Faithful Writers

In his book “The Gifts of The Jews — How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels,” Thomas Cahill made the following profound observations. “The Jews started it all-and by " it” I mean so many of the things we care about, the underlying values that make all of us, Jew and Gentile, believer and atheist, tick. Without the Jews, we would see the world through different eyes, hear with different ears, even feel with different feelings.” And: “For better or worse, the role of the West in humanity’s history is singular. Because of this, the role of the Jews, the inventors of Western culture, is also singular: there is simply no one else remotely like them; theirs is a unique vocation. Indeed, as we shall see, the very idea of vocation, of a personal destiny, is a Jewish idea. ” What’s interesting is that Mr. Cahill attributes this monumental shift in human consciousness to Abraham’s calling from God to “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. ” I don’t think many of us realize how utterly staggering and revolutionary this calling was. In response to God’s calling, the Scriptures tell us “ WAYYELEKH AVRAM ” (“Abraham went.”) These are two of the boldest words in all literature. They mark a final departure from everything that has come before in the long evolution of culture and traditions. Before the Jews entered world history, the existing view of the cosmos was cyclical. In other words, there was no such thing as a unique event. Every event that occurs is already an event that has occurred in the past and will occur again in the future. Life was seen as part of an uncontrollable, endless, and hopeless circle of birth and death. However, once the Creator of the universe called Abraham, this circle was broken. Abraham and his progeny, the Jews, would begin seeing time differently. Once God called Abraham away from the paganism of his ancestors, time would now have a beginning and conclude with a triumphant end. To put it simply, God gave Abraham hope for the future! In a world mired in a circle of hopelessness and despair, God promised Abraham that he would have a son and eventually end up becoming the father of a great nation. Again, I reiterate, before Abraham, there was no hope for the future. All civilizations believed that man could not escape his fate. Upon hearing of Abraham’s journey, the Egyptians would have informed Abraham: “There is none born wise. Copy the forefathers. Learn what has been said in the past. And then you will set a good example.” The early Greeks might have proffered: “Remember the story of Prometheus, whose quest for the fire of the gods ended in personal disaster. Do not overreach. Come to resignation!” In India, Abraham would have been told: “Time is black, irrational, and merciless. Do not set yourself the task of accomplishing something in time, which is only the dominion of suffering.” In China, the anonymous sages would have advised: “There is no purpose in journeys or in any kind of earthly striving; the great thing is to abolish time by escaping from the law of change.” The ancestors of the Maya in America would have pointed to their circular calendars and said: “Everything that has been comes around again. Each man’s fate is fixed. Lao-Tsu and the Buddha would have told Abraham: “Do not journey but sit; compose yourself by the river of life, meditate on its ceaseless and meaningless flow-on all that is past or passing or to come-until you have absorbed the pattern and have come to peace with Great Wheel and with your own death and death of all things in the corruptible sphere.” On every continent, in every society, Abraham would have been given the same advice reflecting the cyclical worldview of the universe. Yet God called Abraham, and he went. I believe God is calling you to a new life as well. How will you respond? CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT "By trusting, Abraham obeyed, after being called to go out to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were to receive what was promised along with him. For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God." Hebrews 11:8–10 © Richoka

“But there was a famine in the land, so Avram went down into Egypt to stay there, because the famine in the land was severe.” Genesis 12:10 In the closing paragraph of Chapter 12, we are shown that even Abraham, the father of our faith, is capable of succumbing to worry and temptation when external circumstances appear severe and troublesome. The narration states that there was a famine in the land, and given its severity, we are told that Abram fled from the promised land to Egypt. This was an unworthy action because he should have trusted in God’s protection. In the Scriptures, Egypt symbolizes the world that the true follower of God is to stay away from. Egypt ALWAYS indicates slavery to the devil in the Bible. One of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of our time, Maimonides ( otherwise known as Ramban ) offered the following concerning Abraham’s decision to journey to Egypt. “The patriarch “committed a great sin inadvertently” by not trusting in God’s protection, leaving the promised land, and subjecting his righteous wife to the possibility of sexual victimization.” One mishap leads to another as Abram ends up fibbing to the Pharaoh about the true identity of his wife, Sarai, fearing that a jealous Pharaoh might have him killed on account of his wife’s beauty ( by the way, Sarai would have been about 75 years old at this time ). However, Abram’s plan backfires as the very fib he offers up becomes the very reason Pharaoh attempts to court Sarai. Nevertheless, despite Abram’s less-than-commendable actions, the Lord intervenes on his behalf and smites Pharaoh and his household with as the Scriptures say “ mighty plagues ." In the end, Abraham prospers greatly and ends up leaving with an enormous number of animals and servants. This would have been a customary bride’s price paid by the Pharaoh at the time. One point we shouldn’t miss is that right here, a pattern is established between how Israel will interact with Egypt in the future. Abraham has a scuffle with Pharaoh. God smites Egypt with mighty plagues. Abraham leaves Egypt with great wealth. There is no doubt that this event foreshadows Moses and the Exodus. © Richoka

