And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 2 Samuel 6:6-8 (NKJV).

When one examines this story, it becomes apparent that many boundaries were violated. What was Uzzah doing so near the holy Ark of The Covenant? Although he was a Levite, he was not a member of the Kohathite Clan, which was divinely appointed to carry the Ark of The Covenant at all times. Furthermore, why was the Ark riding on a cart drawn by oxen? Such an arrangement was never God’s plan. The Ark had four golden rings, two on each side. Within these rings, two poles were inserted, one on each side. Then, the Ark was lifted and carried on the shoulders of the four Kohathite priests bearing it. This was the divinely appointed order. Uzzah wasn’t even supposed to see the Ark of the Covenant. In fact, when the Ark was being wrapped to be transported anywhere, not even the priests who carried it were permitted to gaze upon it. The Levite who was struck dead because he touched the Ark had the opportunity to learn the rules governing the furnishings of the Most Holy Place because they were all carefully codified. Unfortunately, however, he didn’t bother to take the time to find out about them. Consequently, he paid for his negligence with his life.

Nothing in life should be taken for granted. The human mind is an organ designed to ask many pertinent questions, and anyone who has no interest in the meaning of human existence is willfully ignorant. Such ignorance is tantamount to criminal carelessness and will cost an expensive price. We are all solemnly warned in scripture:

“Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:  “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.” Proverbs 1:20-23 (NKJV).

Unfortunately, however, only the sober, vigilant, and diligent will take note of this warning and make the appropriate decisions that result in corrective measures:

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:2 (NKJV).

David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 2 Samuel 6: 9-11(NKJV).

The precipitation of most crises leads to confusion, questions, and soul-searching until a final satisfactory conclusion is reached. Following Uzzah’s death, King David’s move of The Ark of The Covenant immediately into The City of David would have seemed somewhat presumptuous. Apparently, something was wrong. Since The Lord Almighty was reasonable, merciful, and compassionate, further studies were needed to determine exactly what had gone wrong.

The judgment visited upon Uzzah was just a warning to the House of Judah. Because of all the violated boundaries, The Lord could have dealt with the Judeans far more severely. But He acted mercifully so they would take this opportunity to study the sanctuary’s rules. Ultimately, no boundaries would be broken when it was finally transferred. One of the reasons for this crisis and the judgment against Uzzah was that the sanctuary services under Eli had deteriorated to immorality and confusion. Such that immediate corrective measures were urgently required.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

After residing at my present location for three years, I tried as gently as possible to convey to my neighbors that things were about to change and that they would no longer have free access to my porch as they had in the past. But like a truck whose brakes had failed, they continued down their previous path, seemingly unaware of my misgivings. Their children continued to wrestle, play football, park their bicycles, and romp on my porch. In fact, when their guests came to the property, they permitted them to place their various forms of two-wheeled transportation on my porch. I often wondered whether they clearly understood what I had communicated to them. My greatest irritation was that they would hang their wet clothes out to dry on my porch on their laundry days without my permission. I said nothing to them because I had no intention of provoking an argument. Over time, I went abroad for two months, and during my absence, the proprietress came to the property and saw my neighbor’s hens, cats, dogs, and all the excrement generated by such animals all over my porch. She definitely was not pleased.

After my return home, she visited my apartment to collect my rent, and I embraced that opportunity to discuss with her my concerns about the continued abuse of my porch by my neighbors. I told her I had to do something to protect my porch and privacy, and she agreed. Shortly after, I purchased lumber and wire mesh and completely enclosed my porch. The landlady and her sister visited me two weeks later and told me that what I had erected was not the kind of enclosure they had envisioned. I informed them that what they want is what I had intended to do originally, but the landlady’s husband advised me not to. I assured them, however, that as soon as I returned from my next vacation, I would make the desired changes. Although they were happy with my concession. They were nevertheless grieved by the events preceding these developments. Accordingly, they went next door immediately and confronted my neighbors. “Why won’t you stay off Mr. James’s porch?” They demanded. “Have you seen what you made him do?” “We didn’t make him build that enclosure,” they replied. “Yes, you did,” the landlady countered. “You forced him to do that because you won’t stay off his porch.” “Furthermore,” she continued, “Find a place and go.”

