Letter to Ben
Dear Ben,
I sympathize with you concerning the problem of your Dad's health. But I do not see any solution for this life. Older people tend to be "set in their ways" and often they are not amenable to change. You must continue to accept him the way he is. Although you are close to him, in reality he is only your brother. God accepts him, and all that is required to perfect his understanding shall be done at the set time. In the meantime your Dad must undergo his portion of suffering and his cross for a "past-life" analogous to God's previous "suffering" ...so he can be exactly like Him. My parents and my family reject my beliefs. They are "fire and brimstoners" contaminated by the doctrines of the Canaanites. (When Israel entered the "promised land", the religious rites of the Canaanites included "passing their children through the fire" as offerings and appeasements to their gods. Israel went a-whoring after those gods, and Judeo-Christian faiths have been "dunged" by "burn- you -up" doctrines ever since). I love my family once too closely. But God has used religious differences to create the proper "distance", so that I do not love them more or less than you or any Chinese or African anyone can show me. God has no respect of persons and He does not want me to have respect of persons loving a small narrow group (my family) more than all my other brothers and sisters in our super-Family.
You and I must also consider the feelings of our spiritual brothers and sisters assigned to "watch" us. We should not get so caught-up in our earthly role-life that we forget they are "with us" and do something vain that might hurt their feelings. You and I must be cognizant of "two worlds" in which we abide. If you will, one hemisphere of your brain must be conscious of this earth, while the other must be conscious and aware of heavenly events at the same time. (This is "oil" for me, Psalm 23:5, 141:5, because I have not considered my spiritual brethren as I should as a son of understanding). But you are probably a better man than I am. However, God chose me for this, and no power or person in heaven or on earth can change it, if they do not like it! Even if I do not like it, I know what I am here for, and I will perform according to His control, Psalm 75:4-7; Isaiah 27:4-5; Hebrews 5:1-4. I used to ask, "Why me"? But the answer is that He had to choose someone, and He has no respect of persons. "Sinners" are chosen just to illustrate God's ever-conscious "atonement" realism. (Look at Balaam! Numbers 23:19-22. And we must modify our thinking to be as He is as fast as we learn better). The "infirm" show God's power to break through Satanic "briars and thorns" with their "strongholds". You were chosen to receive from His table, and that has "set you apart" and made you "peculiar". Yet we must live in this life and revolve among all our peers with superficial "differences".
Regarding the oracle of God, Paul has a "partially good" answer in Hebrews 1:1-2. (Today we know the prophets, angels, apostles, and all men are "sons" of God. Paul's light was "partial" 2-days ago, but our perspective is perfect. God having increased our knowledge, Daniel 12:4, and as we read Paul, we take care to avoid "breeding-worms"). In speaking and writing of Him, we sons use the third person, "He", to expound what we have learned of Him according to Matthew 11:27. But the prophets were like "microphones and amplifiers" to God as were the angels who delivered God's Words verbatim. Therefore they spoke and wrote in the first person or rather, the First Person was speaking and writing through them. It only "appears" that God has distanced Himself when comparing the "person" in which OT and NT messages were written. But if it is His Word, it does not matter in which person it comes to us, or who is delivering it, or when. God's Word takes hold and accomplishes everything He wants!
There is no difference between any of the Archangels and Jesus. Christ came down to show us by example the will of God and the works only the Father can do. It is true that Jesus is a "KEY" and "POINTER", an excellent reference guide. All the angels function as priests and teachers, while Jesus and the Archangels are "chief-priests". But Jesus, his Words, and his works have become educational tools like a slide projector to be used as a reference by all teachers. There is a "seasonal rotation" of "chief spokesman" in the heavenly Priesthood, but whoever is "chief-priest" will always refer to Jesus. Paul, limited to the amount of knowledge "given" in his day, was "partial" in thinking Jesus was "chief" over everything and a "creator". But Jesus himself was a symbol to teach the astute and comprehending the works God only can do. As a symbol and representative, he carne "in the Father's Name". Therefore all those "flattering" glories Paul and others have attributed to Christ above all apply to and can only be true of the Father Himself. God is THE PRIEST; HE fills all things, and only in Him can the fullness of all things dwell bodily. Paul was confused because he could not distinguish the Father from the Son. Jesus, the person, could not create all things by himself. Inasmuch as he "came in my Father's name", the name Jesus describes a work only the Father can do, for He shall save His people from their sins. Therefore we find Jesus, the symbol and "actor", on the cross saying, "father forgive them for they know not what they do". We know Paul "knew in part", and we know where to draw the line, even if Paul did not and men today still do not.
Concerning our discussion on sex, to me JF's intellect has no dampening effect on her physical attraction. I guess men are different in the way and extent devils are able to sexually arouse us. I admire JF's intelligence. I think she is "sexy" according to what I know men like, and I am not different. I have self-control (God) and I can ignore "mental pictures" and disregard body feelings evil spirits kindle up at the sight of an attractive female, Ezekiel 8:7-13. (Your body is that "temple" wherein devils project on its walls or "screen" scenes of sexy girls undressed and having sex with us); also consider Ezekiel 29:6-7 (wherein devils working on the nerves cause erection of the penis). A combination of these two works by powers of darkness is manifested in the "wet-dream". Jesus spoke truth saying, "The NIGHT cometh and no man can work" or is responsible for what powers of darkness do to him. Therefore men cannot commit adultery in their hearts. As created spirits of God, the Father never made us with a perverse nature; He did not give us power to self-conjure illicit thoughts and scenes. Devils are guilty of what Jimmy Carter called lusting in his heart. All that men can do is "make an agreement with hell" at such trial times, Isaiah 28:14-15; Ezekiel 20:32, by enjoying and desiring the stimulation and making an attempt to have sex with the person around us who is undressed in our minds. Succeeding in an adulterous act and actually accomplishing fornication are physical crimes against our own body. But even the devils are to blame for putting the idea in our heads and stimulating the nerves with such "force" that we are "driven" (sex-drive) to do the act, Ezekiel 35:2,5,9-14; Matthew 11:12; Revelation 17:1-2,5,15. This is what the "GOSPEL OF JUSTIFICATION" is all about, Isaiah 45:25; Romans 5:18, 8:30. God sees men at this very moment involved in unacceptable sexual acts but THAT PRIEST "justifies" those captives knowing fully well what the devils are doing to each human participant. This is the ONE whom Jesus proclaimed to be greater than himself. This is the ONE who does better than tell the woman caught in the act of adultery, "Go and sin no more". THIS ONE is better than Jesus! HE "justifies" all, even in the very act of sin!! Numbers 23:19-22; Isaiah 45:25; Micah 6:5; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. "I AM THE LORD, THAT IS MY NAME and MY glory will I not give to another; neither my praise to graven images" (devils), Isaiah 42:8. Oh yes! Yes, yes, Lord!