I lay there motionless as confusion drifted into my waking world. Distance and doubt began to pull at me the way they always had and the lines that seemed to fit so well together seemed to blurr and fall away. the peace and perfection that I had known only moments before were slipping away as my mind found it's feet and could only offer a pathetic resistance that was impossible to maintain despite my greatest efforts. I had never felt such a completeness. It was an escape from the tormented reality of the world I had come to know as my life. I was fearful of return and sadenned deeply in departure. The shadow of my thoughts rushed in like soldiers wisking away the prisoners assuring me at every step that I had simply had a dream and nothing more. There is no escape from this earthly plight and to believe anything other than that was simply crazy. They would lock me up in a rubber room for such thought. The prisoners were led away to dungeons I had never seen. I wondered in that moment why this was so. This is my kingdom and there are so may things that I just don't know. Perhaps I thought it was not important enough. Perhaps there were always more important things to do. Perhaps I was afraid to witness the cruelty, or to face what it means to live without freedom.

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            The Clarion call is being broadcast to those souls that know they are here to “Make a Difference” in the Awakening of Mankind.  They know on some level that they are here with a purpose that is important.  They know they are yearning to truly be fully engaged in the adventure of this powerful, transformational time that we are currently living.  They may not know how or even think that they are capable or worthy of this magnificent job.  Being on “Ascension Duty” is what you are here for…come forward and let’s join our thoughts, energy and Light to being fully present to this important Project. 

            Part two of this video blog is speaking directly to your soul about Waking-Up and truly recognizing your true purpose to support the Awakening and Freedom of Mankind.

You can find out more about this Project at www.interdimensionalpeaceproject.com.  This site is new and being sourced almost daily with new information.

Let me know your thoughts after you watch the videos at esateys@esateys.com

So Much Love,

E

www.esateys.com

Intro to the InterDimensional Peace Project- Part I

Intro to the InterDimensional Peace Project- Part II

Or maybe there are two Angels Awakening at the same time to the Abundance of life.  Both with broken wings that are mending and they believe they cannot fly anymore.  So together they learn to do the remarkable.    They begin to soar again.

Hearts again are open to the infinite possibilities of love, joy, laughter and creation.  They find solace in each other, a peace that they had forgotten or not sure exists any more.

With each other they Awaken.

Affirmation:

"I have always been open to the Joy and People the Universe brings to me.   So I can fly once again"

We are all bodhisattvas, aware of what is happening and trying to help others wake up. But we are not perfect, of course. Whatever we are feeling, be it peace and joy or anger and hatred, vibrates throughout the cosmos. A bodhisattva angry at another bodhisattva sets up obstacles everywhere in the universe.

The first war in Iraq, ordered by President George H.W. Bush, caused suffering among many people in many places. Thich Nhat Hanh himself nearly canceled his planned trip to the U.S., but later relented and decided to go, realizing Americans working for peace needed his support and his sharing in their suffering. He understood that bodhisattvas and leaders like George H.W. Bush need help and understanding, expressed in language of love and intelligence; anger will not help. When ordering the ground attack, President Bush said, "God bless the United States of America," but we must tell him, without anger, that God cannot bless one country against another. Simply electing another president will not transform the situation. We can only transform greed and violence in ourselves and our society by changing our own consciousness and our own way of life.

The soldiers in America and other countries and in Iraq could only do what they did by plunging their bayonets into sandbags, practicing killing during the day, and even in their dreams at night. Only in this manner could they become inhuman, learning to kill, practicing fear and violence, in order to survive. The war came, the killing was massive, and we called it a victory. The troops that returned were deeply wounded from practicing violence both in reality and in their consciousness. Generations following them would receive their seeds of violence and suffering. Their wounds will be with us for a long time. How can we call this a victory?

From war, young people learn to see violence as a way to solve problems, making it easier to support the next war. To protect life, we have to see the reality, the true nature of war. Otherwise we will not be ready. Simply protesting the next war when it begins is not enough; that's too late. We must practice peace now. If we establish peace in our hearts, war will not come.

Those who have experienced a war directly have a duty to communicate the reality of it to those who have not. "We are the light at the tip of the candle. It is very hot, but it has the power of shining and illuminating." We can "wake people up," so that we can "avoid repeating the same horrors again and again. The war is in us, but it is also in everyone." Thich Nhat Hanh uses the example of Rodney King. Watching that incident, we were all beaten. But looking more deeply, we were also the policemen doing the beating. "They were manifesting the hatred and violence that pervades our society." We are all co-responsible. We all suffer. We accept violence as a way of life, watering the seeds of violence, even by watching violent TV programs and movies. We must transform this violence, or it will be our own child beaten or doing the beating.

Take your little boy or little girl by the hand, away from TV, Nintendo, and war toys, for a slow walk in the park. Sit together, and look closely at the tiny yellow and blue flowers among the blades of grass. Contemplate these miracles together.

Who was William Branham:

William Branham was born in 6th April 1909 in Kentucky and died on 24 December 1965.  His ministry was founded in May 1946.  But this legacy lives on in his followers and the hundreds of sermons that were recorded or transcribed.  Most people read his sermons more than they do they bible.  Most people believe William Branham's words more than the bible.  This is obviously concerning, but what is more concerning is what William Branham preached and the strange signs and wonders that accompanied him.

The young William Branham:

William Branham's mother was 15 years of age, and his father was 18 years of age.  When William Branham was born something rather unusual happened on that day - a few rays of light shone into the room and a huge halo, one foot in diameter appeared above William's mother and baby.  Because of this his mother took him to a Baptist church in the local community.  That was the first and the last time he went to church in years.    --Carl Dyck, William Branham: The Man and His Message (Saskatoon: Western Tract Mission, 1984), page 3.   

It should be noted (and keep this in your mind at all times) that Branham'sparents both believed in fortunetelling (so they were not Christian) and this of course means that William Branham was raised in an occult environment.     --Kurt Koch, Between Christ and Satan(Grand Rapids: Kregal Publications, 1962), page 150

Branham's life was influenced by numerous visions and angelic visitations.  He recalled that he heard a voice at the age of seven,  "Well, I started up the lane again. And I turned to look at this again. And when it did, a human Voice just as audible as mine is, said, `Don't you never drink, smoke, or defile your body in any way. There'llbeaworkfor you to do when you get older.' Why, it liked to scared me to death!"     --Brother Branham, taped sermon transcript, p. 24

This would not be the last time Branham heard this voice, later this voice would identify itself as an angel and later he ends up receiving  extra-biblical revelation concerning future events.

William's family and Ministry:

William Branham was influenced by a few obscure people/religions before he fully established his ministry in 1948, one of these was the 'Jesus Only' Pentecostals.     --Brother Branham, p.39

At this time William Branham was married and had a baby daughter.  Many family members and other ministers warned him not to associate with the 'Jesus Only' cult for this group did not believe in the Trinity amongst other thing.  Branham must have broken away from then for later when his Wife and baby daughter died in 1937 from Tubercular Meningitis he attributed their deaths to the fact that it was because he had not continued in fellowship with the Pentecostals and had missed God's will.     --Brother Branham, p.47

Never the less, the 'Jesus Only' cult was a great influence on Branham as he adopted many of their heretical doctrines into his own. 

Another influential person in Branham's 'doctrine to be' was Franklin Hall who wrote on the 'Atomic Power with God through Fasting and Prayer'.  Hall had a great influence on almost all the healing revival preachers of that time, of which Branham was his best disciple, in so much that Branham’s followers believed him to be the apostle of the final Church age.

