I didn't know myself very well until I knew God as I know Him now. Here is how I do it. In deep prayer, meditating on my own being, thinking of nothing else, on my knees in submission to God (most important step in identifying oneself) I thought about my BEING. Exactly WHAT am I? As far as I could ascertain, I am and I am a being therefore, I am SOME thing.
The only self-evident characteristics of ME is that I THINK and it seems that I am free to think about anything that I desire so that means I am a thinking being that has free will to do and to think as I please. I also have been given a choice to think good thoughts or evil. Sometimes, I think evil and do not know why. This evil thinking is dreadful and I realize I must rid myself of it somehow but I don't know how.
Moreover, I have SENSES. I can PERCEIVE things outside of me by my senses but that is a topic for another conversation. For now, I think only of my being, that is my THOUGHTS. But what was I before I was me? At this level it is impossible to imagine that I could be NOTHING but that is exactly what I WAS before I was a BEING. What's more, there are many OTHER beings just like me that have the same free will as I do and they also were NOTHING at some time in the past.
How, then, did we come to be? To me that is a simple question to answer but it seems that there are many like me, with being who complicate this beyond logic. Judging by the complexity that I perceive about myself, I must conclude that I am a complex being with intricate proclivities making me unique from others. By reducing myself down to an individual being capable of free thoughts and feelings and imagining my NON-existence, I come to what many philosophers have called "The Abyss". I don't arrive at the same place at all but I see that I am MOST THANKFUL to Whoever MADE me from what I used to be...nothing.
I am not a chance occurrence of cells, tissues, organs and systems, I realize the TRUTH that I am a CREATED BEING, having once been nothing but then brought into existence by a Being much, much Higher than myself and I am a PRODUCT of the Imagination of that Being Who at once thought me up and formed me together from NOTHING.
So, then, what do I owe to this Being without Whom I would still be NOTHING? EVERYTHING is what I owe Him and I realize that I must SEEK Him out to know Him better and to learn about Him so that I could express my thankfulness to Him.
I sought the world's (other's) ideas about God and found that every one of them was man's own effort to get to Him by some action of their own, in addition, the world religions have MANY often capricious gods who battle with each other. As a common sense being, I see the intricacy of nature, especially my own body, and realize that no group of jealous, competing beings could ever agree on something as complex as the "Code of Life" which we see everywhere we look even within us so that leaves us with the choice of knowing that there must be only ONE Being that could be responsible for everything. (sadly, most won't make this investigation because they have believed the lie of Darwinism which claims that NOBODY is responsible; that CHANCE made us)
So, where do we go to look for this Being who is responsible for creating everything including us? I narrowed the field down to just two choices; the Koran, which speaks of a being called Allah or the Bible which speaks of a Being called Jehovah. I looked into both, scrutinizing them, looking for this Person or Being who created everything. I found the Koran to be full of contradictions, wickedness, even pedophilia (Allah's main prophet was married to a nine year old girl). T
he Bible speaks of a God Who exists in THREE Eternal Parts who is HOLY and without any darkness in Him. The Bible tells the History of Him and His interaction with sinful people. It shows how He intervened and paid the penalty for our sinfulness by HIMSELF by giving His Life in the most cruel and torturous way, shedding His Blood for any who would follow Him and put their FAITH in Him. He proved that He was God by rising from the dead as He told hundreds of years earlier by His prophets.
But this book called the Bible is different. It reads YOU when you study it. That is because it is PRESERVED by its Author. You will understand if you read it (whoever you are reading this comment) because it exposes us as the flawed, selfish, wicked persons that we are and shows that EVERYONE He has created has this flaw and needs a SAVIOR.
I began this lengthy comment by sharing how it is that I have come to know myself, first by using my free thought to think about who and what I am and where I came from. It is a pity that so many people have followed ANOTHER'S WORLDVIEW never having made an honest investigation for themselves as I have described here and they will, if they don't address the issue of who THEY are themselves will follow those to eternal death. We live in an age where EVERYTHING is a lie because of the rampant deception and the programing of those listening. WAKE UP! Time is now so very short.
I would be happy to send you my home address if you will tell me please why it is that you want it. I don't generally give out that kind of info over the internet but I have been coming to this substack for nearly a year now and I think I can trust you but one can't be too careful in this age, I'm sure you'll agree.
