New-age gurus teach us to seek comfort in meditation. They teach us to align our chakra’s for better mental and physical wellbeing. They teach us we can master the art of astral projection, leave our bodies and willfully navigate the spirit realm while gaining a “oneness with the universe” – whatever in God’s Holy Name that’s supposed to accomplish. What are we going to do… meditate away our need for salvation?

Gaining a oneness with the universe is pointless when we come to realize this universe, because of sin, will be destroyed by fire (Isa 13:13, 34:4, 51:6, Zep 1:18, 2 Pet 3:10, Rev 21:1). Even many prominent scientists have come to admit this fact. They have for quite some time begun teaching us the death of the universe is inevitable. They teach us how billions of years in the distant future the universe will implode in a fury of cataclysmic retraction. Nice theory, Mr. Scientist. The irony is, God told us first.

Not only has the bible been teaching the destruction of the universe long before modern scientific theory arrived on college campus, but the bible has been teaching us it will occur much sooner than our current theoretical analysis’ have predicted.

But we are not talking about science here. We’re talking about the religion of spiritualism. The many experiences these new-age philosophers indorse revolve around the idea of seeking spiritual enlightenment. They seek to know and experience something greater than the physical realm. All of which is possible, but at what cost?

When we seek to know the mysteries of the universe while simultaneously rejecting the words of the Creator of the universe, we will forever be opening ourselves up to tremendous spiritual distress.

Seeking a spiritual experience outside of the truth revealed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ will only result in the invitation of deceiving spirits presenting themselves as angels of light (Gal 1:8, Eph 6:12).

This spiritual enlightenment may seem wonderful to our earthly senses, but in most cases – if not all cases – we will be encouraging evil spirits to play upon our every new-age polytheistic whim.

This false sense of inner-peace outside of the will of God will last only so long in this worldly physical existence. What the many new-age guru’s fail to realize or teach their gullible sheeple is how this meditation is a form of prayer and worship of false gods.

If you begin praying and meditating to someone other than your heavenly Father via the atoning work of Christ, you are going to get exactly what you asked for – spirits posing as angels of light.

“And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” (2 Cor 11:14 NKJ)

Always remember dearly beloved, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exo 20:3)

The way we are being taught to meditate is all wrong!

Do not attempt to silence your mind leaving it vacant. Instead, meditate on the love of God and fill your thoughts with His presence.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psa 19:14)

It is only He who can bring true inner peace.

No guru can offer you a guide to meditation. No preacher can force peace of mind upon you from the pulpit. True spiritual enlightenment comes from understanding the Love of God and practicing His teachings in our daily lives – to do the will of the Father as Christ has done the will of the father; to love one another as He loves us. That, is true inner peace.

We desperately need to understand and come to know how much God truly loves us.

As a man who held anger and resentment in his heart for so many years, I have found comfort in the scripture and my eyes have been opened. I am speaking from personal experience. This is very personal to me. The only real serenity for me has come from meditating on the Love of God.

If I had not cast aside my pride, anger and frustrations of this world, I would never have found my peace. If I had never found my peace, I would have never been in the right mind when I met my wife and we would have never sought a lasting relationship.

The road which led to my happiness here on earth was found solely in studying the scriptures and meditating on the love of God and His will for my life.

It is in the scriptures that I grew to understand God’s love for us, hidden in plain sight. It is in His love where I found my inner peace. It is in this peace where I found my joy in this fallen world. And so it will be, forevermore. For all the days of my life I will meditate on the Love of God.

If you continue in the scriptures and come to know how much your Father in heaven truly loves you, I am certain you will find an inner peace far greater than anything this world has to offer. But there is a catch. You must first take a leap of faith and believe in His power.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb 11:6)

Now, I am going to ask you to do something.

I want you to do something without telling anyone.

I’m asking you to unplug.

I’m asking you to go away, but do not tell others you are going.

Make no mention to anyone that you have a desire to be alone. Do not make a public statement about your repentance like the hypocrites who love the appearance of godliness. Do this in secret. It does not have to be today, or this week. Just wait for the right opportunity to present itself, but make a plan. Consider in advance what you are about to do.

Naturally, I would not ask you to head into the wilderness to fast as Jesus did. He had a mission to confront the devil, which He accomplished. This would not be safe for you or I for many reasons. Instead, go somewhere you can be alone and undisturbed.

“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Mat 6:5-6)

Go into your bedroom; a walk-in closet, the garage, the quiet corner of a small-town public library or a safe public park – go anywhere. Just go somewhere you can be on your own.

When the time is right… ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in this meditation. Ask the Lord to guide you in your prayers. Ask Jesus to send the comforter into your life (Jhn 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7).

