Personal destiny

Interviewer: What about people who already have received Jesus into their hearts and yet at times feel depressed?
God: Again, I say that the best antidote is prayer. It is a tremendous help to those suffering from depression to realize that these negative and despairing thoughts come from the evil side of the spirit world. My truth, My love, My light is much stronger, and as soon as people let that in, it will start to wash out the darkness of the Devil’s despair. But it often will take time and considerable perseverance to see this whole process thro-ugh. That’s why prayer and reading My Word, and seeking advice from those who deeply believe in Me, all help to combat this.
Interviewer: To finish up on happiness, then, am I right in concluding that knowing and loving You and loving and helping others is the key to happiness?
God: That is well summed up.
Interviewer: The next subject on my list is “success.” I think most people want to be successful in life, even though their definitions of success vary. Lots of people would like to be rich or to achieve fame so that they are admired by others, perhaps even idolized. What do You regard as success?
God: To find and achieve your purpose for existence.
Interviewer: You have defined this earlier as loving You and loving others. Is that it?
God: If you do those two things, you will be a success. However, every individual has his own personal destiny which, if fulfilled, would make him even more successful.
Interviewer: That is interesting. We come preprogrammed to perform some great task, reach some great goal?
God: It depends on what you mean by “great.”
Interviewer: Becoming president or prime minister or something like that.
God: I pity anyone wanting to become a head of state. No, that is greatness in man’s eyes, which does not necessarily correspond with My idea of greatness.
Interviewer: Which is?
God: To be of great service to mankind.
Interviewer: But being a world or national leader would be of great service to mankind, wouldn’t it?
God: I think that most people tend to think that politicians are more likely to be of great service to themselves or to the political system. Even the most idealistic politician is soon forced into compromise, and some are even corrupted by the political system. I think everyone is more likely to agree that someone like Mother Teresa is truly great.
Interviewer: She was a saint in every sense of the word, but You don’t expect us all to attain that level of service and dedication, do You?
God: What a wonderful world it would be if everyone would, don’t you think?
Interviewer: So You would have us all be like that?
God: If all were like that, then there would be no need for all to be like that. I am not expecting such heroics of everyone, but it would be wonderful if more were like her.
Interviewer: So she is Your idea of success.
God: She succeeded in her calling. She would not be persuaded from it, but pursued it with every ounce of spiritual and physical vigor that she could muster. I know that all people will not and could not do what she did, but they can do something to make the world around them a better place for others. I have designed mankind so that the giving of themselves to help others is the most satisfying thing that people can do. It makes every other measure of success pale by comparison.
Interviewer: If that is the case, why aren’t more of us doing it?
God: Many do-a few in great ways, most in small ways. The thing that holds people back is selfishness.
Interviewer: But we are all selfish to some degree or another. It is human nature, the instinct for survival. If You intended us to be altruistic, which You have explained You would prefer, why did You program mankind with selfishness?
God: This world is a proving ground. Although there is selfishness inherent within man, there is also the ability to rise above it. Every individual has within him the potential to be a great force for good, if he only would.
Interviewer: Very interesting! Another area that most of us like to be successful in is in relationships. Relationships are myriad, of course, but is there a general rule for success?
God: Yes! Humility!
Interviewer: I thought You would say love.
God: Humility is love put into action. It regards the well-being and happiness of others as more important than one’s own. Therefore humility is the key.
Interviewer: By definition, the opposite of humility is pride. Does it then stand to reason that pride is what will cause a relationship to fail?
God: Exactly!
Interviewer: But a sense of pride is ingrained in us since birth.
God: Pride builds walls between people. Humility builds bridges. It reaches out to others.
Interviewer: But we are told of the importance of self-esteem.
God: Having an appreciation of self-worth is good. Low self-esteem can and does lead to problems. However, I ask you to go further than this and esteem others more than yourself. That doesn’t mean you should think less well of yourself.-That is a mouthful, isn’t it? It means you should regard others as having at least some attributes or talents that are better than your own. That is pretty hard to do if you are stuck on yourself, so you must make an effort to look for the good side of others.

Humility or pride?

Interviewer: I have heard some say that needing to believe in God is a crutch and a symptom of low self-esteem.
God: That really is rubbish. Believing in Me can actually boost your self-esteem. If you’d think about it, you would see that you must be pretty valuable for God Himself to have sent His Son to die for you.
Interviewer: Indeed! I suppose it is a matter of perspective. But shouldn’t we take pride in our achievements, abilities, and talents, etc.?
God: There is a fine line. You, of course, have a sense of satisfaction when you have done or made something worthwhile. But when people begin feeling that they are superior to others because of what they have done, then they are heading for disaster. Quite frankly, if you are hoping to be successful in a relationship, a swelled head is just about the last thing you need.
Interviewer: What do You see, then, as a successful relationship?
God: People in partnership with one or more others to achieve a greater good. People in partnership with others create synergy.
Interviewer: Synergy being defined as the combined effect of two or more being greater than the sum of their individual effects?
God: Yes. It is again part of the basic design. People working in combination with others can do more than they could have if they had all worked on their own. But in order for a relationship of any kind to truly prosper, there must be humility on the part of the participants.
Interviewer: I think I am not that clear on what You mean by humility.
God: Esteeming the other person better than yourself, as I mentioned earlier.
Interviewer: But what if the other person isn’t as accomplished at things as I am?
God: Then that takes more humility.
Interviewer: Hmmm… That is easy to say.
God: Let Me explain further. Humility causes you to not hold yourself up as the great almighty one who is there to always save the day. It causes you to make an effort to see what the other person is bringing to the situation which you yourself cannot. Every person is different, so look for what you can admire in someone, some way in which you can look well on him, some reason he is needed. Humility does not lift itself up, but lifts up others.
Interviewer: Well, this is something we are not accustomed to doing naturally, because many of us feel our opinions are the best, our methods are probably the best, and so forth.
God: It is never easy for man to be humble. Man’s tendency is to pride. But humility always pays off, whereas pride never will in the long run.
Interviewer: If this is hard for me to grasp, maybe it is because it just seems to me that You put all the wrong tendencies in man. Pride and selfishness are just two we have covered in this session. You still haven’t explained why.
God: So man would need Me. The world is a giant demonstration to show that even a being as clever as man needs Me to be truly successful.
Interviewer: But is that fair? Why would You create us and then hobble us with traits that guarantee our ultimate failure?
God: You are being rather hard on Me today. Or maybe you are just thinking it will be too hard for you! Remember that I said I would help you to do whatever I ask you to. I did not make you perfect; that is true. But I did create in you the ability to choose the way that would lead to what will be the most perfect existence that you could imagine. Man also was created with the freedom of choice-to choose to follow Me or not.
I have tried to make the bad effects and fruits of pride extremely obvious. Pride promotes love of self more than love of Me or others; thus it wars against choosing My way. I am demonstrating to everyone the rewards of following Me in humility, rather than following oneself in pride.
Interviewer: That is a lot to grasp.
God: Yes, but it is again a matter of faith. If you believe what I am saying and then do it, you will find success in relationships, as in other areas of life.

What is the secret to good health?