In 1946 while Branham was baptising followers in the Ohio river he heard a small voice say 'Look up!"  Looking up he saw it descending toward him - it looked like a blazing Star, a Pillar of Fire.  The Supernatural Pillar of Fire hovered just above his head and that voice he had been hearing since he was little spoke out of the Pillar of Fire saying, "As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the First Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, so you are sent to forerun His Second Coming."     --Brother Branham, p.71

That was that, Branham called this his 'charge' - that he was called by God and soon many believed him to be Elijah.  In fact when Branham passed away in 1965 due to a head injury from a car accident many of his followers (and still today, believe it or not) truly believe he came in the spirit of Elijah, some believed him to be born of a virgin, some believed him to be God and most expected him to actually rise from the dead in three days.     --All Things Are Possible, p.164

Not long after Branham was told by the Pillar of Fire that he was the forerunner for the Second Coming of Christ he was visited by the voice manifested in the form of an angel.  This angel told him that he had been given two gifts; the gift of healing and the gift of words of knowledge / restore biblical truth.   As time went by Branham also came to believe that this angel was the source of all his visions and extra-biblical revelations as well.   But of course Branham was very discerning (as he claims it was also one of his gifts) and he asked the angel why he should believe the angel to be from God and the angel told him that the people in Jesus' day called Jesus a devil, so he (Branham) should not worry about others in his family or ministry saying the same thing about the message/angel.  The angel mentioned that Branham had been told by fortunetellers in impromptu meetings that he had a special gift from God and was born under a sign.  The angel assured Branham that demons had confirmed that Jesus was the Christ and he should not be concerned by testimony of fortunetellers.      --Brother Branham, pp. 74, 75, 79

Well I suppose that settles it then - the angel must be from God, phewww and all this time I thought otherwise.  You see in 1 John it explains very clearly what Branham was supposed to ask the angel, '"has Jesus Christ come in the Flesh".  I guarantee this angel would have come up with every excuse in the book to say otherwise.  But then, what's the bible anyway? eh?  Just useless info...not to be adhered to.

So Branham decided to test out his new 'powers' and found himself confronted with a women who had cancer.  Just as a matter of interest the angel told Branham about this woman in a vision.  So he prayed for her and she was 'healed'.  He shot to Super Stardom over night and from then on claimed his angel was with him day and night. 

Two things here;  Who said she had cancer?  Was there any medical proof of this and secondly who could prove she was healed?  Or did Branham proclaim she was healed and everyone just accepted it?  So either this was one big lie or worse we have a demon (posing as an angel of light) telling Branham about a women who has cancer, i.e., this woman's cancer was demonically inflicted.  Talk about being set up, William Branham that is, and again so much for his discernment.  So Branham prays for her and she is 'healed'.  What actually happened was the demonic affliction was lifted and who knows what else this woman received in its place. 

From then on William Branham's ministry was built on supernatural manifestations and was empowered by a spirit being / angel.  The angel accompanied him throughout his lifetime and even directed him in every aspect of his personal life.   It was the angel Branham said gave him his power - not the Holy Spirit.  In fact Branham knew that if he didn't do what the Voice told him to do he would suffer greatly. 

But if that has not convinced you even slightly that there was something horribly wrong with Brenham, lets go look at his teachings and see just how much they contradict the Word of God.

He believed he was the Last Days Prophet:

This I find rather funny because since starting my blog I have come across at least 20 others who think they are too.  Who's right?  Fortunately, non of them, Branham included.  Anyhow let's stick to the story shall we - so Branham said, "Now, I'm just your brother, by the grace of God. But when the Angel of the Lord moves down, it becomes then a Voice of God to you...But I am God's Voice to you... Now, see, I can say nothing in myself. But what He shows me."     --Footprints On The Sands Of Time, p. 214

His followers believed him to be the spirit of Elijah based on Malachi 4 and the seventh angel in Revelations 10.

Unfortunately for him and his followers, William Branham has to under no uncertain terms be labelled a False Prophet for a lot of things he prophesied did not come to pass for example:  He prophesied that Jesus would return in 1977 along with the destruction of America .  Branham said, "Jesus did not say no man could know the year, month or week in which his coming would be completed. I sincerely believe and maintain as a private student of the Word along with divine inspiration  that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium."   --7 Church Ages, p. 322.

As we can see, Jesus Christ has not come back, America is still standing and it's the year 2008.  So you the reader have 2 choices here;  1) William Branham received this information from a lying demonic source aka his angel who's father is Satan or,  2)  God lied.  

The bible says, in Deuteronomy 18 v 20-22

20  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.    21  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?    22  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Branham preached the 'Serpent Seed' teaching:

The Serpent Seed teaching is a belief that Cain was produced through sexual intercourse between Eve and the serpent in the garden.  The curse of the Serpent's Seed he believed is the cause of all mankind's problems and women are to blame and it is evident in their temptation of men.     --William M. Branham, My Life Story, p. 19.   

Branham also believe that the Serpent Seed was the missing link between man and monkey. 

Hitler also believed in the Serpent Seed teaching and this was the main reason why Jews needed to be eliminated, for the Jewish nation was of Satan.  Now if Hitler believed in this and Branham believed in this, and Hitler was of Satan and Branham is of God then....we have a HUGE problem here.

It is also noted that Branham despised women and on one occasion stated, "But I remember when my father's still up there running, I had to be out there with water and stuff, see young ladies that wasn't over seventeen, eighteen years, up there with a man my age now, drunk. And they'd have to sober them up and give them black coffee, to get them home to cook their husband's supper. Oh, something like that, I said, 'I...This was my remarked [sic] then, THEY'RE NOT WORTH A GOOD CLEAN BULLET TO KILL THEM WITH IT.' That's right. And I hated women. That's right. And I just have to watch every move now, to keep from still thinking the same thing."      --M. Branham, 'My Life Story' (Spoken Word Publications, undated), p.27.

So now we can see why he was so adamant to preach this Serpent Seed teaching for he had an immense animosity towards women.  This would also explain why he preached a rigid 'moral code' for women with regards to dressing, hair etc, etc.  Branham also had a 'revelation' that allowed for divorce.      --All Things Are Possible, p.162.

The bible says in Genesis 4 v 11;

1 "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD."  .... not from the Serpent/Satan.

Branham believed the Zodiac and the Egyptian Pyramids are EQUAL to scripture:

So as far as Branham is concerned the Zodiac and Egyptian pyramids are equal to Scripture in the revelation of God's Word.  This might I add is also one of Franklin Halls strange beliefs that was passed onto Branham.    --'Adoption', pp.31,104.   

After Branham's death a tombstone in the shape of a pyramid was placed on his grave.

Now we know that the Zodiac and the Pyramids play a huge part in the occult.  So how on earth can the occult be equal to Scripture?  Witchcraft, Astrology and New Age all use the pyramids and the zodiac for divination i.e., predicting the future. The pyramids are an essential holiday spot for occultists, witches, magicians, necromancers and many a demon/spirit. The narrow passages through-out the pyramids allowed for occult soul travel were mummified Kings and other notable people were buried with gold, food and other worldly possessions in the belief that their soul would need these things in the after-life. Pyramids also have an occult alignment with the stars i.e., the Zodiac.

Let's see what the bible says about this:   Deuteronomy 18 v 9-12

9  When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.   10  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.   11  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.   12  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Branhman believed that ALL denominations were the Mark of the Beast:

Except for his 'demonination' of course which was pure.  Hence if you follow anyone eles teachings and not his you are doomed.  Branham believed that some humans are descended from the serpent’s seed and are destined for hell, which is not eternal, however. The seed of God, i.e., those who receive Branham’s teaching, are predestined to become the Bride of Christ. There are still others who possess free will and who may be saved out of the denominational churches, but they must suffer through the Great Tribulation. He considered denominationalism a mark of the Beast (Rev. 13:17).     --Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, pp. 95,96.

Branham believed he was commissioned by God to OPEN the SEVEN SEALS in Revelations:

Branham said, "I saw seven angels in the form of a pyramid that swept down, picked me up and was brought east to open the seven seals of God”      --William Branham, Standing In the Gap - 63-0623.1M.

Revelations 5 v 1-10 says; "1  Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.   2  And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"   3  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.   4  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.   5  Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

So, is William Branham saying he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David - Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the One and Only Living God?  It must be, because William Branham said it, and if William Branham said that God commissioned him to open the book and loose the seals then who are we to argue, I mean really, the bible must be wrong, completely wrong!

