Back Roads to Israel

By Maxwell Thurston

The origin and emphasis of the Judeo-Christian faith began with the call of Abram. Concerning salvation, have you ever asked why there’s a need or a purpose for a call in the first place? And besides, who was God actually talking to in the land of Ur?

Back Roads to Israel is a study of Jesus’s spiritual ancestry and background. Author Maxwell Thurston helps explain how Abraham, a man of flesh and bones, has a direct ancestral lineage to Jesus—because if Jesus is the Son of God, then there must be spiritual DNA that connects him with the Lord our God, who is in heaven.

Knowing the spiritual avenues taken by Abraham will take us to the beginning of creation, when the living word was with God. If you are able to travel the unbeaten path, the back roads of Abraham, then it will help clear up confusion about Jesus—especially the part where we read, “From thy father’s house.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Feb 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781489721044

Maxwell Thurston

Maxwell Thurston has spent over thirty years studying, collecting, and gathering information on Jewish mysticism and the Christian faith. He attended Morris College, a Baptist establishment in Sumter, South Carolina, where he studied religion and philosophy. Although raised as a Baptist, it was during his stay at Morris College when he became interested in the Judaic roots of Jesus from a divine spiritual angle and perspective. Mr. Thurston currently resides in New York City, where he is a parishioner and devotes his time and services at an Episcopal church on the Upper West Side in Manhattan.

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Copyright © 2019 Maxwell Thurston.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-2103-7 (sc)

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LifeRich Publishing rev. date:  06/02/2021

CONTENTS

Back Roads to Israel

By Maxwell Thurston

Introduction

(A)CHAPTER ONE: SOME WHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

1)Once Upon A Time

2)A Serene Beauty Beyond The Clouds

(B)CHAPTER TWO: BRILLIANT JUST BRILLIANT! THE PATRIARCHS

1)God Has A Plan; Avram/Avraham

2)God Initiates His Plan, Isaac

3)The Final Installment; Yacob

(C)CHAPTER THREE: SIGHTSEEING WITH THE UNSEEN

1)Humility; Gateway To The Unseen

2)Man/Woman In His Image

3)Love, A Transformation Of Faith

4)Three Maidens Conversing In The Plains Of Mamre

(D)CHAPTER FOUR: OUT OF EGYPT I CALL MY SON

1)Avram Went Up Out Of Egypt

2)The Passover

3)Consecrated In The Wilderness

4)Ten Not Eleven; Ten Not Nine

5)God’s Love Is His Commandments

(E)CHAPTER FIVE: THE CREATION, THE FALL, AND THE MYSTERY OF WOMAN

1)As The Story Unfolds-What We Do Not Hear

2)The Duality Of Woman

(F)CHAPTER SIX: AVRAHAM AS JESUS

1)Jesus As Avraham

2)A Woman Dressed In Scarlet

3)Temptation/Adultery

4)God Has A Broken Heart

5)The King’s Entrance

6)The Call

(G)CHAPTER SEVEN: ISAAC AS JESUS

1)Jesus As Isaac

2)Do Not Go Down Into Egypt

3)The Beneficiary

(H)CHAPTER EIGHT: YACOB AS JESUS

1)Jesus As Yacob

2)Stairway To Heaven

(I)CHAPTER NINE: SARAH LAUGHED

1)As The Story Unfolds, What We Do Not Hear

(J)CHAPTER TEN: DAVID

1)One Bonifide Blue Blooded Hebrew

2)Son Of David

(K)CHAPTER ELEVEN: LORD OF HOST

1)Tall Tales

2)A Name None Other Than Glory

3)Out Of Darkness Comes The Light

(L)CHAPTER TWELVE: TUNIC OF MANY COLORS

1)Jesus The Light Of Creation

2)A Fabric Woven Out Of Many Colors

3)Coat Of Many Colors; One Thread Of Light

(M)CHAPTER THIRTEEN: E PLUBIUS UNUM

1)Faith Or Belief

(N)CHAPTER FOURTEEN: AVRAM/AVRAHAM

1)As The Story Unfolds-What We Do Not Hear

(O)CHAPTER FIFTEEN: VARIABLES OF THE UNSEEN

1)Bread Of Heaven

2)Let The Dead Bury Their Own Dead

3)The Marriage Of Heaven And Earth

4)The Mask That Hides The Beast

5)John The Witness

INTRODUCTION

Is there such a thing that is totally incomprehensible. Does something exist without reason? Perceived as not in being, nor containing being. How about this, could there be such a thing free from the defects of thought. Something well beyond the supernatural and spiritual? Well, there is such a thing. However means many of us addresses it, worldwide we acknowledge this ineffable entity as God.

