Sunday, April 29, 2012

Sample Sunday - Sons of God Daughters of Men



The following is an excerpt from my book called Sons of God Daughters of Men, available for $0.99 at:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y38YFY
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007Y38YFY


PROLOUGE

       “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” Genesis 6:1-4 (KJV)



      “Grandfather.”
      Ham looked up at the boy and his friends. He grinned and continued stoking the fire. 
      “Grandfather, tell us the story about gods and men,” the boy asked.
      Ham stirred the logs in the fire, occasionally watching the ashes float into the night. The resolute boy stepped closer and hugged Ham from behind. “Please, please tell us grandfather,” the child begged.
      Ham took hold of his grandson's arm and laughed. Another boy and two girls sprang from behind the trees, shoving and nudging their way closer to the old man. The children sat wide-eyed, hanging on Ham's every movement and eagerly awaiting the latest rendition of their favorite story. Ham took a sip from his wineskin, wiped his face and thick, gray beard, and looked into each of the children's eyes.
      “Tell us grandfa?“
      “All right boy,” Ham interrupted. “Long ago, in these lands, a great king ruled. He was the greatest king to rule the world. Those were the days of the heathen gods . . . they who came from heaven above . . . and hell beneath." Ham pointed to a mountain in the distance. There, on Mount Carmel, the first of them came.”
      The children looked at the mountain briefly before turning back. 
      “Before they came here, they were called the Watchers, but in our world, they became tyrants. Giants they were. Men as tall as trees . . . eyes as blue as the sky and hearts as black as night.” Ham looked at the girl next to him, “Eaters of flesh they were . . . of little boys and little girls!” he shouted and then gritted his teeth.
      The girl let out a scream and then jumped before giggling. Ham laughed.
      “They came from heaven, grandfather?” the boy asked.
      “Yes Nimrod. They were sons of God.
      “The sons of God who loved the daughters of men,” a voice said from behind.
      Ham sighed. He put his staff in the fire and pushed several logs. “Let the children enjoy their story Cush,” Ham said to his son without looking.
      “Go to bed now children. I have to talk with father,” Cush said as he waved the children away.
      The children moaned and complained as they rose and walked away.
Nimrod leaned over and kissed Ham on the cheek. “Grandfather, one day I am going to build a tower to heaven, so I can see the sons of God.”
      Ham rubbed the child’s head and smiled. “Of course you will boy.”
      “Run along,” Cush yelled as he sat in the sand next to Ham. “Father, I was in town today and…do you really believe the stories about the heathen gods?”
      Ham swallowed. “What did you see son?”
      “A man, if ever I saw one. Fearsome, and twice as tall as any I have ever seen.”
      “So they have returned,” Ham replied. He took a deep breath and then shook his head. “I knew it would not be long,” he said, his hands suddenly shaking and lips quivering.
      Cush looked on, having never seen fear in his father before. “Where would such a man come from?”
      Ham grasped Cush's shoulders and looked into his eyes. “Listen to me son and heed my words. Those who destroyed our world have returned. What I tell you tonight, speak to your children, and to their children. For all should know of the sons of God and the daughters of men. They ruined the old world and will try to ruin this as well.”