Branham believes he was the ONLY Prophet

Branham said, "There never was in the age, any two major prophets on the earth at one time. There were many minor prophets, but there were one major prophet. And Elijah was the prophet until Elisha came. Then when Elijah was taking off, a portion, double portion, of Elijah's Spirit, Elijah's Spirit came upon Elisha."     --Our Hope is in God, 1951 (tape #51-0929)

Now, God always uses a--a prophet, a man. If you use a bunch of men, you get different ideas (See?); each man, two men. Never did He have two major prophets on the earth at one time. He takes one, so the other one can take its place for another day, another message. He never has two; He has one at a time.”     --The Evening Messenger, 1963 (tape #63-0116)

"God always deals with one individual. Two men's got two ideas. There never was two major prophets on the earth prophesying the same time. Look back and see if there was. No, sir. Too much scrupled up. He's got to get one man completely surrendered and use that person. He searches for that person, but there will be one sometime, somebody who'll listen to Him word by word."      --The Fourth Seal, Revelation of the Seven Seals, 1963 (tape #63-0321)

Many historical prophets did indeed prophesy at the same time as others. Several minor prophets did as well (e.g., Hosea & Micah; Haggai & Zechariah. Ezra 5:1,2 actually says, "Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadakset to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were withthem, helping them." See also, Numbers 11:25-29). In fact, some Minor prophets prophesied at the same time as Major prophets (e.g., Hosea & Micah were contemporary with Isaiah; Habakkuk was contemporary with Jeremiah). But Mr. Branham's most obvious error was in saying that God never sent two Major prophets at the same time. Of the four Major prophets, Daniel, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were all contemporaries during the years 595-587 BC.      --http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/1prophet.htm

The difference between Branham and the TRUE prophets of the bible were that the TRUE prophets of the bible were not confused, never presented two different ideas, never got their message 'scrupled up' and most importantly their words were God's words hence they appear in the Word of God.  Unlike Branham who preaches a DIFFERENT gospel.

Branham taught that God is NOT omnipresent

Branham said, "Now, you cannot be omnipresent without being omniscient. God's not even omnipresent; God's omniscient. Omniscient which means - makes Him omnipresent (He knows all things). But in order to be a being He has to be in one being."     --The Masterpiece, 1964 (tape #64-0705)

"He's [God]--He's infinite, and He's--He's omnipresent, omniscient, therefore He knows all things. He can't be present everywhere. By being omniscient, knowing all things, then He can be present everywhere."     --The Harvest Time, 1964 (tape #64-1212)

So because Branham believes that God is a 'being' and not 'spirit' he can't be in more than one place at a time.  He does however believe that God knows 'all things' hence He is omniscient, so it seems like God is everywhere, but He is not.

The bible says:  Jeremiah 23:23-24 "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord."

Branham DENIED the Deity of Jesus Christ

Branham said;   "The man, the body was not Deity, but Deity was in the body."    --God’s Gifts Always Find Their Places, December 22, 1963 (tape #63-1222)

"Jesus was not God, but He was God. He was a Man, yet He was God. He could cry, and yet He could raise the dead. He could cry for a man being dead and raise him back up again. He was Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-rapha, Jehovah Manasses; He was Jehovah, all completely. He was Jehovah, and yet He was a Man."     --Questions and Answers #3, August 30, 1964 (tape #64-0830M)

"He was--He was Jesus when He was born. But when the Holy Ghost came upon Him after His baptism, He was anointed with God. God was in Him, 'cause He come to fulfill the Word."      --The Messiah, January 17, 1961 (tape #61-0117)

"And this little Boy, twelve-year-old Child, no wisdom at all, why, but just a twelve-year-old Boy... The Father didn't dwell in Him at that time, because He come on the day when He baptized Him; he saw the Spirit of God coming down (See?), and went in Him."      --Paradox, February 6, 1964 (tape #64-0206B

"The Spirit left Jesus in Gethsemane and He became just a man-- When God looked down upon the body... (The Spirit left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; He had to die a man.)"     --It Is the Rising of the Sun, April 18, 1965 (tape #65-0418M 

Unbelievable!  William Branham DENIES Jesus Christ.  Anyone who says that William Branham is a man of God is deluded, deceived and follows the teachings on an anti-Christ. 

The bible says,  John 1 v 1-14  The Deity of Jesus Christ:  "1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   2  He was in the beginning with God.  3  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  4  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.   5  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

William Branham's unsolved mysteries:

1. The Seventh Seal:  Branham believed that his interpretation of the 7 seals (Revelation, chapters 5-8) was essential in preparing his followers for Christ’s soon return. He spent the week of March 18 thru the 23, 1963, "revealing" the meaning of the first 6 seals from Revelation 6. However, on the evening he was to reveal the 7th seal, he did not explain its meaning. It remains a mystery to his followers to this day.
2. The Seven Thunders (Revelation 10:3,4):  Likewise, Branham spoke of the 7 Thunders, but never revealed what the voices spoke.
3. The Third Pull:  Although not a biblical mystery, Branham created a new mystery, speaking of a future phase of his ministry which he called the Third Pull. Not only did he fail to say what this phase of his ministry would accomplish, but he never fulfilled it before his death.   

Source:  http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/teachings.htm#unrevealed

William Branham's terrible inconsistencies about a man who tried to prove him to be false:

William Branham sometimes warned his listeners against testing the authenticity of his gifts. Which is odd because the bible tells us to test the spirits.  Never the less Branham indeed had an active imagination and most definitely liked to instill the fear of God into his follows too NOT test him.   Branham would frequently tell his congregation about a man who tried to prove him to be false by writing fictitious illnesses on his prayer card, and then would stand in the prayer line expecting Branham to correctly identify his illnesses as mentioned on the prayer card.   Every time Branham told this story, the outcome of what happened to his man would change:

1. The man received the diseases that he wrote on his card and was still suffering from them (1953).
2. The man had died from his diseases (1954).
3. The man was bedfast "to this day" (1956).
4. The man ran screaming from the auditorium when Mr. Branham publicly exposed his plan (1956).
5. The man died a year after the incident (January 1957).
6. The man was still in "serious condition" (June 1957).
7. The man died 6 months after the incident from cancer (1958).
8. The man was carried from the auditorium paralyzed and is still paralyzed (1958--note that in 1956 Mr. Branham said he ran screaming from the building).
9. The man died on the platform sixty seconds after Mr. Branham exposed him (1961).
10. The man died six weeks after the meeting (1962).

Source:  http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/teachings.htm#unrevealed

So much for being man of God.  This is called manipulation people, manipulation and lies belong in the same basket of rotten apples. 

William Branham's vision and the Cloud:

Once again it would seem that William Branham has a very over active imagination, or he just lied as went along to 'prove' himself to be a man of God.   I have received a few emails over the last couple of months from people sending me images of this famous cloud as proof that Branham is a prophet.   So I went and did some research and found out that this cloud appeared over Flagstaff which was 352 km / 219 miles from where Branham was having his vision on a mountain in Tucson.   Now from what I have read it says this cloud was huge and could be seen from very very far away.  However...

Branham says he was stading below it:   "And now, the "Life" Magazine picked it up. And I have the--the article here this morning in the "Life" Magazine there, of the show... Now, here it is, the same time I was there.  See the pyramid or the Cloud? I was standing just below this."     --William Branham, "Standing in the Gap," TSW (sermon preached 6-23-63), 6:7, pp. 20-21

Hmmmm.... How could he be 219 miles from this cloud but yet at the same time be standing just below it...now that is a miracle!

Also Branham's account or 'count' of how many angels he saw appear changed from 5 to 7 over a period of time.   It changed from 5 to 7 angels so he could say these angels represented the 'The Revelation of the Seven Seals'.

5 angels in vision on the mountain:  "And I, still in my ... the two consciences together, I knew I was standing here, and I knew I was somewhere else. And I thought, "Now, this is a vision, and I must learn what this means." And no more than the second group of birds came by, I looked to the west; and it looked like in the form of a pyramid---like two on each side with one in the top, came five of the mightiest angels I ever seen in my life. Such a terrific speed I never seen.... Their heads back and their pointed wings just sailing quickly."      --William Branham, "Reproach for the Word," The Spoken Word (TSW), Spoken Word Publications (Jeffersonville, IN, sermon preached 12-23-62), 2:16, pp. 4-7

7 angels in the vision on the mountain:  "In December 1962 God gave William Branham a vision of an angelic visitation which he foretold in a message "Sirs is this the Time?" On February 28, 1963, the vision and prophecy was fulfilled when a constellation of seven angels, formed as the head of Christ, met him with a commission to speak the opening of the Seven Seals of Revelation. Life Magazine (May 17th 1963) carried the photograph (left figure) of this supernatural event, describing it as a "Mystery Cloud over Arizona."      --http://www.bibleway.org/wmb

I seem to be hmmmm'ing a lot while writing this article.  It's amazing, people will believe all sorts of lies and even when presented with the truth continue to hold fast to these lies for dear life.  What for?  Do you like to be lied too?  Do you like to be deceived?  Do you like to be made a fool of by non other than William Branham?   But then I suppose that's what deception does, it blinds one to the truth.

Conclusion, 1) this cloud has absolutely nothing to do with William Branham's vision, 2) Satan can perform wonderous signs to capture the imagination of people who pretty much believe anything, except the Word of God.