But where is he now, climate change, global warming, COVID, mass shootings, nationalism, racism, black lives matter, and the fall of America. Many people are asking where is God? No one can see Him. There is none as blind as those who will not see.

Perhaps people are looking in all the wrong places to see God in these end-times. Nothing is making sense out of any of this chaos while God sits idly and allowing all this to happen. Our world is in trouble, and it does not take 20/20 vision to see this. Eyesight is not required, nor is eyesight necessary. Those who have been blind from birth, never having eyesight will attest to the decaying of morals that is sweeping over humanity.

Intuitive awareness is a way of seeing God in these end-times. Visual eyesight plays second fiddler when preoccupied with insight. This is especially true concerning spiritual things. Even on a secular level, we have scientists, poets, authors, and musicians all who owe a lot to their professional credibility to that succinct moment of intuitive awareness. No calculated observations came into play.

It is having a keen sense of intuition; what some call the sixth sense, while others call it the third eye. Knowledge, wisdom, intuition, good insight, and most important agape love; all are needed to see the unseen workings of Lord.

What many are seeing these days can be frightening. What we hear and read in the news does nothing but bring about discouragement. It seems as if the whole world is suffering from mental illness. However there are some that remain hopeful, keeping the faith while others find it hard to fathom the fatal demise that awaits humanity.

A fixed remedy does not appear to have a serious reality. There is no elixir of any kind to help humanity save itself. Folks of sound mind and intellect often become discouraged trying to figure it all out. They see the world headed for Dooms Ville. Things are spiraling out of control. We are spearheading for a catastrophe un-parallel to anything this world has ever seen before. Frankly speaking, all anyone can do is sit back, fasten their seatbelts, hold on tight, and sigh! What can any of us do? No one seems to know how to hedge this thing off. No one seems to know how to prevent it from happening.

Even with all the degradation going on, we still have the optimist. Do the math, says the economist, it all boils down to numbers. The health of our society depends on how healthy the numbers are. A so-called healthy society relies on numbers entangled in the stock market, many will say. They are forever wedging numbers into the oil industry. They the economic experts, those that are optimistic about humanities future, likes to see numbers that adds up to the sum of pumping fuel.

The world needs something to drive its economy. Dow Jones, NASDAQ, Bulls and Bears; somewhere contained in all that Wall St Jargon are numbers that some folks understand. It is the only thing, of numerical value, that makes sense to them. People of insufficient spiritual vision, ones that are nowhere near wall St. have this same problem. Money is the only thing that makes sense to them too.

Bears and bulls are the talk people like to hear. Bears and bulls are all what they see. That is expected from the secular world, but what about people of faith? What are religious folks talking about, what are they seeing in these end days? Most will tell you it does not matter how good or how healthy the numbers are. It is obvious, the stock market could be soaring through the roof, and the country could be plummeting down to an all-time low. Things just keep getting worst.

The religious world especially Christians and Jews profess to have the answer. If Jews know the answer, they are not saying. Christianity says they have the answer. Not only they profess that, Christians claimed to know the way. We find Christians evangelizing from street corners and storefronts pulpits all the way up to mega churches and cathedrals. Nevertheless, their words are landing on deaf ears. Christianity claims to have food that would make everyone satisfied. Maybe it is something about its taste. In any instance, the world is not having any of it.

Has the religious community turned a blind eye on what is really happening? Arguably, that is not the reason at all. On behalf of the religious community, it has been stifled. When polarizing issues arises, matters that deeply concern our nation, the law of the land prohibits any outside opinions from the Lord. As if no one cares, what He has to say?

Based on laws substantiating separation of church and state, some believers say this division is unfair. It ultimately strips society of its morals. No way can the church compete with the ways of the world. Not only is the church the underdog, the world has home court advantage.

Religious leaders around the world encourage us all to pray for peace. With so many wars all happening over the globe at once, peace seems to be elusive. In all honesty and sincerity, peace of mind is all one can expect; and peace of mind is highly noteworthy when it comes to blessings; However, world peace?