CHAPTER 1
TRAINING

      2500 B.C.
      
      Caelan stared into the morning sky. Does humanity still need us or do we still need humanity? he wondered. This question had been on Caelan’s mind for a long time. The future seemed uncertain. The role of angels as the protectors of humanity was slowly diminishing. As humanity grew in numbers, they called upon God and angels far less than they used to. Humanity had become a proud species; brash and unruly. Have we a future together? Caelan thought.
      The morning was perfect, with bright sunshine and only a few clouds, just as Caelan liked it. Days like this made his Guardian duty on Earth bearable. He stared where the portal between Heaven and Earth was to open, dreading the arrival of his new trainee, Lucius, to arrive. He would have preferred Lucius to be paired with someone else for the next thirty days, but he understood why his superiors chose him. His proven record of accomplishment in training skilled and competent guardian angels was impeccable. Many of his former trainees had received glowing assessments for protecting human beings assigned to them from harm and demonic spirits. Nevertheless, Caelan preferred being able to come and go as he pleased. Being responsible for another young trainee was going to cut into his leisure time.
      A bright flash from behind signaled the arrival of his new protégé. A ten-foot oval portal surrounded by speckles of blue and white light opened in front of him. Lucius, a handsome young angel with sandy brown hair, brown eyes and a large smile walked through. He turned around, admiring the beauty of the portal as it slowly began to dissipate. He all but ignored Caelan as he stood still watching the portal.
      “Young angel!” Caelan called from twenty feet away.
      Lucius turned quickly, causing his long white robe and broadsword on his belt to spin with him. “Sorry sir,” he replied.
      “Your first time through?”
      “Yes sir. It?”
      “Save it,” Caelan interrupted. “You need to realize where you are now or your first time on Earth might be your last time.”
      “Uh, Y-Yes sir,” Lucius replied embarrassingly. Caelan's harsh tone unnerved him. The angels he knew in heaven never spoke so gratingly to others.
      “If there had been demons waiting here, we would not be having this conversation," Caelan said. "Remember, you are no longer in heaven. Here, you must be alert at every moment. Understood?”
      “Yes sir,” Lucius replied. He noted that Caelan's speech was closer to that of a human than an angel. 
      Caelan stopped and turned to Lucius. “If it seems as if I am being hard on you, realize that my job is to keep you safe and make sure you are trained you the right way.”
      “I understand,” Lucius answered.
      Caelan raised his eyebrow.
      “I mean yes sir.”
      Caelan turned and walked away, followed by Lucius.
      “Why did you choose the Guardians as your first assignment?” Caelan asked.
      “I wanted to make a difference in the Earth,” Lucius answered
      Caelan shot him a sarcastic glance. “So, my captain said that you are an orphan.”
      “Yes. I died in childbirth,” Lucius said. “My mother is alive, but my father died a few years ago. He was a soldier. I suppose that he, that he did not?”
      “Try not to worry about it. Many people never make it to heaven. Cheer up. At least your mother still has a chance.”
      “I hope so sir,” Lucius said.
      “You joined the Guardians hoping to meet her . . . am I right?” Caelan asked.
      Lucius lowered his head, and then nodded.
      Caelan grinned. “Cheer up. I am not going to send you back. If management approved your request and sent you here, they must have a plan.”
      Lucius looked up and smiled. “Thank you sir. My intention to deceive anyone, I just?”
      “Don't worry,” Caelan interrupted. “Every volunteer has a different reason for joining. I like to ask because unlike you, most of us were assigned this role.” Caelan looked Lucius up and down. “You are . . . young for the Guardians.”
      Lucius stared blankly, not knowing how to respond.
      “Well, if management approved, someone up there must like you,” Caelan said. “Listen, follow directions and everything should be fine.”
      “I will not let you down,” Lucius said eagerly.
      “Let’s hope not," Caelan said. "We are going to the market at Nirim today. We have to replace the temporary Guardian watching over my human.”
      “We are on a thirty-day assignment right?” Lucius asked.
      “Is that a problem?” Caelan said with a hint of sarcasm.
      “Uh, no sir. Thirty days is fine,” Lucius replied. 
      “Good. Try to keep up,” Caelan said. He looked skyward and launched into the air.
      Lucius tracked Caelan as he disappeared in the clouds. He lowered his arms and spiraled into the sky. Several large birds blew past as he skimmed the clouds and searched for Caelan. He decided to head in the general direction of Nirim, assuming Caelan would be somewhere close to the city. A childlike delight shone on his face as he streaked across the sky. He stretched his arms, occasionally spinning in circles and taking in the beauty of the horizon. He had been enamored with stories of Earth for many years and wanted to visit for some time. Now his dream had come true. 
      The bright sunlight made it difficult for Lucius to see far into the distance. A speck hovering above the clouds several miles away caught his attention. The figure quickly became larger as he sped forward. After recognizing Caelan hovering above a cloud with his hand extended, Lucius quickly managed to force himself to a nimble halt barely several feet from Caelan.
      “Work on controlling your speed," Caelan balked. “It is very hard to stop when fly everywhere at full speed.”
      Lucius nodded, trying hard to hide his growing irritation of Caelan’s chastening.
      “Follow me to the city and stay close,” Caelan said. He then dropped through an opening in the cloud.
      Lucius sped down through the clouds and slowed into a glide over Nirim's marketplace. After spotting Caelan on the outer edge of the marketplace, Lucius flew over and landed softly next to him.
      Caelan was staring ahead, fixated on something in the distance.
      Lucius looked around the marketplace trying to identify the object of Caelan's fascination. 
      “Remember when I told you earlier that everything has a plan?” Caelan asked.
      “Yes,” Lucius replied, with a puzzled look.
      “Your being assigned to train with me today was not a coincidence. Look over there,” Caelan said, pointing to a young woman walking toward them.
      Lucius took several steps forward and looked at the young woman curiously. She stopped ten feet away at a vendor’s stand and picked up several figs. The woman was short and thin, with long frazzled black hair just past her waist. Her sad behavior and bedraggled clothes suggested that she was of low status. Lucius turned to Caelan, wondering what was so important about this woman. Then, something about her made him take a second look.
      “How old are you?” Caelan called out.
      “Twenty five,” Lucius answered, still looking at the young woman, wondering about the strange feeling he had.
      “How old do you think this woman is Lucius?”
      “Forty, maybe forty-five. What does that matt?”
      Lucius' stopped speaking and his eyes widened.
      Caelan came and stood next to Lucius. “She is your mother.”


