Interviewer: Speaking of incompatibility, is it okay to get divorced?
God: My goodness, we were just talking about premarital sex and now you’ve jumped all the way to divorce. Don’t you want to dwell on the marriage for a while before ending it?
Interviewer: I mention this because You were saying that it is better to work out the incompatibility kinks before marriage. I was wondering about people finding out, once they are married, that things are not going so well. Do You consider divorce an option?
God: If you really try and it doesn’t work, rather than spending your lives in misery with each other, it is permissible to divorce, but this should be a last resort. Every effort should be made to save the marriage, and if children have been born to the marriage, then the parents should put the happiness and well-being of the kids before their own. If the home is like hell when the couple is together, then even for the kids’ sake it might be better to separate. But the parents should certainly be able to manage a level of decorum and civility even if they dislike each other, if it means their children can get the benefit of having two parents.
Interviewer: There are many single-parent households nowadays.
God: And this is a very sad state of affairs, because children are made to need two parents, both a mother and a father.
Interviewer: In a previous interview, You said that the key to relationships is humility.
God: Yes, and it is the key to a successful marriage too.
Interviewer: But in a marriage, which at least usually starts out as a romance, isn’t love the key?
God: If you truly love the other, then you will be humble. By “humble,” I mean that you will regard the other partner as more important than yourself. If both of the partners are doing that, then it is guaranteed to be a successful marriage.
Interviewer: Would it also mean that they should regard their children’s happiness as more important than their own?
God: Yes!
Interviewer: But won’t that result in the kids turning out to be spoiled brats?
God: I agreed when you said “more important.” I didn’t say to spoil them.
Interviewer: So what is the difference?
God: If you cater to their every whim and don’t instruct and train the children, but rather let them boss you around, then you will spoil them. But regarding them as more important is making sure that they are cared for and receive the training and guidance they need.
Interviewer: But many of us have careers we are pursuing and can’t devote that much time to our children.
God: When you have children, being a parent is the most important career you have. If your children suffer because you are pursuing your own goals to their neglect, you will live to regret it. The most important legacy anyone can leave behind is his or her children. Put your children above your own ambitions and you generally won’t go wrong. You won’t spend your old age lonely and regretting your selfishness. Even if your children are not able to be with you or care for you, your memory will still be rich with the multitude of marvelous times you spent together with them.
Interviewer: But many of us feel that we have to keep our job and its dictates in order to maintain a reasonable standard of living.
God: I think you would be surprised what you can do without and still maintain a reasonable standard of living. As the Bible states, “Beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Interviewer: I don’t think most people are really being greedy, or covetous, as You put it.
God: That is something that they will honestly have to assess for themselves.
Interviewer: Most of us are just trying to keep up the payments.
God: That is where all this “keeping up with the Joneses” has led. The things in your life now own you rather than you owning them. It’s best to stop and really consider whether you need all those things. Sometimes you are better off just cutting your losses and simplifying your lifestyle.
Interviewer: That is a frightening prospect.
God: Humanity’s essential physical needs are quite minimal-food, clothing, and shelter. Why waste your time on things you don’t really need and which aren’t making you happy? Life is too precious not to be enjoyed.
Interviewer: So You really want us to enjoy life.
God: Definitely! I want you to enjoy every moment of it, living life to the full-one full of love, loving Me, and loving others.
Interviewer: That sounds like a fitting way to finish this book. Would You like to say anything more?
God: Even though this is to be the end of your book, I hope this is not the end of our discussions and conversations, neither with you nor your readers. We have discussed and debated many topics, but there is still much more we can talk about. Whenever you want to, please stop by. I am more than happy to talk with you or any and everyone on any and every topic. Remember, you can call on Me at any time! I am right there with each of you-just a breath away. I love you!
To divorce or not?
Why three?
Interviewer: Why does it take the three of You, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? It seems that one could do it all, since You are God.
God: It is because there are three of Us.
Interviewer: So there have always been three of You?
God: In your way of conceiving it, yes.
Interviewer: What about in Your way of conceiving it?