In our prayers, no matter how fervent we ask, how realistic this is. A thing we so desperately seek, this peace our world so desperately needs. that all depends on what we are able to see when we pray. To pray for world peace is fine and dandy, but what about truths. Do we pray and ask the Lord God to show us truths? No matter how painful; do we pray and ask for the light of salvation to illuminate pathways. Do we pray for humility outside of self-ethnic pride that will allow a channel for us to achieve such a thing called world peace?

Truths should not be separate from one’s faith. Both should go hand in hand, which brings to question the universality of God. If God is a being who is contained within all and every aspect of the creation, should we differentiate Him from all truths? Is it possible to set aside truth that lies in the science of creation, as not being an intricate part of its Creator? The answer to that should be no. Why should we separate the two since everything is encompassed within Him; and more important, nothing can exist outside of Him!

On that same token, is it possible to worship God in spirit and truth sat aside from the glory and awe we see throughout creation? The early morning sunrise with its orange hue climbing the horizon over the Atlantic is separate, and has nothing to do with God? Some will say yes, and others will say no. We will get all kind of responses to that. People are swamp in a deluge of conflicting beliefs. There is so much obscurity concerning the creation along with its awe. When it comes to various religious groups, all the obscurities usually have a common characteristic. No matter what the religion, from a holistic point of view, they all appear to be swimming in a sea of subtle pride. In addition, many not knowing are swimming in a sea of confusion along with their pride.

No one can refute the fact that there is obscurity among the masses of religious communities. Obscurity is the driving force behind confusion. Unbeknown to them, their lack of clarity gave rise to their confusion of God and creation. Due to various belief doctrines cemented within each religion, not allowing for growth and expansion is the primary source of the confusion.

When have the origin of man ever been agreed upon from a religious standpoint without any major disputes? Within the realm of the Judeo/Christian world, we will find folks who will emphatically claimed to see the creation as clear as night and day. On the other hand, those same folks cannot see the Lord as an embodiment of light and love that is inseparable from His creation. Sad to say, to them creation is nothing more than pure science.

Some folks are highly gifted. They are able to allow variables to conceive one unified creator, and one creation only! Utilizing various sources from universal concepts had given some people a solid platform to build upon their faith. Funny how some can use variables to formulate one creation, and see one God only, while there are others who is restricted using single vision. Even so, for them there is still no clarity of one God, and one God only. Many people of the Jewish and Christian faith proclaim they have no room for variables. They are bog down in dogmas, entrenched in traditions and will not or cannot visualize the one and true God that gave this world its only Savior.

Within the Christian religion, how is it that all the various denominations come together in a concerted effort to worship the God of Israel, when one sect or denomination has a different take and spin in worship than the other. There are so many uncertainties all due to too many dogmas, doctrines, and traditions.

Within the Judeo/Christian faith, everything pivots around Israel and its God! How is it that the Judeo/Christian religion is in an agreement on what God to worship? Nevertheless, behind that one singularity, there is still no clear-cut consensus on how, when, and in what manner to worship Him.

That scenario is among every major religion on the face of the earth. We will find division. One member of a religious order or sect will say God does not like gays. While another will say, God loves everyone including gays! Which of the two are seeing with clarity? Many obscurities: What if they are both right, Hmm? How is that possible! Well, maybe it is. If that is possible, then we must step outside of visuals and start observing things spiritually.

The number of people misguided on essential matters that lie at the heart of the Judeo/Christian faith is much higher than one cares to believe. The Judeo/Christian world pretty much has its share of nearsighted folks. Some in religious communities along with the secular world can only see things that are up close. Everything need to be in the physical and right smack in their face. Truths that lie in the far distance are the culprit. Overlooking the personal bond the Lord has with creation is what causing the cataracts in some. Folks tend to see God, creation, existence, and life all as separate entities. As a result, it causes obscurity in spiritual comprehensions. Up until some twenty years ago, I have yet to have anyone explain to me exactly how is it that Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God; I had heard a lot of stuff but was unable to connect the dots.

In all sincerity, the bulk of the Judeo/Christian faith can use a pair of sacred lenses. Reality we see, it is God being encased, or enveloped in this reality is what we ignore. It is all Him.

Being able to dwell in two worlds simultaneously is difficult for any man to see and comprehend with sound understanding. To understand the term immortality as in an immortal God, one who can never die; then turn around, and see Him as a man. That is an extremely hard thing to grasp hold of with solid comprehension.