Interviewer: How about health? What is the secret to good health?
God: Generally it is to live right, eat right, exercise right, and have a positive attitude.
Interviewer: Sickness and accidents are the bane of man’s existence.
God: The human body was not created to be indestructible. It requires care and maintenance.
Interviewer: But why sickness and disease? Seems that they just make life miserable.
God: You are not sick the majority of the time, are you?
Interviewer: No. But why be sick at all?
God: Sickness is often a consequence of one’s own actions. People have to accept personal responsibility for those. But there are many reasons for sickness. A lot is learned through taking care of oneself or others. It will certainly help people to appreciate the glorified new bodies that they will eventually receive in Heaven. You can never appreciate good health until you are sick.
Interviewer: Well, I do appreciate good health, but it is cause for reflection that there could be benefits to sickness as well.
God: Sickness often results in people either coming to know Me, or if they already do, coming to know Me in a deeper way. Desperation causes people to reach out for divine help, and then I can step in and help. It also gives them more understanding of others and compassion for them.
Interviewer: You are talking about divine healing here.
God: I can and do heal people in answer to prayer.
Interviewer: Do You do this every time You are asked?-Heal them, I mean?
God: I answer prayer in every instance, but it might not necessarily be with healing, or the healing may not be immediate. There are many factors involved, and this is a rather complex subject. But please do understand that this world isn’t the be-all and end-all. It has been created to be but a transitory testing and learning ground for mortal man. One cannot judge Me only on what happens in this world. Mankind was created to eventually live with Me in Heaven. If you can keep your eyes on that goal, then it will make whatever pain and sickness you may endure in this life much more bearable.
Interviewer: I think the manufacturing industry calls that “planned obsolescence,” when things are made not to last long so that customers will come back in a few years to get the new model. It seems people would wonder why You didn’t make us according to the design that You apparently plan to upgrade us to.
God: Heaven and all that comes with it is to be looked forward to. Earth is the proving ground. The things learned in this life shape and define your character for eternity. Some things can only be fully appreciated and understood from the experiences of this life. Good health can only be appreciated when one has sickness to compare it to. Companionship can only be truly valued when one has known loneliness, mercy when one has suffered harsh justice. In the world that is to come, your past experiences on earth will give you depth and richness of character that would otherwise have been unattainable.
Interviewer: Well, I hope that any sickness I suffer has that effect. About divine or faith healing, why is it that some people apparently get miraculously healed while others don’t, and perhaps even die?
God: It all has to do with their purpose and destiny in life. For some it is simply time for them to come home to the spirit world. Heaven is infinitely better than this life. In a way, holding someone back could be regarded as not letting someone graduate from university. What is better? That the student get his degree or not? If you can look at it from that perspective, staying in this world is the worse of the two options. But I heal others in order for them to in turn use the rest of their lives to benefit others and as a testament to My power. It is proof that I am real.
Interviewer: That explains why people die, but what about those left gravely handicapped or with some sort of debilitating and long-term illness? It seems that rather than draw things out, it would be better to either heal them or take them “home,” as You put it.
God: Each case is different. The people are different and the circumstances are different, so I can’t give you a pat answer that covers everything. There can be all sorts of reasons, and in most cases many reasons are involved. But let Me ask you something: If you are so concerned, what are you doing about it? Some people criticize Me for allowing this bad thing and that bad thing, but are they doing anything to help alleviate whatever pain and suffering they are talking about? If people are sick in the hospital or shut-ins, are these critics of Mine visiting them to try to bring a little cheer into their lives? Perhaps the reason people are sick has something to do with them not having the friendship or companionship of other people.
Interviewer: You seem to enjoy tossing the ball back into our court. I feel there is not a lot that I or anyone as an individual can do.
God: But there is always something you can do. My proposal to you is: At least do what you can, and I can do the rest.
Interviewer: The old “God helps those who help themselves” aphorism.
God: In a way, yes, but it’s more than that. God helps those who help others. Man is not supposed to spend his time only looking out for himself, but he is supposed to be looking to help others. Won’t you help others in need? You may be praying, “God help this or that situation,” when in fact I might be trying to help that situation by sending you to be that help. You could be the answer to someone’s prayer!
Interviewer: Interesting thought and something to keep in mind should I find myself in some such situation. I have been giving You a bit of a rough go of things today. I apologize if I have sounded critical. Would You like to say anything in closing?
God: Apology accepted. I could preach a sermon, but the world has heard lots of those. What people want to see is sermons in action. Think about it: What can you do to make the world a better place? The power to be a force for good lies within everyone, even if it is only in little ways. Make your part of the world a bit more heavenly by bringing a touch of Heaven in the way of love and kindness to those around you. If you feel you haven’t the strength to be this way but would like to, call on Me to help. I will, I promise you.

Secrets and Fun

Interviewer: Here we are again. And for openers may I ask what might sound like an unusual question?
God: All depends on what it is. But since I already know what you are going to ask, yes, it is okay.
Interviewer: So there is no keeping secrets from You?
God: No, I’m afraid not. Actually I am not afraid. It’s just a figure of speech, you understand.
Interviewer: Of course.
God: So do you want to ask your question?
Interviewer: But You already know it.
God: I do, but don’t you want to ask it anyway?
Interviewer: But if You know it, why should I ask it?
God: Because that is your part.
Interviewer: Do You really need my part?
God: Of course I do. If I didn’t need you and your part, you wouldn’t have been created in the first place.
Interviewer: You made us because You need us?
God: Doesn’t that stand to reason?
Interviewer: But You are God; why would You need anyone or anything?
God: Because I am love, and love needs people to love.
Interviewer: So You created us to love us?
God: Yes. Is that so strange?
Interviewer: I am trying to grasp the idea.
God: It is mirrored in people wanting babies. Do they want them because they want to change their diapers, stay up late with them when they won’t sleep, nurse them when they are sick, and do everything for them when they are young? Then as they grow older, work to provide them with a secure and happy life with the things they need? I think not. They want them because they want to have them be part of their lives. So, similar to how most parents want to have their kids, I wanted to have human companionship.
Interviewer: You made us to be Your companions?
God: Yes.
Interviewer: I sort of thought that You needed us to worship You.
God: Don’t you worship the ones you love?
Interviewer: Yes, I suppose so, but that is somewhat different from worshiping God. I mean, they even call church services worship services. It’s a way of showing respect to You.
God: Bless those souls who go to those things, but I do crave something a bit more on the intimate side. Well, to be honest, a lot more on the intimate side.
Interviewer: So You’d rather we here be more like friends with You?
God: Yes, even lovers.
Interviewer: Whoa, that is getting intimate.
God: Don’t lovers love?
Interviewer: Yes, but lovers love … well, you know … a little more than just friendship.
God: Is this going down sideways?
Interviewer: No! It is just … well, we could say interesting.
God: I’m glad you are interested. You see, I desire to love you and be loved by you in the deepest form imaginable. For some this is to think of Me as a lover, and speak to Me in passionate terms.
But most people are more comfortable loving Me as a kingly, divine Father, and I appreciate that too, very much. I crave to be close to people in whatever way possible.

Is God disapointed with humanity?