A heartfelt response from someone whose been around that mountain (more than once) Ever feel tired of trying to “be spiritual”? I sure have. I mean, we’re middle-aged now (or past), right? We’ve been at this faith thing a good bit, and sometimes it just feels like we’re faking it. Like you’re sitting in church thinking, Am I the only one here feeling absolutely nothing? I’ve been there. Done that. I’ll pick up my Bible out of habit, glance at it, and put it right back down. Not because I don’t believe anymore. I’m just dry, like someone drained my spiritual tank while I wasn’t looking. Have you ever felt that way? Are you feeling that way right now? I have some things I’ve learned that lifts me up when I’m down. I hope they’ll help you, too. Now, you might be saying, “If you know the tips, how do you fall to the bottom of the well?” Because it’s not magic. We’re all living real life here and — for whatever reasons — I’m sometimes tripped up along the way. Even Paul — the Apostle Paul — said he was “often in perplexities” (2 Corinthians 4:8). Translation? Paul had moments when he didn’t have a clue what to do next. He got stuck, he got confused, he felt empty. It always makes me feel better knowing that Paul, Mr. Spiritual Giant himself, admitted he had times when faith wasn’t easy. So let’s drop the whole idea that mature Christians never get dry. It’s nonsense. Life’s complicated. You’ve lived long enough to know there aren’t easy answers anymore, and that’s okay. What Actually Helps When You’re Empty? First, it’s okay to admit it. Actually, it’s good. Tell God straight up how you’re feeling. No fancy prayers, no polished words. Talk like you would to your best friend after a long day. Something real, like, “God, I feel empty. Honestly, I’m not even sure I care right now. Can you help me out here?” God isn’t shocked. He’s not expecting a rehearsed theological speech. Slowing Down Helps China has a form of transportation called, “Bullet Trains.” They travel at 300 miles an hour. In our modern cultures, that’s exactly how real life feels, doesn’t it. Modern life is like being strapped to the front of the bullet train — you’re not driving it, you’re just hanging on, hoping you don’t lose your hat. Or maybe you’ve felt like this: “I tried to slow down once, but life rear-ended me with a to-do list.” I overheard someone say once, “I been goin’ so fast, I’m fixin’ to meet myself comin’ back.” Here’s the thing, though: our souls are not built for this kind of speed. We need to take intentional times of rest each day. Even if it’s five minutes. It may not feel like it at the time, but the important things in your life will wait for as little as five minutes a day. I saw this at my local coffee shop: “Sip slow. Life’s better when it’s not in a to-go cup.” But Here’s More… Besides just being honest and taking a minute to breathe, here are some practical things I’ve found helpful when my soul feels like it’s running dry: 1. Listen instead of talking. Grab your coffee, tea, or whatever you drink, and just sit somewhere quiet. Don’t try to pray or read or be spiritual. Just listen. Maybe you’ll hear the fridge humming or birds outside or your dog snoring. Let it remind you life’s still moving, and God’s still there — even if you’re not feeling it right now. 2. Connect with someone who’s honest about their struggles. Call that one friend who never pretends life is perfect. Go grab lunch or chat over the phone. Talking with someone who’s real about their own struggles reminds you you’re not alone and your dryness isn’t a failure. 3. Change your routine a little. Try something new — even if it’s tiny. Go for a walk instead of scrolling through Facebook. Maybe drive a different way to work or listen to different music. Shake things up slightly. It’s amazing how small changes can break through spiritual dullness. 4. Do something small and helpful for someone else. If you’re a woman (or a man that likes to bake), bake some cookies for your neighbor or co workers. Or, just text encouragement to someone you know is struggling. Sometimes stepping outside of our dryness and doing something simple for someone else opens a door to refreshment we didn’t see coming. 5. Keep your expectations realistic. You don’t need a big emotional experience to prove God’s grace is there. Most of the time, grace is subtle. It’s strength to face the day, not necessarily the solution to all your problems . Let yourself off the hook from expecting miracles every morning. What If Nothing Changes Right Away? Honestly? It might not. And that’s okay too. Paul reminded us clearly, “We’re perplexed, but never abandoned.” (2 Corinthians 4:9) The point is, feeling lost doesn’t mean you are lost. Feeling empty doesn’t mean you’ve run dry forever. Grace shows up in simple, quiet ways more often than in loud, dramatic moments. And remember, there’s no need to stockpile grace like toilet paper in a pandemic. It doesn’t work that way. Grace is daily, fresh, and exactly enough for each day. Tomorrow’s grace? It’ll be waiting for you tomorrow. Let’s Wrap This Up… Even when you’re empty and spiritually dry, grace is always right there — simple, ready, and waiting. God sees your emptiness, understands it fully, and isn’t disappointed in you. Because here’s the truth: Being spiritually dry isn’t failure. It doesn’t mean you’ve drifted away. It means you’re human. And for every bit of dryness, confusion, or emptiness you’re facing today, remember clearly and simply: There’s grace for that. © Gary L Ellis