How do we worship Him with so little understanding of Him? Does this mean we overlook and neglect Him, pretty much so? However, we are not all at fault. Throughout the course of history, the world remained in a slump when it comes to receiving God’s love.

Many feel completely unworthy; and have lock themselves out of Salvation because they feel there is no way they could ever match up to biblical standards. They feel hopeless, which should not be the case at all. Many have surrendered their faith; they are lost and have been misguided. Some are lost by way of strict doctrine. People are in search of a way to find him, but as quiet as it is kept, many do not know exactly where and how to look for Him.

Most people know vey little of His residency, and of his whereabouts? They remain oblivious. As ironic as it may seem, despite their ignorance of Him, little do they know how truly they are blessed. It is a good thing He knows exactly where to find each and every one of us at any given time day or night.

Neglecting the Lord on occasion, consciously or unconsciously, nonetheless we do it. That cannot be true said he! No way said Bartimaeus. If so, this possibly means there are some folks striding in shallow waters of faith! No one likes to hear gut wrenching truths concerning their personal belief. It like when the preacher is stepping on our toes during a sermon. The truth causes pain, anger, resentment; it stings and can hurt so bad. The truth is a sword that cuts right through the heart and severs it from the mind. The truth is a bitter pill to swallow. It may not taste good at first, but it sure makes you feel a whole lot better afterwards; and in all instances, it opens one’s eyes.

Overall, this obscurity concerning our Lord is extensive. Non-believers are completely in denial of a loving God, and that is without question. Non-believers Secular world" thought it would survive indefinitely relying on institutions and governments to keep it whole and on an even keel. Exactly how long and on an even keel the secular world is to remain balanced? That is hard to say, since secularism does things according to economics-the numbers. They are not beckoning towards spirituality. There is nothing there for them to see. They are stuck scratching their heads confused about its own structure and purpose. The secular world does not know what lies ahead.

In secularism, the confusion comes from deciding what institutions are viable, and those that are no longer needed in servicing humanity. Secularism is an attempt to ease God out of the social consciousness of humanity. By chance, is secularism micromanaging the course of humanity without any reflections of divinity?

We go about our daily activities as if everything is swell; just a happy, whistling, dancing- singing in the rain Gene Kelly kind of swell. We work, we play, we raise our children, we pay bills, we go to bed, and if we are blessed throughout the night, we get up the next morning and start the process all over again. We are bog down with the everyday mundane rituals that are required for living. All of us have to engage constantly in ordeals and practicalities to some degree that keeps society afloat.

From the moment we get up to the time we lie down at night we wrestle with the world. Our days are demanding, requiring so much of our precious time. We have been preprogrammed. From the moment of adolescence, we go about setting our life on autopilot. Overall, people think all they are required to do is seek out a career, marry, raise a family, pay bills, grow old and die! Not to mention attend church services on Sundays, and an occasional bible study meeting here and there. Going through the motions while being fully aware of the ills that plague our society; humanity overall seems to remain indifferent. We say we care but lack spiritual courage to fight against what we see.

When faced up against civil laws that oppose God’s laws that do not agree with Godly principles, the most common response, you cannot fight city hall. Well said, since we cannot fight an enemy that we cannot see, and in most cases, many of us do not have a clue as to whom, and how this enemy operates. It behooves people of faith how the Ten Commandments, the very bases and foundation of the law of the land is ban from the courtrooms of America.

This lack of understanding our enemy causes anger; and unsettling anger can cause serious blindness. There are a whole lot of folks walking around with all this anger built up in them. They have nothing better to do then go around looking for a fight. People who walk around with anger and especially those who target their anger out on someone’s sexual preference, ethnic background, gender, religion or race are definitely blind. There is no ducking those folks. They are everywhere, ready for war at any given moment. Unable to control their anger renders them as being incapable of reasoning. They have a serious deficiency of understanding. They must hurt, abuse, maim, oppress, and in their most unspeakable mind-set, they are committed to murder.

Again, it is hard to fight against something when you do not know what you are fighting up against: Jews fighting against Arabs, Blacks fighting against Whites, Protestants fighting against Catholics, Sunnis fighting against Shias, Conservatives fighting against Liberals: When in truth; Jews are fighting against God and blaming the Arabs. Blacks are fighting against God and using the white race as a scapegoat. Conservatives are fighting against God but at war with liberals; and mind you, vice versa, this definitely goes both ways.