My only desire in telling you these things is to further your own spiritual edification – if you are willing to hear it…

I often ask myself; do I honestly believe that I am ptochos in Spirit? Am I makarios in my life?

If you ask the Father to show you the truth of His will in the silence of your heart, He will reveal Himself to you. I can assure you of this.

Dearly beloved of God, no preacher can force the holy spirit upon you from the pulpit. No Guru can give you the inner peace you truly desire. No man or woman can offer you the serenity you seek.

No, dear brothers and sister. This is between you and your Father.

Have faith. Call on His Name…

The atheist, the agnostic and the devout religious alike; each and every one of us must at some point come to address these universal questions – Why are we here? How did we get hear? What is the meaning of life?

In the previous chapter, What is the Matrix, I provided a detailed biblical study offering potential answers to these questions. As the reader may recall, my conclusion was to suggest we were all born into this life as part of a predestined plan for salvation.

… … …

At some point, Adam and Eve had finally succumbed to the realization of their own transgressions. They chose to hide themselves “among the trees of the garden” (Gen 3:8).

Our heavenly Father knew these transgressions could not go unpunished. Something needed to be done. Because He loves us, He predestined a plan to die a most gruesome death on our behalf – a sacrificial offering for sins He himself did not commit. The Father would create from His own being, a likeness of Himself. A Christ for all mankind.

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground…He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:2-6)

Christ, in the image of the Father, entered the martix (the womb) to be physically born into this world. He grew into a young man who would preach the true gospel message of repentance from sin, and the arrival of the kingdom of God (Mat 3:2, 4:17, Mar 1:15, Luk 10:9). Christ would then fulfill the Fathers plan by offering His own blood on the cross and declaring His power over death by rising from the grave. This sacrifice offering paved the way for all who believe in Him to eventually regain access to the eternal “tree” of life (Gen 2:9, 3:24, Rev 22:2).

Our purpose in this world is to love God, and to love one another as He loves us (Jhn 13:34). To be reconciled back into the Father’s kingdom. That, is the meaning of life.

So…

Continuing this line of biblical logic, the next question we face is an obvious extension of the former; What is death? What happens to us after we die?

The atheist’s response to this great mystery is simple. Nothing, we cease to exist.

The agnostic response is to say, I don’t know and I don’t care. There is no way to prove it one way or the other.

The Christian will respond with a statement we have all heard a thousand times. At the moment of death, bad people go to hell where they will burn in a lake of fire for all eternity. Good people go to heaven to be with Jesus where they will be reunited with their loved ones.

Popular culture paints a picture where at the moment of death we travel down a tunnel… we begin to see a bright light… and then, we are immediately “in heaven” with Jesus and all our loved ones who did not go to hell.

… … …

 The truth, as revealed in the bible, is much more elaborate than an immediate transference to “heaven” or to the “lake of fire” at the moment of our death.

In this chapter, it will be revealed that never once does the bible ever say a human soul goes straight to “heaven” or straight to the “lake of fire” at the moment of death. In fact, the bible declares nothing of the sort. We will see that from cover to cover, you will never find any evidence to support the false doctrine that heaven immediately awaits Christians who pass away. Nor will you find any scripture to declare the lake of fire immediately awaits the wicked. From years of studying and cross-examining scripture, I do not believe any such passage exists.

However, if you believe you know a scripture that states we all go to heaven immediately after we die, write it down now so you don’t forget it. I’m sure we will be addressing that very scripture in detail soon.

The bible clearly teaches there are several extraordinary events which must transpire before we reach our final destination. The events which precede the “lake of fire” for the wicked, and “paradise” for the redeemed in Christ, are many. Such events include; sheol/hades (explained thoroughly in the chapter you are now reading), the resurrection of the living (1^st resurrection at the end of this current earth age – 1 Ths 4:16, Rev 20:4-6), the “millennium” reign of Christ right here on planet earth (Rev 20:4), the resurrection of the dead (2^nd resurrection at the end of the millennium – Rev 20:3, 5), the final battle of good and evil (Rev 20:7-10, Eze 38 and 39) and then, an event referred to by many as “the white throne judgement” where all mankind is judged (Rev 20:11-15) – to name a few.

It is only after these supernatural events have taken place where the lost souls will be thrown into the lake of fire and the redeemed in Christ will be granted entrance into paradise. It is at that time, at the very end of it all… the creation of new heavens and a new earth will occur (Isa 65:17, 66:22, 2 Pet 3:12-13, Rev 21:1).

“…what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Pet 3:11-13)

It is here, in the new heavens (G3772 – Ouranos) and new earth (G1093 – Ge) where the redeemed in Christ will live in paradise for all eternity, just as it was in Eden.

