Let Your Will Be Done: Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

“Nonetheless, let your will be done.”

Zeke was still contemplating what was meant by that when his eyelids unstuck and everything froze.  No, not literally, but it was close enough.  For the brook stopped babbling, snowflakes hung suspended in midair and another version of himself stood motionless before him with a look of great shock on his face.

He was surely not the only one.  For Zeke could imagine having an equally shocked look on his own face and that it was becoming more and more pronounced as the memories of the other Zeke flooded into his mind.

To be perfectly honest about it, Zeke had to admit to himself that he was quite envious of the life the other Zeke had lived.  Then all of the proverbial dots connected and Zeke understood what was going on.

Talk about one’s life flashing before their eyes at the point of physical death.  Here Zeke was watching the life of another version of himself flashing before his eyes, and his mind was reeling from the implication possibly being that at least one of them was about to die.  For both versions could not remain in existence.

“Yes, the time has come for you to choose.”

Zeke looked over to see that Christ Jesus was still sitting beside him, and Zeke honestly did not know how to answer His question.  So, he decided to stall until his mind settled down a bit.

“How long have I been here?”

“Not as long as you think, Zeke.”

“A thousand years is like a day?”

“Something like that.”

When Christ Jesus saw Zeke’s brow start to furrow, He exclaimed with a great deal of exasperation, “Really?  You are trying to do the math?”

“Sorry.”

“If you must know, you have been here long enough to be covered in snow, which has been a little more than an hour in total.”

“Yet, I do not feel cold.”

“Quite amazing—isn’t it?”

“Please tell me what will happen to the other version of myself if I decide to remain as I am now?”

“He and everything about his world will cease to exist, and it will be as if his reality never existed.”

“Just like that—huh?”

“What purpose would be served by prolonging the inevitable?”

“Please forgive me for being dim-witted.  For I am not doubting what You had placed into written form.  Neither am I doubting what You have personally taught me.  Nonetheless, it is still rather hard to comprehend that You would create anything not meant to last forever.”

“That is perfectly understandable from a very limited ground-based point of view, but I wanted to create something truly perfect from My own much, much higher perception.  That could be considered awfully selfish if it was not true that nothing would exist unless I created it to begin with and that I have a right to do with what I have created for My own good pleasure as I please.  Speaking of such, how do you think you did with what you created?”

“Are You talking about the life of the other version of myself?”

“Yes.”

“I would not consider that to be a creation—certainly not in comparison to what You have done.  For it was just a different life in this world that You created.”

“Yes, but the course of that life was of your own design.  For I stayed out of the way as much as possible.”

“Perhaps, but if it is indeed true that there is nothing good about us apart from You, You were still very involved in His life.  For he was full of very good ideas meant to benefit as many as possible, and he made very good decisions to accomplish all that he wanted to.  How could that have happened unless You were involved in the process?”

“Were those ideas and decisions really as good as they naturally seemed to be?  For where did they lead?”

“They led to a much better life for a great, great many all over this world.”

“Then what?”

“Then what, what?”

“What did all of that supposed good do for anyone after their time as a part of this world came to an end?”

“I see where you are going with that, and he was in perfect physical condition.  Surely someone so intelligent would start contemplating what might come next as the end of his own time in this world drew nearer.”

“What guarantee did he have that the next breath he took would not be his last one?  Besides, you have his thoughts and feelings, how likely would it be that he would want to humbly accept that his life had never been his own and want to embrace Me as being His own Lord and Savior?”

“Not very likely.  For he was well satisfied with the life he had lived and had never felt a need to be saved from anything—not even death.”

“Even with all of that education and My existence clearly on display everywhere he looked, he never wanted to look beyond the naturally obvious.  He conceded to himself that he would be willing to consider anything as long as there was empirical evidence to support it, and I provided much more than that of My existence.  Just the simple fact of this world being as it naturally is should be ample evidence in and of itself that there is much more going on than naturally comes to meet physical sight, but he saw little value in the pursuit of such knowledge.  Again, were his ideas and decisions really as good as they naturally seemed to be?”

“They were certainly better than the ideas and decisions I have made!  Where would I be if You had not visibly appeared before me?  You could have done the same for him.”

“You are giving that way too much credit.  Granted, allowing you to actually see into the spiritual realm has been part of My plan in order to accomplish all that I wanted to in and through you, but you have always been free to believe what you wanted to.  How can you be so sure that what you are experiencing now is not just another demonic delusion?”

“Faith?”

“Yes, but faith in what?  Billions have had great faith in what they wanted to believe is the truth, but did that make it true?”

The witness of Your Holy Spirit and what You provided as written confirmation in Your Scriptures makes a huge difference!”

“Yes, and in far too many cases, demonic manipulation has even more influence for the good.  You can certainly testify to this being indeed true in both lives.”

“Oh?”