Praying to Jehovah(The Father) Christ(his son) and The Holy Spirit(The Father and Son manifest on earth)is my regimen. When I looked at the teachings of the Koran, I could tell that was not for me either. I keep it simple when I pray. I like to ask for God's help in understanding the Bible too. I stick to my regimen every day. Full ten years now. My life is much better. May not be as exciting as when I was indulging in the devil's temptations, but my problems are miniscule compared to the old days of hedonism. I am older now to so I know better. I must have grown out of my bad behavior?
It's all getting so close to home for me. I live ONE TOWN OVER from Newport News in South East Virginia and I used to have a business in Newport News not far from Richneck Elementary School.
That is an interesting hypothesis. I noticed in some ancient Sumerian relief that one of the characters has six fingers (like nephelim). Other tales point out they may have enslaved mankind to dig up gold for them. Not sure what to believe.
What makes us unique? God. All of us copy others. As we grow up, parents, siblings, and then at school. Movie characters and so on. That’s a survival trait. To get over it, go to God and ask to be as He wants you to be. I asked to be changed whee He wanted me to change. He changed me from a miserable SOB with an attitude to a better SOB to more like Jesus (attitude) every day. Still an SOB, but then, our women think that complimentary to one’s mother.
6-year-old shooter. Hitler said, “I want to raise a generation of young people that will be void of a conscious, relentless, imperious, and cruel.” Looks like the liberals go their way. And: “If there is no God, everything is permissible.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
That kid needs a mother and a father to raise him up. When kids don't have a father around, then the boys get out of control. Yes, and God is very important in that equation. That's why when I grew up, you were not allowed to say divorce, abortions, sex, any swear words at the dinner table or anywhere. Kids knew there were consequences, like a belt, switch, or smart mouth face slap. Lol, more discipline back then, so kids didn't get out of control. I have a feeling this six year old was never told, NO, nor spanked.
Mommy is important till about that age for boys and girls. Then Dad is central. But, with us, men do not strike a child unless it's to stop him from having bursting an artery LOL. Mom had no qualms about using a belt on us even in a store. If dad were there all it took was the look. I used it a lot raising mine. My oldest is 55, and even now if he gets it, he stops what he's doing. His grandchildren are the same. And, dads are more loved than moms, tho a mother is more respected.
My mother was the slapper. My father got the belt out. Once I hit 13, it was off to boarding school. I kept blocking the slaps, and was too old to spank. So, they needed to get me somewhere else. Our headmaster had a board of education cricket paddle on his wall, but at the time in the school corporal punishment was outlawed or on its way out. So, 25 laps at 0500hrs on the track was the puishment for egregious infractions, while Saturday detention was the usual for minor infractions.
Millions of Patriots are swarming Congress, Presidential palace, and Supreme Court. When I say millions, it is not hyperbole. Some Patriots have been shot, but the mass of Patriots are forcing police to retreat, and some are taking selfies with the Patriots. 68 days of protests have culminated into a probable overthrow of a corrupt marxist puppet regime. It brings tears to my eyes! Down with Lula! Prosecute, and Execute!
A second report stated, "tens of thousands of protesters." However, in the body of the narrative, the report stated "millions."
So I will settle for 500,000. That's good enough. Add all those Indios in there too. The communists are mistreating Chief Sere( sp? ). He has medical ailments, and needs his medicine. He has a wife and many children too.
Indeed there is pleasure in sin. My youth was spent in seeking pleasure through any and all means and I was quite successful at finding it but I was seemingly so tempted by the world that I would've destroyed myself if God didn't intervene.
He called me at a young age (16 years) and I answered the call. It didn't last though - 2 maybe 3 months and I was back in the world with my old friends with one major difference - I could not longer enjoy my favorite drug, pot.
After I accepted God in Christ Jesus and was born again, an event that was absolutely life changing for me, smoking pot made me feel TERRIBLE forever after. So I stuck to my second favorite, beer. I experimented with other drugs and fornicated; I was a drummer in a few hard rock bands with the serious goal of becoming a rock star (c 1980); We actually lived as though we were, without the riches however and I drank and drugged all the while with chicks coming out of the woodwork to get to us (more often than not landing in my lap). I can't say I didn't have fun because that would be a lie.
I was SOOOO restless as a youth and God allowed me to play around but He removed the comfort of the Holy Spirit from me and I was terrified of death at times, especially on my motorcycles. He will allow us to stray. I don't recommend it though.
I played around throughout my 20s and at age 30 He called me again. THIS time it was to last. I began reading and studying and praying and one day while praying held up both of my hands to Him and said, "These are now YOURS Lord. Please use them as you will". In two weeks I secured my dream job out of state, (from a company that had sent me in response to my sending a resume a "thanks but no thanks" letter a year prior which suddenly called me out of the blue). It was far away from old friends (and girlfriends) and I've been using these same hands ever since. I'm using them right now, as a matter of fact, typing on this substack.
