If- then statements

I remember high school geometry like it was yesterday.  I was fascinated with hypothesis....if-then statements.  Simple things like:  If 2,4,6,8 are even numbers, then they are divisable by 2.

It taught math.  It taught logic.  It taught reasoning.  It was a way to prove a statement.  

I graduated high school at the age of 17 and entered Bob Jones University.  I think in time you will come to see why I have decided this was the beginning of 40 years in my "wilderness".  I attended a Methodist church until I was 15 years old, then went to a Baptist church.  Now, we didn't just go on Sunday.  We went Sunday morning to Sunday school and church. The pastor would often come to our house on Sunday afternoon to "talk" religion with Dad.  We would be back in church Sunday night, Wed and Thurs nights.  If there was a revival at our church or any neighboring church, we would be there 7 nights a week.  Then there were youth group meetings and outings.  Between school and church....well, there wasn't much else except family gatherings at both grandma's houses....or at one of my many aunts or uncles homes.  Nope, no complaints here - it was a wonderful childhood.  But pretty much "brain-washed" by religion.

Until I got to high school geometry!

If Elijah was going to come first, then how could there be an instant rapture like the preacher said???

You see where my problems started?

If all little children who died went straight to heaven, then why didn't we kill them all the moment they were born???

I got an "F" on a test in 6th grade because I answered a question based on my faith in what I knew the Bible said:

"Will man ever be able to fly alone?"  I put down "yes".  Because I believed that if you had the faith of a mustard seed, you could move a mountain, so you could surely fly alone!

Yep, I had lots of problems in school.....and for the next 40 years!

About 1972, mom & dad spent a winter in North Carolina and were introduced to Ralph Mount of Mount Bible Publications.  He was an engineer who studied the Greek & Hebrew text of the New & Old Testament and produced a cassette tape ministry.  I knew they were deep in study - whenever I visited the tapes were on.  I was just not ready to join them.  I certainly didn't "get" their thirst for knowledge.  It wasn't my time - I was in my "wilderness".  While I have listened to these tapes off and on over the years, I would fall asleep half way through a lesson, or my mind would wander and I'd start daydreaming....never quite finishing an entire tape.  

About 5 years ago, I decided to force myself to listen to a full hour every single day while I walked.  But the scenery and ongoing events around me while I walked caused a constant distraction.  And I quit again.  Just no interest in learning anything new.....I was perfectly content to continue to believe all the things I had been taught as a child.....everything I had learned in church.

About 6 months ago, I started listening to Mount's cassettes once again.  This time really listening to them.  For some reason, this time it was different.  And then it hit me.....I had turned 57.  It has been 40 years.  It was time for me to come out of my "wilderness".  My thirst was and still is growing.  There are days when I just can't comprehend it all, and days that I rejoice in what I am learning.  I hope to share some of it in this blog.  I hope that as you read, you will start to think differently.  And perhaps together, we will learn that  Elijah will be here first.  

So I need to preface this first blog with this statement:

1.  If you read my blog and learn the truth, THEN there is no reason for argument.

2.  If you know the truth and do not adhere to it, then you will be lost.

If you want to learn what is going on in the world around you, bookmark the links over on the right and read them every single day.  Read their archives.  Study up on world history.  Then re-read # 1 & # 2 above.  

I do not expect anyone to agree with what I will be writing here.  All I ask is that you keep an open mind to the possibilities of what I am writing.  

If you are against Israel, then you really need to read what I will be writing!

If you believe that today's church is a house of worship of the true G-d, then you need to keep reading in order to find out the truth!

If you believe there will be an instant rapture, then you need to show me where the word rapture is located in scripture.

If you believe that the King James Version (or any other version of the Bible) is THE inspired word,  then you definitely need to subscribe to my blog.  I hope to help you learn that only the Greek and Hebrew are "inspired" - everything else is a translation....an opinion of what was written.

If you think Jesus loves everyone, then explain why the Bible tells us of so many that He hates and despises.  

See, I could go on and on with these if/then statements.  If nothing else, then this should be an interesting blog!