“When I told you before that I had stayed out of the way as much as possible during the life of the other Zeke, this also included shielding him from any demonic exploitation of his natural weaknesses.  Consequently, he truly believed that he was pure of heart, and he was not wise enough to recognize that the way he wanted to go was leading to destruction.”

“But he was not prideful!”

“Not overtly in the way that pride is normally manifested, and he was quite willing to share credit with others whenever possible.  Nonetheless, did he not honestly believe that he was the driving force behind all of those projects meant for the good of others, and did he give any thought to sharing that credit with his Creator?  How could he?  For he was unwilling to pursue knowledge of possibly being created despite seeing clear evidence all around him that the universe could not have just happened to come to be as a matter of random chance.  Whereas, after it was made abundantly clear to you just how naturally willing you were to use any means at your disposal to get what you wanted, you were perfectly willing to accept that you were not pure of heart and in desperate need of a Savior.”

“I wish you would have put a halt to my evil inclinations before they caused so much harm to so many people.”

“Do you not know that in all things I work for the good of those who love Me and have been called according to My purposes?”

“Hey, why not combine our lives?  You could insert me into the remainder of his life, and I could use the popularity to give You all of the credit for the reforms and new government practices?”

“Would you really want to deprive your Jenny of spending all of eternity with Me in My Kingdom as an heir to all that is Mine in glory?”

“No, but it just seems like such a shame to erase all of the truly good things that were accomplished.  Surely there is a way to reign in capitalism, remove governmental incompetence and corruption, along with You receiving all of the credit.”

“I assure You that much would be very different if this world was meant to last, and the other government was based on My open rule over this world for a thousand years, which will begin after the antichrist’s reign of terror.  This world will be repopulated by the 144,000 I set aside for Myself, and all who were martyred because of Me down through the ages will be resurrected to rule with Me.  This is the first resurrection, and all of the rest in Me will be rise during the great rapture that has been woefully misunderstood.  Many have wanted to believe that the rapture will come before the antichrist is revealed while others have wanted to believe that it will come before he starts slaughtering those who have not taken his mark, but the absolute truth of the matter truly is that the rapture will come just before this world is utterly destroyed by fire after Satan is released from his chains and allowed to deceive the nations again.  Even after a thousand years of My open reign over this world, Satan will be able to muster an army of millions to march against Me.”

“How can this be?”

“Because those under My rule will have the same freedom to choose whom they would serve as mankind has always had.  As it has been down through the ages when I allowed My flock to wander off before gathering them back, the first few generations will truly accept Me as being their Lord, and then more and more from each succeeding generation will wander off to follow their own path.  Some will only pretend to be Mine because of being afraid of what might happen to them if they do not while others will only pretend to be Mine out of their greed for personal gain  By the time for Satan to be released, over half of this world’s population will readily accept what he has to say and openly defy Me.  Those who remained Mine will be caught up with Me in the sky while those who rejected Me will be consumed by the fire that will melt even the elements this world is made of.”

“While we are on the subject of destruction, You said something earlier that is bothering me.  For You said that apart from You there is no life.  Therefore, does this mean that You are still with those suffering in Hell?”

“The short answer is, yes, but this will end when they are cast into the Lake of Fire, come Judgment Day.”

“If You do not mind me asking, what is the long answer?”

“As you already know and understand, I am everywhere, all of the time.  Those who want to truly have a very close and personal relationship with Me are made more and more acutely aware of My presence always being there, depending on what I want to accomplish in and through each individual, but even those who do not want to believe that they were created, nor that I exist, know deep down within themselves that someone or something is with them.  Despite what far too many insist, they know that they are not all on their own.  That is, at least not until their time as a part of this world comes to an end.  For the wicked in Hell can no longer feel My presence.  Yes, I remain with them for as long as their spirit is alive, but as far as they know, they are alone.  Much has been made of the imagery of being tormented in the lames, but it is the feeling of being alone that is the greatest torment the wicked face.”

“Why could they not just cease to exist after their time as a part of this world comes to an end?”

“The creation of Hell was an integral part of the plan that I set into motion long before I laid the foundation of this world.  For it is another thing that requires giving Me the full benefit of considerable doubts.  After all, how could I truly be so full of goodness and mercy and have created such a place?  No, nothing should be taken too much for granted.  For those whom have been given eyes to see have much to look more closely at, and those whom have been given ears to hear have much to listen more intently to.  Seekers find much comfort in believing that there is much that mankind is not meant to understand at this time.  For if they ever found what they profess to be looking for, they could no longer be seekers, and seeking to them is really just an excuse for not wanting to humbly accept what I actually say is absolutely true.  Yet, I am found by those who do not seek Me, and those who find Me no longer have to seek.  No, this is not to say that one should be perfectly content with what they think they may have at a given time, but those who truly know Me know that I have the answer to every question.  They ask My counsel, and I give it to them.  My true children by faith hunger and thirst for more and more of Me.  Those who really do not want anymore not only cheat themselves out of receiving all that they could, they also cheat Me out of receiving all that I could.  What is often considered enough for one or another is seldom enough for Me, but there will come a day when it will stop.  For on that day, my children by faith will know Me as completely as I have always known them.  I assure you that joy will abound far beyond natural comprehension on that day”

“No more need for faith?”