Confusion arises when we gather and utilize information through tunnel vision. This results roughly around seventy-five percent of all uncertainties from the jump-start. It starts out immediately from the very moment we began studying the word of God through every day conventional norms. For example, what if a child who attends Sunday school on regular bases, whose aspiration is to become a great mathematician, an astronaut, medical doctor, or schoolteacher? Can a child grow in faith, and developed a true relationship with the Lord, when instructed to believe emphatically that a man lived in the belly of a whale for three days and three nights: given no real serious explanation, no logic, nothing of wisdom, and nothing of substance. How can his faith grow to compete with science?

Staying confine within the parameters of religion and tradition is where cataracts begin to develop. After a long period in time, blurring will occur. Incomprehension will obscure the light that can lead humanity into a brighter future. Trusting in our religious leaders, initially, is all what we must rely on. Even atheists, those that come to their senses at the end of life will seek spiritual guidance from a Rabbi or Minister. We have no choice but take to heart what our spiritual leaders teach. We pray and hope they are God sent. We rely on them to translate spiritual doctrines for spiritual nourishment.

After a clergy member, rabbi, or minister gives traditional meaning of a scripture that is when the real work begins. Relaying solely on one’s tradition without little or no mental scrutiny will cause irreparable blindness.

To become a seeker of divine light, all one must do is search diligently throughout the written word. However, most important when inquiring of Him, there will be no satisfaction of the inquiry without understanding.

The world is bombard with every religion imaginable. It does not stop; a flood of doctrines follows each religion in existence. Countless of space age theories along with everything else add to the confusion. Trying to stay afloat is not an easy task. Seeking higher grounds from the deluge, one is going to need a life support system. All the influx of various religious doctrines can be overwhelming. At times, we find ourselves drowning in a massive sea of canons and beliefs.

That is when we abandon ship. There is no way we are going to drown; drowning is not an option. Caught up in a sea of confusion is when most folks abandon faith and rely solely on science. This leads to banking only on science and accepting science as the only rule to live by. Whatever problem lies before us, in given time, we believe that science will solve, cure, or provide.

One example, some scientist calculates that we have at least another twenty million years or so before our sun begins to cool and swell into a red giant. However, buy chance, there may have been a miscalculation (one of their geniuses forgot to carry over the two) they have plan B in store. Plan B is to pack up and ship out to mars. This futuristic and scientific view is widely upheld by a substantial number of people.

It is not wise to think life is purely biological. For such a person who thinks as much is morally bankrupt. Spiritual knowledge is gain by the yearning of the soul’s quest for its true home. No matter what the religion is, a true servant will always search for truths through the God of his or hers’ choosing. Those who feel at times vulnerable like sheep among wolves tend to follow the Good Shepherd. They know Him by His voice, and where He leads, a good portion of His flock will follow.

There lies deep within every one of us a soul that longs for its true purpose of being. People who are in tune with their spiritual side know that their body is design purely to house the soul.

All living human beings need sleep; but the soul never sleeps. It is always wide-awake. We may be motionless; however, the soul is always in motion. It is on a non-stop continuous trek and needs a vehicle for transportation until the Lord says otherwise.

Although souls never have to sleep, however, every soul that lives needs something to sustain its growth. A living soul needs nutrient just like our physical body does. Thomas Moore, author of the New York Times bestseller Care of the soul articulate this fact in-depth and with passion when he said. Whatever lies alongside the path of a soul’s chosen journey, will be consumed by that soul. Therefore, it matters a great deal what path a soul chose. For when a soul is hungry, it eats whatever. It can either take a path that is laden with crab apples, weeds, and twigs, or it can choose a route that provides a variety of succulent fruits.

One whose soul is on a journey in search of blessings will eventually find the supplier of blessings, The Good Shepherd Himself. In addition, upon finding this Good Shepherd, there will be a stream of refreshing waters. Waters that quench thirsts, renews vitality, and heals all wounds.

The closer the soul gets to the spiritual truth, the sweeter the nectar. When a person life is flooded with spiritual truth that is when their life is saturate with goodness and mercy. The truth then becomes so succulent whereas an individual can receive Honey from the rock. First and most important, to get this honey, we must search diligently to find the rock.