I love to write and to read and investigate truth and to tell others what God has done for me and sharing the Gospel everywhere I go, even that we are in the very last of the end days and we Christians expect Him to part this reality and snatch us up and away before pouring out His WRATH on this earth. Most people don't like to hear about that but I can't keep quiet about the truth and the Bible is the ONLY Truth I have found on this planet! Blessings to you sir in your journey as we wait.
I hear ya, Jim. Walked down those paths in my youth, but quit. Then many years later, I lost some relatives and went back down the wrong path, and quit again. My bad spells were marked by much longer periods of good sobriety though. Only through God's grace, and age did I get the message. Now, I don't backslide. Just tough it out and ask God to help me, and he does. I have not had a sciatica flare up in over a year, and mine was bad enough to keep me awake. I swear you can cure anything with faith. Miracles are real.
Hang in there brother. It seems like a very long journey but what is it when we consider eternity? When we have been with Him for 10,000 years we will look back on this (I think) and He will allow us to see how insignificant our 80 years were here in the scope of eternity! And yes, as we age, He increases our faith if we allow Him and don't resist His changing of us. In fact it is the faith OF Christ that strengthens us. See Galatians 2:20 KJV (all other versions have changed that tiny but most important word to IN Christ) That is what is wrong with the new versions; they have 16,000 changes and/or complete omissions from the KJV text.
Hi and thanks… Which site? The newsletter? Or the .org? Mobile or desktop? I think substack is pushing using their app on mobile. This is maybe why there is a problem on your phone… is it online again? Thanks,
It says 403 not found, then it wants me to copy and paste, and click an agree button. Seems sketchy. Just woke up and it's still that way. I have strangesounds added to my shortcuts, but no apps for it. Maybe that's the problem, like you said? Not sure. I'll figure it out.
Mountain Man Video. Know Thy Self:
If you live out in the wilderness, you will know yourself better, and get closer to God. I guarantee it.
I didn't know myself very well until I knew God as I know Him now. Here is how I do it. In deep prayer, meditating on my own being, thinking of nothing else, on my knees in submission to God (most important step in identifying oneself) I thought about my BEING. Exactly WHAT am I? As far as I could ascertain, I am and I am a being therefore, I am SOME thing.
The only self-evident characteristics of ME is that I THINK and it seems that I am free to think about anything that I desire so that means I am a thinking being that has free will to do and to think as I please. I also have been given a choice to think good thoughts or evil. Sometimes, I think evil and do not know why. This evil thinking is dreadful and I realize I must rid myself of it somehow but I don't know how.
Moreover, I have SENSES. I can PERCEIVE things outside of me by my senses but that is a topic for another conversation. For now, I think only of my being, that is my THOUGHTS. But what was I before I was me? At this level it is impossible to imagine that I could be NOTHING but that is exactly what I WAS before I was a BEING. What's more, there are many OTHER beings just like me that have the same free will as I do and they also were NOTHING at some time in the past.
How, then, did we come to be? To me that is a simple question to answer but it seems that there are many like me, with being who complicate this beyond logic. Judging by the complexity that I perceive about myself, I must conclude that I am a complex being with intricate proclivities making me unique from others. By reducing myself down to an individual being capable of free thoughts and feelings and imagining my NON-existence, I come to what many philosophers have called "The Abyss". I don't arrive at the same place at all but I see that I am MOST THANKFUL to Whoever MADE me from what I used to be...nothing.
I am not a chance occurrence of cells, tissues, organs and systems, I realize the TRUTH that I am a CREATED BEING, having once been nothing but then brought into existence by a Being much, much Higher than myself and I am a PRODUCT of the Imagination of that Being Who at once thought me up and formed me together from NOTHING.
So, then, what do I owe to this Being without Whom I would still be NOTHING? EVERYTHING is what I owe Him and I realize that I must SEEK Him out to know Him better and to learn about Him so that I could express my thankfulness to Him.