William Brenham denies the Trinity:

Like the 'Jesus-Only' Pentecostals, Branham denied the Trinity doctrine teaching a form of Modalism. Instead of three Persons in the Godhead, Branham taught that there was only one Person (Jesus) going under different titles or modes at various times in history. Branham's teaching is a variation of a second century heresy taught by Sabellius know as Modalistic Monarchianism or Patripassianism.    --Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, pp. 727-28) and www.watchman.org/prOfile/branpro.htm.

Monarchianism:View found primarily in the third century that denied the Trinity, arguing that because God’s nature is one He cannot exist eternally in three Persons. The two most popular forms of monarchianism were dynamic monarchianism and modalism.       --www.watchman.org/cat95.htm#Monarchianismm

The Trinity doctrine cannot be fully comprehended by finite man. However, any other view of the Godhead will not satisfy God's self revelation in Scripture. Modalism teaches that there is only one Person in the Godhead functioning through relational "modes." When He is in the Father mode, the Son and Spirit modes are not functional. In Matthew 3:13-17, however, the Son is baptized, the Spirit descends and the Father speaks. Also, "in the name of" (Matthew 28:19) or in the authority of does not limit the nature of God's unity to one Person but connotes equality of essence within the Godhead (2 Corinthians 13:14).   

Source:  www.watchman.org/prOfile/branpro.htm

William Branham view on baptism:

Branham claimed that proper baptism was needed to avoid the "Mark of the Beast" of denominational churches and escape the danger of missing the rapture and entering the Tribulation. Proper baptism must be in the name of Jesus only. Baptism with the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28:18 ("in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost") is unacceptable to God.

If an incorrect formula was spoken during baptism, Branham felt the convert would go into darkness. "But a tritheist, triune baptism was never recognized in the Church, the New Testament... Now you know what to do, that's right; and if you refuse to walk in Light when Light's brought forth, you turn to darkness. Right! Amen!"      --Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, pp. 178, 181, 182, 184, 190).

Baptism in the name of Jesus only may have been the early practice in the Jerusalem church. However, all manuscripts of Matthew 28:19 have the Trinitarian formula as being commissioned by Jesus. One document, dating from A.D. 60, the Didache, prescribes the Matthew formula (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) for baptism within the church. Regardless of the formula, baptism is not a requirement for being rapturedoravoiding the Tribulation. Full salvation is by grace though faith and not of works such as baptism (Ephesians 2:8-9).     

Source:  www.watchman.org/prOfile/branpro.htm

Something interesting William Branham once said:

"¹⁶⁷ I was talking on the Name of Jesus Christ baptism. That's right, a revelation of that come. That's the Truth. But what did a bunch of people do? Gathered it right out here and put a denomination out of it, made another tower of Babel, same thing, throw edit right into it. Certainly. Luther done the same thing. Wesley done the same thing; John Smith done the same thing, Alexander Campbell done the same thing. Pentecost done the same thing. God deals with individuals keeping His Word. God's only plan to bring believers to Himself in a true oneness is receiving the Holy Ghost. Then here's how...You say, "Well, Brother Branham, I spoke in tongues. I shouted. I did this." If you still got that kind of a spirit and deny the Word of God, you haven't got the Word of God in you; you haven't got the Spirit. If you'll set and hear the Truth preached, and look It up in the Bible, and see It's the Truth, and then refuse to do it, that's not the Spirit of God. I don't care how much you spoke in tongues, how much you shouted, how much churches you belonged to, or how many times you was baptized, or anything else. The Word is truth. That's what vindicates the truth. If you got all these other truths and then with the Word (Amen.), then you know you're coming home."      --Oneness (62-0211)

So if we reversed this and said, "Well, William Branham, you spoke in tongues, you shouted, you did this and that, and you healed, and you prophesied, and you had visions, and you saw angels, and you had revelations and you spoke words that God supposedly told you to speak.  Then surely if you've got that kind of a spirit but at the SAME TIME deny the Word of God / deny Jesus Christ, then you William Branham haven't got the Word of God in you; you haven't got the Spirit.

Please refer to this article on HOW TO DISCERN - THE BIBLICAL WAY:  http://discerningtheworld.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/how-to-discern-the-biblical-way

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sitting on the front porch at six am, there was a gentle rain falling. It filled the air with patterns of sound, a white, spraying sound made up of thousands of tiny patters and pits. I sat under the porch roof facing west. The morning light was filling in behind the house and me. Through my closed eyelids, I perceived a waxing and waning of the light that seemed to correspond with the intensity of the rain that coming in waves. At times the sounds of the birds dominated, but as the rain got stronger, they seemed to fall silent as we all listened to the gift of the water being delivered. When I opened my eyes, it seemed darker than I remembered. The lush green of the trees, bushes and grass was deep and rich. Each plant seemed to stand out as an individual being. I felt more able to see each as a unique living entity. Throughout the process, thoughts came and went. At one point, I noticed my thoughts had become more empathic and compassionate. I thought of an elderly neighbor who longs to return to the activity of sailing. I thought about brining him out for a sail – about the challenge that it might entail given his advancing age; at the possibility of his joy and gratitude as well.

The precious gift of air is ubiquitous. Simply because of its all encompassing nature, we loose touch with it, take it for granted. Thus, we loose touch with this most basic connection to the natural world. It is helpful to be reminded of this gift; to move through the thought of air and into the experience of it; the joy and pleasant sensation of receiving needed oxygen with each inhalation and too, the satisfaction of offering back to the earth the product of carbon dioxide. As a result, the importance of clean air becomes felt. We long for the nurturing feeling of freshness. Our offering back to the earth is purer, more useful and sustaining when it is built upon clean air. We offer revitalization to the depleted air even in our disconnected state. We have an opportunity for greater awareness of our interconnection with the natural world by realizing this replenishing role.

This then forms a spiritual basis of simple life-giving qualities. The words inhalation, exhalation, atmosphere, psyche, psychological all are derived from, and offer, windows of experience into our role as bridges between the realms of spirit/energy and material manifestation. As both a human being and a spiritual, energetic being, we are not altogether separate, but attached infinitely to the universe while still being differentiated. Our understanding of life, then, comes from the reflections we receive from all that is other-than-me. Our trend to anthropomorphism then, cuts off our access to meaning. From this void of meaning spring our psychological challenges.

It is a sensory experience to breath air. Life is more satisfying, more complete when we can experience the sensory nature of a common breath in a flowing, give-and-take cycle of inspiration/exhalation. This feeling informs and is useful in creating a deep understanding of our role in sustaining the natural environment. This wisdom can guide our every action and decision if only it is kept in consciousness through both thought and an openness to feeling and being through feeling.

Celebrate and trust this communication and connection with all of life. It is an ancient relationship that is worthy of attention, respect, gratitude and trust. It is a distinct paradigm shift that holds the seeds of a new way of being (a human) in the world, where our experience is filled with abundant connections to the natural world that reflect who we are in the cosmos, give us meaning, purpose and satisfaction in our life. This is nutritious satisfaction unlike the unsatisfying reward of consumption that we are taught will someday complete us and make us happy. This is living a felt existence in the moment, a dialectic relationship with all that is other than our selves.

It is powerful to realize words have the ability to convince us to disconnect us from our natural attractions. For example, if we read the words, “try this exercise and hold your breath”, we just might do it even though the innate wisdom of our body and its connection with the natural world tells us otherwise. Try it. Hold your breath right now and focus on the feeling the arises urging you to breath again. Contemplate the source of this feeling, this urge.

It is equally important to realize the information needed to guide us back to connection with our life energy is immediately available in our felt presence.

On some level we are all afraid of the intelligence of our natural attraction to breath because it points out how uncomfortable we are while holding our breath. This is true of our psychic condition in the world today as well. We are, of course, thankful for the urge to breath, rationally. But in the moment, it is illuminating to realize there may be a reluctance to connecting with this natural intelligence because, from a dualistic point of view, it necessarily must contrast our current misery, emptiness and disconnection in order to allow us understanding access to more comforting, life-sustaining alternatives.

This deeper understanding of our spiritual condition unfolds in its beauty, complexity and wisdom if we follow it. It is a simple shift into being in the world through all of our natural senses – instincts, intuitions, feelings, emotions, thoughts and words - both rationality and the myriad aspects of felt or sensuous experience. This is a model for understanding the irreplaceable role that nature has in achieving a holistic expression of our physical, spiritual, emotional and rational being-ness.