The proprietress’s ultimatum generated an instantaneous crisis. Except for two absent members, the entire family was at the gate to my back verandah that same evening. They seemed confused at the landlady’s claim: “They had forced me to construct an enclosure surrounding my verandah because they wouldn’t stay off my porch.” They just couldn’t understand what the landlady meant. My response to them was, “Let’s put it this way: while I was on my vacation, they came here and saw all of the poop plastered all over my porch; they just didn’t like it.” I don’t know if my words helped any. For several weeks, the daughter who owned the animals carried a long face whenever she saw me. It seemed that merely grasping the principle of staying out of other people’s space. The importance of not trespassing on other people’s property was a concept that was beyond them. Is it possible I thought to myself. That these people were Disorganized Schizophrenics? There have always been boundaries in life. Some people, however, ignore them even though they are aware of them. As the police officer told me after I drove through a red light, invisible to many drivers, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking the law.”

Not all boundaries are so clear or well-defined. Nevertheless, we are held responsible for violating them. It seems as if there is an invisible, intangible law specifying that it is our responsibility to find out exactly what all the rules are and to do our utmost to obey them. We are cautioned:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

How can anyone find the narrow gate unless he earnestly searches for it. But how does he know that the narrow/right gate even exists unless an inner voice points him to that gate?

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand. Or whenever you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 (NKJV).

The dying Levite (Uzzah) must have heard an inner voice at some point, which he decided to ignore. Those who listen to and are guided by that inner voice are considered wise.

Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you;
When you embrace her, she will bring you honor. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.” Proverbs 4: 7-9.

 

DONALD TRUMP IS A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR

We hope it doesn’t come as a surprise when we tell you that Donald Trump, former president of the United States, struggles to tell the truth, and that when we say that he struggles we mean every time he opens his mouth, dozens of lies fly out like the monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. Sometimes the lies are big and offensive, like when he declared, on 9/11, that one of the buildings he owned downtown was now the tallest one in Manhattan on account of the Twin Towers being leveled. Other times the lies are minor and largely pointless, like his oft-repeated claim that he’d been named Michigan’s “Man of the Year,” despite the fact that this award does not exist. The lies have been deranged, like when he quintupled down on the one that Alabama was going to be hit by a hurricane; they’ve been dangerous, like when he lied about COVID-19; and they’ve been legitimately insane, like when he said that Ivanka Trump had created 14 million jobs, despite the fact that the country had only added roughly 6 million during her time at the White House. All of which to say, it’ll probably surprise exactly no one to hear that prior to the FBI raiding his home and uncovering numerous classified documents, Trump wanted one of his attorneys to lie to the government and say he’d returned it all. The Washington Post reports that in early 2022, the ex-president asked Alex Cannon, an attorney who’d work for both the Trump Organization and the Trump campaign, to tell the National Archives and Records Administration that all materials requested by the agency had been turned over, despite the fact that he was still in possession of thousands more government documents.

VANITY FAIR: BY BESS LEVIN OCTOBER 4, 2022

In scripture people like Donald Trump are described as the IMPENITENT/UNREPENTANT WICKED BECAUSE THEY HAVE REJECTED GOD’S SACRED LAW

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless,

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish. PSALM 1: 1-6 NKJV

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 NKJV

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-26

Therefore, in light of all the preceding revelations, it seems extremely unlikely that Donald John Trump will ever be re-elected as President of the United States of America.

WHO EXACTLY IS DONALD J. TRUMP?