Today we begin Genesis Chapter 13. For the Complete Jewish Bible, click here . For the King James Bible, click here . “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold .” -Genesis 13:1–2 So after the altercation that Abram had with the pharaoh of Egypt due to his lying about his wife’s identity, we are told that Abram left the country with much wealth. Keep in mind that in those days coins and paper money were not yet in use. A wandering nomad’s wealth would have been his livestock. We are told that Avram received so much livestock that fights were breaking out between his and Lot’s herdsmen. It was at this point that Abram suggested to his relative Lot that they separate . Abram graciously offered Lot first choice of the land that lay before them and Lot chose an area called Sodom and Gomorrah. The reason we are told is because it was “ well-watered like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt ." There are two principles and patterns we can glean from this incident. First, here again, we encounter the God principle of division and separation. Whether deliberate or through circumstance, God will begin to separate us from the ungodly. Second, in examining the characters of Lot and Abram, we are shown the difference between a worldly man and a Godly man. Lot chose to head out to the rich lands in the Jordan Valley. Abram moved to the fields of Canaan. Lot drooled over the world’s wealth. Abram displayed a Godly indifference to such attractions. Lot’s foolishness is further underscored in verse 13 where we are told that “ the men of Sodom were evil, committing great sins against Adonai. ” © Richoka

How you answer says everything. Brett Jordan It doesn’t matter if you are an oldie in the faith or a newbie. This question will always remain the same. This is about the most profound question a Christian will face, and how you answer says everything. There is no… Yes, I do, but!   or any other verb or adjective that could possibly follow that yes. In my journey, I have asked myself a lot of questions, battled with myself internally many times, learned and then relearned many concepts, had little faith, had a lot of faith, and I’ve even been angry with God. One day, I was faced with one of my biggest storms, and I had no choice but to face this question head-on.  I couldn’t skirt around it, I couldn’t “back burner” it any longer. Once faced with it, it wasn’t going anywhere. The Holy Spirit made sure of that, I was being convicted to make a choice. I thought, I prayed, I fought with myself, and I prayed some more. Then one day I chose.  My answer was yes. Such a simple answer said in an emotional whisper, but also the most complex answer I have ever had to give. My life and journey have never been the same since. The growth, guidance, love, and peace since then have been profound. You either trust God or you don’t. There is never an in-between. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

Today we’re going to answer the age old question of “From where does evil originate?” “God said to Noah, ‘the end of all living beings has come before me, for because of them , the earth is filled with violence. I will destroy them along with all the earth.’”-Genesis 6:13 In the above verse, God announces He is going to destroy the human race because on account of them, the Earth has become filled with violence. Notice something interesting in this scathing indictment the Lord has just pronounced. He never blames Satan for this sorry state of affairs. He holds the human race fully responsible for the evil that has come upon the earth. In an earlier post, I mentioned that contrary to popular Christian teaching on the subject, the ancient rabbis believed that from the very beginning God created human beings with both a good inclination and an evil inclination. God did not create us as robots. We have been given a will that allows us to freely exercise both inclinations as we see fit. In this post, I am going to demonstrate from the science of physics that the ancient rabbis were indeed correct!!! So get your thinking caps on. Do you recall in the creation story from Genesis Chapter One it says… When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the natural state of the universe was CHOSHEK or “complete darkness." Then, in an instant of time, upon God’s verbal pronouncement, “light” broke forth into the universe. Again, recall from an earlier teaching that the “light” I am referring to here is not a light-emanating object like the sun, but God’s holy and spiritual light. In Hebrew, this light is called OWR. At that very instant, the universe was comprised of two polar opposite forces; darkness and light. Based on the creation story, the first scientific point I want to make is that our universe is based on the “Principle of Opposites." At the very atomic level of our universe, for instance, each individual atom has a positive electric charge and a