God: As much as you would like to, it is impossible for you to conceive things from Our point of view until you cross over here. If all the mysteries were explained to you right now, then there would be none left there for you to investigate.
Interviewer: I wasn’t asking to understand them all, but maybe just…
God: You are persistent, but in the end it has to be no for now.
Interviewer: Would it be correct if I inferred that You are like a family? Since You are referred to as the Father and Jesus as the Son, would the Holy Spirit be both Wife and Mother?
God: You could say that.
Interviewer: But I know my Bible and I know that the Holy Spirit is referred to throughout as He. If She is really a “She,” then doesn’t that impinge on the credibility of the Bible, that this is a flaw?
God: No, it doesn’t. In Genesis I am quoted as saying “Let Us make man in Our image. Male and female created we them.”6 So, it was clearly inferred there-and in other scriptures-that there are both male and female characteristics in the Trinity. You know that I am male and so is Jesus. So that doesn’t leave many options as to who is the female part, does it?
Interviewer: But You chose not to make it clear.
God: This is something that I had chosen not to clearly reveal earlier. Divine revelation is not all confined to the Bible. You see, the books of the Bible were written under My guidance. Some was prophetic, but at least some of the authors, especially of the New Testament, did not necessarily realize that they were writing things that would later be regarded as incontrovertible. If they had, they would probably have been so worried they would not have written anything. They were writing to inform and teach.
Interviewer: So they didn’t know they were writing for posterity.
God: The fact that later their writings would be placed into the Old or New Testament and become the canon of Christian teaching did not occur to several of them. It did to Me, of course, but I never intended for all revelation and truth to be once and for all confined solely to the Bible. What I say today will not contradict the Bible, but it will amplify parts and speak on contemporary issues the Bible doesn’t cover. I planned to keep talking to believers and instructing them, showing them new things. However, when the Bible was “bound,” the Church became hidebound. That is why I kept calling out new movements of Christians, but almost all eventually cooled off or were eliminated by jealous rivals.
In these Last Days I am showing more and more truth to people if they choose to believe it.
Interviewer: You mentioned “Last Days.” By that do You mean the end of the world?
God: The world is just about due for a great big change. But that is an enormous subject in itself, which I will have to talk about another time. This is the second time this has come up, so if you would like to devote a whole interview to this point sometime soon I am sure your readers would appreciate it.
Interviewer: Yes, that would be very interesting. “The End is near” and all that. Speaking of the end, perhaps this is a good place to finish this particular interview if that is agreeable to You.
God: Yes, it is. Thank you!
Interviewer: I always feel rather odd with You saying thank you to me. You being God and me being just a little ol’ mortal, for You to talk to me like this is quite awesome, for want of a better word. And then for You to say thank you on top of it is… Well, I can’t really find the words for it. Thank You for putting up with me and my questioning, which I can’t help but think You must find rather wearisome.
God: Not at all. Actually, I like to answer questions.
Interviewer: I am certainly very grateful You do. I must admit I enjoy hearing Your answers.
One World Government
Interviewer: Why would we choose the Devil in the flesh to be our world leader?
God: Because humanity will be both duped and desperate. Most will not recognize him for who he is, but will rather see in him someone with the ability and clout to rescue the world from its desperate situation. He will have already proven his worth by sorting out some very difficult issues and will already be acknowledged as the most astute politician and able problem-solver of the day.
Interviewer: But why will we be that desperate?
God: Because the world’s economic and political conditions will be in turmoil. A worldwide economic crash will not just result in economic hard times, but also the disintegration of stable government. The world will be calling out for strong leadership, and in this man they will get it.
Interviewer: But, as You said, Christians will certainly recognize him for what he is.
God: Not all. Not even most at first.
Interviewer: Why is that?
God: Many of them don’t expect to be around when he appears on the scene. Because of a misinterpretation of Scripture, they feel they will all be taken out of this world before that, in an event termed “the Rapture.”
Interviewer: So do they have this wrong?