Interviewer: You said You made us to be Your companions. But it doesn’t seem that many people are really being that companionable with You.
God: That is unfortunately true.
Interviewer: Does that disappoint You?
God: It does, but there is hope.
Interviewer: Hope?
God: Yes, because most eventually will get the point, if not in this world, then in the world to come.
Interviewer: I think some of us have the concept in our mind that we would take our place in Heaven as sort of part of the workforce where You are the boss, or perhaps better said, the king. But You are hinting that things might be a bit less hierarchical.
God: I will be the king, but yes, it is not going to be Me just coming out on the balcony of My palace and waving to the crowds once a year or something. No, I will be down amongst the people often. I enjoy your company. You never did ask your question.
Interviewer: I was going to ask what You did for fun, providing of course You are into fun.
God: Why wouldn’t I be into fun? If you are created in My image, then a lot of your desires mirror Mine. If you desire fun, it is a pretty safe bet that I desire fun also.
Interviewer: So what do You do for fun?
God: Oh, I had a six-day party awhile back and made the universe. That was pretty fun.
Interviewer: Anything a little less spectacular?
God: I am a creator, so I love to create. I love to make things.
Interviewer: Like what-besides the universe, that is?
God: How about Heaven? We took a little more time with that.
Interviewer: We?
God: Yes, I and all the others who are helping.
Interviewer: What about a hobby?
God: I love people-watching.
Interviewer: Sports?
God: No one wants to play Me because I always win, and even if I did lose, they would know I did it on purpose. For that reason I generally stay away from sports, though I go watch others play.
Interviewer: So they play sports in Heaven?
God: Definitely, though the killer instinct is absent, so every game is a friendly one.
Interviewer: But isn’t competition the basis of sport?
God: Most of the time on earth, yes. But up here values are different, so they don’t try to beat the other guy too much. There is an element of competition sometimes, but just to enjoy doing something vigorous with a friend.
Interviewer: Wouldn’t everyone there be pretty much equal in abilities anyway?
God: No. Some are better at some things than others. Everyone has lots of ability, but not necessarily equal ability in everything. Variety is the spice of life, even in the afterlife.

Are thoughts private?

Interviewer: Interesting! You said something before about church services, and it didn’t sound like You were that thrilled with them.
God: They are often pretty dull and boring. Would you be that thrilled with them?
Interviewer: No. I stopped going.
God: I know.
Interviewer: Yes, I suppose You do. This gets to me a bit, that You know everything. Is there any privacy in the spirit world? Seems it is sometimes nice to have a few things about oneself that aren’t known.
God: Like what? Your PIN?
Interviewer: I suppose I won’t be needing that, will I?
God: I haven’t thought of a use for that here.
Interviewer: I think I would like to have my thoughts be private.
God: Why? Do you want to think bad thoughts?
Interviewer: No!
God: Honestly?
Interviewer: Well … all right, I can get to brooding over something and then I suppose my thoughts are not “good.” But it is more than that. I think it would be nice to have the freedom to bounce things around inside for a while before anyone knows what I am thinking.
God: So you have a little trouble being transparent?
Interviewer: It just sounds a little Orwellian to have my mind and thoughts monitored.
God: Please let me assure you it is not like Big Brother. It is that we are honest and open here, so we don’t feel a need to hide our thoughts and intentions.
Interviewer: You say “we.” Are You included in all this openness?
God: I am very open, but My mind is beyond yours even in your heavenly state. So no, you won’t be able to read My thoughts. But that does not prevent My being open and forthright with you.
Interviewer: It will take a little getting used to.
God: But it is that way now.
Interviewer: I suppose so, but somehow it is just not so obvious. Well, on to another subject. Do You have favorites?
God: In what way?
Interviewer: Ones that are like Your pets who You are more indulgent with, that You care for more and watch out for more carefully.
God: I love everybody with equal fervor. But those who love Me back do benefit more than those who don’t. These are those who try to follow Me closely and spread My love and message to others.
Interviewer: Is this fair? Shouldn’t You just treat everybody the same?
God: Isn’t it fair to reward good rather than not to? If there is someone who is good to you, don’t you hold him or her in higher esteem than others? It is the same with Me. I reward those who try their best to love Me and others.
Interviewer: From my perspective, I can’t help but think there are some people who do not deserve Your favor but who seem to get it big time. Aren’t there a lot of well-off people who have lots of comfort and care who are far from deserving of it?
God: You are equating luxury and plenty with My blessings. This is not necessarily the case. In fact, it is rarely the case. I do care for those who love Me and I can bless them materially, but an abundance of material goods is, on its own, no indication of My blessings. The majority of the blessings I bestow are those of the spirit. Peace of mind and heart are much more valuable than material things. And it is far better to save up your rewards in the world to come than to get them there on earth.

Are some people just born lucky?

Interviewer: Some people seem to be just plain lucky. They get all the breaks, whereas others of us never win a raffle or hardly even a hand of poker. What is it with these people who always seem to win at bingo or cards or other things? Are some people just born lucky?
God: Are you talking about gambling?
Interviewer: Well, gambling is part of it.
God: There are precious few who win at gambling. The only people who really make the money are the ones organizing the gambling, and they play everyone else for suckers. They are parasites playing on the gullibility of everyone else. Gambling has ruined many lives.
Interviewer: There go the church bingo games.
God: Bingo! Let’s qualify this and say that a little playing of games of chance in moderation is okay, but it can often grow into an inordinate addiction. If it’s kept small, it is one thing, but it often doesn’t stay that way. I have it in print right in the Bible where I say the love of money is the root of all evil. Those who gamble love to win. I mean, no one gambles because they love to lose, right? And the prize is usually money. And the pursuit of that will lead them down the path of evil, and by that I mean disaster.
Interviewer: A recurring theme seems to be that enjoying most things in moderation is okay.
God: That is a pretty good rule of thumb.
Interviewer: So are You okay about drinking alcohol?
God: In moderation. (Laughs.) You know that was Jesus’ first recorded miracle.1
Interviewer: Changing the water into wine.
God: Yes. Very good wine, too, as you’ve read.
Interviewer: Yes. I have heard some people rail at the “demon drink,” but You don’t seem to think it is so demonic.
God: If you abuse it, then it becomes demon drink. Then it no longer “makes glad the heart of man,” as the Bible says, but it has gone beyond that into turning him imbecilic or morose or even violent. Instead of the drink helping to relax you, it has turned into a monster that dominates and ruins your life.
Interviewer: So why give us such a thing if You knew it was going to be abused?
God: Learning how to use things correctly is all part of the reason for you being there in the first place. It is true that I knew that alcohol in its many varieties would be abused, but many people use it wisely. There are times when it helps to have a drink to relax, and it helps people be sociable. Why, they have even uncovered the fact that it is healthy to drink a little. But for goodness sake, don’t abuse it.
Interviewer: You have been very kind to answer all these questions. Perhaps we’ll wrap this up here. This interview is a little short, but I think this is a good point to end on.
God: Agreed. So until next time?
Interviewer: Yes!

It’s in the Stars! Or Is It?