CHAPTER 2
REUNION

      Lucius was overcome with emotion. Caelan could see the emotions Lucius felt were far more intense than anything he experienced in Heaven. Guardians often felt this way after their first encounter with human beings. Even so, Lucius' response intrigued Caelan. Lucius drew to within inches of his mother, examining every detail of her worn face. He felt strange being so close to her. Sensing and unknown presence, the woman looked up, then around the market, rubbing the back of her neck several times before turning her attention back to the figs.
      “She can feel me," Lucius said.
      “She knows that someone is near her,” Caelan said and then smiled. "Her name is Dinah. She was fifteen when you were born.”
      Dinah took a few coins from her pocket and counted them. She closed her eyes and sighed. Caelan moved closer to Lucius.
      "Life was not easy after she lost you and your father. She does what she can to survive...cleaning homes, making clothes...she has a hard life Lucius. Few people want to marry an older widow. At times, I pity humanity. Their struggles seem unending and harsh. All we can do is watch and protect, doing what we can to ease their suffering.”
      Lucius looked around the marketplace. “Where is her guardian?”
      Caelan pointed to an angel standing amongst a crowd one-hundred feet away with his arms folded. “You missed him, among other things.”
      Lucius turned and then suddenly jumped back. 
      A small demon sprang from behind the tent next to the fig seller. The creature leapt on top of the table, crouched, and hissed at Lucius. The three-foot demon resembled a large toad with its bubbly skin, brown, large black eyes, wide lips and two small slits for a nose. The demon turned his attention to Dinah. 
      “Stay away from her foul creature,” Lucius scowled. He then drew his broadsword and prepared to strike.
      Caelan grabbed Lucius by the arm. “Easy," he whispered.
      Lucius glared as the demon taunted him. Caelan knew that Lucius had learned about demons during his Guardian training in Heaven, but this was his first time encountering with one. Both angels winced after smelling the demon's pungent odor.
      “You know the rules. Since he is only a deceiving spirit and has not threatened violence, you cannot harm him without cause,” Caelan reminded Lucius. 
      The demon smirked, slowly drawing closer to Dinah and keeping a wary eye on Lucius.
      “Why is he here and what does he want?” Lucius asked.
      “To sow misery and hopelessness among humanity,” Caelan replied with disgust. "The more of humanity they can harm or destroy, the more it pleases their masters. Spirits such as these are drawn to deep heartache and despair."
      The demon turned to Dinah and tilted his head. “You poor, dirty widow. What can you do with no husband, no children, and no money,” he said and then cackled.
      Lucius lunged forward, but Caelan caught and pulled him back. Lucius turned toward Caelan, full of rage.
      “Calm yourself!" Caelan shouted. "You cannot harm him Lucius. He may tempt her. If she needs our help, then she must pray. Otherwise, we cannot intervene. She has a Guardian who has instructions about her. You know this.”
      Dinah's Guardian angel appeared several feet away from her. He grasped his sword and readied himself, as if awaiting instructions.
      The demon cackled again. “Poor widow. If I were you, I would kill myself rather than live such a wretched life”
      Dinah wiped a tear from her face, then brushed her hair. 
      “Go home you poor wretch,” the demon said. “This market is not for the poor and you will never have enough money. Go home and die!” he shouted in a dark, sinister tone.
      Tears began to stream down Dinah's face. 
      “Buy something or leave,” the old fig seller yelled. “Why are you here if you will not buy anything?"
      The demon laughed at the trouble he had caused.
      “Do you want to help her?” Caelan asked.
      “Of course, but what can I do?” Lucius replied.
      “Think of encouraging words or songs of praise and then whisper them to her.”
      “We can do that?” Lucius asked.
      “Indeed. If they discourage, we can encourage. Why do you think your teachers had you memorize so many of our songs?”
      Filled with excitement, Lucius turned to Dinah and thought of an uplifting song. “Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God while I live,” Lucius said to Dinah.