… … …

Many have sought to ignore biblical evidence such as that which I will present in this chapter and counter these claims using unique and singular verses such as Luke 23:43, John 13:36 – 14:3 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 [and taking them all out of context].

[stacks and stacks of biblical evidence]

… … …

And much, much more… see the chapters page for more details.

To read the full chapter, please consider purchasing the book (click here) or request a free copy by emailing Philip directly at philipjwalls@gmail.com

Some years ago, I worked in an office with a man who would frequently refer to himself as the father and referred to everyone else as his children. For the sake of this man’s anonymity, we’ll just refer to him as Wolf.

Wolf’s alpha-male persona was the defining characteristic of his personality that everyone grew to expect when encountering him around the office. This man often even referred to himself as a god. I’m sure you know the type.

I know now, of course, he was only being sarcastic. He was only trying to be funny. “Good morning, my children”, he would say. “You just let your dad take care of that for you”. Dozens of little comments like this several times a day constantly reminding everyone in the office that HE was our father. I have to admit, sometimes is was kind of funny.

Wolf was also well known for his constant belittling of others. Not so funny. For the most part, everyone enjoyed Wolf’s company and conversations in the same way most people enjoy a good celebrity roast. Even my direct supervisor once referred to him as “comic relief” in our weekly team meeting. This was the common perception of Wolf. He was funny and he was fun to be around.

The company where I worked was a medium sized private company and the human resources department was well aware of Wolf’s often offensive language and foul behavior. The truth is, they didn’t care. As far as I could tell, he was one of their own.

Wolf and his pack of agnostics and atheists were a majority in the department where I worked. Together, they created a very loose atmosphere where godless conversation was rampant and every topic imaginable was put up for debate on a daily basis. I mean to say, it was an anything goes environment.

When it came to the topic of faith in Christ, I was fundamentally alone. I knew of at least two other men in the office who were professing Christians, but they would never stand up to the wolf pack. In fact, they would often engage in the same disgraceful dialog we heard every day. After all, who in their right mind wants to rail against the status quo in the office, right? Why rock the boat when you’re receiving a good paycheck?

More often than not, I would respond with what I believed was the appropriate Christian response. Other times I didn’t have the energy to put up with it. I would either remain silent or to my own folly, flat out lose my cool and say things I shouldn’t have. Ultimately, being on my best behavior wouldn’t have changed anything anyway. Wolf would give his pessimistic and godless views on life, and I would offer my own views. It was a constant struggle for me to endure Wolf’s consistent attacks. Though it was a good learning lesson, I wish I had been more diligent at times. In the end, neither of us were ever able to persuade the other to a different way of thinking.

One day, early in my employ at this company, the topic of the bible’s authenticity came before the proverbial water-cooler. I was ready for this. The majority were essentially stating the bible cannot be trusted as a factual record of events to have taken place. It was quite entertaining in fact to hear these men unknowingly expose how little they really knew about the bible while at the same time dismissing it as ‘a book written by charlatans all plagiarizing each other’s work over the centuries’. I am generalizing their comments a bit but that is in essence exactly what the wolf pack were claiming. They claim the bible is nothing more than a work of fiction written by multiple different authors, copycatting each other’s work over the course of several centuries all espousing the same ignorant religious hysteria the former authors had been referring too in years past. That is to say, the people who wrote the bible were parroting an ancient belief that there is an invisible man in the sky who loves us and takes care of us… which as they believe, is all nonsense. That was their way of thinking. The wolf pack claimed, to believe in an all-powerful God was derived as a means for the wiser few at the top to control the gullible many at the bottom – to make people feel better about themselves and their often-horrific conditions in this life. They believe the bible is nothing more than a story of imagination told over and over throughout the course of time combined with the fiction of the new testament era which would later be compiled into one book (the Holy Bible) and then propagated as a system of control over the masses. They believe, what would later become the Holy Bible is nothing more than an age-old fairytale. A children’s story not to be believed. In a nutshell, that is precisely the commentary I heard from the wolf pack.

This group, the wolf pack, absolutely loved trashing the gospel. They knew for certain, there is no God and they were always willing to tell me about their faith in atheism without consequence. For nine hours a day, five days a week, for nearly five years, I would sit in the cubical next to these men knowing full well that at any moment they would deliver yet another witty quip about how Christ never existed, the gospel is a fantasy and the alpha males in society are the only true gods of this world. My hat is off to these men as I have to admit, they are not entirely wrong. It is written that Christ said, “my kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Satan is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4).