It is important to apply these ideas to other humans as well. Most of our interactions seem to take place in our head, in our rationality and the thoughts arising from our emotions. Yet our connection with other people can only be felt. To the extent that we do not feel these connections, our emotions will be bereft and our thoughts correspondingly so. Thoughts become things and if our thoughts of people and the earth are barren, so too will our relationships with them be.

This is the story of cosmic evolution, everything turning itself inside out, each time revealing a more complex pattern, more abundant connections. We are just in one part of a cycle of destruction now that will ultimately lead to our own existence turning itself inside out into a different reality, once again integrated and connected fully with the earth and the universe. Our natural state is to go with this flow. This is the ineffable Tao, this process of unfolding, differentiating, reintegrating. We are but etchings on a great stone of existence washed by wind and waves, carved by the slimmest powers heaving together in great rhythm with the Way of life.

Gaining fulfillment is the first order and if done through the natural world, it is aligned with the Tao, the Way of life and a higher purpose at the same time. This is the meaning of not striving, but choosing that which serves our own personal life force as it is expressed through our unique journey through and connection with all-that-is. This is why our economized, capitalized, monetized, consumerized world is the ultimate false God, because it offers only a substitute for the true journey of meaning creation and experiential interaction with that which is other than our self. Thus we can serve our selves, our personal relationships, our communities, societies, cultures and the natural world through our work with ecopsychology and natural attraction.

The great fallacy of our technological age is that we could replace, with our human intelligence, the super intelligence, attraction, love that is the global, cosmic, earth brain. So simply might we reconnect with this intelligence by following our joy, love and satisfaction, yet we are caught in a system that must convince us satisfaction exists in the future as a result of progress and that we can satisfy ourselves only through the consumption of the products of this progress.

It is most definitely not reasonable that we should dominate nature, subdue earth and convert it into anthropomorphic objects. It is the source of great anger, grief and frustration that the Bible would have God telling us to claim dominion over the earth. This example is probably the clearest evidence of the depth of the roots of our conditioning to disconnect and thus serve a viscous cycle of striving for satisfaction through the consumption of our mother.

Despite this anger and grief, we can compassionately see this as a necessary step in creating polarity. This polarity is the potential from which we may be catapulted over the evolutionary chasm between our super-developed frontal lobes and a state of greater integrated being-ness with all of our sensory, natural connections with all-that-is. While discovering this compassion, we must, too, allow for the energy of the anger and grief to move us forward out of our current inertia.

Yet we are afraid of that energy of passion. Thus we are afraid of our natural, in-the-moment attractions for what they will tell us, for what they will have us feel. Instead we live in a state of denergized-ness, desensitized-ness, numbness, dumbness and flatness; a capitalistic prison for which we toil to carve a great key to a door that leads nowhere.

This is the work of our age: coming to once again know ourselves in the context of the cosmos as they are primarily manifested as our earth.

Our culture and society is a great ship that moves through the ocean of the universe with the power of ancient momentum; 6,000 years of imperialistic, male oriented, nature dominating energy. But even on the largest ships, there is a small device attached to the rudder, the steering mechanism of the boat. Our culture is out-of-control, moving in the wrong direction. It is so big and so powerful that turning it is nearly out of the question.

The device attached to the rudder of the ship is called a trim tab. It is a tiny rudder on the rudder, used to initiate the movement of the rudder itself that would otherwise be nearly impossible to move because of the great mass and momentum of the ship. Such is the challenge of turning the course of our society today. Our natural connections are a trim tab with which we begin to turn the chain of events, the course of history. As elements of that trim tab, we respond to a natural cycle of evolution that is helping us awaken to our role and power initiating this great new era, a different direction for mankind and the earth.

It is important that we celebrate the trim tab capacity of our burgeoning understanding of ecopsychology and natural attractions. We should not shrink from the challenge of deeply knowing why our current state will never work because it substitutes the plastic goods of our economic philosophy for a reality made from felt interactions with each other, other beings, things and the cosmos. Instead, let us embrace this new understanding as we exercise and develop our inherent, natural connections with the global community of life and thus we move into not only a state of conscious living, but one of consensus with all things.

It is polluted thinking to value material facts while devaluing sensory facts. Although it is only words that we have to offer through this blog and the internet, we must reach out with our own personal felt understanding; try to write from the deepest level of experience and allow the words to form in response to bodily felt ideas that would otherwise never be articulated through our currently fiercely rational, linear brains.

The result will be a mixture of insights and half-finished thoughts, pregnant with possibility, yet just a flag of knowing of our current state of partial personal and social integration. This work then becomes part of the ground of experience going forward.

We have many more than five senses. In fact, our connections and natural sensibility expand and increase if we grow through life. The great regret of our current culture is that it serves to reduce, eradicate, eliminate, hide and repress our natural connection sensibilities, a direct contradiction of serving life in which the life experience is defined as an ever increasing sphere of contact.

We can justify our work in this area for economic benefit. That approach only keeps us in the sinking ship frame of our current systems. Instead, happily conspire with all humans, animals, plants and things to try to guide our societies to support the life process and experience of increasing our ability to access and the number of connections to all aspects of the earth and cosmos. Indeed, this is truly living and as such, we are able to release from a fear of death, release from the idea of future satisfaction, and return to the present where we can be even more effective as a trim tabs for mother earth.

What is Worship Awakening about? It's about God's Church being GOD-ward. Were I to try and narrow down the one major problem within the Church today, I would have to land on the issue of prayer. We have ceased to be praying people. Prayer is the absolute necessity for the Church to be the Church and not just a group of people who hang out together, build buildings, and argue.

Prayer is the chief action of GOD-WORSHIPERS. Prayer is a natural part of the WORSHIP-LIFE. Where prayer is lacking, everything else in the Church and the believer's life is lacking. Prayer is to the GOD-WORSHIPER what breathing is to all living creatures. Where there is no breathing, the creature has no life-where there is no prayer, the GOD-WORSHIPER has no life. There is no such thing as a GOD-WORSHIPER who is not a pray-er. Likewise for the Church-where there is no prayer, the Church has no life, no power, and no impact.

Imagine you and God were in a house with two rooms. You live in one room of the house, and God lives in the other. Between the two rooms is a door that separates the two rooms. This door is called prayer. Prayer is the means by which you and God can communicate and be engaged with one another. If the door is closed, there is no relationship or communion between you and God. If the door is opened, there is relationship.

Because God is a spiritual being and we are mortal, our only connection between our two worlds-the physical and the spiritual-is the door of prayer. We will never have or know all that God desires for us if the door of prayer is closed. There are far too many believers and churches that have kept the door closed, trying to function as God's ambassadors in the world without being connected to God through prayer.

As we join together seeking God for WORSHIP AWAKENING in our lives and in our churches, we must be committed to prayer. Prayer is the path we must take in order to see God move in our lives and in our churches. Without a strong and continual commitment to prayer, we won't see an awakening because only God can bring an awakening. Revival and awakening never happen without prayer. Just as we are saved by grace through faith-we are revived and awakened by God through prayer. There is no work or effort we can give to grow God's Church that will work without prayer. Prayer must be the starting point for anything of significance in the Kingdom of God.

HOUSE OF PRAYER
In the book of Isaiah, God says about the temple: "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7b). During Jesus ministry, He refers back to this scripture as He drives the money changers out of the temple. He says, "Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers' " (Mark 11:17). There is a great deal to these passages of scripture which deserves attention, but for our purpose here, let me focus on God's desire for His house to be a house of prayer.

This term "house of prayer" is in reference to the temple in Jerusalem where the Israelites came to worship. In the New Testament, the word temple takes on a whole new meaning. No longer does temple refer to a building made by hands, but now the temple is believers. We are the temple. Whereas the Spirit of God rested upon the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies in the temple in the Old Testament, now the Spirit of God dwells in each individual believer. We are the temple of God. Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 3:16: "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

There are two specific things we learn from this. First, God has called us to be people of prayer. Second, prayer is not something we do but it is about something we are. We are the temple of God, God's temple will be a house of prayer. Our church families are also called to be a house of prayer. It is very easy to make our churches be about doing church things and making prayer only a small part of that doing. But God is calling our church families to be people of prayer. With this in mind, we should approach our time together as community with a God-ward focus, seeking Him on behalf of our church family and Kingdom purposes in our communities in the world.