      He waited for a response, but the words had no effect. The demon laughed sarcastically. Lucius turned to Caelan. “What did I do wrong?” 
      “You have to do more than speak the words. Believe what you are saying. Open yourself to her mind so you can feel the pain and trauma. Only then, can her emotions to flood into your mind. Once the connection is made and you have become one with her emotions, concentrate and speak to the pain...allowing the words to flow from your heart. Making a connection with your mother should be easy.”
      Lucius closed his eyes and concentrated. He grabbed his head, his hands shaking as images from Dinah's mind entered his. He saw her in a room lying on a bed with blood spattered about her legs and stomach. She screamed, groaning and grasping the bed sheets as the elderly midwife pulled the baby from between her legs. Exhausted, breathing heavily, and sweating, Dinah looked into the somber eyes of the midwife. She stretched her arms out. “Bring me my baby,” Dinah whimpered.
      The elderly woman shook her head. Slowly, she wrapped the dead infant in a small brown blanket. Lucius' eyes widened as Dinah's deafening cry rang throughout his mind. The overwhelming sorrow that his mother carried for more than twenty-five years filled his eyes with tears. Lucius looked at Dinah with compassion, training his mind on her sadness and then closing his yes. He let the words flow from his heart, “Blessed is he whose help is God, whose hope is in the Lord, the maker of heaven and Earth, the Lord who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sustains the fatherless and the widow but frustrates the ways of the wicked. The Lord reigns forever, for all generations. Praise the Lord.”
      Dinah's eyes narrowed and she looked up. Her lips tightened and looked at the old man in front of her, “The Lord sustains me,” she whispered before walking away with an air of confidence.  The angry demon straightened and scowled at Lucius. “Safe today, but maybe dead tomorrow. Will you help her then Watcher?” He jumped from the table and then scampered away. Dinah's Guardian angel smiled at Lucius briefly and nodded before he followed her away.
      “He is right. I cannot be there for her every day,” Lucius said, and hung his head. The burden of his mother having to wrestle alone against unseen and malicious forces troubled him. For the first time, he felt the pain of human loss and suffering. Being born as an angel in heaven had shielded him from these cruel emotions. His first memories were of opening his eyes in a large room in Heaven staffed by angels helping souls who had died as infants. He and other new angels were welcomed to Heaven and educated daily about the Earth, the universe, and their purpose for existing. Before, he viewed human beings with a certain fascination, even envy. Now, he saw a different, grittier side to humanity that was far different from what he had imagined.
      “You did well,” Caelan said. “My advice is that you do not spend too much time worrying about her. Pray that the Father watches over her life and that she finds her way in this world.”
      With a heavy heart, Lucius nodded in agreement.
      “We have to go,” Caelan said.
      As they walked toward the center of the marketplace, Caelan could sense that Lucius was agitated and distracted. Every few paces, he turned and looked at certain people moving about the busy marketplace. Caelan decided to use the opportunity to teach the young angel another lesson.
      “Lucius, are you paying attention to your surroundings?” Caelan asked.
      “Yes.” Lucius responded as he continued to walk. 
      “Are you sure?” Caelan asked.
      “Yes,” Lucius replied.
      “So you are not looking at the young women in the market today?” Caelan asked.
      “I'm...WHOA!” Lucius said loudly before looking up. He stopped just before his throat met the edge of Caelan's glistening sword.
      Caelan gave him a stern look before sheathing his sword. “You need to pay better attention, especially in crowded areas with buildings and places demons can hide. That last demon surprised you before you could to react. You were fortunate that he was a weak, deceiving spirit. A warrior class demon might have struck you down.”
      “I'm sorry sir, it will not happen again,” Lucius said. 
      “Make sure it doesn't," Caelan responded. "Be aware of enemies and try to anticipate where they may be hiding. They can leap through walls or surprise you from around a corner instantly.”