Believe it or not, there is only one way to encounter a mysterious God. We must take hidden pathways. Mysticism is a word that does not seem to go over, nor does it play well with the public in general. We tend to avoid it. Those with strong religious convictions, the fundamentalist to say the least, get an eerie feeling when encountering any subject matter of a higher spiritual awakening.

The world of mysticism; we tend to see it as taboo. We evangelize whole-heartedly, keeping it forbidden and away from mainstream. Most religious folks do not realize, for the most part, their religion have been founded and supported on the bases of mysticism. Religions of credibility came about through a spiritual awakening. Such an awakening no doubt came into light, by a seeker of light. Compared to all the great truths yet to be disclose; we are receiving so little mystical truths. Hardening is the fact that many of our clergyman, priests, ministers, Rabbis, and the likes, do not encourage the pursuit of a highly enrich spiritual life. They say they do, in all out honesty, do they? If so, such a pursuit would include aspects or endeavors in mysticism in one form or another.

No matter what is the religious creed or its’ origin, we will find that all have had their saints and martyrs. One other important factor, they all have had mystics, seekers of light. It is amazing how so many religious leaders are giving guidance to a mysterious God. A well-known fact, we serve a mysterious God; and we attempt to do so with little or no mystical insights. How is that possible?

Every one of us is born with sin. We inherited it; it was beyond our choosing. We had no say so in the matter. We came in this world covered in sin; there is no mystery there. The mystery lies in the truth of how it all came about, and how it is all going to end.

It is normal for beginners of any faith to accept various religious dogmas and run with it. They do so without any second-guessing. They sit back and simply go along with the program. To them, it was their mother and father’s God, and so it shall be theirs. When a person says they are a Christian, wonder how many truly knows exactly what that means. When a person says they are Jewish what are they really implying?

As we grow and mature, experiencing and witnessing the changes of life, we learn to adapt and come to grips with life on life’s terms; and in most cases, we do so in like fashion as our parents. We tend to follow in their spiritual footprint when it comes to dealing with life’s hardship.

John Lennon once said, life is what happens to us while we’re busy making other plans. Un-expectedly and on many occasions while on life’s journey, we find ourselves caught-up being thrust somewhere else. Suddenly, there is this pull, a tremendous force of gravity that drags us into the despairs of others. We get so involved in their emotional health whereas our feelings and emotions are interlock with theirs. There is no breaking free from their pain and suffering. Caring folks cannot help but get themselves caught up in their loved one’s despair. We cannot help but have empathy for those we love and care about; their heartaches are now our heartaches.

Every now and then, we hear the sad news of folks capitulating under the stress from constant wrestling with the art of living. As we witness the despair of others as they wrestle with debilitating illnesses, we struggle alongside them in agony. Trying to uphold the best we can while watching them fight tooth and nail to hold on to their uncertain end. On a subconscious level, ironically, people of faith may choose to go metaphysical, and see their end as an uncertain beginning. Either way, it is scary.

Integrity and faith, like magnets of opposite ends draws close together like never before. The two are always present when terminal illness comes knocking. As we watch the two battles for supremacy, for us sideliners, it can be painful. We feel helpless as we notice their tenacious struggle to hold on to life. We saw a determined will of fight in their eyes for life. We saw it all to no avail.

Not having an answer for any of it, we are left alone crying in the shadows, beholden to a silent sigh. Holding on as best as we can, coming to grips with our own integrity and faith, trying not to succumb, and questioning the prospect of why pray at all?

When we lose someone dear to us, it is normal for us to go through a grieving process. If the person has been closing to us, we may seek comfort by reassuring ourselves they do not have to suffer any longer. Our logic is they are now release from their misery.

People who lack faith in their religious convictions, during times of sickness, may look for an end to their long period of pain and sufferings. That may not necessary be the case. God forbid; but for those who are without faith who think purely on that term, I say to them, there is an afterlife.

To the novice undertaking Christian mysticism for the first time, the contents of this book may appear at times that the waters are too deep. Besides, deep depends on the depth, or level, of spiritual understanding one can attain.

There is nothing hocus pocus about Christian Mysticism as a subject matter. It has nothing to do with voodoo. It is not a cult! There is no membership initiation. No polygamy, Why a man would want more than one wife behooves me? Anyway, let us be clear; asceticism is not Christian Mysticism. I repeat, asceticism denies an individual to be ideally free. We can be seekers of light without sporting long beards, living in seclusion behind the walls of a monastery. That is so not so, said he! We can wed and raise a family. The professional creed and nonprofessional alike are all qualified to become intimate partners with Christ while living normal lives.