I think that Jim Cymbala's book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, should be required reading for every Christian, especially pastors and church leaders. He is the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and in this book he tells the story of how God blessed the ministry of his church in an enormous way. In reading the book, it does not take long to realize the major factor in God's blessing upon the Brooklyn Tabernacle-namely, prayer. God moved him to make prayer a major part of his church, and when that happened God started to move in a great way. In his book he made this statement:

Does the Bible ever say anywhere from Genesis to Revelation, "My house shall be called a house of preaching?" Does it ever say, "My house shall be called a house of music?" Of course not. The Bible does say, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." Preaching, music, the reading of the Word-these things are fine; I believe in and practice all of them. But they must never override prayer as the defining mark of God's dwelling. The honest truth is that I have seen God do more in people's lives during ten minutes of real prayer than in ten of my sermons.

If God's people will make prayer a part of who they are, and if God's churches will make prayer a part of who they are, our minds cannot conceive or imagine the great things that God will do in our world. How do we do this? Pray, and ask God to do it-He is our power source, for we can do nothing on our own.

PRAYER IS DEPENDENCE ON GOD
When we aren't praying we are depending more on ourselves than on God. If our lives are not full of prayer we are depending more on our own power and smarts than we are God. Churches that spend their leadership meetings talking only about details and technical aspects of church and don't make prayer a priority, are depending more on their own abilities, creativity, and power than on God.

Prayer is dependence on God. Where prayer is lacking, our dependence on God is lacking. In other words, we are trusting more in ourselves than in God. As God's temple we are called to be a house of prayer. We can no longer trust in our own ability and wisdom. We must be fully dependent upon God.

After Paul speaks of our being the temple of God, he continues by saying,

18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21So then, no more boasting about men! (1 Corinthians 3:18-21a)

The secret to churches being all God desires them to be is prayer. If we will return to being a house of prayer, then we are sure to see a great move of God. Prayer should become second nature to the flow and operation of every church body.

PRAYER IS ASKING
Prayer is asking. Prayer is also communing, praising, interceding, and etc.... But asking is a major part of prayer. If we ask God for an awakening, He will bring it. If we ask God for renewal, He will bring it. If we ask God for healing and restoration, He will bring it. The Bible promises much for those who will ask:

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7)

God is faithful to all of His promises. He has promised that if we will turn to Him and seek Him fully, He will move on our behalf. One of the greatest passages in scripture, which I've referred to numerous times in this book, is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Only God can bring an awakening! He is our power source, and only He can accomplish anything of significance in His Church. I am convinced that the greatest strategy for reaching the world for Christ is found in the Church experiencing a WORSHIP AWAKENING. Prayer is the beginning point for that to happen. This promise from 2 Chronicles is a cry for the Church today. It's as easy as turning back to God and seeking Him wholeheartedly. If we will invest ourselves in this direction, we are sure to see a great move of God in our world.

-from the Epilogue of Worship Awakening.

I am a big one on being honest with yourself.  Am I.  I believe "the truth is out there", we just have to go and find it.   

Deceit/Lies are everywhere nowadays.  The man who is being told "no, honey I'm not cheating on you, yet comes home to find his girlfriend/wife in bed with another man.  The doctor who is setting a broken leg, but being told "oh they just fell".  The person who can't understand why their dog is no longer their dog. Some crazy and unbelievable things.  Holy smokes.  No wonder we need lawyers. 

Take the time to tell the truth.  Could it "cost" you?  Yeah.  But that cost pales in comparison to what your spirit continues to go through living a lie.

"Speak the truth, but ride a fast horse." --- Old West Texas cowboy saying

Most religious documentation has had to be translated by "scholars", and interpreted by religious leaders, or for that matter "leaders" in general.  Yes, the scholars, these people are very smart, they know many languages, and have an understanding the "what was".  But they did not live during the time of the "what was".  They have to search for keys to unlock and translate original documentation - If they can even get their hands on it. Then they have to go through mounds of other documents just to make sure they are not on a wild goose chase.  As we all know, deep down, truths to all man, have been buried or destroyed.  (Yes. Look at the Celt history; look at witch hunting;  or for that matter the rise of Christianity.) 

A movie, a movie people, asked/stated a really good point..."Since there has been one true God, there has been killing in his name."  Does anyone out there feel that this is so very accurate? 

People have free will.  People have a soul.  People are, and have been, capable of great or even horrible things.  Think about it like this.  Jesus Christ was not killing people because they did not follow him.  For all intensive of purposes, history tells us, people made the choice to follow.  See I do not believe that, Jesus Christ killed free thinking, different colored skin, disease sickened, etc. etc. people, of that time, just to have and make sure his beliefs would be carried through.  Why would he?  That promotes everything he was SPEAKING out against.  (I find this funny.  You see every religion go on to their place of worship, but they do not, still, practice what has been given as guidelines, to live a better life.)

Now, we fast forward centuries, and everyone is being bombarded with end time signs, false media, slippery conveniences, sickness the world has never known, religions that are the "in thing", food that will kill you due to contamination, and humans -- playing god.  <---Cloning --- and so very much more.  Everyone, those who wants to be informed, knows this is true.  Hence, why the "end time signs" are being sought. 

Random question, and those who know the religious documentation will understand what I am asking, "Where is the new Babylon"? 

History as we know it to be through the eyes and reading of another has not taken into account the things that are forgotten to myth, or buried/destroyed by the Church.  Will things continue on the path they are now? Yes. (I.E.  High gas & food prices, mother nature's fury <-- we believe in that but not magick/witch craft, ha! -- super bugs of disease, etc. etc.)   Will the end times arrive?  Yes.   Will many die due to persecution of a different belief still?  Yes.  Will anyone survive? Yes. Will history be re-written, to paint a prettier picture? No. It will not be allowed to happen again.  

Ah..."It will not be allowed to happen again".  How many theories are out there for the civilizations that have disappeared over night?   What happened to the Egyptians? What happened to the Amazon woman? What happened to Atlantis? <-- read the mounds of history before disputing this.  What happened to Easter Island?  What happened to ancient Libya? <--- you are gonna have to really dig through history for this.  What happened to them all?  Where did they go? What was/is the running theme in them?????

Separated in my soul,
Far to its inner depths
Worlds cease to exist.
Blackness is all that is left.

Fighting to Exist

My journey through life took me down many different paths of illness. My mother was a Registered Nurse, so every sniffle or cough resulted in another round of antibiotics. Every stomach ache could mean appendicitis, and every head ache could have meant a brain tumor. One of the first things I learned in life was how to worry. I worried about everything – from my health to my loved ones. I developed my first ulcer and bout with spastic colon when I was 15 years old. I continued to have severe stomach and digestive problems for years. Any time I was stressed or upset, I would literally double over in agony. My stomach problems continued into my early adult years.

 I was 20 years old and attending college when I first heard the words “Multiple Sclerosis,” but my shock of hearing the words faded as the diagnosis process took more than a year and many rounds of somewhat painful testing and procedures. After being diagnosed with Optic Neuritis, a Neurogenic Bladder, and an Ocular Vestibular Disorder, I was officially diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 21.

            I was mostly able to tame the MonSter (the way most MSers describe their disease). Despite my diagnosis, I was able to complete college and work full time as a social worker. By age 28, however, I had developed new symptoms of joint pain and stiffness, indescribable and incomprehensible fatigue, widespread non-specific pain, and regular migraines. It came as absolutely no surprise when I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia the following year, at age 29.  At this point, I became unable to work.

            In my myopic wisdom, I decided that being overweight was a contributing factor to my decline in health. Years of steroid use along with a fairly inactive life style, mostly due to pain and fatigue, left me struggling with my weight and mobility issues. I made the very unwise decision to undergo gastric bypass surgery. Yes, I did lose weight – from a size 24 to a size 18. But the costs far outweighed the benefits. I became severely anemic and weak. My body couldn’t absorb the iron pills I was taking and my health continued to deteriorate.

            During my third and final pregnancy, I was hospitalized for severe anemia and received blood transfusions. I also developed tachycardia and began taking beta blockers. The gastric bypass surgery left my body so weak and unable to absorb iron that I literally was spending 16 to 20 hours a day in bed, sleeping most of the time, and completely unable to have any quality of life.