What I really want to point out in this scenario is that I am still to this day very grateful to have had time with these men. I am grateful because it allowed me to realize first hand, it is not our job as Christian to change the hearts and minds of others. It is our job as Christians to plant the seeds of the Gospel (Luke 8:4-15). It is only then where God the Holy Spirit has the ability to water that seed and allow it to grow. If we are neglect in our responsibilities as Christians, there will have been no seeds planted and therefore no harvest to reap (Jhn 4:35).

“Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 36Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” (Mat 9:35-38)

So, that is what I attempted to do every day for nearly five years. Plant the seed of the Gospel. Some days it felt like I was only making a fool of myself. Other days I felt like I was making a difference. I could see a slight glimmer in Wolfs eyes on occasion as he briefly contemplated some of the things I had said. I could see the wheels begin to turn. Though these moments were rare, it felt good to experience the thought of helping someone in that way.

I remember at one point specifically, a new question dawned on me. I asked Wolf quite suddenly if he had ever read the bible for himself. After all, he and his pack had such strong opinions about the scriptures. Perhaps they could enlighten me. I’m sure in all their wisdom they must have at some point read the bible for themselves, right?

Wolf chuckled with cynicism and said, “no”.

I then asked Wolf quite frankly, “how can you write a book report on a book you have never read?” Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he responded, “I don’t read fiction”.

Over the course of the next few months I attempted to introduce Wolf to much of the archaeological evidence proving the stories of the bible to be historically accurate, but my testimony fell on deaf ears. My efforts appeared to be futile. By the time I left the company, Wolf was no closer to a relationship with Christ than I was to being a world renown hunter-gatherer. It just wasn’t going to happen.

It should be no surprise to learn I was eventually and abruptly let go. We came to the mutual consensus that I was clearly not a company man.

Throughout my years of researching the teachings of modern Christianity, I have found many of the questions I posed to atheists such as Wolf were still relevant in the Christian world.

Most Christians do not believe what they believe because they have read the bible for themselves and have come to their own conclusions based on years of studying scripture. No, most Christians simply accept church doctrine as fact while being force-fed pamphlet propaganda from their denomination’s headquarters and never opening the bible for themselves. Most Christians tend to never question church doctrine – ever. They simply walk in and out the doors Sunday or Saturday morning fully content that what they are being taught is the full truth and nothing but the truth.

Dearly beloved, I pose to you the same question I posed to my atheist friend Wolf; how can you write a book report on a book you have not read for yourself?

It wasn’t until I began reading, studying and taking notes for myself that I began to see the bigger picture. The scriptures in the Holy Bible are packed full of wisdom, knowledge and very insightful history I formerly did not know from my time in the various churches. I was unaware of certain truths until after the time in which I had begun studying the bible for myself.

This book, the Christian Doctrine Paradox, is a result of over ten years of research into the mysteries of my faith and the many questions I ask surrounding the various denominations of Christianity.

I am a non-denominational believer. This is a non-denominational book. I am not starting a new church and I do NOT want your money. I do not want your “tithes”, nor do I deserve them.

If you cannot afford this book, write to me at philipjwalls@gmail.com and I will put you on a list to send you this book for free; paid out of my own pocket. I am not a wealthy man so this may take some time. I would only ask that you please be patient. If I do ever receive proceeds from this book they will likely go back into the coffers to pay for the copies to distribute among those who cannot afford the book.

In addition, relevant segments of this book will be posted on my website/blog with a section for anyone who wishes to freely read and comment on what I have written. If you find something in this book that you believe is not biblically accurate, I challenge you to prove me wrong; please leave a comment. I will respond in kind Christian behavior. I do not have all the answers, my friends. But I can tell you for certain I have found the modern Christian doctrine to be lacking in the fullness of truth when it comes to Christs teachings.

I hope and pray you will read this book with an open mind. To every controversial topic I discus in this book, I have listed biblical chapter and verse for clarity of my understanding. If what I say is not true, call me out. Show me specifically in the scriptures where I have spoken falsely.

In my opinion, modern Christianity has been blinded by the devil. I challenge the reader to test what I say against scripture. Do not just read these words blindly, but read also the scriptures I use to prove what I say. Read the bible for yourself!

If what I say is not true, open your bible and show me where I have gone wrong.

These studies were written with a soft heart and open arms. Beloved of God, I do not have the truth; I have been seeking the truth. In a world full of lies, I am passionate about finding the truth. My quest for obtaining the truth is the reason I have written this book and hope to distribute it to the masses. I pray the holy spirit of our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ comfort you and keep you as you read through these chapters.

Brothers and sisters, you should never feel ashamed to question the status quo while seeking the truth.

With love,

Philip Joel Walls https://doctrineparadox.com/

Part I

There are precious few matters among the varying denominations in western Christianity in which everyone is in agreement. Ironically, what is possibly the most mysterious topic in all of scripture happens to be an issue where virtually no one seems to disagree.