Interviewer: Here we are again. Thank You for coming.
God: Always a pleasure. Shall we get down to business?
Interviewer: A subject I have been meaning to ask about is astrology-the effect that the planets and stars supposedly have on our personalities and destinies.
God: On personalities, yes, destinies, no.
Interviewer: So there is some truth to it?
God: Yes, that is one of the ways that I designed things, so each person’s personality is unique. The planets and stars work like an incredibly complex apparatus in this regard. Their positions in relation to each other are always changing, so that the planet and star chart is almost unique for every person and thus bestows varying personality traits.
Interviewer: But what if we are saddled with a personality we don’t particularly like?
God: The design the planets and stars give is just the basic pattern. There are good traits and not-so-good traits to each of the so-called astrological signs, but each person doesn’t have to leave it at that. You are given the ability to improve yourself. If you don’t like the way you are, you can change. But the influence of the stars is not the only thing to shape your personality. Other factors are genetic and environmental. However, more important than personality is character.
Interviewer: Meaning one’s ethical and moral strength.
God: Exactly.
Interviewer: But before, You stated that being ethical or moral has no bearing on getting into Heaven.
God: That is a different issue. I did not mean to make it sound like I was denigrating people who are ethical, or saying that it is not important to be moral. I was talking about salvation, which is a free gift granted to you upon accepting Jesus into your life and heart.
Interviewer: So what is the good of being ethical if it has no bearing on your entry into Heaven?
God: It has a lot to do with your inner well-being and happiness in this life. And standing up for what is right will not go without reward in the life to come. You will not regret it, I can assure you. Getting in the door of Heaven is one thing, but it is certainly shortsighted if that is all you strive for. How well you fare in Heaven will have a great deal to do with how you lived your life on earth.
Interviewer: But Jesus was particularly scathing in His attacks on the Pharisees of His day. Weren’t they ethical and moral?
God: There were some who were righteous, but many were hypocrites who only pretended to be “good” on the outside while inside they were seething with hate and venom, as was borne out by their banding together with their avowed opponents, the Sadducees, in calling for Jesus’ execution. They were far from moral or ethical, but were only self-righteous. Self-righteousness stinks, and it is usually obvious to everyone except the person who has it that it stinks.
Interviewer: Self-righteousness isn’t goodness, You are saying.
God: That is correct; don’t confuse self-righteousness with ethical and moral strength. Those of truly strong character, even if they may appear weak, will stand up for what is right and good against the odds. The vast majority of people usually seem to end up on the wrong sides of issues, so don’t look for people of character in the mob calling for blood. You won’t find them there.

True or False?

Interviewer: It seems You’re implying that the daily horoscope business is not reliable.
God: I do often show signs in the night sky, such as comets, for example, as portents. Even Jesus’ birth was heralded by a bright star. But the daily horoscope, such as “you will meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger who will provide you with exciting business possibilities,” is guesswork. Sometimes it’s clever guesswork, but it has nothing to give it credence except an occasional coincidence.
Interviewer: So the ancient superstition about comets being evil omens has some truth to it?
God: I think all you would have to do is read the supporting evidence to see that momentous things happening around the times major comets are sighted is more than just coincidence. Of course, some like to embellish on events heralded by comets, and it is true that major things happen without comets making an appearance, but I do use comets to get people’s attention. Not all ancient beliefs are silly superstition.
Interviewer: This talk of comets and portents of doom reminds me of the prophecies of Nostradamus. From what I have read, most of them seem very obscure, but once in a while he said something outstanding that appears to be an accurate prophecy. Was Nostradamus a prophet?
God: Indeed, he did see the future. I spoke to him through My agents.
Interviewer: Meaning he had some sort of a spirit speaking to him, a spirit guide?
God: Yes. He lived in troubled times when someone with his gifts could very easily have ended up being burned at the stake. So I gave him the wisdom through a helping spirit to put his prophecies into verse and in a mixture of languages so that their meanings were veiled.
Interviewer: So all the wild things he wrote about are going to come true.
God: Much of it has and there is still more that will, but some of it will not happen. He was not right one hundred percent of the time.
Interviewer: How so?
God: Some of what he received he did not understand, so he wrote it down wrong. Also, some prophecies are conditional: If such and such happens, then such and such will follow. If for some reason the first criterion is not met, then the rest will not occur, or at least will not occur exactly as predicted.
Interviewer: So if I understand this right, a prophet can predict that such and such a thing will happen, but then even if it doesn’t, he is not necessarily a false prophet.
God: That is so.
Interviewer: But doesn’t that throw all the rules out the window regarding who is and who is not a genuine prophet?
God: You are saying that your rules are so strict that if someone misses it on one point, you disregard all his prophecies?
Interviewer: Yes, I suppose I am.
God: Boy, you are tough! It seems that you are holding these people to a far higher standard than you hold anyone else to. If a doctor misdiagnoses one patient, do you then regard him as a charlatan?
Interviewer: No, but this is in a different league, isn’t it? Someone who is a prophet is supposed to be getting his instructions from You and therefore isn’t supposed to be wrong.
God: They are just humans. They can misunderstand and get things wrong.
Interviewer: But then how do we differentiate between the genuine article and someone who is a fake?
God: By the preponderance of the results. If these prophets are right a good deal of the time, then you can bet on them as being genuine. Their motives are another indicator, whether they are genuinely trying to do good and give messages that are helpful and needed, or whether they are in it for their own aggrandizement or for money or for some other ulterior motive.
Interviewer: Any other ways to tell who are bona fide prophets?
God: Well, to be genuine they would need to acknowledge Me as being the source of their inspiration. Also, there is a bit of haziness in most people’s minds on this point, but a prophet is not necessarily someone who makes predictions of the future. Actually a prophet’s main job is to give whatever message I am instructing him to. That can sometimes be a prediction of future events, but often not.
Interviewer: But aren’t there a lot of cult leaders who acknowledge You and claim they are preaching Your message, but yet seem evil?
God: You’ve jumped from prophets to cult leaders here. They are not necessarily one and the same. But to answer your questions, one man’s religion is another man’s cult. Much is made of the cult scare these days, but people would always do well to look a little more circumspectly at what is being served up to them by the media. Remember that Jesus was executed as a cult leader, under trumped-up political charges. The leaders of the predominant religion saw Him as a threat to their position and had Him falsely accused of inciting sedition.
Interviewer: Yet it still seems there are a lot of wackos in cults.
God: There are some pretty strange ideas and some are dangerous, but that doesn’t mean that they all are, by any means. However, people fear anything that is strange and new until it is proven, which can take a very long time. What I see in some of these religions is that they have thrown off the shackles of tradition and are seeking Me.
Interviewer: But some have this proclivity to turn suicidal.
God: There have been some evil men who have led their followers astray, with horrible results. Suicide is a terrible tragedy. Moreover, their suicides have taken place in groups, which means that they are particularly publicized. There are many more sad and lonely people in society who commit suicide and they don’t get publicized. The professions that have some of the highest rates of suicide are mental health and law enforcement. You have a greater chance of committing suicide if you belong to one of those groups than you do if you are a cultist.
Interviewer: That’s ironic, because members of those two groups are usually the ones sounding the alarm about cults.
God: Let’s be fair and acknowledge that their jobs are stressful, but it does go to show that no one should be pointing the finger.

What about religious terrorists?