“No, there will always be a need.  For my children by faith will not be made as all-powerful and all-knowing as I am.  Therefore, they will need to have faith that I will keep My promise that joy will abound forevermore until forevermore ends, and since forevermore can never end, faith will continue to be required.  After all, I could change My mind and break My promise.  Yes, I have said that I do not change, but how can anyone be sure without faith?”

“You alluded to the wicked ceasing to exist when they are cast into the Lake of Fire, come Judgment Day.  Not being tormented forever and ever sure turns down the heat on Hellfire and brimstone sermons.”

“No, not at all.  For spending even just one second separated from My love and support is more terrifying than can be naturally comprehended.  Therefore, it does not matter if one is in Hell for one second or for all of eternity.  For the torment is the same.  Yes, the existence and reality of Hell should not be shied away from among unbelievers, but anyone who just seeks to avoid being sent there is of no satisfaction to Me.  For I want as many as will to want to spend all of eternity with Me—not just escape condemnation.  Neither do I want those who only call Me Lord out of their desire for personal gain.”

“I know that You will wipe away every tear and that there will be no more pain or suffering in Your Kingdom, but it is hard for me to imagine Your Kingdom not being awash with our tears of great sorrow for those who will not be spending all of eternity with us, as well as tears of joy in great celebration of the struggle finally being over.”

“You are correct.  For even tears of joy flow from a wellspring of pain and suffering, and joy is dampened by the memory of past pain and suffering from trials and tribulations.  Could you be truly joyful if your Jenny was not there to spend all of eternity with you in My Kingdom?  How about your parents and Blue Wolf?  With you seeing things as completely as I do, would you not also mourn the loss of Ghost Owl and even your Grandfather Jeremiah?  Therefore, all memory of life in this in this world will be erased, and it will be as if it never happened for all of My children by faith.”

“Then how would we know our loved ones?”

“I assure you that all of My children by faith will be delirious with joy and not wanting for anyone or anything.  Life there has to be experienced to be fully understood, and as with many other things, it has to be taken on faith that I am telling you truthfully.”

“Would You not want us to remember forever and ever all that You have done for us?”

“It is enough that I will know and remember that all of My children still wanted to give Me the full benefit of their considerable doubts despite it naturally appearing much more likely that I created most, if not all, of mankind to be the objects of My scorn—certainly not My affections, and I will pour out My gratitude upon them for all of eternity.  All that I have done has been for My good pleasure, and I will spend all of eternity rejoicing in those who wanted to be Mine.  No memory of the wicked will remain in My children by faith.  No memory of pain and suffering.  Only boundless joy that goes far beyond natural comprehension will remain, and that is why I said that life in My Kingdom has to be experienced to be fully understood.”

“Whoa, I just thought my mind was reeling before.  Is what you are telling me about Heaven and Hell new?”

“No, indications of such are in My Scriptures.”

“I still wish they were easier to read.  For what is written here corresponds with what is written there while this seems to contradict it unless that is taken into account.”

“I assure that if My Holy Bible was meant as a book of instruction, My Scriptures would have been as easy to comprehend as a children’s nursery rhyme, but I have never wanted mankind to learn about Me and My ways on their own.  How could they?  For My ways are much higher than mankind’s, and what I want to accomplish is beyond natural comprehension.  Therefore, I had My Scriptures written in such a way to encourage as many as will to truly seek My counsel so that they could fully understand.  Take as an example the kind of relationship I want to have with My children by faith while they are still in this world.  For on the one hand, it is like the kind of relationship that a good parent should have with their own children, but on the other, it is more like a good marriage between a husband and his wife.  For when someone comes to accept Me as being their own personal Lord and Savior, it is like they have become married to Me.  Then comes the marriage itself.  In a parental relationship, children cannot choose who they want as their parents no more than they can choose the blood running through their veins.  Their biological parents remain their biological parents regardless if their children want to acknowledge them or not.  Whereas, in a marriage, the couple has to choose to be together, and the relationship ends when either one does not want it to continue.  I gave mankind freewill so that they could reject Me outright or refuse to have a very close and personal relationship with Me, which is to have no relationship at all.  Would you want to spend all of eternity with someone who did not want anything to do with you?  I do not, and this is why it is not enough just to call Me Lord in the hope of escaping Hell.”

