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Finally, 5 of 5 ...
When the children were young, I recall traveling nearly 500 miles to my parents' home. They'd ask, "Are we there yet?"
We'd stop for ice cream many times along the way, and they got used to those places ...so, the trip didn't seem so long. Never did they say, "We've had enough ice cream, can we go back now."
Thanks for taking this long journey with me. Hopefully you were able to consume some ice cream while reading.
Don't turn back ...we are almost there!
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Shannon and Leah sit down together.
Shannon appeals, "Stan ...we had attended those classes together, then later were baptized on the same day. We both professed that we believe Jesus sacrificed His own life ...yes, He died so we can be saved. Saved from what? Well ...who is happy with how the earth is now? We need to be saved from this madness ...but, we don't know if we are going to be spared from what is happening now. What we can look forward to ...is that we can be spared from this happening over and over again, for eternity. Heaven will not have this kind of madness. And if we want to be with God for eternity, then why would we not want to be with Him now?"
Leah adds, "Stan ...none of us are judging you. I'm not even challenging you ...what I'm doing is appealing to you, to accept God's salvation. Fernye saved you from the fire that took the rest of your family. And while you were saving Ray and Claudia's baby, the riverbank collapsed ---and you got swept up in the current. Then George saved you. Most everyone loved you, Stan ...and you seemed to love us, but as loving as it is for those of us ---like what Fernye and George did, and you did for Ray and Claudia's child, saving each other in this life does not equate with us being 'saved' for eternity."
Josiah stands behind Leah and Shannon, resting a hand on each of their shoulders, "Let me give a little personal history, not to just you, Stan, but to everyone. A few generations ago, Dad's mom feared her own dad ---Roy Razohn. She didn't fear him because of a misunderstanding ...she had much reason to fear him. People used to fear God too, but for different reasons. They didn't really know Him. They saw what God could do, and they feared Him. Dad's mom also saw what her dad could do. Roy Razohn demanded respect. Thinking that there has to be fear for there to be 'respect' ...well, that is not true. It is better to respect out of love."
Samuel stands alongside, joining his brother, "I never feared Dad while growing up ...as he wasn't here. I witnessed the love from my older brother and sisters ...and the videos helped too. What I feared, was a doubt that I should never have allowed to creep into my head ...a fear that perhaps Dad would not love me. I collected all the clippings from articles about Dad's disappearance ...and all of them were not favorable. I had to look at what I was told by those who 'knew' him, and try to not get taken down the path of those who care less about 'truth' and more about creating mere sensationalism. And even though I embraced the moments that Shannon had video-taped ...there had to be more. I needed more. When God's people fled slavery in Egypt, they wandered in the desert. They had memories ...and they didn't have a video to hold their memories. They built an Ark of the Covenant ---and put memories in it, including the manna God had provided them, the rod of Aaron that had budded, and two tablets bearing the Ten Commandments. After that they had more added ...as God dictated to Moses what to tell the people. Though, just like us, the people often didn't follow what they said they believed. I'll let Joe tell you that part ...he's good with reasoning that part."
Josiah pats him on the back, "You do fine, Sam ...like you said, God told Moses what to write. So many people have said that Moses didn't understand what we understand today, so he just wrote it the way he observed it. But, Moses wasn't around when everything happened in the beginning, and I'm referring to the first couple Chapters of Genesis. He wrote of what God had him write. And other people say that Moses wasn't around at all, or that it was an overinflated image that Moses had of himself while recalling his journeys. When I mention that Jesus spoke of Moses ---in the Gospel of John, Chapter 5, verses 46 & 47 ---'For had you believed Moses, you would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe My words.' And to that ...they say those verses are corrupted, as they are not the Synoptic Gospels, and it is doubtful Moses even existed. Yet, if you look into the Synoptic Gospels ---Chapter 17 of Matthew; and Chapter 9 of both Mark and Luke ---all three speak of the transfiguration, where both Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus. So, if the Gospel of John is thought to be corrupted, and Matthew, Mark, and Luke cannot accurately describe or quote Jesus ---then what do we trust as our source of believing at all?"
Stephen stands between Josiah and Samuel, giving them an approving tap on the back, " There is a part of the Bible that I had pondered much about. Also in Gospel of Matthew, if I recall, I think it is also in Matthew. Thank you, Josiah ---he was just holding up seven fingers, so it would be in the 7th Chapter of Matthew where Jesus tells of people calling Him, Lord, ---and doing many wonders in His Name, yet He says He never knew them. The first part of the Chapter says to 'judge not', and I am not judging anyone ...it is just a concern of mine. And what does it mean to know?"
Samuel gives Dad a side hug, "Sorry to interrupt, Dad ...but, a person can know certain things by hearing of them. I knew about you, but you didn't know I existed. In my case, 'knowing' was something that was shared with me ...as we couldn't interact. On the other hand, God knows everything about all of us, so to those He would say 'He never knew them', it is not like areas of the earth where they haven't heard ...I believe God looks at their understanding a bit different. And from what we hear from missionaries, like Shannon here, when those people hear of salvation through Jesus, they more readily receive and embrace that truth than many of us who have heard many times over and over. Yet, the verse you mentioned doesn't appear to be addressing the people who have not heard, and who don't yet 'know'. The 'knowing' is a 'developing' relationship ...a two-way thing."
Cindy slips in, snuggling between Shannon and Leah ---speaking of two, and speaking of 'knowing' ---I decided not to wait to tell Dad this time. I just found out, and shared it last evening with him ---that we are going to have another child. I'm obviously not too old, and we will hopefully do the full 'training up the child' together this time. When our baby comes, either he or she, will be told about God ...and for certain 'know' how we believe.
Upon hearing the news of another sibling for the first time, Leah and Shannon snuggle close to Mom, and Josiah and Samuel put an arm around Dad.
Stephen puts an arm around his sons, then leans forward ...moving them into a huge hug of six ...actually, seven.
Stephen mentions that we should all know that God made sure that we had the rich history of His love, then also affirmed that love by Jesus being born as man ---to soon correct the ways that had gone wrong, and to set us on the path to truth. The truth of Jesus has been preserved for us ...we have the choice to believe. We can know ...we should all know. And we should tell others so they can know ...know Him.
Cindy turns around and smiles at Stephen, "I'm also so happy to know you love me ...and how much I love you."
The camera pans away as Stephen and Cindy kiss ...
moving about the room, showing all the residents from the walled community;
an additional community ---an entire orphan population, supervised by Angelo;
and most of Missionary Island. The camera focuses in one person standing alone.
But, he has a big grin on his face. It is Larry.
The camera focuses in one person standing alone.
But, he has a big grin on his face.
It is Larry.
Larry eagerly shares, "My entire life so many people thought I was crazy, but I'm so thankful for this family ...and all the things they have shared with me. I think one would be crazy not to believe. Well, maybe not crazy ...but certainly it would be so sad. The Bible tells us what we need to believe.
Evolve confuse
******To not hold the Bible as our authority for Truth, is not a testimony to God,
but merely to ourselves only."
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