TRUMP IS JUST ANOTHER CROOK

According to Leticia James (New York’s Attorney General) and her legal team in Manhattan, New York, Mr. Trump is just another Crook, and his specialty is grand fraud. She alleges that for approximately fifteen years before being elected President of The United States, Mr. Trump has defrauded several businesses in The State of New York with his lies and misrepresentations. These actions were a conspiracy and involved his sons and prominent employees. His real estate empire, in its entirety, was a criminal enterprise. His properties involved in this malfeasance, including golf courses and apartment buildings. Accordingly, Leticia James has asked the New York Superior Court, presided over by Judge Arthur Engoron, To suspend Mr. Trump’s business license indefinitely and permanently close down all of his business entities within her State.

“NEW YORK (AP) — A judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House, and he ordered some of the former president’s companies removed from his control and dissolved. Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, found that Trump and his company deceived banks, insurers, and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing loans. Engoron ordered that some of Trump’s business licenses be rescinded as punishment, making it difficult or impossible for them to do business in New York, and said he would continue to have an independent monitor oversee Trump Organization operations.”

BY MICHAEL R. SISAKU updated 1:41 AM GMT+1, September 27, 2023.

TRUMP IS A CRIMINAL

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. today announced the indictment of DONALD J. TRUMP, 76, for falsifying New York business records to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters before and after the 2016 election. During the election, TRUMP and others employed a “catch and kill” scheme to identify, purchase, and bury negative information about him and boost his electoral prospects. TRUMP then went to great lengths to hide this conduct, causing dozens of false entries in business records to conceal criminal activity, including attempts to violate state and federal election laws. TRUMP is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with 34 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree. “The People of the State of New York allege that Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Manhattan is home to the country’s most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct. As the Statement of Facts describes, the trail of money and lies exposes a pattern that, the People allege, violates one of New York’s basic and fundamental business laws. As this office has done time and time again, we today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law.”

DISTRICT ATTORNEY, NEW YORK COUNTY, PRESS RELEASE, April 4, 2023

U.S. judge rejects Trump immunity claim in Jan. 6 criminal prosecution

Ruling by U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan sets clock ticking on whether Supreme Court will agree and allow Trump to face federal trial in Washington before 2024 election

U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan denied Trump’s request to toss out his four-count August indictment on charges of conspiring to defraud the federal government’s election process, to obstruct Congress’s certification of the vote on Jan. 6, 2021, and to disenfranchise American voters. “Whatever immunities a sitting President may enjoy, the United States has only one Chief Executive at a time, and that position does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass,” she wrote in the 48-page opinion. She said Trump may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.

THE WASHINGTON POST: By Spencer S. Hsu and Rachel Weiner Updated December 1, 2023 at 8:25 p.m. EST|Published December 1, 2023 at 7:49 p.m. EST

For the first 234 years of the nation’s history, no American president or former president had ever been indicted. That changed this year. Over a five-month span, former President Donald Trump was charged in four criminal cases. In Washington, D.C., he faces four felony counts for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In Georgia, he faces 13 felony counts for his election interference in that state. In New York, he faces 34 felony counts in connection with hush money payments to a porn star. And in Florida, he faces 40 felony counts for hoarding classified documents after he left office and impeding the government’s efforts to retrieve them.

This is POLITICO’s up-to-the-minute guide to the four Trump criminal cases. POLITICO PLAYBOOK: The Unofficial Guide to Official Washington

DONALD TRUMP IS A RAPIST 

A New York jury on Friday ordered former President Donald Trump to pay a total of $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for ruining her credibility as an advice columnist when he called her a liar after she accused him of sexual assault.

The jury awarded Carroll $65 million in punitive damages, $11 million for the damage to her reputation and another $7.3 million. Trump is almost certain to appeal the verdict.

Despite the size of the penalty, the verdict was not unexpected. Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled even before the trial that Trump had in fact defamed Carroll. The jury only had to decide how much Trump owed her — not if he was liable. This is the second time Trump has been ordered pay Carroll; last year he was mandated by a jury to pay $5 million for a separate instance of defamation.