negative electric charge. If there is an up, there has to be down. If there is a male, there has to be a female. If there is black, there has to be white. If there is a Holy Spirit in our universe, there has to be an unholy Spirit, etcetera. This principle is woven into the very fabric of our universe. In fact, if you were to sit back and take a look at your own thought patterns, you would notice that the way we distinguish one thing from another is based on the “Principle of Opposites." “Was it expensive or not? ” “Was she hot or not? ” “Do I want it or not? ” The Chinese also touched on this principle with their yin-yang concept. So accordingly, when God created Adam and Eve, He created them with both a “good inclination” and an “evil inclination." NOT more of one than the other. I believe Christian theology errs when it teaches that unsaved man ONLY has a nature hellbent on sinning. The truth is we have both. We are equally capable of doing both good and bad. Actually, even after we are saved, we still carry both inclinations inside of us. This is evidenced by the fact that we still struggle with sin even after accepting Christ. So God created man with the capacity and freedom to commit good or evil when confronted with moral choices. And this is the reason why God does not blame Satan for the evil that has broken out into the world. He holds man responsible. “Freewill” is simply another word used to describe the good and evil inclinations that reside in all human beings. Think about it, having the power to do good or evil when confronted with a moral choice is none other than the characteristic of “freewill." So based on the way God has constructed our universe, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have one thing without its opposite. This gives us the answer to the origin of evil in the universe. Since we can’t have one without the other, evil is a byproduct of good. Below are some Scriptures testifying to this reality. “I form light, I create darkness; I make well-being, I create woe; I, Adonai, do all these things .”-Isaiah 45:7 “When the shofar is blown in the city, don’t the people tremble? Can disaster befall a city without Adonai having done it ?”-Amos 3:6 “Don’t both bad things and good proceed from the mouth of the Most High ??”-Lamentations 3:38 Again, keep in mind that evil is a natural byproduct of good. God didn’t create a lump of good in one place and then in another place create a lump of evil. Evil was not manufactured per say. Let me give you an admittedly imperfect example. Let’s say you’re sitting inside a well lit room. You decide to leave the room for a while, so you switch the lights off. As a result, the room becomes dark. Now let me ask you a question. Did you create the darkness? No you didn’t. It is simply the absence of light that caused the darkness. In the same way, where there isn’t God’s presence, evil is. Here’s what the great scientist Albert Einstein had to say on the matter: “Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.” Albert Einstein I believe Einstein was right. What good is having a freewill if there is no opportunity to exercise it? Can you see now why God gave to give Adam and Eve a one law Torah (instruction) that they were NOT to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil? Without that choice, Adam and Eve would have been relegated to a robotic existence. It would be like being given the right to vote in an election where there is only one candidate to choose from. You can vote for Trump or you can vote for Trump. In order to do good, the option to do evil has to also exist, or else the good we do is meaningless, simply because we have no other choice in the matter. So Moses’ Torah had the same purpose for the Israelites that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil had for Adam and Eve. Its purpose is not only to tell us the difference between right and wrong but provide us opportunities to exercise our capacity to do either good or evil. Without the Torah, there is no knowledge of sin or the opportunity to do good. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT For what law brings is punishment. But where there is no law , there is also no violation. -Romans 4:15 Sin was indeed present in the world before the Torah was given, but sin is not counted as such when there is no Torah . -Romans 5:13 © Richoka

“Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west. All the land you see I will give to your descendants forever. ” Once God promised Abram that he and his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan forever, a new law of the universe had been set into motion. Notice that there are no ifs or buts in this proclamation that God has just given Abram. This is a PERMANENT covenant. It is NOT a conditional covenant. Here is a quick biblical rule about covenants. If man has to continue upholding some part of the covenant in order for it to remain valid, then it is a conditional covenant, which means it can be broken, and therefore a consequence will come about. However, this covenant is unconditional. Also, notice the word “ forever ." In Hebrew, this word is AD OLAM. And it indeed means forever. God has unconditionally given the land to Abram and his descendants forever. This is a point that needs to be forcefully communicated to any church that still holds to the idea that the Christian church has somehow replaced Israel. While it is true that God warned Israel that they would be removed from the land for a time, it was only temporary. Despite this, the 17th-century church adopted a “replacement theology” that taught that this promise given to Abraham had been turned over to Gentile Christians, as the New Israel. NONSENSE!!! “Forever” means “forever” and I tell you with every fiber in my being that until every inch of land that God promised to Abram is returned to Israel, there will never be peace in the Middle East. No matter how hard our President tries, I can guarantee that God will ensure that any proposed “two-state solution” will fail. This is one area where supporting Israel and the Jews is our duty! © Richoka