Interviewer: What about religious terrorists?
God: What about them?
Interviewer: Well, by all measures of civilization they seem to be bad. Don’t they give You a bad name?
God: My commandments are to love Me and love others. If people’s actions are going against those commandments, then they are not obeying Me and cannot claim My sanction for their deeds. But there are those who love to smear Me and discredit those who believe in Me by taking the actions of a few and applying it to the many. Take, for example, the words “Islamic terrorists.” That wording has been used so often in the media that now many people immediately equate Islam with terrorist actions, whereas that could not be further from the truth. The true followers of Islam submit themselves to Me in peace, although I cannot blame them for the anger they feel because of the way they are often treated by the West, especially the Western press.
Interviewer: This brings up another subject-religious persecution. It is a phenomenon that has been around for a long time, but, as an example that it is apparently getting worse, I read that more Christians have been killed in this century because of their faith than the rest of history combined.
God: That example demonstrates how humanity is less “civilized” now than ever in many aspects.
Interviewer: Why is there religious persecution?
God: Those in the wrong hate the freedom and happiness of those who live right because it exposes what a sham their own lives are. These misguided ones become agents for the “opposition,” who hates the light and truth and will try to destroy it by any and all means.
Interviewer: You are referring to Your opposition here, the Devil.
God: Most definitely, because he is at the root of this kind of persecution.
Interviewer: But often these persecutors profess to be atheists, and so they don’t believe in him either.
God: They don’t have to believe in him to be the agents of his dirty work.
Interviewer: But on the other hand, there are some seemingly devoutly religious people who instigate this type of thing. Look at the persecutions carried out by the Roman Catholic Church in centuries past.
God: Where did they read that Jesus wanted them to persecute others? He even told His followers to love their enemies.
Interviewer: You explained how evil tries to destroy the truth. Will it?
God: It can persecute it and suppress it, but it will never destroy it. In the end the wrong will be destroyed by the right.
Interviewer: You mean that the right will do to the wrong what the wrong is doing to the right?
God: If by that you are asking if it will employ the same means, no! In the end the wrong will be destroyed by the right, just as darkness is banished by light.
Interviewer: That’s rather metaphorical.
God: True, but it is a concept that lends itself to instant understanding.
Interviewer: Indeed! Well, we will all look forward to that day. Thank You again for most graciously submitting Yourself to all these questions.

The End Is Near?

Interviewer: I think the topic of this session was decided in our previous one.
God: Yes, indeed. Tell Me what you would like to ask about the end of the world.
Interviewer: All right. Here we are in the third millennium since Jesus was on earth. People have been going on about the end of the world for around 2000 years, and probably longer. Yet this old world just keeps plugging along. I think people have gotten a little tired of hearing about the end of the world.
God: Just because they are tired of it doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
Interviewer: Yes, I agree with You. But I think people picture the stereotypical doomsayer, someone a bit off his rocker, wearing a sandwich board with a big sign on it saying “The End Is Near!” I think people can be excused if they disregard this kind of thing.
God: I agree. But just because there is a kook or two saying this, doesn’t mean that what they are saying is not fairly close to the truth.
Interviewer: So You are saying that the end is near?
God: The end of the world as you know it, yes!
Interviewer: Please elaborate on the “as you know it.” What is going to happen?
God: Do you want the good news or the bad news?
Interviewer: Well, I am relieved to hear there are both. Perhaps if You just listed it sequentially, it would be best.
God: Very well. There is a lot of detail, but for clarity and simplicity I’ll just hit the highlights.
Interviewer: Sounds good.
God: As many would agree, the earth has gotten into pretty bad shape. Its resources, especially water, are being used up at a rate that is not sustainable. So even if things were not heading for a climax according to the timetable that I set up at the beginning, something would have to be done. But because there is global disaster looming not just ecologically, but economically and militarily-a fact acknowledged in many quarters-these factors will help propel humanity into forming a united world government.
Interviewer: Like the United Nations.
God: No. The United Nations is just an organization with representatives from all nations but with little real authority. More or less a glorified debating society. What I am saying is that the nations will come together to form a one-world government that has the power to implement what it decides worldwide.
Interviewer: This sounds a bit far-fetched. Nations are not going to be that ready to surrender their sovereignty.
God: Nations already have. Many surrendered sovereignty over their economies long ago when they had to implement economic plans dictated to them by supranational institutions such as the IMF. Others, such as the nations of Europe, have surrendered parts of their sovereignty in order to form regional unions with other nations. So that bridge has been crossed.
Interviewer: Okay, say they do this. A united world government doesn’t sound like a bad idea. At least it could put an end to wars, allow for equal distribution of resources, etc.
God: Don’t kid yourself. Most wars in the world today are wars within nations, civil wars, and there is not a nation on earth that doesn’t exhibit great disparity between rich and poor. So all that talk about peace and equality being instituted if the nations of the world were united under one government of man is just hot air.
Interviewer: But we’ll still get a united world government according to what You just said.
God: Yes, you will.
Interviewer: Every government, even a one-world government, has its head.
God: Exactly, and you know who is going to be at the head of this one?
Interviewer: You?
God: Ha! No, not likely. At least not yet. The world is going to turn the reins of government over to a brilliant man who will command respect and allegiance from all.
Interviewer: A good leader for a change. Sounds like just the ticket.
God: That is what everyone-well, almost everyone-is going to say at first. But this man has a sinister secret. He is known by many names, but the one that is the most well known is “the Antichrist.”
Interviewer: That doesn’t sound very flattering. Why would he want to call himself the Antichrist?
God: He doesn’t. But I have called him that, and the many millions of Christians who are aware of his imminent arrival on the world stage will recognize him for who he is and will so label him.
Interviewer: With a name like the Antichrist, I suppose he must be the antithesis of the real Christ.
God: Exactly! And it doesn’t take a lot to conclude that if he is the Antichrist, he must therefore be getting his signals from a very different direction than Jesus did. As Jesus was God in human flesh, so, in parody, the Antichrist will be the Devil in the flesh.

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.

