Completing The Jigsaw Puzzle

By Eric Neal

Eric Neal was always curious about God and religion, but it all seemed rather confusing.

That was until he met someone who became a lifelong friend. Through the special gem of information his friend shared with him, things started to make sense, and set him on a new path of discovery. In this book, Eric describes his spiritual journey, arr

• Language: English
• Publisher: TOPLINK PUBLISHING, LLC
• Release date: Jan 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781950256280

Eric Neal

Having been born into a Christian environment, Eric Neal accepted Christ but felt confused by the number of different religions. The Christian teachings about false prophets made him reluctant to consider other religions, but having conquered that barrier, he started to investigate. Although he found the teachings of other religions full of valuable guidance, to him they seemed just like Christianity with a different cultural flavour. Then, at the age of twenty-six, what someone shared with him was like finding the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle. The first chapter of his search was complete, and a new and more exciting chapter was just beginning.

Book preview

cover.jpg

Completing

The

Jigsaw Puzzle

Religion can be confusing

until you see the whole picture

Eric Neal

Copyright © 2019 by Eric Neal.

Cover design by Yaron Sar Tov: [e-mail]

Paperback: 978-1-950256-27-3

eBook: 978-1-950256-28-0

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Ordering Information:

For orders and inquiries, please contact:

1-888-375-9818

www.toplinkpublishing.com

[e-mail]

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Preface

Part 1

The Big Picture

Chapter 1 The Big Questions

Chapter 2 Religion

Chapter 3 Progressive Revelation

Chapter 4 Interpretation

Chapter 5 The Spiritual Side

Chapter 6 Where to from Here?

Part 2

Revelation

Chapter 7 The Prophets

Chapter 8 Prophecy and Fulfilment

Chapter 9 Focus on the Positive

Chapter 10 The Final Jigsaw Piece

This book is dedicated to my good friend, Hugh Carden, for sharing a precious gem of information with me, which totally transformed my life. How he changed my life will be explained later in my book. I would like to also include in my dedication, all those children who have lost their lives or are suffering because of mankind’s intolerance to fellow humans.

It is okay to have different beliefs. We don’t need to fight and argue because of it. We are all the product of one Creator, who clearly does not approve of the senseless animosity toward other members of the human family.

We owe it to our children to stop the stupidity and allow them to enjoy the good things this life has to offer, such as a peaceful and loving environment.

In time, everyone will recognise the futility of war and conflict. Education is the key. It is incumbent on the citizens of the world, regardless of their status or position, to acknowledge the vital importance of focusing on those things that unite rather than divide us, and secure a safer future for our children.

I would like to thank the many people who have helped me in the process leading up to the launch of this book. The many friends who have encouraged me in writing the book, Yaron, my good friend and table tennis partner, for designing the cover, Bev, for the numerous hours editing and enhancing the script, my wife, Amy, for being so supportive in so many ways, and my children, Kim, Shelley and Monique, for all their love and support.

In the few sentences above I have mentioned a Bahá’í, a Jew, a Buddhist, and among my friends there are followers of many religions including many Christians and Muslims, as well as people of many ethnicities, which goes to prove that religion and race are not barriers, and that we can all work together in peace and harmony if we open our minds and remove the prejudices that often prevent us from achieving success and growth. This is the essence of this book.

Preface

Having been born into a Christian environment and having attended Sunday school, I accepted Christ but felt confused by the number of different religions. The Christian teachings about false prophets made me reluctant to consider other religions, but once I conquered that barrier, I started to investigate. Although I found the teachings of other religions full of valuable guidance, to me they were just like Christianity with a different cultural flavour. Then, at the age of twenty-six, I met Hugh Carden, and what he shared with me was like finding the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle. The first chapter of my search was complete, and a new and more exciting chapter was just beginning.

Doing a jigsaw puzzle is like taking a journey. Initially there is a lot preparation required, things start very slowly, but as the puzzle gets closer to completion, things get exciting, and putting in the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle is like finally arriving at our destination.

In this instance, our journey is a spiritual one. Not a pilgrimage where you visit various holy places, normally related to one’s own religion, but more of a spiritual journey of the mind, where we ponder the meaning of life, which invariably turns our attention in the direction of things spiritual and figuring out how religion fits into the whole process.

The research I have done for