The whole world it would appear has believed for at least two decades now, this mysterious “mark of the beast” will be a microchip implanted under the skin in the right hand between the thumb and pointer finger. And even more recently, the idea of documentation proving you have received a vaccine to halt the spread of some mysterious virus has been put on the table. The same people who claimed it was a microchip are now claiming it is a vaccine… among many other evolving theories since the early 20th century.

What I find so very strange about this conglomerate of theological understanding across denominational barriers, is how these same religious institutions do not share the same view regarding the earthly identity of the “beast” of Revelation 13.

If varying sects of Christianity fail to share the same theological belief for the identity of the beast, how then have they drawn an exact conclusion regarding the mark of that beast? Am I the only bible student who finds this rather odd?

Effectively, everyone agrees on the identity of the mark but somehow disagrees on the identity of the beast who imposes that mark.

I propose, in order for us understand the “mark of the beast” (Rev 13:16-18), we must first understand completely and without question who or what this “beast” is, and what it is not.

The moment we come to understand the identity of the beast, we will then have more ample evidence to support the details of what exactly this mark of the beast represents.

In this case, it will not matter what denomination of Christianity a person ascribes too. It should be clear to any and all who possess the capacity of deductive reasoning that this one simple statement is undeniably true; If the identity of the beast is misrepresented, the subsequent implications of what the mark of the beast represents will also fail to be correct.

Part II

The Earthly Historical Identities of the Beasts and their Systems of Government (Kingdoms)

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns…” (Rev 13:1)

“And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” (Rev 17:10-11)

When one studies scripture, it becomes clear the seven heads on this first beast in Revelation 13:1-10 are seven world empires (kingdoms) which have come to power since the time of the great flood. The first “beast” of Revelation 13 is a system of Government(s) which have taken turns ruling the world for thousands of years. Satan has been building his kingdoms (the beast) since the dawn of man. The second beast of Revelation 13 (the beast who recovers from a fatal head wound) is the beast which will be in power at the time of the end (Rev 13:11-18) who happens to exercise all the power of the first beast (world empires of the past) (v.12).

Later in chapter 17, we see another reference to a beast (kingdom) who was killed, then came back to life.

“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was, and is not, and will come.” (Rev 17:8 NAS)

“And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” (Rev 17:10)

Chapter 17 verse 8 depicts “the beast was, and is not, and yet is” which may very well be referring to the same “resurrected” beast back in Revelation 13 verse 3 and 12 whose “fatal head wound” was healed.

The first beast of Revelation 13 existed as seven different heads, or kingdoms throughout history. The seventh head on that beast received a fatal head wound and was healed allowing for an eighth head to arise.

“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” (Rev 17:11)

It is my contention, the eighth head in revelation 17, is the second beast of Revelation 13 – The beast who was, is not, and yet is (Rev 17). The beast “who was, is not, and yet is”, is the same beast who recovered from a fatal head wound (Rev 13).

But who are these kingdoms? Who are the “heads” on this first beast of Revelation 13? Who is this second beast that recovered from a fatal head wound? Can we know their earthly identities?

Part III

The Mark of the Beast

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark…(Rev 13:16-17)

I began this chapter in Part 1 by illustrating the so-called evidence to support two central theories regarding the identity of the beast. I showed you how Nero and the Pope are the usual suspects and provided the evidence many teachers use to draw their conclusions. To finally divulge what I believe is the unadulterated truth surrounding this mysterious mark of the beast, I would like to use the same approach. I will provide every theory I’ve heard over the years, then, I will provide my own biblical understanding as well as my personal thoughts on the subject. With this approach, the reader will be provided all available evidence and all the available theories while also being offered my personal evidence and theories. After having heard arguments from all sides, the reader will have the opportunity to decide what is credible, and what is not.

So here we are. What is the mark of the beast?

… … …

And much, much more… see the chapters page for more details.

To read the full chapter, please consider purchasing the book (click here) or request a free copy by emailing Philip directly at philipjwalls@gmail.com

Read a short story about Christian life in the old Wild West!

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Anyone can talk about the physical nature of mankind. When a person is sick, they may need rest, fasting and then proper nutrition; and in some cases, a doctor. But how do we explain the spirit of happiness and joy to someone struggling emotionally and spiritually? What medicine can we offer someone with a broken spirit without diverting to pharmacological alternatives such as SSRI’s which are known to increase depressions and thoughts of suicide? All too often, this is the modern medical answer for social anxieties, depression and mood disorders: “I’ll write you a prescription for that”.