NPR: UPDATED JANUARY 26, 2024 7:37 PM ET 

Ximena Bustillo

DONALD TRUMP IS AN ADVOCATE OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE

During Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy and presidency political discourse in the United States became more hateful and divisive. Threats and actual violence against groups and individuals singled out and demonized by Trump increased. The targets of his verbal attacks were most of all racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, the news media collectively and individual journalists, and well-known politicians, mostly Democrats. There was a rise in bullying incidents in schools against minority students. Assuming that aggressive rhetoric by influential political leaders affect their supporters’ words and deeds, we examined Trump’s online and offline hate speech, the rhetorical reactions of his followers, and the violent consequences suffered by their declared enemies. We found that contrary to an old children’s rhyme (“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”) Trump’s aggressive, divisive, and dehumanizing language was seconded by his followers and inflicted directly or indirectly psychological and physical harm to Trump’s declared enemies.

PT: Perspectives On Terrorrism By Brigitte L. Nacos Robert Y. Shapiro Yaeli Bloch-Elkon

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Even before the General Presidential Election was held in November 2020, candidate Trump started to throw a monkey wrench into the election machinery by questioning the integrity of the election outcome. Something that had never been done before in the history of the U.S.A. He also refused to accept the results and exit the White House if defeated. His position in this regard caused much consternation within government circles.

Sept. 24, from the White House lawn

“We have to be very careful with the ballots,” Trump said, when asked whether the election results are legitimate only if he wins. “The ballots, that’s a whole big scam.”

“We want to make sure the election is honest, and I am not sure that it can be. I don’t know that it can be with this whole situation of unsolicited ballots.”

Sept. 23, during a White House press briefing

“We’re going to have to see what happens,” the president said, when asked whether he’d commit to a peaceful transfer of power, “win, lose, or draw.” “You know, I’ve been complaining about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster.”

“And the ballots are out of control,” he continued. “You know it. And you know who knows it better than anybody else? The Democrats.”

“I think this scam that the Democrats are pulling, it’s a scam [and] this scam will be before the United States Supreme Court,” Trump said. “And I think having a 4-4 situation is not a good situation.”

Sept. 13, during a Nevada campaign rally

“The Democrats are trying to rig this election because that’s the only way they’re going to win,” he said.

Aug. 24, during his Republican National Convention acceptance speech

“The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” Trump said.

Aug. 2, in a televised interview with Axios journalist Jonathan Swan

“There is no way you can go through a mail-in vote without massive cheating,” Trump said, when asked what it would look like if a sitting president didn’t accept the election results.

It’s obvious that President Donald Trump carefully and painstakingly prepared his supporters not to accept the results of the 2020 Presidential Elections ahead of time. Accordingly, when the time came for the orderly power transfer, there had to be problems.

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep Trump in power by preventing a joint session of Congress from counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the election results from being certified. According to the House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election. Within 36 hours of the event, five people had died: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months. As of July 7, 2022, monetary damages caused by attackers exceed $2.7 million.

Called to action by Trump, thousands of his supporters gathered in Washington, D.C., on January 5 and 6 to support his false claim that the 2020 election had been “stolen by emboldened radical-left Democrats” and to demand that Vice President Mike Pence and Congress reject Biden’s victory. Starting at noon on January 6, at a “Save America” rally on the Ellipse, Trump gave a speech in which he repeated false claims of election irregularities and said, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Thousands of attendees, some armed, walked to the Capitol, with hundreds breaching police perimeters as Congress was beginning the electoral vote count. Among the rioters were leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers militia groups, who conspired to use violence to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power. More than 2,000 rioters entered the building, many of whom vandalized and looted parts of the building, including the offices of then House speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress. Rioters also assaulted Capitol Police officers and reporters, and attempted to locate lawmakers to capture and harm. A gallows was erected west of the Capitol, and some rioters chanted “Hang Mike Pence” after he rejected false claims by Trump and others that the vice president could overturn the election results.