The microchip and the global economy

Interviewer: You mentioned other measures instituted by this world leader. What are these?
God: As most astute observers will notice, even though a majority of people might disagree with a government on many issues, as long as the economy remains good, they will usually put up with what they have. So the world government’s number one priority will be the economy. Today, an enormous amount of capital flows electronically throughout the world. Nations no longer decide their fate. This is now in the hands of the international financiers, investors and speculators. Speculation on a nation’s currency or a sudden withdrawal of investments can bring that nation to ruin in days. This tactic will be used to lead the global economic collapse I mentioned earlier.
Interviewer: Won’t people be ready to toss this Antichrist and his government out then?
God: To the contrary, people will demand that he intervene. To achieve recovery, the world government will bring to its ultimate conclusion the present digital trend in the world’s economy.
Interviewer: Electronic commerce.
God: Not just electronic commerce and a total electronic economy! In the new economy it will not be efficient to mint coins or paper currency or use other paper securities. The swiftness with which transactions are made on an institutional level will need to be able to be utilized by the smallest entity in the economy-the individual. In order to do this, everyone will need a unique identity number by which his transactions will be logged. To assure that the number remains unique to that person and can be used by no one else, the number will be encoded in a microchip implant along with other vital statistics and data on the individual and then inserted under the skin in the right hand.
Interviewer: Like the implants now used in pets.
God: Yes, similar to those. This implant will go through many upgrades as further, more sinister uses are found for it. Eventually models will be produced to be inserted in the frontal lobe of the brain. You can only imagine what purposes that will be put to. This is the famous Mark of the Beast, the number 666 being associated with each individual’s unique personal identity number.
This system will coexist for a while with current financial systems, even cash, but eventually all who wish to buy or sell or transact any business whatsoever will need to convert to this Mark-of-the-Beast system.
Interviewer: Aside from Your obvious inference that this is bad, there seems to me to be lots of advantages to just such a system.
God: If there weren’t obvious advantages, people would not buy into it. There are a lot of advantages as far as convenience and ease of purchasing and conducting other financial transactions, and that is why people will be willing to sacrifice their privacy. But that is the candy coating. The Mark will not just be for financial purposes, but it will be integrated into every aspect of life, so it will be made increasingly difficult to survive without this official registration. Then this world government will curtail personal freedoms in the interest of the “overall well-being of the masses” and will demand complete compliance to its rules and dictates, and eventually even worship of its leader.
Interviewer: So when does this happen?
God: Three and a half years after the signing of the Holy Covenant. The continuing squabbles and even wars between its signatory nations and entities will provide the pretext for the Antichrist, the arbiter, to declare the Covenant void and declare a type of international martial law. At that point, he will proclaim himself free from any constitutional restraints and assume dictatorial power. The Mark of the Beast will be declared mandatory, and anyone not receiving it will be regarded as an outlaw. It is at this point that the period called the Great Tribulation will begin.
Interviewer: Meaning a time of pretty enormous troubles?
God: Yes.
Interviewer: Universal trouble for everyone or just these “outlaws”?
God: It will be a time of trouble for everyone. The Christians by now would have wised up to what is happening, but many of them will be in quite a state of shock. Many people of other religious persuasions will also be in active opposition to the Antichrist, as will libertarians who don’t want to have anything to do with his system. Whole nations will rebel, and there will be wars between the armies of the world government and these nations. There will also be an increase in natural disasters and other new and more scary plagues, as some of man’s genetic engineering projects go awry and produce mega-insects and other biological freaks. It will be a world in chaos and confusion.
Interviewer: But why let it happen?
God: Man will have achieved his ultimate civilization: a united world government and economy based on his technological wonders. Yet it will lead the world to the brink of ultimate disaster. It is man at his pinnacle, but it will show just what a lousy job he does. It is the ultimate demonstration that, left to his own devices, man will make a terrible mess out of things.
Interviewer: But this isn’t man on his own, right? I mean, we end up with the Devil for our leader. No wonder it is such a disaster.
God: Humanity as a whole chooses the Devil to be its leader.
Interviewer: But won’t humanity be forced into it?
God: Manipulated, but not forced. Each individual will have a choice, and many will choose not to follow him.
Interviewer: Well, there You go. Not everyone goes down the merry path to destruction, so the world is not all bad.
God: I didn’t say the world was all bad. I said that humanity as a whole, when left to their own devices, will make a hash of it. But there are those who will remain in resistance to the Antichrist and his government.
Interviewer: How will they survive if the regime is so totalitarian and the economy so controlled that they can’t buy or sell?
God: In some areas the situation will be looser than others. It is a big world, and the Antichrist and his government will have a hard time controlling it all.
Interviewer: Am I right in supposing that Your sympathies are with the rebels?
God: Exactly. I will be helping them and will eventually rescue them.
Interviewer: Why “eventually” and not right away? You mentioned earlier that many Christians don’t expect to be in the middle of all of this. Why leave them in it?
God: For the same reasons there are Christians in the world today. Their purpose is to be an example of their faith, to tell others about Jesus and to bring them into My kingdom. During the Great Tribulation, this will be needed more than ever.
Interviewer: But a lot of them aren’t exactly samples of their faith now.
God: Unfortunately not, but they really won’t have much choice then. They will have to either stand up for what they believe or become part of the Antichrist’s system. They will soon find out that the Antichrist won’t tolerate them, so they will have to cast their lot in with the rebels.

The Rapture

Interviewer: Okay, we have the Great Tribulation happening. What next? I hope there is a bit of an upswing.
God: The Great Tribulation will last for approximately three and a half years; one thousand two hundred and sixty days, to be precise. Then Jesus will return in the clouds with all the host of Heaven. Everyone will see Him as He circles the globe calling all His people to come to Him. Then will be the great Rapture I spoke of earlier, when all those who have received Jesus into their hearts, dead and alive, will rise to meet Him in the air.
Interviewer: I even have a bit of trouble flying in an airplane, but here You have people flying up to meet Jesus. I hope You do a number on me, otherwise I’m going to have to keep my eyes closed the whole time.
God: Don’t worry! You’ll find that you will have a new, transformed, superhuman body, similar in style to what you have now, but greatly improved and enhanced and impervious to harm. In these new and eternal bodies, all who believe will rise up into the sky in a mighty wave.
They will then be taken to the centerpiece of Heaven, the Heavenly City, where they will join with all those in Heaven to celebrate this great deliverance and victory in an event known as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It will truly be the most wonderful occasion to date held in Heaven.
Meanwhile on earth, the troubles will intensify and multiply dramatically. Many will die and still more will wish to die to get away from the horrible plagues and disasters that will be occurring.
Interviewer: What about those who were in the rebel resistance who were not Christians? It hardly sounds fair if they get caught up in all this too.
God: I will protect them during this time. It is during this period that the Antichrist will amass his forces to try to annihilate the main force of the remaining rebels. Battle will be joined on the plain of Megiddo in Israel. This is the famous Battle of Armageddon, a battle so fierce and terrible as to dwarf all other battles in its ferocity and carnage. It is in the midst of this battle that the forces of Heaven, under the leadership of Jesus Himself, will intervene and annihilate the Antichrist and his forces. The Antichrist himself will be captured and cast alive into the very depths of Hell. The Devil also will be imprisoned in his own special jail known as the Bottomless Pit.
Interviewer: Gripping stuff! With those two baddies out of the way, I guess we all go back to Heaven and live happily ever after.
God: We live happily ever after, but not just confined to Heaven.
Interviewer: How so?
God: It is at this point that earth is given over to the personal rule of Jesus and those who follow and love Him. For the next thousand years, it will be run the best way. There will be much to do to restore its damaged environment and to try and turn the world back into the Edenic state that it was in the beginning.
Interviewer: I suppose the cities will need a lot of repair as well, after all that they would have gone through.
God: As a matter of fact, I am not so keen on fixing up the cities-at least the major ones. I think the world is better off without them.
Interviewer: Without them? Where will we live? Uh oh! I sense that the answer is obvious. We are not all going back to the farm, are we, for goodness sake?
God: You don’t like the farm?
Interviewer: Farm life is okay once in awhile on a weekend maybe, but living there?
God: Don’t get too excited. There will still be urban centers, but they won’t be the huge, overcrowded cities of today. They will be smaller, more intimate, more humane, and I assure you much more pleasant to live in. If farm life really isn’t your cup of tea, there will be lots of alternatives.
Interviewer: And this lasts for a thousand years.
God: That’s right.
Interviewer: So this is the good news You talked about at the beginning?
God: The beginning of it.
Interviewer: There is more?
God: Goodness gracious, yes! A thousand years is a drop in the bucket of eternity. This thousand years of peace and plenty and love and happiness is only the prelude.
Interviewer: I assume things only get better from then on.
God: Yes. There is a minor hiccup at the end of the thousand years, but that is all in the plan.
Interviewer: A hiccup?
God: It’s all under control, so don’t worry.
Interviewer: But a hiccup? Want to elaborate on this? What happens after the thousand years?
God: Can we save that till next time?
Interviewer: You’ve left us on a cliffhanger here.
God: Let’s just say the best is yet to come.
Interviewer: Okay! Sounds wonderful. Thank You again for a thoroughly absorbing discussion. I look forward to next time.
God: As do I.

