A Young Man's Search of the Reality of a God: If You Are Real, Show Yourself!

By Kingsley B. Garrison Ph.D.

So God showed up in my life in a mighty way just when I needed Him most. I had no money, but I had a need. He met my need and provided more. The Lord had already put in place a plan to deliver me, to bless me before I even felt the first clue of a problem. Occasionally, when I forget, the Spirit reminds me what He said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

That's what this book is about: my search for God and the truth--not my parents' truth, not my church's truth, but the truth according to the Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886164466

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A Young Man's Search of the Reality of a God

If You Are Real, Show Yourself!

Kingsley B. Garrison, Ph.D.

ISBN 979-8-88616-445-9 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88616-446-6 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Kingsley B. Garrison, Ph.D.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All scripture quotations are taken from Authorized King James Version

Characters in this book are not fictitious.

Edited by Dr. Mary Jackson

Front cover

Book designed by: Kingsley B. Garrison, Ph. D.

Published by Kingsley B. Garrison, Ph. D.

61658 Bennett Road

Roseland, Louisiana 70456

Visit www. [e-mail]

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Part 1

A Young Man's Search for the Reality of a God: A Search for the Truth

Experiencing God's Care as Abba Father at Dillard University

Attempting to Walk with God without Really Knowing Him

The Battle

Part 2

A Revelation of the Paradoxical Incongruent Teaching of the Modern Church

The Father of Lies: Who Is His Whoring Bride?

The Illegitimate Pregnancy

Church Sanctuaries: Embassies for Children of God on Earth

The Scriptural Case for Perfection

Loving God Is Keeping His Commandments and Obeying Him

Bibliography

About the Author

To the memory of my beloved late wife, Della Mae Woolridge Garrison, and my late parents, Rev. Bro. Phil Garrison Sr. and Sr. Madie Garrison.

Acknowledgments

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the following individuals for their help, support, and encouragement—all to whom I am most grateful.

I am especially grateful to my youngest brother, Min. Binkley J. Garrison, for encouraging me to pen this work, even though I did not envision it as being complete. I appreciate Leslie Lynnette, my daughter and the baby, for proofreading the first draft. But I am most grateful to Dr. Mary Jackson for her scholarly proofing of the final draft. However, she is not responsible for any errors. I edited after she proofed it. I am also appreciative of Dr. Antoinette Harrell for the information and encouragement she gave me.

I will be forever grateful to pastors Lloyd and Mary Guy, especially Pastor Mary, for spiritual guidance that propelled me into the spiritual warfare movement from which the Spiritual Warfare Men's Conference was born. I am grateful to the Rev. Dr. Jefphroe Jackson, who discussed and debated traditional Christian doctrine with me and for encouraging me to complete this work. And I am grateful to Missionary Renee Gordon-Taylor, a spiritual warrior in her own right, with whom I have occasionally discussed spiritual warfare strategies.

And I am grateful for all the prayer warriors who lift me up in prayer daily: my church family at Greater St. Joseph Baptist Church, especially Pastor Clarence and Elect Lady Joanne Williams Jr. and the Hine sisters; the Morgan Chapel AME; and the St Matthews AME church families.

Finally, I am grateful for the challenge. You are not too old to get started. Moses was seventy-five years old when he started his journey. That challenge came from my oldest brother, Phil Garrison, Jr., the patriot of our family now in the room of our late father, the Rev. Phil Garrison Sr.

I am appreciative of you all, and I thank you.

Part 1

Chapter 1

A Young Man's Search for the Reality of a God: A Search for the Truth

If you are real, show yourself!

My name is Kingsley Blaine Garrison. I was born to the late Reverend Phillip (Phil and Fis) Lucien Garrison Sr., a local preacher, and the late Sister Josie Madie Cain Garrison in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, in the Old Brickyard Community in our home off the Old Brickyard Road early one Friday, March 24, 1939, at 3:28 a.m.

I am the fourth among seven siblings. They are, from eldest to youngest: Lovie Dee, Phil Jr., Alphonse, me (Kingsley Blaine), Carol Ann, Yvonne Ferrida, and Binkley Joseph—four boys and three girls. There might have been eight; but Mary Allyson, the last child, was stillborn.

My father and mother were somewhat different in their emotional deportment. Physically, my father was relatively short in statue, five feet six inches, but almost everyone who knew him would have agreed that he was immeasurable in moral standing and emotional strength. He possessed an unexcitedly strong fortitude and an unimpeachable character. My mother, on the other hand, was totally different. She was almost always on the verge of overflowing emotionally. Neither of my parents exhibited fear of anything. My mother was a worrier. My father, on the other hand, did not seem to worry about anything.

Both my parents were interested in giving us the advantage of a formal education or some kind of advanced training in a marketable skill to be successful. My father's family was education oriented. He was a licensed machinist, a licensed barber, and a vocal music instructor. He taught many vocal groups to sing acapella by reading music using shaped notes in a method called solfeggio.

Besides his having special training, noteworthy is that there were two family members and a friend who exemplified the typical educational expectation of the