“I understand," Lucius replied.
“They are masters of deception," Caelan said. "For example, I bet you did not notice the three small demons on our left and two on the right that have been following us since we left the fig stand did you?”
      Lucius looked to his left, right, and caught glimpses of several small demons scurrying among the buildings, hiding and them poking their heads out. “No, I did not see them. What do they want, and why are they following us?”
      “They are watching us, wondering if we are here to watch a person of importance," Caelan said. "If they can report with important information to their superiors, they might be rewarded.”
      “I see” Lucius replied, still eying the small demons.
      “Some smaller ones may seem insignificant at first glance," Caelan said. "I made the mistake of believing that when I first came here and was ambushed. The will try that if they think that they have the upper hand. That is why it is important to know where they are and what they are doing.”
      “I understand sir,” Lucius said.
      “Good to know. One more thing to keep in mind:  it is sometimes hard, at first, to concentrate and focus your thoughts when you are around groups of human beings. Our sensitivity to their strong emotions can disorient us at times. You seem especially sensitive to them.”
      Lucius nodded. “I have not felt powerful emotions like these until I arrived on Earth. Why are they so strong, and why am I feeling them now?”
      “Well, humanity is a troubled and strange species. Although we are similar, there are differences. While we are spiritual beings, they are bound to their flesh. They lack our strength of mind and discipline. Therefore, most of them wander aimlessly through life in search of meaningless things." Caelan shook his head. "They are creatures of emotion.”
      "Is that why you like them so much?" Lucius joked.
      Caelan returned an icy glare and started walking.
      After arriving close to the center of the market, Caelan looked around at the hundred or so people assembled at various vendors and walking in and out of shops. 
      “Human beings are slaves to their feelings,” Caelan said with aversion. “Guard your thoughts while you are down here Lucius or your mind will be corrupted by their unholy ways.”
“And what happens if I am corrupted?” Lucius asked.
“Reeducation. Retraining. A lot of things that you do not want to know about, I assure you,” Caelan said.
“Still, there are those who are just, right?" Lucius asked. "Aren't there those who are genuinely interested in spirituality?”
Caelan furled his lips, indignant that the young angel had dared question him. “There are some, but generally—”
“I mean, isn't that the reason we are here?" Lucius interrupted. "Are we not here to ensure that they follow the right path and get the aid and protection that they need?”
Caelan looked into Lucius' eyes and then past him. The young angel had unintentionally reminded him of something he had all but forgotten over time; love and compassion for humanity. He thought back to a time, hundreds of years ago; when he had arrived on Earth as a Guardian and when humanity began to grow and rapidly expand. Like Lucius, he was once full of hope and enthusiasm because of what he saw as humanity's potential for greatness. Where had his compassion and hope gone? Why was he now so cold and emotionless toward those he swore to protect?
Caelan thought about the oath he took upon completing his Guardian training, “We serve, we protect, we uplift.” He asked himself how much he had done recently to uplift humanity.
“Are you Okay, sir?” Lucius asked, interrupting his reflection.
“Of course, you are right Lucius. We are here to help.” Caelan suddenly became distracted and looked into the distance.
“What is it?” Lucius asked.
“Why are those angels over there?" Caelan said. "I was not aware of any special assignments today. Did you hear anything about this before you left?”
“You did not hear?” Lucius asked. He grinned, “On my way to the portal, I heard that more angels had been assigned to this man and his family because they were special. They have been assigned a protection detail. Each of them will have two permanent Guardian angels. Exciting, right?”
“Yes,” Caelan mumbled, still staring at the angels. “What is the man’s name?”
“Noah,” Lucius answered.