God: The Bible talks about Jesus returning in the clouds of the heavens just prior to the Battle of Armageddon. At that moment the Rapture occurs. This is the event when all who have received Jesus in their hearts will be transformed and taken up from this world to join Jesus in the air and thence to Heaven. Although this event is sure to transpire, many have placed its occurrence before the darkest days of the reign of the Antichrist begin. However, the Rapture actually occurs later, shortly before the great battle.
Interviewer: And that is a problem?
God: Yes, because at first these Christians are not going to be so ready to recognize the Antichrist for who he is, given that his appearance on the world stage does not happen according to the schedule of events that they are going by. So, alas, many will conclude that he cannot possibly be the Antichrist, but rather some precursor. They will initially play along with him.
Interviewer: So they end up playing with fire.
God: And they will get burned because of it. Many Christians are looking forward to Jesus’ Second Coming. They have a hazy idea of some of the events to come and they realize that certain things must occur in Palestine, or Israel, before His return. One of those events is the building of the Jewish temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Because this man will so organize things to facilitate this happening, they will give him their support in this. But I have leapt forward with regard to the sequence of events. Let Me backtrack a little.
Interviewer: By all means.
God: As I stated, the Antichrist becomes the leader of the world government. By his initiative, several measures are introduced. One is a comprehensive settlement governing the Middle East, primarily centered on the relationship of the State of Israel with the Palestinians and their Arab neighbors.
Interviewer: Excuse me for interrupting, but hasn’t Israel already negotiated agreements with its Arab neighbors, including the Palestinians?
God: Indeed it has, but as you are well aware, those agreements are very tenuous and their implementation is spotty because they are fuzzy in their language and are open to a wide range of interpretation. Frustration with a lack of clear definition as to the terms of these agreements will lead all concerned to demand a comprehensive and definitive agreement with all parties, rather than just the bilateral agreements that are in place today. So a comprehensive agreement, with the Antichrist playing the role of “honest broker” and arbiter, will be negotiated and set in place.
Interviewer: What kind of agreement will this be?
God: This pact will have a seven-year term with the intention of it being reviewed and renegotiated at the end of that period. The pact, among other things, will deal with the issue of Jerusalem, particularly with regards to the coexistence of and access to the shrines and places of worship of the major monotheistic religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. It will therefore earn the label “the Holy Covenant,” a name by which it is known in the Bible.
Interviewer: So You’re saying that the Antichrist starts off doing this really great thing in order to gain favor with the world, even the Christians? He’s certainly going to win a lot of public admiration if he actually succeeds where so many have tried and failed before.
God: That’s part of his plan.
Interviewer: But since these events are referred to in the Bible, shouldn’t that set alarm bells ringing in the heads of Christians?
God: Many unfortunately don’t know the Bible well enough to realize this. But for those who do, these events should and they will try to warn others. But by this time events will be rolling and the program of world government will have gained such momentum that protest will not be brooked.
No regrets
Interviewer: Me too! When reading the Bible, one has the impression that You had somewhat of a change from the way You were in the Old Testament to the way You were in the New Testament. When You said You “learned,” and You spoke of the difference between sympathy and empathy, does that explain this apparent change?
God: I didn’t change per se, but it did cause Me to modify My behavior towards humanity. Both Jesus and I knew that this experience would have this effect, so it wasn’t that We were not prepared for it in every way. But due to His coming to earth to die for mankind, We did change certain basics. The keeping of the laws of the Old Testament was replaced with the grace and love of the New Testament.
Interviewer: This is a big subject that perhaps we could cover another time. To finish off our time now, may I get rather personal?
God: Yes.
Interviewer: When Jesus died on the cross He is said to have called out to You, asking why You had forsaken Him. Was that difficult for You?
God: There are no words to describe the pain that both He and I suffered at that time. Many of you know what it is like to have a loved one suffer and die. You have then had a glimpse of the sorrow that We suffered. But what sustained Us was the knowledge that what We were doing was going to result in a wonderful victory for Us and for mankind. We don’t dwell on the pain but rather on the triumph over death and pain that happened as a result.
Interviewer: So You weren’t just able to shut Yourself off from what was happening?
