.

Something happened to Josh after that, and all that can be said is he begun to see things totally different. He began to understand the ten rules spoke of things far greater than the game he so loved. Not to mention, it even raised his game to a much higher level.

Josh began to believe that he was headed for greatness, and football was going to be the vehicle of his success, though Mo always was there to remind Josh that football was just a game, while searching for God was what really separated the men form the boys.

In the Mountaineers very next game, the last game of the season Jake Beck the starting quarter back got injured, and now it became Joshes’ job. He did his best, but the outcome was the same. Something was still missing. It was obvious the team was improving, because the boys finally scored their first touchdown, and finally the loud sound of Touchdown, thundered in the town of Mountain view.

The team celebrated as if they just won the State Championship. There was a joyful warm smile on Mo’s face. Then a booming voice came out of the stands yelling, Your team still loss, where is God now Moses!

He was so furious at these remarks that he picked up the water bucket and flung it at the man. Mo should have not lost his temper for the man who got hit by the bucket just happened to be our principle Mr. Beck. The man went crazy, and started a fight with Mo. He hurt Mo real bad, so bad Mo was taken to the hospital.

The stunned boys all stood there for a short moment, then without warning all converged on top of Mr. Beck. If it wasn’t for the sheriff shooting off his gun Mr. Beck might have also been admitted into the hospital that night.

No one was going to get away with hurting Mr. Mo; after all he was even bigger than God.

That night Mo was taken away because the fight was just too much for Mo to withstand, and his heart just quit working. His death brought a sudden emotion on all the team, which set such a mark that every player’s lives would never be the same.

The whole team took on an oath that next year the Mountaineers would win it all in the memory of their fallen coach, teacher, and most of all their Savior Moses. They decided they would sacrifice the whole shebang towards winning the