WHY WAS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?

The USA and many other countries (mostly in the third world) have long been gerrymandering election boundaries. To benefit either of the two political parties, depending on which one had the most political clout at the time of the election. Unfortunately, this is an imperfect system of managing and administering elections. Which is one of the most basic foundations of the democratic process.

The infamous term “gerrymandering” originates from an 1812 incident in Massachusetts where Governor Elbridge Gerry re-drew district lines to benefit his political party. The oddly-drawn district resembled the shape of a mythical salamander, which, combined with his last name was branded “Gerrymander.” Since then, gerrymandering has plagued the U.S. redistricting process at every turn. POPULATION EDUCATION BY PETE BAILEY | November 13, 2020

The obviously imperfect administration of elections in America has left many citizens bitter and sometimes disenfranchised after the election cycle is completed. However, this state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue. A great democracy has to be buttressed by foundations and proven practices that only serve to bolster election integrity processes.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

As we all know, America is a democracy that ventured upon the stage of history in 1776. The history of this great country has been fraught with many perils, but this system of government established by providence has survived all challenges. Now, we are faced with another challenge: Donald J. Trump. I really don’t fear Trump as such. The people who really make me nervous are many of his supporters who know nothing about the great sweep of history and are now anxious to attempt to set up a dictatorship in this country, mimicking what exists in Russia and many third-world countries.

One of Trump’s greatest gifts is to create ignorance and darkness through his many lies. He fears the TRUTH because he knows that it’s powerful. Therefore, he spins conspiracy theories and lies, knowing that his followers/sympathizers will believe them because they have cut themselves off from the facts and reality. Since they already belong to a cult.

The word cult is defined as a system or group of people who practice excessive devotion to a figure, object, or belief system, typically following a charismatic leader. The term is commonly connected with highly unorthodox religious sects that take part in sinister practices and demonstrations. Cult leaders are charismatic, highly convincing, and good at getting people to listen to and follow them. They often build their image on lies and may display narcissistic behaviors.

CNN — For some time, even Fox News was a major part of the Trump CULT, and they methodically and consistently spewed his lies. But they also lived to regret it.

Fox News will pay $787.5 million for transmitting lies that a small voting technology firm helped steal the 2020 election. But it’s impossible to put a price on damaged trust in US democracy. The last-minute deal Tuesday between the conservative channel and Dominion Voting Systems, halting a blockbuster jury trial, delivered a staggering financial settlement after a process that had already exposed Fox’s willingness to parrot election conspiracy theories that its executives and anchors knew weren’t true. The agreement delivered restitution to Dominion for the hits to its reputation, and repudiated false claims that its machines were used to simply flip vote totals from ex-President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden. It represented a huge victory for the firm’s lawyers and, in the context of a civil legal suit, the massive payoff validated the decision to bring the case.

CNN POLITICS: Analysis by Stephen Collission, Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.”
― James E. Faust

“If an offense comes out of the truth, better is it that the offense comes than that the truth be concealed.”
― Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles

“Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

“He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, But the wicked shall be filled with evil. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” Proverbs 12:17-22 (NKJV).

(TO BE CONTINUED).

Mental illness is just one of the many manifestations of the consequences of sin. During His proclamation of the TEN COMMANDMENTS from the pinnacles of Mount Sinai, The Creator declared,

 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” Exodus 20:2-5

In these few sentences, divine decrees, The Great Originator of all life, wealth, sanity, luxuriant health, and happiness, reveal human existence’s sole purpose and objective. To serve, adore, love, and worship The wonderful, all mighty self-existent One. No diversion from this defined goal will be tolerated, overlooked, entertained, or countenanced.

Just in case the full thrust of this revelation was missed, then The Son of God further clarifies:

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3 (NKJV).

If there is anyone who misses the whole purpose of this unfolding and self-disclosure exercise, we further read:

“For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:5-6.