I sought the world's (other's) ideas about God and found that every one of them was man's own effort to get to Him by some action of their own, in addition, the world religions have MANY often capricious gods who battle with each other. As a common sense being, I see the intricacy of nature, especially my own body, and realize that no group of jealous, competing beings could ever agree on something as complex as the "Code of Life" which we see everywhere we look even within us so that leaves us with the choice of knowing that there must be only ONE Being that could be responsible for everything. (sadly, most won't make this investigation because they have believed the lie of Darwinism which claims that NOBODY is responsible; that CHANCE made us)
So, where do we go to look for this Being who is responsible for creating everything including us? I narrowed the field down to just two choices; the Koran, which speaks of a being called Allah or the Bible which speaks of a Being called Jehovah. I looked into both, scrutinizing them, looking for this Person or Being who created everything. I found the Koran to be full of contradictions, wickedness, even pedophilia (Allah's main prophet was married to a nine year old girl). T
he Bible speaks of a God Who exists in THREE Eternal Parts who is HOLY and without any darkness in Him. The Bible tells the History of Him and His interaction with sinful people. It shows how He intervened and paid the penalty for our sinfulness by HIMSELF by giving His Life in the most cruel and torturous way, shedding His Blood for any who would follow Him and put their FAITH in Him. He proved that He was God by rising from the dead as He told hundreds of years earlier by His prophets.
But this book called the Bible is different. It reads YOU when you study it. That is because it is PRESERVED by its Author. You will understand if you read it (whoever you are reading this comment) because it exposes us as the flawed, selfish, wicked persons that we are and shows that EVERYONE He has created has this flaw and needs a SAVIOR.
I began this lengthy comment by sharing how it is that I have come to know myself, first by using my free thought to think about who and what I am and where I came from. It is a pity that so many people have followed ANOTHER'S WORLDVIEW never having made an honest investigation for themselves as I have described here and they will, if they don't address the issue of who THEY are themselves will follow those to eternal death. We live in an age where EVERYTHING is a lie because of the rampant deception and the programing of those listening. WAKE UP! Time is now so very short.
Please send me your home adress at this mail: mpetitat@gmail.com
I would be happy to send you my home address if you will tell me please why it is that you want it. I don't generally give out that kind of info over the internet but I have been coming to this substack for nearly a year now and I think I can trust you but one can't be too careful in this age, I'm sure you'll agree.
I felt the same, but I trust Manuel.
Yeah Jim,
Praying to Jehovah(The Father) Christ(his son) and The Holy Spirit(The Father and Son manifest on earth)is my regimen. When I looked at the teachings of the Koran, I could tell that was not for me either. I keep it simple when I pray. I like to ask for God's help in understanding the Bible too. I stick to my regimen every day. Full ten years now. My life is much better. May not be as exciting as when I was indulging in the devil's temptations, but my problems are miniscule compared to the old days of hedonism. I am older now to so I know better. I must have grown out of my bad behavior?
For a little gift
It's all getting so close to home for me. I live ONE TOWN OVER from Newport News in South East Virginia and I used to have a business in Newport News not far from Richneck Elementary School.
Yes, this story with the small kid is so sad... I wouldn't like to be the parents...
On that Annunaki bag:
That is an interesting hypothesis. I noticed in some ancient Sumerian relief that one of the characters has six fingers (like nephelim). Other tales point out they may have enslaved mankind to dig up gold for them. Not sure what to believe.
What makes us unique? God. All of us copy others. As we grow up, parents, siblings, and then at school. Movie characters and so on. That’s a survival trait. To get over it, go to God and ask to be as He wants you to be. I asked to be changed whee He wanted me to change. He changed me from a miserable SOB with an attitude to a better SOB to more like Jesus (attitude) every day. Still an SOB, but then, our women think that complimentary to one’s mother.
6-year-old shooter. Hitler said, “I want to raise a generation of young people that will be void of a conscious, relentless, imperious, and cruel.” Looks like the liberals go their way. And: “If there is no God, everything is permissible.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
That kid needs a mother and a father to raise him up. When kids don't have a father around, then the boys get out of control. Yes, and God is very important in that equation. That's why when I grew up, you were not allowed to say divorce, abortions, sex, any swear words at the dinner table or anywhere. Kids knew there were consequences, like a belt, switch, or smart mouth face slap. Lol, more discipline back then, so kids didn't get out of control. I have a feeling this six year old was never told, NO, nor spanked.
Mommy is important till about that age for boys and girls. Then Dad is central. But, with us, men do not strike a child unless it's to stop him from having bursting an artery LOL. Mom had no qualms about using a belt on us even in a store. If dad were there all it took was the look. I used it a lot raising mine. My oldest is 55, and even now if he gets it, he stops what he's doing. His grandchildren are the same. And, dads are more loved than moms, tho a mother is more respected.
My mother was the slapper. My father got the belt out. Once I hit 13, it was off to boarding school. I kept blocking the slaps, and was too old to spank. So, they needed to get me somewhere else. Our headmaster had a board of education cricket paddle on his wall, but at the time in the school corporal punishment was outlawed or on its way out. So, 25 laps at 0500hrs on the track was the puishment for egregious infractions, while Saturday detention was the usual for minor infractions.