Get the rest of the novel for only $0.99 at:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y38YFY
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007Y38YFY

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Sample Sunday


The following is an excerpt from my book about Prayer called, The Ten Greatest Prayers of the Bible, available for $0.99 at:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YJIHU

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057YJIHU

Preface

Often times when we read miraculous events of the Bible, we think of them as only applying to the people who lived in biblical times. In our modern era of science, medicine and technology, people rarely rely on prayer to meet their needs. The purpose of writing this book is to show the importance of prayer and how it can be relative to people of all races, gender and social classes. Prayer is powerful and should be relied upon not only as a method of last resort, but in times when we don't think that we need it. Prayer is a useful tool for kings as well as common people. It was necessary for Christ, his Apostles, their congregations and is still necessary for us today.

I would like to give my personal testimonial about the power of prayer. A few years ago, the Lord delivered me from a sickness by the power of my prayer as well as the prayers of others. In September 2006, I had been suffering from Ulcerative Colitis and bleeding for several months. After spending several weeks in the hospital, I was cleared to go home for rest and recuperation. I was not showing much improvement at home and continued to bleed every time I went to the bathroom. Early one morning, I awoke and went into the bathroom where I continued to bleed severely as I had done for days. When I tried to walk back into the bedroom I passed out and fell on the floor. I don’t know how long I was unconscious but my wife found me lying on the bathroom floor and she began trying to wake me. When I came to, I began gasping for air and was unable to breathe. Later we found out that this was due to having suffered severe blood loss and dehydration. My mother and aunt came upstairs after hearing my wife screaming and crying and called 911, and they helped my wife carry me back into the bedroom, where things only got worse. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. I felt my life slowly slipping away. After a few minutes, the struggle just became too great and I could barely keep my eyes open. At that moment I knew that I was going to die. As I lay on the floor there was a strange peace that came over me. I felt that I was living in my final moments. I looked up at my wife and whispered, “I love you.” I then closed my eyes and everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I saw nothing but extreme darkness. It appeared that I was in a large open space, like a valley, with a black sky that had no stars. The ground beneath was blackish grey with cracks in it like a dry desert. Everything had the appearance of desolation. While there, the pain that had constantly been in my body for the past weeks had disappeared and I had intense feelings of fear and loneliness. I stood there for what appeared to be several minutes looking around and wondering what was happening. Having been a Christian for fourteen years and a pastor for the previous two years of my life, I was expecting to see something quite different in the afterlife. What I was seeing did not make any sense at all.

I thought to myself, this cannot be all that there is in the afterlife! I have served God for too long and know that God is real. I have felt His love and Holy Spirit too many times. There must be a God and there must be a heaven! I began praying Psalm 23 and about halfway through, a bright flash appeared in the sky above me. When I looked up, I could see a large city with a bright gold aura, surrounded by angels in white robes. It was the city of New Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation 21 and 22. Instantly, the loneliness seemed to vanish away as now I felt joy and relief from knowing that heaven was real and I would be going there. I then felt that there was something above and to my left. When I turned my head and looked, I saw more angels, who were closer and smiling. They were standing around someone who had a white robe with a golden belt, whose face shined with a white brightness so intense that I could not make out the features. I soon realized that this was Jesus Christ!