God: No, of course not. My Son was dying in agony in a cruel and ghastly and unjust execution. No good father could turn his back on that. But I could not intervene. I had to let it happen for the sake of mankind.
Interviewer: The reunion must have been marvelous.
God: Between Jesus and Myself? Yes, it was the most marvelous moment ever.
Interviewer: But You had to wait the 40 days, till He ascended to Heaven.4
God: Are you kidding? Not at all. We were together in spirit as soon as we could be after the ordeal. All this is very mysterious to most people. They have tried to put their various spins on this event, but let Me assure you that We were not separated for an instant longer than was necessary.
Interviewer: You have great love for each other, don’t You?
God: Greater than you can ever imagine.
Interviewer: But You have no regrets at what You both went through.
God: It was extremely difficult for both of Us, but neither of Us regrets doing it, because We knew of the eventual help and happiness it would bring to all of you.
So if I am good, I get to go to the good place?
Interviewer: To be talking to You in this way is still very awesome for me. You are so far out there and beyond understanding.
God: I have revealed a lot about Myself to humanity in My Word.
Interviewer: You are referring to the Bible?
God: Yes.
Interviewer: But many find it rather difficult to read.
God: They say that because they haven’t really tried. There is a lot in there that is very straightforward and understandable. Then there is much that is a bit more on the mysterious side. Believing the mysterious without fully understanding it is a matter of faith.
Interviewer: But why make it mysterious in the first place?
God: That serves a number of purposes. First, it allowed Me to place in My Word secrets that could later-sometimes millennia later-become understood. Their later fulfillment or disclosure proves divine authorship of the words in the first place. Second, when something becomes understood by a person, it inspires in them a greater interest in reading My Word more, to want to search for other secrets. Third, it is a test of faith. I like it when people believe what I say just because I said it and not because they necessarily understand it. To Me it shows that they love and trust Me even though they might not understand.
Interviewer: So is the Bible the sum total of Your Word?
God: Well, I think the answer to that would be obvious. If the words in the Bible were all I ever wanted to say, I wouldn’t be giving these interviews. These dialogues contain My Words, do they not?
Interviewer: Well, that is rather flattering, but I really wouldn’t put this interview on the same level as the Bible.
God: That’s modest of you! (God chuckles.) But you see, I have spoken and do indeed speak to men and women, boys and girls of all nations and religions. I am a living and moving God. I didn’t hang up My pen-or My megaphone, for that matter-when the Bible was completed. I still talk to people today, trying to show them what I would like them to do with and in their lives. True, these things are not on the level of the Bible, but they are still My Words.
Interviewer: You stated before that the idea of this life is to prepare us for the next life.
God: It is a preparation for the next life, but that is not the whole purpose for this life. You are also supposed to be a force for good in the present world. But the next world is the one that you will be in for eternity.
Interviewer: So if I am good, I get to go to the good place?
God: You mean Heaven?
Interviewer: Yes.
God: Ah, Heaven! The paradise of the afterlife! A place of infinite beauty that is forever getting better. But there is a prerequisite to get in the door. You first have to receive My Son, Jesus, into your heart.
Interviewer: This is an absolute prerequisite? I mean, I am talking to You here and so it seems I could bypass Jesus.
God: There is only one way to get into Heaven and be reconciled to Me, and that is through Jesus.
Interviewer: What do You mean by “reconciled”?
God: It is a long story, but the short version is that the original inhabitants of the earth did something that I asked them not to.
Interviewer: I assume You are referring to Adam and Eve.
God: Yes, dear Adam and Eve. By doing what they did, they introduced sin into the world. This sin is what separates mankind from Me. Jesus died so that that sin might be forgiven. Oh, I know to some that might sound a bit macabre, but there are certain rules in place in the spirit world that are inviolable. Rather than trying to understand it all right now, just believe that it had to be this way.
Because Jesus died and rose again, all that has to happen to be forgiven of all sin in your life is to believe in Him and ask Him to forgive you. When He forgives you, I forgive you. And then we are reconciled. Simple as that!
Interviewer: You said “all sin.”