Brasilia is Killing Communism:
Millions of Patriots are swarming Congress, Presidential palace, and Supreme Court. When I say millions, it is not hyperbole. Some Patriots have been shot, but the mass of Patriots are forcing police to retreat, and some are taking selfies with the Patriots. 68 days of protests have culminated into a probable overthrow of a corrupt marxist puppet regime. It brings tears to my eyes! Down with Lula! Prosecute, and Execute!
Correction:
A second report stated, "tens of thousands of protesters." However, in the body of the narrative, the report stated "millions."
So I will settle for 500,000. That's good enough. Add all those Indios in there too. The communists are mistreating Chief Sere( sp? ). He has medical ailments, and needs his medicine. He has a wife and many children too.
Indeed there is pleasure in sin. My youth was spent in seeking pleasure through any and all means and I was quite successful at finding it but I was seemingly so tempted by the world that I would've destroyed myself if God didn't intervene.
He called me at a young age (16 years) and I answered the call. It didn't last though - 2 maybe 3 months and I was back in the world with my old friends with one major difference - I could not longer enjoy my favorite drug, pot.
After I accepted God in Christ Jesus and was born again, an event that was absolutely life changing for me, smoking pot made me feel TERRIBLE forever after. So I stuck to my second favorite, beer. I experimented with other drugs and fornicated; I was a drummer in a few hard rock bands with the serious goal of becoming a rock star (c 1980); We actually lived as though we were, without the riches however and I drank and drugged all the while with chicks coming out of the woodwork to get to us (more often than not landing in my lap). I can't say I didn't have fun because that would be a lie.
I was SOOOO restless as a youth and God allowed me to play around but He removed the comfort of the Holy Spirit from me and I was terrified of death at times, especially on my motorcycles. He will allow us to stray. I don't recommend it though.
I played around throughout my 20s and at age 30 He called me again. THIS time it was to last. I began reading and studying and praying and one day while praying held up both of my hands to Him and said, "These are now YOURS Lord. Please use them as you will". In two weeks I secured my dream job out of state, (from a company that had sent me in response to my sending a resume a "thanks but no thanks" letter a year prior which suddenly called me out of the blue). It was far away from old friends (and girlfriends) and I've been using these same hands ever since. I'm using them right now, as a matter of fact, typing on this substack.
I love to write and to read and investigate truth and to tell others what God has done for me and sharing the Gospel everywhere I go, even that we are in the very last of the end days and we Christians expect Him to part this reality and snatch us up and away before pouring out His WRATH on this earth. Most people don't like to hear about that but I can't keep quiet about the truth and the Bible is the ONLY Truth I have found on this planet! Blessings to you sir in your journey as we wait.
I hear ya, Jim. Walked down those paths in my youth, but quit. Then many years later, I lost some relatives and went back down the wrong path, and quit again. My bad spells were marked by much longer periods of good sobriety though. Only through God's grace, and age did I get the message. Now, I don't backslide. Just tough it out and ask God to help me, and he does. I have not had a sciatica flare up in over a year, and mine was bad enough to keep me awake. I swear you can cure anything with faith. Miracles are real.
Hang in there brother. It seems like a very long journey but what is it when we consider eternity? When we have been with Him for 10,000 years we will look back on this (I think) and He will allow us to see how insignificant our 80 years were here in the scope of eternity! And yes, as we age, He increases our faith if we allow Him and don't resist His changing of us. In fact it is the faith OF Christ that strengthens us. See Galatians 2:20 KJV (all other versions have changed that tiny but most important word to IN Christ) That is what is wrong with the new versions; they have 16,000 changes and/or complete omissions from the KJV text.
KJV is what I use too. 👍
Huntsman Spiders:
Good grief, those aren't cute as the narrator states. Those are fricken scary!
Hi and thanks… Which site? The newsletter? Or the .org? Mobile or desktop? I think substack is pushing using their app on mobile. This is maybe why there is a problem on your phone… is it online again? Thanks,
Manuel
Sorry the .org and on mobile.
It says 403 not found, then it wants me to copy and paste, and click an agree button. Seems sketchy. Just woke up and it's still that way. I have strangesounds added to my shortcuts, but no apps for it. Maybe that's the problem, like you said? Not sure. I'll figure it out.
Thanks! Maybe try to clear your cache... Sometimes it solves the issue... Because everything is green on my side...
Reboot your phone.