Beyond the Hiccup

Interviewer: You left us with a hiccup last time.
God: (chuckling) So I did.
Interviewer: So my curiosity is aroused. What is the hiccup?
God: Well, after the titanic struggle on earth at the time of the Antichrist, with the good side-Ours-winning, there is the resultant thousand years of peace and goodness. At the end of those thousand years, the Devil is then freed from his prison in the Bottomless Pit and we have somewhat of a reprise of the Battle of Armageddon.
Interviewer: What! We go through all that again? Why does the Devil get released, for goodness sake?
God: For the same reason that I let him hang around in the world today. He provides an alternative, and the people of this new world will once again have the freedom to choose which way they want to go.
Interviewer: So what happens?
God: The Devil and his forces are again defeated, this time permanently. The earth then gets a complete makeover. The surface is burned up and recreated anew, becoming an even better and more splendid world.
Interviewer: So why not do this at the beginning of the thousand years? Seems like we work for all that time, or at least some do, and then it all goes down the tubes.
God: It got as good as it could get under the prevailing conditions. Don’t you want to see it improved?
Interviewer: Yes, without question, but why not do it right after the Battle of Armageddon? Why wait till this reprise, as You put it?
God: It once again has to do with the training program for humanity. It is practice for the ultimate home I have for you.
Interviewer: Must be quite a place if we need to practice for a thousand years.
God: You’re a bit hung up on that, aren’t you?
Interviewer: Well, it doesn’t seem to be that logical. I would think a hundred years max would be all we would need to practice. Besides, all those who started off at the beginning would be dead even before a hundred years are up, let alone a thousand. Doesn’t seem much point to it if you are still practicing when you die and never get to live out what you learned.
God: Who said you would die?
Interviewer: Common sense dictates that not a lot of people are going to live to be a hundred.
God: In the thousand-year period, things will change so much that people will think that you are still a child when you are a hundred.
Interviewer: Oh boy, that’s a big one to swallow. I am talking about normal people here, not the ones with the new super bodies You talked about earlier. Normal people won’t be able to live that long, will they?
God: If I work it out so they can, they can.
Interviewer: But the body naturally ages. The rigors of the environment take their toll also.
God: The environment does take a pretty bad beating before Armageddon and there is a lot of fix-up to be done. But all that is going to be taken care of during the thousand-year period, and the environment is going to get back into pretty good shape. Besides, you keep leaving Me and My power out of the equation. I am going to do a miraculous number on the human body, and it is not going to age like it does now.
Interviewer: So if I have things right, we’ve got the people who went up in the Rapture with new super bodies, but then we also have the people who survive Armageddon getting a makeover too?
God: That’s right. There will be those who survive on earth through Armageddon. Those survivors will not necessarily get a makeover, as you called it, but with a few changes in the environment, the aging process will decelerate markedly. So although the initial survivors will benefit marginally, the real benefactors will be their children and their children’s children.
Interviewer: What are all these survivors going to do? It sounds a bit like they all go back to the Stone Age.
God: (chuckles) That’s not a very nice way to describe the nearly paradisiacal lifestyle that they will eventually enjoy.
Interviewer: I don’t think a lot of people are chomping at the bit to go rural.
God: Too boring?
Interviewer: Yes. I think many will think so.
God: Got a better idea?
Interviewer: Most people go for the urban lifestyle.
God: Millions of people being lonely together? That is a better idea?
Interviewer: Not everyone is lonely. I admit that apparently a lot are, but most have some friends, at least.
God: Man was not designed to be an urban creature. Believe it or not, he was designed with a rural or at least semi-rural lifestyle in mind. Okay, I see the wheels turning in there, and you are going to say that I, knowing the future and all, should have been able to anticipate cities. Of course I did. But I still didn’t design man for that. He functions best in a more quiet, peaceful, but regular life. Modern urban stress is a killer that is doing more damage than most people realize.
Interviewer: But You said earlier that the centerpiece of Heaven is a giant city. Isn’t this contradictory-that Your idea of Heaven is a city but those on earth need to live as country bumpkins?
God: “City” is not perhaps the best way to describe it, but it comes closest in your understanding. It is huge-almost unimaginably huge. It is in the shape of a pyramid, with a base of nearly six million square kilometers and an apex over 2000 kilometers high. Now I admit some of it might have the appearance of being urban, but there is a lot of parkland and open space in an area that big. And I assure you the lifestyle will be relaxed. Even though much work will still be done there, it takes place at a relaxed pace.
Besides-back to your apparent critique of My plan for earth during those thousand years-I can assure you that people will enjoy life there, or at least most of them will.
Interviewer: Most, but not all?
God: There will be those who will not be satisfied. Just like Adam and Eve were not satisfied with what I had for them in Eden, so some people will not be satisfied in a world that will closely resemble Eden.
Interviewer: You would think we’d learn.
God: You would, wouldn’t you? But take heart-those rebels who have problems with it won’t cause the whole thing to be ruined for everyone else.
Interviewer: So these are the ones that are involved in the “hiccup”?
God: Yes. When the Devil comes along at the end of the thousand years, they gladly follow him into another rebellion.
Interviewer: What then?
God: Well, I put an end to it pretty quickly.
Interviewer: I guess You sort of run out of patience with the bad guys.
God: You could say that. There is always a limit, and they will have reached it by then.

The lightning-bolts-and-thunder side of God

Interviewer: There is an aspect of Your nature that we haven’t touched on in these interviews, the lightning-bolts-and-thunder side. There are accounts in the Bible of You causing the earth to open up and swallow the wicked, raining fire and brimstone on cities, even flooding the earth and killing all but a handful. This is all pretty terrifying for us mortals. How are we to reconcile this side of You with the kind and gentle side?
God: If I had sat back and not intervened so harshly, the results would have been far worse. The people involved had caused so much harm and hurt and suffering to others. I have to judge evil, else I would not be just.
Interviewer: This side of You is most evident in the Old Testament. Have You changed over time so that You don’t do things so violently now?
God: I have changed My tactics, but My nature remains constant.
Interviewer: Tactics? That almost sounds like You are waging a war.
God: I am. There is a very big and violent war being waged for the hearts and souls of men. But this violence is in the spiritual realm. My battle is with My ancient adversary for the souls of humanity-and that battle is conducted over and within each person.
Interviewer: So You don’t do these big cataclysmic things like You did in days past?
God: Man does a pretty good job of that all by himself.
Interviewer: But what about the Battle of Armageddon, or this hiccup, where the Devil starts a war all over again? That’s pretty physical, isn’t it?
God: Man initiates these conflicts by choosing to follow the Devil in the flesh, in the form of the Antichrist, or by choosing to rebel with the Devil in the hiccup we are talking about. When man has stepped so far out of line as to destroy himself, the planet, and many other people, I must step in to put things back in line. These wars only occur because of the choices of man.
Interviewer: Nevertheless, the big natural disasters such as earthquakes and killer storms, these are not caused by man. People even call them “acts of God.”
God: No, not all the time, although the intensity of the storms often has something to do with man’s damage to the environment.
Interviewer: Granted. But are these natural disasters Your “judgments” or are they just the natural course of events?
God: They are the course of nature. However, I do take advantage of these events to bring about results that I wish. But you cannot conclude that every disaster is some sort of judgment from Me.
Interviewer: But what about the good people who are killed in these disasters?
God: Those who die in events such as mudslides, hurricanes or earthquakes are often believers who go on to a better Home. Many are poor people who deserve more than the injustices and inequalities of man’s world, and so I sometimes take the surprising tack of using disasters to free My children from horrible surroundings, and bring them with their entire families to Heaven. There are many reasons for disasters, many of which will not be known until you arrive in Heaven and go back and look at the entire situation when such a disaster occurred from My vantage point.
Also, it is often in times of great peril that I can show My power through miracles of protection. These calamities often provide an opportunity for the noblest attributes of people to come to the fore, in acts of heroism, charity, or kindness. Disasters are bad, but through them good things can come. We have covered this ground before.