We are instructed in scripture that although originally sane, King Saul was stricken with mental illness when the Holy Spirit left him because of repeated acts of disobedience to God’s revealed will. “The LORD’s spirit left Saul, and an evil spirit sent by the LORD tormented him.” 1 Samuel 16:14. (NKJV).

Saul’s proclivity to self-aggrandizement and self-exaltation didn’t help him before the all-powerful but genuinely condescending God. Who eventually humbled Himself to become like a creature. When Christ, the eternally Self Existent One, clothed Himself with humanity. He chose to become a servant rather than Lord it over His creatures. So that he could serve them and save sinners from the abyss of sin.

What a sharp contrast to Saul and all those who only live to serve and promote their selfish interests.

So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal. 1 Samuel 15:12 (NKJV).

Kindly note carefully that the higher Saul sought to place himself in life, the lower down he went in his status. It seems as if we are continually reminded in scripture not to follow the bad example of the first sinner, Lucifer. Who lost God’s special favor and his heavenly position because he foolishly permitted himself to be seduced by pride. He was an exceedingly beautiful angel with many talents, all of which had been gifted to him by The Creator. Yet he deceived himself into thinking that these wonderful gifts belonged to himself. Instead of his heart being filled with gratitude to Christ. He worshipped himself and invited other angels to worship him also.

Scripture clearly describes for our benefit the course of Lucifer’s fall.

“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.” Ezekiel 28:17 (NKJV).

The worship of any creature, angels included, is strictly forbidden in scripture.

Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” Revelation 22:8-9 (NKJV).

I don’t claim to know the exact nature or Genesis of Sister Brown’s mental problems, but I do know and understand that they were, nevertheless, real and profound. Nor do I know why she was afflicted in this manner. Her symptoms of withdrawn behavior, emotional apathy, paranoid delusions, fragile ego, grandiose demeanor, disorganized thought, and speech convinced me that she was a Paranoid Schizophrenic.

What exactly, however, was Cain’s problem? His decision to murder his brother, Abel, was also an act of insanity. Although he was never regarded as being mentally ill. Rather, he was categorized as a murderer. Interestingly enough, the Bible makes no special provision for crimes committed by the mentally ill.

“But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God
He made man.” Genesis 9:4-6 (NKJV).

The only way to avoid any kind of insanity is to repent of all sin, turn to God, and render to Him the reverence, worship, service, and obedience that are His due.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11 (NKJV).

I was in church on Sabbath morning bright and early. Surprisingly, I received a call from the pastor inviting me to come to his vestry. His reason was that sister Brown had complained to him about my actions. Having some pastoral experience, I gently suggested he refer her to me to sort out the problem before involving anyone else. He declined to follow my counsel, claiming that she had advised him that she had already spoken to me about the problem and that I was uncooperative. “Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame? Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another; Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined.” Proverbs 25: 8-10. (NKJV). Predictably, I wondered what he was talking about. When I reached the Pastor’s office, three other people were there. Two elders of the church and sister Brown herself. She wore a brown outfit and a brand-new wig and looked absolutely stunning.

The flowers and card she had given me permission to send were in her hands. But she pretended I was a complete stranger when I entered the small room. “I don’t know why you sent me these brother James. Please don’t send me any more because if you do, someone close to me will contact you.” I was almost in a state of shock, and I simply blurted out, “You must be suffering from a Multiple Personality Disorder?” The Pastor considered that assertion of mine to be unkind, and he clearly communicated his discomfort to me. At that time, I rose to my feet and said, “What can I say?” Apparently, it was an urgent prayer under these circumstances. Nevertheless, we are assured in scripture not to despair when faced with such difficult situations because divine aid will be available. “Now, when they bring you to the synagogues, magistrates, and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer or say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say in that very hour.” Luke 12:11-12 (NKJV).