            Following the birth of my daughter, I received the last “blow” during my journey through illness. My rheumatologist told me that I now had Lupus. I can remember seeing the “SLE” (system lupus erythematosus) written on my chart as “primary diagnosis.” And I can vaguely remember him discussing the positive anti-body panel. It seemed like my world was spinning, and I was floating helplessly through confusion and chaos. The part of the conversation that did stick with me is the part where my doctor told me that I was not healthy or strong enough to pursue traditional treatments, such as going back on chemotherapy drugs. I could not survive such a treatment. He then recommended a Non-FDA approved treatment that had yielded good results in other parts of the world but had not been tested here in the USA yet.

            I can still remember driving home from that appointment. My head hurt and I felt numb all over. I remember looking in the rear view mirror at my three young children and wondering what would happen to them if I became completely incapacitated. I wondered what kind of mother I would be in three years, five years, or even ten years. Would I be able to walk? Think clearly? Care for them?

            The tears welled in my eyes, as I tried to cry as quietly as I could. Thankfully, the older two girls (ages 4 and 6) were watching a video on the DVD player and the baby was asleep. I wept to myself and wondered what in the world I was going to do. How would I get through this? What would I do? The only thing I felt absolutely sure about was that all the “fight” was pretty much out of me. I had no strength left for another battle – no matter how worthy the cause. I felt beaten down and destroyed. The disease had won. I fought the good fight – I fought the MS, fought the Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, fought the severe anemia. . .but at this point, I was done fighting. I had nothing left for the lupus. I was done fighting.

Mindfulness is perhaps the single most difficult task we face.

To keep ourselves always aware and focused on the now, unhindered by the myriad events and complexities of our daily lives, our past, or an imaginary future, is a state of mind that is absolutely vital if we want to escape the normal suffering of our everyday lives.  S.O.E.

Perhaps it would be helpful to take a quick look at suffering.  There are many types and forms of suffering in this conditional reality we live in.
There is the very real physical suffering, such as birth, illness, accidents, and death.  Then, there are the more subtle forms of suffering such as disappointment, disillusionment, and dissatisfaction.  Generally we don't think of such as suffering, but upon close examination we see that it is, as it stands between us and our peace and serenity.

There are many factors that could be considered as the cause of such suffering, factors like our finances, our social circle, the leaders of our nation, etc..  However, in truth there is but one root cause for all our disappointment, disillusionment, and dissatisfaction.

That root cause is generally ignorance.

When I was a youth, I thought ignorance was the equivalent of dumb, stupid, or something wrong with an individual that could not be fixed.  It wasn't until I began to study the teaching of the enlightened, or the Bhudda Dharma, that I understood it for what it really is: "...the failure to perceive reality correctly, or as it really is."

An examination, both of the dictionary, and a real-life examination of the effects and causes of ignorance, reveals that it is closely related to the word ignore! In other words, we are ignoring reality!

So in truth, all this type of suffering, is a result of the way we percieve things. If you haven't had the above realization yet, I suggest that you take a great deal of time and thought to see if indeed, this is not really the truth of the matter.  I myself, did not have this realization over night.  It was the result of many hours of reading and reflection.  Slowly I began to see; any condition of suffering is suffering only if I designate it as such.

"But wait!" you say, "If I break a bone, or cut myself, then I feel pain-which is suffering!"

Yes, when injured, you feel a sensation called pain.  Read this again. You felt a sensation.  It did not become suffering until your mind, through long years of habit, designated it as suffering! You did not feel suffering until you perceived a certain condition and designated it as suffering!So how is all this important?

Think about it.  If you decided that the dissatisfaction you feel with your job was a good thing, because you could use it as a strong motivator to either find a better job, or advance at your present situation, Then that feeling of dissatisfaction becomes more acceptable as you know it will bring about a better condition in the future!

If you decided that disillusionment was actually the result of keener perception, wouldn't it feel good to be better in touch with reality?

And how about disapointment?  Well..., when have you ever known life to turn out exactly as you wanted it to in every situation?  Is that even possible? No!  Of course not!  So then, life is proceeding exactly as usual, all is well, the universe is still turning as it always has, and this means new possibilities will reveal themselves if you don't cling to those that have passed. And some of those will work out the way you wish!

In the end, we are all as happy as we decide to be!

So what does all this have to do with mindfulness?

It takes a constant, unrelenting effort to acheive the awakened state of mind that causes us no suffering.  Once we have attained this enlightened state of mind, it will stay with us, but it takes a consistent, focused effort to overcome years of ignorance.

Most people will refuse to even admit that they need change, let alone attempt it!

Mindfulness comes into play on a moment-by-moment basis, as we must view every thought pattern in the light of: "Is this perception truly reality, or is it ignorance?"   Holding fast to this mindfulness is 'The Spirit of Awakening'.

Authors like Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer have glorified vampires in their books, making them beautiful, glamorous, mysterious, and of course, magical.  The infamous vampires of fiction can fly, run really fast, read minds, see the future, and more.

As much as we wish it so, however, modern day vampyres do not possess such fantastic powers.

BUT!

Depending on the person, some modern day vampyres have a few interesting tricks up their sleeve.  While flying still remains against the laws of physics, some vampyres are indeed so in tune with their psychic abilities that seeing the future and reading minds are not so far fetched.

It is very typical that before awakening and even after, psychic vampyres experience premonitions, as well as experience clairaudience (hearing spirits) and clairvoyance (seeing spirits.)  Sometimes it is at will--sometimes not--sometimes just as a part of dreams (or nightmares for that matter.)

And, although reading minds is extremely difficult, and even more rare, empathy is a common gift/ailment (depending on how you look at it) that affects psychic vampyres, allowing them to feel the feelings and emotions of people nearby or people they are connected to, sometimes even over many miles.  Though it does not allow them to hear word for word what is on the person's mind, the feelings can be so strong and specific that vampyres commonly mistake them for their own.

Both of these things can, with enough effort, be controlled and strengthened, and with enough practice, can even be like their own super powers.

....If only we could find a way to fly.

"Commit to living the highest vision for your life, and prosperity, joy, and love beyond your wildest dreams will be realized.

When you follow your dreams, you connect to a wellspring of healing and happiness. Unite your life with Spirit by living the highest vision for your life." - Susan Santucci

There is so much value in self-assessment. It requires contemplation and reflection - tools that are responsible for the development of self-awareness.

With out self-awareness it is difficult to know where or how we are positioned, nor how to navigate through life's wilderness.

A great self-assessment exercise is asking "What stands between me and the vision I have for my life?"

If we have the power to make the choices that create the life we have, then we certainly have the power to make the decision to chip away at the beliefs that hold us back.

I choose success, peace, security and serenity. But I have other material goals equally important to me ... I choose to write and my goal is to produce books - lots of them.

This morning I took a long hard look at what steps I've been taking to achieve my publications, and I'm afraid it's been very little. I take on too many projects, which in turn steals my writing time. So today I choose to re-access where and how I utilize time.

There are two affirmation cards I keep permanently on my writing desk - SET A GOAL and TAKE ACTION! Two things I've been doing for other people, but lately, have neglected doing for myself.

It's great helping other people achieve their personal and business goals, but it's important that we also view our own goals and work as being equally important ... something I don't always do.

As I write this post, I am tantalized with a backdrop that is wet, wild and wintery. The wall of my home is glass and, nestled high on an escarpment, I am afforded the most beautiful elemental entertainment of rain, mist and wind, interacting in Nature.

Wrapped again the cold, beside a warm heater, I choose to take time to contemplate, re-access and set new goals.

I have written so much over the years, I could have produced a number of books, but always I divert from editing my own work. I do so much editing and design for other people, it seems like a chore when it comes to my own work. Perhaps it's time to stop being the editor and, with a sanguine approach employ an editor to start shaping my work!

When I loose sight of the vision I have for my life ... I tend to drift aimlessly, which is ok in short bursts, but not long periods of time.

On the back of my SET A GOAL affirmation card, there is a simple direction:

Set a goal, write it down,
and release the outcome.
Small steps make a big difference.

Visit the Affirmation page of this site for some positive direction for the week ahead.

When I was a child my father taught me how to play Gin Rummy. We would play for hours and most of the time that we played I would win. One day I was feeling very full of myself as a great card shark and I decided to play for money. My father tried to talk me out of it, but I insisted. I bet my entire allowance and in about five minutes my father won. Now the game was over and he had won and I believed that he should give me my money back. My father refused. I cried, I begged, I sulked, I even tried to borrow the exact amount, but he absolutely refused. I could not believe that my father could actually love me and not give me back my money. I decided that he did not really love me. I believed that if he loved me he would give me anything that I wanted. This was what I really felt. It took a long time for me to understand that my fathers' love had nothing to do with my responsibility for my own actions.