… … …

As a Christian and long-time student of the bible, and a man who has overcome great personal struggles without pharmacology, I believe the answer is faith. Faith, combined with an accurate understanding of what is taking place on planet earth and how we all came to be in this chaotic world. Understanding the true nature of our existence is the answer to healing a broken spirit.

Think of the sentence, “blessed are the poor in spirit” (Mat 5:3) Take a moment to visualize what it means to be “poor in spirit”.

It wasn’t until I started researching the scriptures for myself that I began to realize how much more the bible has to offer us than we are led to believe.

… … …

What could this passage of scripture be talking about?

Despite what some pastors, priests and prosperity teachers would have you believe, it is in fact a good thing to ask questions and seek the truth for yourself.

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32)

… … …

I am asking the reader to think about this logically, putting aside any preconceived notions they may have. In uncovering what I believe is the original context of this passage, we need to first discuss the two obvious conclusions the Christian world portrays in the various versions of the Bible when referring to Matthew 5:3.

The first is: the financially poor are blessed in spirit.

The second is: those who are “poor in spirit” are blessed.

Have you ever noticed how adding punctuation can completely change the structure of a sentence?

The first view says, “Blessed are the poor, (insert a comma) in spirit…” In other words, “you may be poor, financially, but you are blessed in spirit. For yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

But is that it? Is not having any money the only qualification to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Does the word “poor” in this passage only mean lacking money as we understand it in the English language, i.e. financially poor?

It is true, the Lord Jesus had a great love for the poor – those who suffer and had no money were often visited by Jesus during the time of His ministry.

Mat 6:1-4 tells us to give to the poor in secret, not like the hypocrites who proclaim their giving for others to see. This is true, but are all poor people blessed by the very circumstance of being poor?

The second view says, those who are spiritually poor (or poor in spirit) are blessed.

Are the spiritually bummed out souls the truly blessed ones? Will those who are “poor in spirit” be blessed while those who are rich in spirit be shunned? It doesn’t make any sense the way it reads in English. I know I’ve never felt “blessed” being poor in spirit, have you? Being poor in spirit lead me to nearly unintentionally killing myself [through the rebellion of my youth]. How is that blessed? This fact is evident to any thinking person who studies this passage.

Consider even the atheist who willingly shuns the Lord Jesus Christ. The atheist can be bummed out, poor, depressed or spiritually downtrodden. Is this Christ bashing atheist blessed simply because he has no money? Is this man who willingly rejects the Christ “blessed” because he is “spiritually poor”?

Just what does it mean to say the “poor” are blessed in Spirit, or blessed are the “poor in spirit”?

Whichever way you look at it, there is something about this passage that just doesn’t make any sense.

You see, the English Language is a very unique and odd language. Much like how a garbage disposal has an odd smell. Many different types of food (languages) all minced together into tiny pieces before it gets watered down…

I’m sure you’re aware of this fact by now, but it bears repeating. When the books of the Bible were written, the English language did not yet exist. Certainly not as we know it today – if at all [[i]]. The bottom line is, the Bible was not written in English and common folk (especially Western Christianity) need to come to a hard realization of this fact. Being ignorant of the Holy Bible and its linguistic origins can easily lead to the masses being deceived – whether knowingly or unknowingly – by many modern preachers and so it would appear, by Satan himself (2 Tim 4:3-4).

… … …

Could it be, the Fathers desire is to show us so much more, if only we would take the time to listen and to wonder and to seek the truth?

What a more fulfilling life we could all have if we would simply put our religious dogma aside and seek Him in our personal lives. Not just sitting and listening to a preacher’s sermon or a faith-based TV/radio program, but rather, studying the scriptures for ourselves.

We believers did not always have the luxury of scripture availability in such abundance as we do today. Our Christian luxury of biblical text availability is a fairly new blessing. Many students of the Bible believe this is a sign of the end times we are now living in. The gospel will be “published” (Mark 13:10) as well as “preached” (Mat 24:14) in all nations a short time before the Lord returns in power and great glory (Mat 24:30).

Did you know the Bible is the most published book of all time? Unfortunately, it would appear the Christian world is squandering this blessing in many cases by never opening the Bible for themselves. What a shame.

Now, this is important. It is not necessarily the bible that is flawed to this degree. Not at all! It is the English language and the way we interpret it with our modern vernacular which is flawed. Again, we must be willing to seek Him and study the origins of these ancient writings. It takes a conscious effort on our part to divide the word of truth (1 Thes 5:21, 2 Tim 2:15), as well as using some good-old-fashion common sense – a trait not common in modern western cultures.

People are hypnotically content in believing what they already know… This is not wise. The English language has convoluted the context of a deeper understanding all throughout the Bible, and its history. This example in Matthew 5 is no exception. Subtle, yes. But it’s concealing something. What? In this book, I will show you how the bible often has much more to offer us than a “poor” word at a passing glance.