“Not all marriages are based on the choices made by the bride and groom.  For in prearranged marriages, neither have a choice if they do not want to face the wrath of their society.  Some could still argue that our marriages to You are prearranged like that since You already knew who would accept Your proposal.  Furthermore, Your wrath will be directed at those who would not.”

“Yes, but they would be wrong.  For I have always wanted to have a very close and personal relationship with every person I have created, but I will not force Myself on anyone.  Now, it is true that I will pour out My wrath upon the wicked, come Judgment Day, but I assure you that this will have much more to do with My heartbreak over their rejection of Me than any sort of self-righteous indignation.  The wicked will insist that it is not justified while those who truly know Me will understand.”

“There is one huge difference between our earthly parents and You.  For it is considered the responsibility of earthly parents to prepare their children to do well on their own for the day when they can no longer be there for their children.  Whereas, You will always be there for us.”

“Yes, and demonic doctrine does not distinguish between the two, which encourages the wicked to believe that they are on their own and that they cannot enter into My Kingdom until they have perfected themselves.  My grace is of no value to them.  Hence, pride leads to destruction.”

“You are the Truth who can set us free.”

“Yes, and it is all so very simple when all of the religious traditions are moved out of the way.  For how could it be possible for anyone to prove themselves worthy of My favor when I have known everything that there will be to ever know about everyone since long before I created mankind?  No, this is not to say that sound doctrine should be cast away in favor of pure faith.  For sound doctrine is of Me and meant to help mankind to know and understand just who I am and what I want to accomplish, but far too much of what has been taught in My name as being sound doctrine is actually demonic.  Even the glory of My Gospel has been tarnished by it being taught that it is in response to sin entering into this world, which was never meant to happen.  Come on now, how would it possible for anything to happen unless I allowed it to if I am indeed all-powerful?  Would I not have known well before the wicked thought crossed the mind of Lucifer to tempt Adam and Eve to sin if I am indeed all-knowing?  Would I have not been actually there at the time it happened if I am indeed always-present?  Besides, how could anything go wrong with what I have planned if I am indeed perfect in all of My ways?   Alas, the kind of faith that is truly of Me is not blind, nor is it deaf, but who is so blind or deaf as the one who does not want to see or hear what I want them to?”

“They honor You with their lips, but their hearts are far from You.  Their worship of You is based on what they want to believe instead of what You actually say is absolutely true.”

“Exactly.  It is no worse now than it has been in the past, but it does not have to be as bad as it is in order to accomplish My purposes.  I have chosen you and others like you to boldly proclaim what I actually say is absolutely true to an unbelieving world, starting with those who sincerely believe that they know Me well when all they really have is a semblance of knowledge about Me.  Take for another example that far too many truly believe that the Word of God is the book that I had written about Myself and what I want to accomplish.  They diligently study My Scriptures because they believe in them that they can have eternal life while refusing to truly come to Me so they can have life, and have it more abundantly.  I am the Word of God, but far too many do not want to humbly accept that this is indeed true.  For if they did, they could not think so highly of themselves.  For it would not be true that mankind is pretty much on their own and I am in need of servants from among mankind to seek and to save the lost and confused.  No, this is not to say that I do not want My children by faith to want to help with My work, but this would only be like a small child trying to help with daily chores around their home.  A small child cannot be expected to truly clean a room, but a good parent should delight in their child wanting to help.  I assure you that it is the same with Me, and woe be it unto those who want to believe that they are actually doing the work.”

“Surely there is more that You can do.  You have visibly appeared before me three times.  Could you not also do that for others?”

“Blessed are they who can believe without seeing.  No, that does not mean that you have been cheated out of the full measure of blessings I have wanted you to have.  As with others before, visibly appearing before you was necessary to accomplish all that I wanted to in and through you, and I assure you that no one will be able to honestly say that they did not fully understand all that I wanted them to, come Judgment Day.”

“Okay, I am ready to go home now.”

“What about the other version of yourself?”

“If I must choose, I choose to remain as I am now.”

In less than a twinkling of the Lord’s eye, the other Zeke, along with the secret service agents and their vehicles, vanished from sight.  The remaining Zeke still wanted an answer to his question, though.

“Can I go home now?”

“No, not yet.  For I still have more to accomplish in and through you.”

“What else could be left?”  Do You want me to start preaching from street corners?”

“No, but do you not think that what you have experienced so far would make for a fascinating read in a book?”

“Who would believe it?  For I am having a hard time doing so, and I had a front row seat!”

“More than you think, but even that does not matter as much as the contents of the book will serve as further irrefutable evidence against the wicked, come Judgment Day.”

So, here I remain in this world placing all that I have experienced into written form to be published for all in this world to read.  The Source of all knowledge and understanding also remains, but what does this matter to those who do not want to believe it?

The choice is yours to make concerning whether or not to let your will be done.  May you want it to be His will, instead.