After many months, perhaps even years, I finally understood what he had given to me. I could never again act in any way or say any words that I was not prepared to be responsible for the outcome of. I realized that my father would never make idol threats, if I wanted to do something that I should not, he would tell me the punishment that I would receive if I did it. He was no longer attached to my choice, and when I ultimately did what I wanted to do anyway, he was not attached to the punishment. I am now grateful for this lesson. The one good thing about this lesson is that it is never too late to learn, and never too late to teach to your children. It only takes one time, which was all it took for me. I may have pushed the envelope many times after that, but the difference was that I was responsible and prepared for whatever the outcome. I was in my power.

I suppose that when our belief in reincarnation was taken away from us, so too was the possibility of ever really being right - so we went for the next best thing which was appearing to be right. Of course if we could do neither, we had to place the responsibility for our being wrong on someone else - blame - so that we could escape whatever repercussions we envisioned. The concept of reincarnation has always felt right to me. I always knew that God was Love, and it just made sense to me that placing us in the darkness and giving us only one chance to find the right light - without a manual was not a loving act. To me, it was like taking your child and putting her out at night having this discourse:

Parent: Go find it and you can't come home until you do - and if you don't you will be lost forever.

Child: Find what?

Parent: Figure it out.

Child: Which direction do I go?

Parent: Look in the Book.

Child: Which Book - there are so many?

Parent: Figure it out!

Then having the parent close the door on the child. So, reincarnation made sense to me. As someone who has practiced Astrology for many years, I have looked to the chart for past life content. But a chart may be easily verified in this life, but when referring to past lives it is really theoretical. However, since I started doing past life regressions, I find that the chart does give very accurate information as to the issues we need to take responsibility for in our lives that we have failed to do the same in past lives. I see people repeating the same theme over and over again. In the sixteenth century the theme may have been "Romeo and Juliet", while in the twentieth century it may have been "West Side Story". Over and over again I see people making the same ultimate choices, life after life, suffering the same consequences only with a slightly different story line. My father put the responsibility for my actions in my lap. I am still growing into that lesson, it is still a work in progress, but at least there is progress. I thought that my choices were pre-determined. I now realize that they are not pre-determined but they are hardwired into my make-up, because they are the choices that keep my ego where it is the most comfortable - on familiar ground. I love the saying, "Better the hell you know than the hell you don't". That is straight from the ego's mouth. When we take responsibility, full responsibility - "The buck stops here" kind of responsibility, we will very likely end up in unfamiliar territory. I know how to function in a bad relationship, but do I really know how to function in a good one? Even happy is scary if happy is unknown. I always go left, maybe I should go right. I always wait, maybe I should act. I always go for the one who needs love, maybe I should go for the one who has it.

We choose the lessons we will learn. We have to accept responsibility for the choices we made before we came here as well as the choices that we make while we are here. We did not choose to suffer; we chose to learn we chose the areas of growth we would work on in this lifetime. This was how we determined our moment of birth<!--[if supportFields]> XE "birth" < ![endif]-->; we chose that moment so the energies of the planets would create the right atmosphere for the growth we came in to achieve.

Taking responsibility automatically puts us in the present. It puts us in a situation in which we have choices to make. As soon as we acknowledge that we have choices, we will realize that we have power. Finding someone or something to blame for our situation relieves us of the responsibility of changing it. It also prevents it from changing. Even if we blame ourselves, we tend to blame something that we label as an inadequacy rather than our own action or inaction, which we can do something about. I will not permit my children to say, "I can't", they have to say, "I won't", "I can't" is a great deal more comfortable than, "I won't", "I won't" implies responsibility.

Some people prefer to be miserable; they prefer to be victims. These people are constantly seeking and rejecting answers. Everything that goes wrong in their lives is the responsibility of someone or something other than themselves, and no amount of facts will convince them otherwise. This is a pattern built up over lifetimes.

The wrong people find them; they don't find the wrong people. They remember the harsh things said to them but not what they might have said to provoke harsh words from others. If they are ever wrong, it is because they were provoked, tricked, or in some way forced to do whatever they were being held responsible for doing wrong.

If there is any good in their lives they find someone to compare it with who has it better. They do not compromise, because if it is all or nothing there is a much better chance of getting nothing. These same people tend to be luckier than most, they tend to be taken care of although they don't notice it. These people probably live the most tortured lives because they have to keep validating the external source of their misery. The catch is that when we are not responsible we are not in our power, we hand over our power to those people or circumstances that we consider to be responsible. We are not blocked from having a wonderful life, we miss the chances life presents to do so because we are so deeply engrossed in our need to elude responsibility. "I won't call her because she hasn't called me", "I won't show love because it is never appreciated", "I won't try because I always lose". Even when we blame ourselves, we say, "I am not tall enough, smart enough, attractive enough, strong enough..." We blame an attribute or lack of an attribute; we don't take responsibility for an action or lack of action, a choice made or refusal to make a choice. We do not take responsibility, as beings.

This is all perception. If you perceive yourself as not responsible, as helpless then the positive side is that you are off of the hook, you didn't make a mistake, fail, etc., the negative side is you are helpless, a victim of an unsafe world.

Lets look at an example, say that you have a good job, you have never been late, and have never been sick. One day you walk into the office and the boss's lover is sitting at your desk and you're out of a job. Well that is a classic case of victimization if ever one existed right? Perhaps, it really depends on ones perspective. This could be an example of how nothing you do works out, so it is a good reason to go get drunk, or lock yourself in your room. You can add this to the list of wrongs done to you. Or you could tell yourself that you're lucky that you got away from a losing situation. Perhaps you might perceive it as a sign from the Universe to go on your own, or that it is just a sign to move on.

Most people are afraid of responsibility because they fear being responsible for the outcome of our actions. However, taking responsibility for the outcome is unrealistic. When we take responsible for a child or a valuable piece of jewelry or anything left in our keeping this is in a moment. It is not something that we do twenty-four hours a day. However when we accept responsibility for our actions we are taking responsibility for everything except the outcome and we are taking that responsibility in every moment that we are alive. It is being responsible for each thought, each movement and each word that we say. We cannot control the outcome of anything. I may drink and drive and have an accident or not. I am responsible for having been drinking. I am neither responsible for the fact that I had an accident nor am I responsible if I did not have one. To be responsible is to be present and aware in each action that we take in each thought that we have. This is to be in each now of our lives.

There is a part of our brain that works automatically. It regulates our body, it breathes, it pumps blood to our organs it does not take our presence or our awareness in order to function.

When we are toddlers and we begin to walk we are present. Each step is an effort it takes mindfulness. After we walk long enough it becomes automatic. I watched my son focus and strain while he tries to put his socks on. Eventually he didn't even notice that he was doing it, because it became automatic. Even when we drive to a certain destination enough times it too becomes automatic, as though the car just knows where to turn.

How often do we bump into a piece of furniture and say, "excuse me"? When our living, becomes automatic we cannot be responsible, we are sleep walking. We are not present. Many times the loss of passion in our relationships and even the loss of growth in our relationships emerges simply out of our having sent the functioning of the relationship to automatic. Where once we experienced each word and movement of our lover and were present within the relationship now the relationship becomes automatic. The relationship becomes part of our unseen unfelt automatic world. So we cannot find where we went wrong because we were not really there. We need to relegate the functioning of our bodies to the automatic brain and the functioning of our lives to our active selves.

When we meditate we are taught to focus on our breathing because that connects us with the present. That connection is the key. When we are connected with our present, with our actions we can then assume responsibility for our lives. When we are truly responsible we are again empowered and in control. It may take work and time to disengage our lives from automatic. It will certainly take walking through our own fears. Yet once this is done we are finally connected with our lives, our loves, our souls and our God. When we are awake we can hear sounds that the sleeping cannot hear and feel things that the numb cannot feel.

When we are awake and responsible nothing gets past us or slips through the cracks. When we say something it has value because it is not just an automatic response. When we are awake we awaken those around us, merely by our presence. Our lives do not just happen; we don't wonder where the day went. We are aware that we have lived it. Each moment is fuller because we are aware of all the wonders within it. In a relationship we feel all the things that we felt in the beginning because each moment is a beginning when we are alive. Life becomes awe inspiring because we are in it. We feel empowered in the knowledge that we are responsible for how we have lived our lives.