… … …

And much, much more… see the chapters page for more details.

To read the full chapter, please consider purchasing the book (click here) or request a free copy by emailing Philip directly at philipjwalls@gmail.com

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[i] A detailed explanation can be found at http://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.” (Pro 25:2 BSB)

I have said it before and I will say it again. I do not have the truth – I have been seeking the truth. There is a difference between these two ideologies most people and all world religions fail to understand. Religions and worldly philosophies claim to have the truth. They claim to possess a greater understanding than the next belief, religion or philosophy. In the grandeur scheme of things, we all have the free will to believe whatever we desire and in turn, I have the free will to claim the religions and philosophies of the world are all deceived. Interesting how that works. We have free will to believe.

I have been seeking answers to what I believe are among the greatest questions in the universe. This book is a result of those questions. Along this journey, I have studied the bible, world religions and philosophies. In doing so, I have found the one and only man who has ever claimed to be God while also commanding love and peace from His followers, is Jesus Christ. No other religion ever constructed calls us to love and peace while also offering a plan to accomplish that task. Christ, is one of a kind.

I read and study the bible because it contains the historical record of this Christ child along with the many ancient prophecies which foretold mankind of His coming. It is a troubling and awesome journey to embark on when you discover that in the process, you will uncover puzzling scriptural dilemmas which raise questions that are for some reason, not being asked in our modern churches.

Is it possible there is a grander celestial purpose to our lives than the limited scope of feel good Christian theology being taught by modern preachers?

Are the many Christian religions being broadcast on radio and television the direct and uncompromised testimony of Christ?

Why are there so many divisions in our Christian churches?

Why are so many people deceived by worldly religions?

How do we witness a true Christian faith to the religions and philosophies of the world?

Why are we here?

What is the meaning of life?

So many questions at so great a cost for the wrong answers.

Please consider and understand this one thing as you read through this chapter. My friends, nothing I say or write can lead you to the truth. Nothing. Whether I am right or I am wrong, if anything I say is true, that truth can only be revealed to you if it were so ordained by the Father in Heaven for you to receive it. It is our Father who reveals these truths to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear – that, I believe, is the Holy Spirit working in us. My words are nothing if my testimony is not true and my intentions are not pure.

If something I have written during the course of my biblical studies sparks a flame in your understanding, know that it was not me nor my written words which gave you that spark. Even if what I say is true, that truth cannot be received by you or myself, or anyone else, if we are not ready and willing to hear it.

For the record, I am not starting a church, a new denomination, and I do not want your money. I am not a prophet, a guru, nor an evangelist. I am a man seeking the truth. In this chapter, I will pose a series of questions with the intention of letting you work out the truth for yourself. Either you will conclude that I have a genuine position and passion for finding the truth and the questions I raise are legitimate, or you will likely write me off as a heretic preaching a false gospel. I take no joy in saying this, but I do not believe there is a third option. In either case, I believe the reader will benefit from hearing what I have to say.

… … …

If you were asked to describe The Matrix to a person who had never seen the movie, how would you tell the story? Painting Neo as a new born superhero dodging bullets or engaging in battle with agent Smith wouldn’t be good enough. Perhaps you could unfold the narrative of how Trinity and Morpheus freed Neo from the clutches of a false reality, or how all souls are being enslaved by an evil group of entities capable of traveling supernaturally at will, in the blink of an eye, performing inhuman feats of strength, miracles, signs and wonders…

A fitting analogy, I believe. But what I find more interesting than using The Matrix as a fictional parallel to describe this world of machinations in which we live, is the fact that the bible does indeed give mention to the “matrix” – by name. Coincidentally, much like The Matrix movie, the bible is also referring to a world having been pulled over your eyes. Similar in part, but so very different when given closer scrutiny.  

Earlier versions of the Bible, including the KJV, use the word “matrix” or variations in the spelling of the word from the old English dialect such as “matryce”, and “matrice”. We see this in Exodus chapters 13:12-15, 34:19 and Numbers 3:12, 18:15.

We know how Hollywood portrays The Martix. But how does the bible explain this mystery? Well, this word “matrix” is only used when referring to the female womb as an act of mercy …how very interesting. The portal for which life is brought into this world, is portrayed as an act of mercy?

… … …

In the movie, the term “matrix” is used to describe a false world being pulled over your eyes for the purpose of keeping you from knowing the truth. In reality, this is not entirely false. But who is to blame for hiding this ultimate truth in the first place? If you have already read Deception and Original Sin, I can tell you I have tried with everything I have to make this known.