God: Yes, all sin!
Interviewer: So that covers all past sin?
God: Not only all past sin, but also all present and future sins.
Interviewer: Isn’t that carte blanche to do whatever you want, even if it is sin?
God: No. Your sins are forgiven by Me, but that doesn’t mean you won’t suffer in some way for willful sin. People have to live with the consequences of their actions. Even if there is forgiveness, it does not mean there are not consequences; and even if I forgive you, others may not. If you commit crimes, you will certainly pay for them sooner or later in some way. If you hurt others, whether they forgive you or not is up to them. And if you knowingly do something wrong, it may result in permanent damage to you in some way.
Interviewer: But the sinner is still reconciled with You; I mean, if he believes in Jesus and has asked for forgiveness?
God: Yes. There is no way that can be withdrawn. It is also an inviolable law that once you are saved, you are forever saved.
Interviewer: You are introducing another word here, “saved.”
God: It is another term for what we were talking about. It is the same as “reconciled.” The Bible refers to it as salvation, which means being saved. You are saved from a life without Me and saved from Hell in the afterlife.
Interviewer: So Hell is a real place? It is not just a metaphor?
God: Hell is very real. It is the antithesis of Heaven. In every way that Heaven is beautiful, Hell is devoid of beauty. Imagine your worst nightmare and you have a taste of Hell.
Interviewer: But why Hell? If You are love, then how can You allow such a place to exist?
God: It serves a purpose similar to that which punishment and jail serve on earth. More than anything, it is a deterrent. No one really wants to be punished or go to jail, so the majority behave. You don’t have to go there unless you choose to by your actions. I am trying to get everyone into Heaven, and frankly, human nature being what it is, some people have to be scared into it by this unpleasant alternative.
Interviewer: But that doesn’t seem the best motive for being reconciled to You.
God: It works with some.
Interviewer: It still comes down to a choice, though.
God: Man has free choice. Everyone must choose for himself. Man wasn’t created as an automaton. Of course, I want people to choose My way and I give them every encouragement to.
Interviewer: But what about all those who haven’t heard how to be reconciled to You? It seems very unfair to send them to Hell simply because they haven’t had the chance to hear how to go to Heaven.
God: Who said I send them there if they haven’t had a chance to hear?
Interviewer: Well, that is logical, because there are billions of people in the world and not all of them-in fact, I would say hardly a majority of them-have heard about You, Jesus, or salvation.
God: Why are you limiting it to them hearing about all this in this world?
Interviewer: That seems the reasonable conclusion. Are You implying that these things can be presented to them in the afterlife?
God: Exactly, or as you suggested, it would scarcely be fair, would it? I know there are some who say that the only chance for receiving salvation is in this world, but I am afraid that they do Me a disservice in this.
Interviewer: So that means people could put off the decision till after they die?
God: No. If you have been presented with the information in this life and refuse it, then your decision has already been made.
Interviewer: But surely a lot of good and respectable people may well refuse?
God: Yes. It is their choice, as with everyone.
Interviewer: That would mean that some real nasty criminal type could end up in Heaven and a good, upstanding, law-abiding person could end up in Hell.
God: It could and does happen. Entry to Heaven does not depend on what you have done with your life, but it depends on your acceptance or refusal of Jesus. Everyone is on a level playing field when it comes to this choice.
Interviewer: I can’t help but feel that that is somewhat unfair. A good person ends up in Hell and the bad person ends up in Heaven scot-free.
God: I didn’t say scot-free. Just because a bad person ends up in Heaven does not mean that he or she will not have to make right what he or she has done wrong. What a person receives in Heaven in the way of rewards is meted out according to what good he or she has done in this life. One could well end up the equivalent of a pauper on his initial arrival and could also be required to make amends for what he had done on earth.
Likewise the “good” person who ends up in Hell, but then receives and believes in Jesus, will not stay there. However, if he stubbornly and adamantly refuses Jesus, he cannot enter Heaven. Receiving Jesus and believing in His sacrifice on humanity’s behalf is the only acceptable ticket for entry into Heaven.