I tried to look into his face to make out His features, but the more that I stared, the brighter the light around his face became, forcing me to look away. Suddenly, I felt great shame and sorrow. I later realized what Daniel 10:8 meant when he said: “my comeliness in me is turned into corruption.” Compared to the righteousness and holiness of God, I could feel the sin of my lowly human nature and knew that however righteous I may have thought that I was, it was nothing compared to God’s true holiness. I felt so ashamed and embarrassed that I didn’t want to look up at Jesus. I stared at the ground and thought, “I wish that I could go to that city.” Immediately a thunderous voice reverberated throughout my entire body and spirit saying to me; “You can come here if you want.”

I looked up with excitement and thought that I wanted to go to the city above me. I was immediately propelled at and incredible speed up in the air towards the city just as quickly as I imagined going there. As I got closer, I could see that there were many angels surrounding the city and they were all smiling, with white robes and gold trumpets pressed to their lips. The city was completely made of gold, yet it had a white translucent glow that made it shine brightly. There were large walls with three gates on each made of white pearl.

It was very interesting to me that I saw large buildings, which resembled skyscrapers of different sizes behind the walls, which had what appeared to be windows. As I moved closer and closer at great speed, I felt that there was something behind me. I turned to look and a large screen suddenly appeared. I felt myself come to a stop. Different groups of people began to appear before me on the screen. Some I recognized as pastors and their wives, while others I did not know. At that point, a heavy burden for them and sadness swept over me. I quickly realized that it was God’s burden for the ministry and mankind. I could not help but feel that the Lord showed me these people for a reason. At that moment, I understood that a decision had to be made. I thought, “Lord, they have no one to help them.” Suddenly everything went dark and I felt myself back in my body again.

I momentarily retained the previous feeling of euphoria and no pain. This was different after being so sick and full of pain for weeks. I could clearly notice the difference of not having any pain while I was outside of my body to then having the pain once again with the reuniting with my physical body.
I opened my eyes and saw my wife, mother and aunt above me crying. I also noticed that I was having trouble breathing again. As strange as it seems, this feeling was new, as I did not remember having the need to breathe before I returned. The paramedics arrived a little while later, put an oxygen mask on my face and took me to the hospital emergency room. I was given a blood transfusion and IV liquids through two PIC lines that were inserted directly into veins in my neck. The doctors told us that even in severe cases, it was normal to only use one PIC line into the vein to transfuse blood. However, because the situation was so critical, and I was in danger of imminently dying, they had no choice but to insert two lines. I had lost a great deal of blood and was severely dehydrated.

Later, after I had recovered, my wife told me that I was lifeless and not breathing when I was in her arms for at least five minutes back at the house. She had been rebuking the spirit of death and praying for God to put my life back in my body when I suddenly came back to life again.

This whole experience changed me. I knew that the Lord was dealing with me to give more of my life to him and to share my testimony of God’s power with others. I began an intense study of all scriptures in the Bible that dealt with prayer, healing and the resurrection of the church. It is my belief that if we want to achieve the results that great people like Moses, David, Hezekiah and Solomon had, we must look at the prayers that they gave. These people were not just great because they did great things. A greater examination of scripture shows that they did great things because they prayed great prayers. I am fully convinced that if we enter into prayer and understand that prayer is a tool for achieving greatness, we will see the same miraculous wonders that our predecessors in the Bible saw. I know that I’m not alone in the belief that the only thing separating us from the great heroes of faith in the bible is the prayers we give. We have the same access and opportunity to reach out to God-but will we see the same results?

In writing the ten greatest prayers of the Bible, I used several criteria to select what I believed were truly the greatest prayers. I want to make it clear that in making my selections, it was not that the prayers I did not choose were not great; it was just that I personally felt that some were simply more outstanding. To begin, I made a list of what I felt were the greatest prayers in the Bible and then narrowed it down by looking at the overall impact of each prayer. To me, the most important aspect of the prayer people prayed was the results. Great prayers can, and should be, judged by their results. It’s not like every prayer isn’t important, I just believe that some prayers have a greater effect than others. I asked myself questions like: Who did the prayer impact? Did the prayer affect one person or a great number of people? Some prayers affected individuals, but a greater weight had to be given to prayers that affected more than one person.