As you read the passages of Backroads to Israel, you will discover how free and unrestraint in praising Him can be. There are no limitations. There is nothing of any doctrine to impose restrictions when seeking Him. When it comes to receiving His love on intimate bases, all of heaven is open for the asking.

Intimate moments with Christ can happen while doing the laundry. Running behind the kids; running away from the kids. Driving to and from work; hiking, being hired, being fired. Calming down after being heated up. Yes, in those instances too we can have intimacy with Christ if sought.

Christian mysticism will only enrich your relationship with Christ, without a whole lot of imposition on others. A true seeker of light should want a deep personal relationship with that light. The bottom line is living a marvelous life by way of the truth. It is having a sense of spiritual freedom while in the land of the living. Christian mysticism enlightens the soul with the light of life, while liberating it from the mortality of the flesh.

If one has exhausted all his or her means to define purpose and has not come up with anything conclusive. Perhaps not sure the path chosen is the correct path for spiritual enlightenment. Then it is time to expand our knowledge and examine hidden truths of long ago. In discovery, one does not need to have had a Moses like grand epiphany. Truths can be revealing in something as small as an atom up to something as large as the galaxy. The revealing of something profound in spirituality is the same as coming out of darkness, in other words, a spiritual awakening.

Often folks believe it is necessary to see the Red Sea split before their very own eyes to have a convincing awakening. The truth of the matter some folks would not recognize their Red Sea moment, if indeed, it was red, and they were drowning in it.

To be fair and honest we all have had Red Sea moments in our life. There is no ducking them, they do occur. Unlike Moses’s Exodus, sometimes the Red Sea splitting takes on the form of a personal tragic incident. Otherwise, some folks will never come up out of darkness to cross over trouble waters seeking the Lord for salvation.

A majority came to their faith by having an enlighten moment that turned into a calling. On average, it’s usually something we have never experienced before. We will always find someone who will say they have had a strange experience of being caught-up in a spiritual state of nirvana. (Holy Spirit.) When a visual sighting accompanies the spiritual, which make the experience more so profound in temperament. So intense is a visual experience it normally dictates what divine path him/her will chose for their entire life span.

Notice how all major religions of the world have at least one symbol, or artifact their followers identify with. It lays claim to their faith. In many cases, it is their iconic symbol of worship.

The most common artifact of worship in Christianity is the cross; and for so many, it has become their source of inspiration. To many aspirants, the cross cannot escape from being their fuel that energizes inspiration. A theological mantle has become the muse inspiring many poets and artists. Everyone from renowned theologians of the past to modern day clerics has their spin on its significance. Rather people notice it or not, there is nowhere on this planet can we go without seeing the cross or its little brother the crucifix. For those that do not see or understands its true implication is simply because they are not seeking the importance of the cross. In other words, they are not seeking salvation.

Next, we have the Star of David, in familiarity of Judaism along with the menorah. Cannot leave out the crescent moon either, or the statue of Buddha, they are just as important to their constituents as anyone else’s is. There are folks who have had intimate encounters through their own personal channels without artifacts or symbols of any kind. Some tend to see them as offbeat. There are so many ways and venues of worship, which will never appeal to mainstream traditionalists in a million years.

No matter how unusual; either it be the Buddha or Krishna, the great god of the sky, the tooth fairy, ancient mythical gods, they all have the capacity to lead one into a private secure comfort zone of his or her faith. It is their awakening; real or unreal. It is the concrete bases for their spiritual foundation. Those individuals have a platform they can stand on when they become frighten, weak, or heavy-laden. Imagine that; an ideology, an apparition, a fairy godmother that can give physical strength and spiritual fortitude. No matter how ridiculous it may sound to us, they too have claimed they have seen the light.

What about those without physical eyesight, people who are physically blind. They will tell you they have personally witnessed and seen glorious works of the Lord. They too have acquired their spiritual strength given to them previously by a profound vision- illumination of some sort, an inner light. It was a revelation that came from none other than the Lord. They are on solid grounds of faith; they will not be convinced otherwise.