I decided to give that woman some desperately and urgently needed Reality Therapy. While I was standing erect, I asserted, “You are flirting with me, sister Brown, and you need to stop, do you hear me? After sending you that card the other day, I ignored you completely for ninety days because of your response. Following the transpiration of that period, I attempted to speak with you, and your demeanor was ‘no, no, no.’ You behaved like a woman who had been emotionally wounded, but I pursued you. I sat on the bench behind the pew in which you were seated, and after we had exchanged a few pleasantries, you turned around and smiled at me. Not once, nor twice, but three times. Lest there was any doubt in my mind about the import of those smiles, the Spirit said, ‘She is smiling at you that way because she loves you.” “I find that statement particularly repugnant, Brother James,” the Pastor interrupted. “If I’m lying, may God strike me dead,” was my response. Needless to say, I’m still alive today.

This was the same prevailing attitude in the early church. The ecclesiastical leaders felt that they had a monopoly on God’s spiritual manifestations, contrary to the declarations of the disciples, “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 5:32 (NKJV). The fact that he was the Pastor and yet the Holy Spirit was not communicating with him was unbearable and untenable. “The following Sabbath, you came to church, sister Brown,” I continued. “Dressed in a manner designed to show me the full extent of the real estate and its potentialities. Furthermore, I was duly complimentary. I told you how nice and beautiful you looked, and you soaked it all up just like a sponge.” Nevertheless, I left the church with another young lady, Sister Rose. She and I are not going together. She is only a friend. I needed a lift home, and she was happy to oblige me. Things became a crisis when we ran into each other in The City of South Bend the following evening. Presumably, because at that time, I was also with another lady and her family. However, this lady you saw me with is not my woman. She is only a friend.” “Oh, I see,” said the Pastor.

But he couldn’t SEE unless he took time out to consult with me. He had no intention of doing anything of the kind because he had no interest in seeing. He had known sister Brown for over twenty years, and he should have known that she was either emotionally unstable at best or mentally ill at worst. His sole intent was to attempt to use her to discredit me. The extent to which fate repeats our experiences is absolutely amazing. Primarily because we are meant to observe them carefully, think about them, and learn important lessons therefrom. I had quickly encircled two very similar roundabouts within less than thirty-six hours. Yet, the meaning of these phenomena had not fully registered in my cerebral cortex. Apparently, Sister Brown had expected me to propose marriage to her after receiving those flowers. We had never dated, and she had never invited me home to lunch or dinner. We had never sat in church, in a park, or anywhere else and held hands. We were total strangers except for the brief verbal encounters in God’s House. Now, she was in a full-blown rage because I had failed to ask for her hand in marriage. This irrational expectation of hers was yet another manifestation of her severe psychopathology.

By this time, the full force of my presentation was affecting me because the more I thought about her deception and treachery, the more upset I became. Nevertheless, I continued. “Approximately two weeks ago, I was seated in the main auditorium, and one of the ushers escorted two young ladies to the pew where I was seated. I chatted with both of them briefly, and after the service, I arose from my seat and proceeded to leave the sanctuary. As I walked towards the rear of the building, I saw you sitting at a vantage point, Sister Brown, where you could clearly see exactly where I was seated, beside whom I was sitting, and precisely what I was doing. But that is okay. Since congregants sit behind other people in church all the time to observe them. However, what betrayed and exposed you, sister Brown. It is the fact that when I saw you, you tried to cover up and conceal what you were doing.” Then the Pastor interrupted again, “That’s it, this teaching stops.” “Mission accomplished,” I thought to myself. The sole objective of this meeting. He took my Bible class from me since he obviously perceived me to be some kind of a clerical threat. “What a compliment,” I mused to myself. “And don’t touch me,” sister Brown interjected. “Touch you?” I sneered. “The only contact I have ever had with you is in the greeting period.” Sister Brown was crying by this time, and the Pastor shouted, “This meeting is over.”