In the movie, when you leave the matrix you are born into the “real world” – a place where those who were deceived by the Creator have been “woken from their sleep” and now live in the “real world” in a place called, you guessed it, the city of Zion.

In the movie, Zion exists deep beneath the earth (a traditional folklore setting for Hell).

In the movie, the good guys are fighting against the evil Creator of “the Matrix”.

On the other hand, …

In the bible, Zion is the holy mount of God, explained also as a heavenly city, the new Jerusalem (Heb 12:22, Isa 8:18, 24:23, 28:16, Rev 14:1, Joe 2:32) – not as a city cast into the bowels of the earth.

In the bible, the term “matrix” is used to describe our entrance into this world via mercy through the womb – not an oppressive false reality of an evil Creator’s rule.

In the bible, we are not born into the “real world”. We are born into a temporary world where all have been deceived by Satan.

In the bible, earth is a domain where Satan (not Jesus Christ) is the temporary prince of this world (Jhn 12:31; 14:30, 2 Cor 4:4, Eph 2:2).

In the bible, the Creator of “the Matrix” is the only source of love and truth in all the universe.

The life we are now living is not the “real world” as it is in the movies. In this life, we are all destined to die once, after that, the judgement (Heb 9:27). The next life is the true life. We are only hear for a brief moment of time. Hollywood’s version of The Matrix is an exact opposite of what the Bible reveals the matrix to be.

Satan has always sought to deceive the children of God, both man and angel. This manipulation of the truth, created in part by Hollywood elites, is yet another means for Satan to achieve his purpose of deception in the modern “real world”.

The Matrix trilogy unravels the plot of how there exists an almighty powerful Creator being who has pulled the wool over our eyes.

In the movie, the Creator of “the Matrix”, is the evil villain.

In the movie, the evil Creator villain is heard referring to himself as “the Father” and “God” where the all-knowing “Oracle” is the “mother God”.

In the movie, Neo (the savior of mankind) finally defeats the evil Creator Father God and becomes the sun god himself at the end of the trilogy.

Coincidence? I think not. That is how Satan sees himself. A savior who will overthrow the throne of the “evil Creator Father God”.

… … …

So, Hollywood made another movie, big whoop. Why make such a fuss? The Matrix is just a movie, right? There’s not really an evil spiritual force seeking to pull the wool over your eyes, right? Satan doesn’t really want your assistance in dethroning the Creator of heaven and earth, right? Satan doesn’t exist in reality …right?  

What would you say if I told you, you could know the truth – that you could understand very easily the meaning of life on this planet and the purpose for the creation of the universe?

What would you say if I told you, the bible clearly and unobjectionable states many human beings existed before the womb/matrix was created?

What would you say if I told you, the reason we are all living in this spiritually deceived existence is the result of mankind’s disobedience to our Creator in a former angelic state?

… … …

In this chapter, we will be cross referencing three underlining biblical themes attempting to explain this fundamental paradigm. The first, being mankind’s mortality – and nothing more. The second, being mankind’s angelic origins. The third being an intermingling of the first two. By the end of this chapter, you will know which biblical theme I believe is correct.

… … …

To read the full chapter, please purchase the book (currently in prepublication – not yet released for sale) or request a free copy by emailing Philip directly at philipjwalls@gmail.com

… … …

And much, much more… see the chapters page for more details.

To read the full chapter, please consider purchasing the book (click here) or request a free copy by emailing Philip directly at philipjwalls@gmail.com

What most modern Christian preachers fail to teach their congregations when using scripture such as 2 Pet 1:19 and 2 Tim 2:15 is that the Holy Bible had not yet been compiled and published in mass. The authors of the new testament were often referencing specific passages recorded by the old testament prophets. You see, context is of the upmost importance when trying to decipher modern church doctrine. In this chapter, we will examine “The Word of God” and how this phrase has become synonymous with “the Holy Bible”.

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Our 10% tithe is of little regard when we consider 100% of your life belongs to Him. What good is your tithe offering if you are holding back what the Lord truly desires? He desires that you would be repentant and acknowledge your sins, confess your wrong doings and turn to Him for His guidance while you are still in this world. He desires you to worship Him as He truly is (John 4:23-24), not in the outwardly appearance of faith and good works. Yes, we will be rewarded for our good works or judged for our bad deeds, but we are only saved by His grace. You cannot tithe your way into his good graces by allowing someone else to do these good works on your behalf at a 10% value. I offer you now a complete list of scriptures regarding tithing in order that you can know the truth of what the bible has to say about tithing.

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Just what is the “narrow way” and why are there so few that enter in through the “straight gate”? It is troubling to some to know the truth, but our troubles hold the greatest reward in the history of creation. Life, everlasting.

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