We have millions of others with perfect eyesight will say their source of inspiration, and resilience was given to them by none other than the prophet Mohammed. The same as the blind man, their faith too is etched in their heart and soul. If we were to search hard enough, we will find that one certain individual who gets their inspiration and resilience from a gigantic, humongous rock that is in their backyard. Is he wrong? I and others may think so. Against all consensuses, one will have the dickens of a time trying to convince him otherwise.

Everyone knows there must have been a beginning, which alarmingly entails there will be an end. It is inevitable. An end time is coming one way or another. As far as time can recall, there has always been the prospect of an apocalyptic doomsday scenario of the world. There are folks right now standing by waiting for N.A.S.A to post on their web site, how and when to start purchasing flight tickets to Mars.

Speculation of the apocalypse varies and has a wide range of ending scenarios. According to some, it is going to be the water gods causing massive floods and typhoons. Some are betting on the opposite, they are waiting for the fire gods to display spectacular worldwide fireworks. That scenario is to begin with volcanic activities, followed by a meteor shower, and then culminating in nuclear disaster. Not long ago, back in the nineteen hundred, there were those who believed Halley’s Comet would do us all in. Anyway, one thing is for certain, there is a beginning of this cycle of creation as well as an end. To be more precise and to break it down, all and everything of this physical world that is, will one day cease to exist.

Rays from the early morning sun has breached forth into the twenty-first century. It is now the wee hours of dawn, the millennium is in its infancy, milliseconds of a minute. Nevertheless, come to think of it, we had all the twentieth century to get it right. It would seemed that civilization would have learned by now a thing or two from the past one hundred years. With all the technology thus far we have acquired, we have yet to find solid stable grounds for humanity to stand upon in peace.

It is disappointing watching people trying to maneuver their way into a fulfilling and rewarding life by using G.P.S. We are living in a new era with sophisticated technology, making us highly advanced in communication. As marketing and businesses spreads, it has become evident to everyone we are living in a global economy. One-half of the world’s population is practically doing business with the other half. Everyone is engaging in conversation simultaneously all around the world. Folks of every nationality and race are speaking words of little substance, lala-gagging as they say. That could very well pose a problem. The world is too busy communicating on technical devices and not hearing what the Lord is saying.

We are partially blind to the truth, walking around in darkness as if we are afraid of the light. What is it that we fear; or do we fear anything at all? If humanity at a future date were to look in his rearview mirror, what will he envision of our world today? Will man of the future see a marked contrast between their world and of ours? Will his historical account of us reflect a fearless barbaric and inhumane civilization? Will man of the future see us having a propensity to kill? Furthermore, there is no way he could possibly envision us going around heartlessly killing newborns.

On that same token, how do we in our present-day society view the social consciousness of primitive man? Now there is a term for you, Primitive man as if ever such a creature as depicted by science had ever existed. All of what we have learned of early man comes directly from the annals of science. Archaeologist portrays early man as a barbaric warmonger who kills all the males, young and old; pillage the area taking all valuables along with women as spoils.

Who are we kidding, our present-day society is nothing like early mans? We do not consider ourselves to live in an uncivilized primitive society-The last time we had a war was when? Do we go around heartlessly killing babies? Are we so barbaric and unaware of ourselves by doing such and making it legal under the guise of pro-choice? On the other hand, would it be unconventional wisdom whereas to say, we live in a civilize society and using our own reasoning to solve problems of unwanted pregnancies.

In all out fairness we cannot be bias and overlook or sidestep the rationale behind prochoice. Is it wrong to think of a woman who gets an abortion who has no economic means-not having any finances or a home to raise a child? Who in their right mind can ask a woman to carry around nine months the seed of a rapist? Another apparent logical reason is it O.K for one to deny someone life because of an unplanned or an unwanted pregnancy- the pain of that logic is the same as saying it was an unwanted, unloved human being from the beginning of its conception.

Of course, there are people who simply do not want to bring a child into a grim existence. Whatever the reason, there are truths that substantiates both sides of the abortion issue. One sure fact; anything outside of matrimony whereas there has not been a consummated marriage union, the decision to have an abortion or not, should not involve the male partner. It is not his call! However, this cannot be overlooked-the bottom denominator is that abortion denies the gift of life to those who could have had life.

Whatever one’s personal take on the civility of our historical past does not matter any longer. We are facing a present civilization that has many of hang-ups. Our world has its share of evil drug dealers and their captive slaves- the drug addicted. Talk about primitive behavior.

Substance abusers are not