Shield up, thoughts down, as you thump to this I think it wise to guard our hearts, not only because the Christian God says that the very issues of life flow from it, but also because emotions can join in and then our senses will shred that sucker to pieces. Think I’m kidding? I wish. My mind is my favorite place. There I can imagine all sorts of things. Wild and exciting things, treacherous and unimaginative realities, horrors beyond any blood-soaked limitation, I can do it all. I can be it all, but what I find most fascinating is the ability to connect with words. Words are fantastic! They carry healing, but they can also whip. I’ve experienced the euphoria and harrow of both. I have endured the brutality of being called things I am not. I have been exposed far too young and far too often that finding a holy, sacred balance between the intense desires to share the enormity of what’s unfolding in my mind versus removing the shackles of a frost-bitten past can be extremely difficult. Yet I push, and I push, and I push because I want a very large space to be. Call it overcompensation for decades trapped beneath a pile of rubble, but no part of me wants to slow down. But, then I hear a whisper. Caution. Because it is my heart speaking, the overflow of a river being made pure, and who’s to tell where that may lead. It’s terrifying, yet more so exhilarating. The curiosity unleashed; what if I can finally do it? What if I can finally break free from me? What if I can loose all of my inhibitions? What if I can un-tether the deepest, darkest, most perplexing parts of my soul? Will there be anyone left to entertain? Will I have gone too far? Unraveled too fast, and instead spooked everyone away? I may, and it’s a deeply perplexing thing, but it feels too good to stop. To want to simply find out, how much guarding have I’ve been doing? Is it in a fashion that does not honor the Christian God, instead dims my light? What if what I’ve assumed is guarding is really hiding? And what if I’m ready to connect mind, body and soul? Will the world be ready to catch me? Perhaps… But the world is so fickle. No, it will never do. I think more so, my mind should stay fixed on my Savior, the Author and Finisher of my Faith. The beauty of Who He is far more captivating than any of my five senses have beheld, albeit they’ve beheld much. I am sooo eccentric. Lol. 😆 But, every day, more and more, I am learning to not be ashamed of that, but to fully embrace it and run with it for the simple reason to just become all that I am destined to become. And I’ve learned I can not do that by throwing pieces of me away. I can only accomplish this completeness I desire, by willingly giving pieces of me away. I have been told many times that I am too much, and I get it now, more than ever, light makes darkness very uncomfortable. I did not come to this conclusion through observation. I speak from the recesses of my own mind, not yours. Yet, I remain resolute. Guard your heart, sure, but as I learn to let more light out, and more of your light in, I will enjoy the pour. Every layer exposed, heart laid bare, yet simultaneously guarded because innocence is as unfamiliar to me as righteousness. Neither never at my hand to give. © Freshly Squeezed Chronicles

Image by YasDO from Pixabay I recently received email notification of something I’d written on my Penzu account 5 years ago. I was curious. So, I signed in to my Penzu. What I discovered was a poem I’d written at that time. “Thank You, Jesus,” is on my lips As I walk throughout my day My heart so full of gratitude That’s all I want to say. It’s simple. But real. I might be sweeping the kitchen or driving to the store, and that little phrase still bubbles up. And it’s not because everything’s perfect — it’s because I’ve started paying more attention to the little things…that are actually big things. You’ve surrounded me with favor Freely giving me Your love My life’s increasing for the good Your grace my treasure trove I used to overlook stuff — always chasing the next answer, next paycheck, next “breakthrough.” But now, I’m seeing how much good is already here. God just keeps showing up — not because I earned it, but because that’s who He is. It’s like finding out you’ve been sitting on a treasure chest the whole time. One time I begged for everything So void of gratitude My lack was all that I could see Thanksgiving did allude Yep. I remember that season. I was in a place where it felt like everything was running out — time, money, peace. I prayed like I was in a courtroom, making my case to God. But I never thanked Him. Honestly, I didn’t feel like there was anything to thank Him for. I just saw what I didn’t have. But since I changed the manner In which my heart does speak Not once but throughout all the day The stresses surely flee That’s when things started to shift. I didn’t get a raise or win the lottery — I just stopped talking like everything was going wrong. I started saying “thank you” more, even when it didn’t feel like much was happening. It didn’t fix everything, but it made the stress stop barking at me all day long. That’s was a big thing. My Jesus is my Savior My provider and my solution Not only in the age to come Today He’s my restoration I think that’s what really did it. I started trusting Him with today…this moment. Like, right now. You see, He’s not just my rescue plan for later — He’s the one keeping me sane today. Bottom Line? That tiny shift — from begging to thanking — changed everything. I still have problems. Life still throws curveballs. But now I see the grace tucked into all of it. And “Thank You, Jesus” has become more than a phrase — it’s how I breathe. “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough” — Meister Eckhart © Gary L Ellis