New Heaven and New Earth

Interviewer: Back to the events we were talking about before. So there is this battle of the hiccup. What then?
God: You have taken a fancy to the term “hiccup,” haven’t you?
Interviewer: I admit it. It is different.
God: So after this battle, the earth’s surface is completely burned up.
Interviewer: Completely? That sounds drastic.
God: Then the surface is wonderfully remade. It is a New Earth, resplendent in every way, with a new heavenly atmosphere. Every good thing is included, and nothing that can be construed to be bad is in it. Then onto this New Earth will descend the Heavenly City referred to earlier. This is the home and headquarters of Jesus and all those who love Me.
Interviewer: So it is literally Heaven on earth.
God: Precisely!
Interviewer: So what happens to the current Heaven?
God: The walls between the spiritual and material will dissolve. That which has existed in the spiritual will now be seen in the material. So the Heaven that now is will also exist in the material. The Heavenly City is even now in existence, but then it will be both spiritual and material and be situated on earth in all its resplendent glory.
Interviewer: Let’s see if I got this right. Right now there are these two realms: one, the physical or material; and the other, the spiritual. At that time there won’t be any division between them?
God: That is right. There will be one realm.
Interviewer: But why do You need to keep the material? It seems You live in the spiritual and that You have everything there, so there is not really a need for the physical.
God: The spiritual will not be totally complete until it is joined with the physical. I can see I’ve got you scratching your head over this one.
Interviewer: Yes, You have. I’d appreciate it if You’d elaborate.
God: In the beginning I divided the spiritual from the material. When all is restored, these two realms will again be joined. The spiritual realm right now is, as you suspect, much more complete than the material, but there are some aspects of it that are still limited. These will be completed when My whole creation-spiritual and material-is melded as one.
Interviewer: Fascinating! May I ask if this uniting of the material and spiritual is just for earth or for the whole universe?
God: It includes the whole universe.
Interviewer: So what is the purpose of all these other stars and planets?
God: That will be revealed in good time, but suffice it to say that they are not just for decoration. Because man right now sees only with physical eyes, he can only see what is there physically. But when he sees both the spiritual and physical as one, then he will understand the purpose for these other celestial bodies.
Interviewer: You have me dying of curiosity here.
God: Well, there have to be some secrets, some mysteries left to be revealed. This is one thing I will use to keep your interest.
Interviewer: Just a hint?
God: I have already shown you a lot.
Interviewer: Well, are there any other mysteries You can let us in on, as a consolation prize?
God: You are persistent!
Interviewer: Why will people want to read all this unless there are some things that really catch their eye, some secret that they are going to find out?
God: There are lots of things that I have already shown you. I think it is best to keep some things under wraps. Leave them wanting more!
Interviewer: You’ve got me feeling like a kid looking at the presents under a Christmas tree. It isn’t fair to tantalize us like this.
God: I assure you that it is very fair. It keeps you wanting to come back to Me for more, and that is the purpose of all of this. It is to make you and all who read this want to have more. I have many more things to show you, and I can and will. But I can also show more to each person who individually inquires of Me, as well.
Interviewer: You are trying to put me out of a job.
God: In a way, yes. It is not that I don’t like talking to you, but I want to talk to everyone personally. All can hear My voice if they stop long enough and turn their minds and thoughts toward Me.
It is like the story of the little boy who said he could hear from Me. One of the stalwarts of the local church mocked him, saying, “How can an ignorant boy like you hear from the Almighty?” The little boy replied: “Well, when I hear that voice telling me to be kind and thoughtful and loving toward others, then I know it is God.” Just like with that boy, My voice is for anyone who wants to hear from Me. And once you get used to it, then it becomes easier.
Interviewer: Very true.
God: Is this a good spot to end?
Interviewer: Sounds good to me.

Surprises and Jesus

Interviewer: Hello.
God: Hello. Glad to see you are well today.
Interviewer: Yes, I am, thank You very much! I suppose it is redundant to ask how You are.
God: As far as health is concerned, yes. But I do have a range of emotions, and so sometimes I feel “better” than others.
Interviewer: Sometimes better than others? You never cease to amaze me. I find You so incredibly interesting, and a lot of preconceived ideas I have had about You keep going out the window.
God: How’s that?
Interviewer: I suppose the concept of You having better days than others is one of them.
God: It is logical, isn’t it?
Interviewer: When I think about it, yes! I must have never thought about it before.
God: Isn’t that the point of these interviews? Didn’t you want to have your questions answered and find out more about Me?
Interviewer: Originally it was to have my questions answered, but it has gone further than that now. I have discovered that You are much more approachable and interesting than I had thought. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful when I say interesting.-It is just that things come up that I wasn’t expecting. I guess I thought You were beyond my comprehension, so I figured You could give me answers on other subjects. But I thought I would find You still too incomprehensible to even begin to understand.
God: I am glad you find Me interesting. And I am incomprehensible in total, but you can look forward to understanding more about Me all the time.
Interviewer: Learning about You will never end?
God: No, it won’t.
Interviewer: Well, You have explained a lot about Yourself. May I ask You some questions now about Jesus?
God: Most certainly-one of My favorite topics! But this is a switch. Most people ask Jesus about Me.
Interviewer: I suppose they do. We are told Jesus is Your Son. How can God have a son?
God: Why couldn’t I have a Son? If men and women can have sons and daughters, why should it be so odd that God could have a Son?
Interviewer: Why stop at one then?
God: In a way I didn’t stop there, because I created humanity to also have the choice to become My sons and daughters.
Interviewer: But we are scarcely in the same league.
God: Of course, but you are all loved to the same degree I love Jesus.
Interviewer: To the same degree? That sounds extraordinary! It would seem to me, and I will be the first to admit my limitations in trying to understand this, that Jesus, being God with you, would somehow be the object of a much greater degree of love.
God: I loved humanity so much that I was willing to have Jesus come down to earth, to be separate from Me to be with you, and eventually to die for you. Does that not prove that I love you all just as much as I love Him?
Interviewer: I cannot argue with that. Still, it seems that You must have a special love for each other.
God: Our love is extraordinarily special, more than you can even grasp.
Interviewer: Okay, I am confused. Your love for each other is so extraordinarily special that I cannot even grasp it, yet You love us the same as You love Jesus. Isn’t there a contradiction here?
God: No, but your finite mind is simply receiving information that it cannot really absorb. The key to Jesus and My love is that We are love at our essence. Our love for each other is perfect and perfectly reciprocated. But you can understand that each love that you have in your life is special in some way. The love you have for your child differs from the love you have for your wife, but nevertheless they are both special and they are both love.
Similarly, a good father doesn’t love any one of his children more than the other, right? Due to circumstances, he may invest more time in one than another or he may be closer to one than another, but he does really love them all the same. I had a job to do with My Son, Jesus, and that was to save all of you-My other children! But that doesn’t mean I love Him more than you.