(TO BE CONTINUED)

   

Sister Brown was absent from church for many weeks for reasons best known to herself. I called her at home several times, but she was never available to talk. Eventually, I sent her a small card advising that I was thinking about her because I hadn’t seen her for a while. After that, she called me, and since a female business associate inadvertently answered the phone, sister Brown immediately assumed I was trying to two-time her with another woman. I later returned her call and realized she had flown into a rage: “You call yourself a man of God, and you do this stuff?” She roared. “I think we have a misunderstanding,” I replied. “No, we don’t,” she shouted. All I heard next was the dial tone. My mercurial friend was back in church one bright, sunny Sabbath morning. At that time, I recalled from my previous review of the appropriate literature that people who suffered from Mood Disorders were positively sensitive to sunshine. She sat in her usual place in front of me. After some introductory courtesies, I decided that the best way to make any progress with her at that time was to indulge her vanity and grandiosity. Accordingly, I suggested, “I would like to apologize for everything that happened the last time we spoke on the phone; I’m truly sorry.” “Apology accepted,” She snapped. If there was any lingering doubt in my mind vis a vis her psychosis, all such questions were banished after this brief interaction.  “Why don’t I send you some flowers and put this whole imbroglio behind us?” I suggested.

Her reply was instructive, “O.K., brother James, go ahead and do exactly what you’ve said. But just make sure you don’t screw up this time.” The more I reminisce upon this scene, the more convinced I become that my proposed course of action was an act of folly. The mentally ill suffer from a disorder of thought, speech, and conduct, which only becomes increasingly debilitating. Therefore, any attempt at a normal relationship with someone in that category is an arduous task and an exercise in futility. I dutifully took the flowers to sister Brown’s house, just as I had promised. I had intended to personally present them to her myself. However, I was also accompanied by another young woman. I felt I needed some protection in case of an unforeseen mishap. I pressed the doorbell, but there was no response, and I concluded that it would be best to leave them as near the door as possible to ensure that she would see them. Thereafter, we drove away. Sister Brown was in church for the next scheduled assembly. But at that time, her appearance was considerably different. She never acknowledged receiving the flowers and failed to thank me. But for some unknown reason, she appeared to be sad. Could it have been because she was really confused? The whole situation seemed awkward as if she had no idea what to do next. I couldn’t spend much time with her since I had to attend my Bible class. Interestingly enough, another young gentleman was wearing very black shoes and a grey suit and sitting about three feet from where she was seated. When I approached her to converse, I sat closest to her.

“Why was he there,” I wondered? Probably to protect her fragile ego. To make me believe that she was not completely alone. If I changed my mind about her, she wanted me to think that another attractive male was waiting in the wings for her. If that was her thinking, then she had clearly misread me. This would not surprise me since the mentally ill have an excellent track record of misunderstanding/misconstruing/misrepresenting/ and misinterpreting all the events involved in the basic dynamics of human relationships. That same afternoon, I was window shopping in a large Shopping Center in South Bend, Indiana. I was accompanied by a small group of people: a lady, her daughter, and her daughter’s boyfriend. Unexpectedly, we ran into a booth occupied by Sister Brown. I greeted her and explained to my friends that we attended the same congregation. After wandering around aimlessly for about one hour, we eventually lost each other. The lady in our small group ran into sister Brown’s booth again and innocently asked if she had seen me. This simple question led to a crisis. Things, however, tend to happen for excellent reasons. Even though we may not have been aware of them at the time of their occurrence. Sister Brown irrationally concluded that this stranger who questioned her about my whereabouts was either my wife or my woman. Subsequently, after imagining all kinds of possible conspiracies that we were all plotting against her, she decided that these developments needed drastic actions. On Friday evening, which is exactly when the Sabbath hours begin, I was subjected to a paranormal experience. I saw a vision of sister Brown on the wall nearest to my bedroom door. She was covered with blood, and to my shock and amazement, there was a dagger in my hand. By some means unknown to myself, I had occasioned this extremely serious injury that had been visited upon her. In shock and dismay, I wondered what this revelation was all about. I didn’t have to wait long. 

(TO BE CONTINUED)