Our universe consists of the four dimensions of height, length, width and time. You may be thinking, okay, I can perceive the dimensions of height, length, and width as they are visible to my eyes. However, how can I perceive time? The answer to that is that time is the measurement of decay. It is a fundamental law of physics that all things in our universe are running down. For example, think of all the things we use in our daily lives that eventually break down and need to be replaced. Or take a look in the mirror and compare yourself to a photo of you taken 10 years ago, and you’ll see what I mean. Time is visible to us because we can observe the physical effects it has on all things around us. However, the four dimensions are only characteristics that govern OUR universe. The sphere of heaven, where God resides, operates under a totally different set of physical laws and principles… AND… Now, there are revolutionary new scientific findings that point to the existence of dimensions outside the four dimensions that make up our universe. In addition to the four dimensions in our solar system, there could potentially be a total of 11 dimensions in existence! In science, this idea is known as String Theory. The reason it’s difficult to wrap our minds around the idea that there could be up to 11 dimensions is because in the universe we live in with our five senses, we are only able to perceive the four dimensions of height, length, width and time. No matter how advanced a telescope we use to peer out into the vast reaches of outer space, any dimension outside of our four-dimensional universe is lost to our five senses. However, if that’s the case, where do the other six dimensions exist? The answer is that they do not exist in our universe. They exist in another universe or universes. In physics, this concept is known as “parallel worlds." I’m aware this borders on science fiction. However, what’s fascinating is that if one peruses the ancient Jewish writings, we see that the ancient rabbis had not only pointed out the existence of 10 dimensions… ….but they had also identified an 11th dimension which they called God. Again, think of heaven. Heaven could be considered a parallel world where the rules and principles that govern our universe do not necessarily apply. For example, from Scripture we know that the dimension of “time” doesn’t exist in heaven. When the Scriptures say that “Heaven is eternal." “eternal” does not mean a very long, long, long time. It means that in heaven “time” does not exist, period. In the Scriptures, heaven is not described as being part of our universe. Think about it for a second. God could not have existed in our universe before He created our universe, right? The Scriptures say He resided in heaven, where our earthly laws of physics do not apply. It is a totally different parallel world. So if there’s no way to discern the existence of other dimensions through our five senses… How do we know there are other dimensions in existence besides the four dimensions that exist in our universe? We can know through the observation of events that are contrary to the normal pattern of things. For example, if you and another person were to see a knife sitting on a table suddenly pick itself up and impale itself into a wall, that would be eyewitness evidence that there is a dimension outside of the mundane plane of existence we reside in. This is basically the definition of a miracle, an event that occurs outside of established pattern. Miracles, whether divine or satanic in origin, are strong evidence that point to the existence of other dimensions outside our universe. Physicists also employ imagination and intuitive mathematical theories to tap into the unseen realm of other dimensions. This is what Einstein did when he came up with his Theory of Relativity. He had a dream he was riding on a bolt of lightning, and then chanced upon the idea that the dimension of time mutated at the speed of light. One fact that should excite us greatly is that the words contained in our Holy Bibles are not of this earth. They proceed from another heavenly dimension. In this sense, our Bibles are different than any other piece of writing in existence. There’s a difference between our time-bound, sinful world with all of it’s limitations and the kingdom of heaven which Yeshua claimed he had brought forth once he started his ministry. And He proved that this other dimensional world had arrived by performing incredible miracles like walking on water and raising the dead! CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT “In my Father’s house are many rooms ; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” -John 14:2–4 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, " What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined , what God has prepared for those who love him” -1 Corinthians 2:7–9 © Richoka