Secondly, I looked at the person making the prayer. Was the person someone that anyone can relate to? This is important because I wanted to know if ordinary people could pray a similar prayer and achieve similar results if they found themselves in the same kind of situation as someone in the Bible. Thirdly, I looked at the circumstances the person was in. A person who encounters an average situation will pray an average prayer while a person undergoing extreme circumstances will pray extraordinary prayers.

As we look at the ten greatest prayers in the Bible, I hope that you will gain an appreciation for the power of prayer and come to realize that there is absolutely no difference between us and the people who prayed these great prayers. When we realize that we all have the same potential in prayer, then we will actualize it and see great results I chose not to list the prayers in a 1 through 10 order of best to worst or worst to best because all were equally great and each showed characteristics about how to pray great prayers. The only prayer that I would say was the greatest, was the one prayed by Jesus Christ. Other than that, I give them all equal weight. I hope that in reading this book, you gain insight from those who prayed some of the greatest prayers, and that this book can in some way change you and those around you.

May God Bless you, and keep praying!

Chapter 1

Hannah’s Prayer

The Prayer
“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” 1 Samuel 1:10-11

What was Hannah Praying for?
Hannah was praying in bitterness of soul and spirit so that she could have a son.

Background Information about Hannah
Hannah was one of two wives married to a man named Elkenah. Although polygamy was permissible at that time under the Law of Moses, it was not an ideal situation for any woman to be in. The stresses on Hannah’s marital relationship with her husband and his other wife are evident in the first chapter of 1 Samuel. Hannah was constantly harassed and provoked by the other woman, Peninnah, about her inability to have children. We learn a great deal about Hannah’s character, because, despite being provoked so much, we never see her responding in a negative or confrontational way to anyone. Most people fight back when they are personally attacked, but Hannah did not. She chose the high road of prayer as her weapon of defense. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be in her situation? First, she was sharing her husband with another woman who was arrogant, spiteful and full of pride. Second, although her husband apparently loved her very much, (as evidenced by his giving her a double portion to offer the Lord at the temple) she could not provide him with children. This must have been devastating to her because not being able to bear children during the time she lived in was often thought of as a curse. By her own admission in 1 Samuel 1:15, she was a woman deeply troubled. 1 Samuel 1:8 says that she was depressed and even refused to eat at times. It was obvious to everyone that not being able to have a child was a tremendous problem in her life.

We know that despite her inability to have a child after many years, Hannah remained a devout believer in God. When others may have given up praying to God or would have become bitter against God, 1 Samuel 1:3 explains that she continued to go up to Shiloh year after year to worship and make her offerings. Although she did not receive an answer to her prayer for years, she continued to have faith that God was going to answer her prayers, as evidenced by the fact that she continued to worship and serve God as if he would answer her.

It is important to understand that Hannah experienced bitterness, but she did not become a bitter person. She never allowed her emotions to push her towards making regrettable decisions. The emotional trauma she experienced motivated her to pray more. The final prayer she made at the temple was the result of many years enduring painful insults from her husband’s second wife and bitter rival, Peninnah, and from the frustration that came from years of seemingly unanswered prayers for a child. When she could not take it anymore, Hannah decided to take the next logical step when it seems like prayer is not being answered; she changed her prayer.

Key Elements of Hannah’s Prayer
1. Hannah was being provoked by her rival and made her prayer in bitterness of soul. The fact that Hannah was constantly being provoked caused an emotional reaction in her. However, this woman of God responded in a positive, rather than negative way. She chose to fight back using the divine weapon of prayer rather than a sharp tongue or getting into a physical altercation. Many people resort to arguing with others and letting their disagreements turn physical because they lack the crucial experience of how to deal with problems in a spiritual way.

The wise person knows that not every problem in the natural world has a natural solution. Sometimes we need to look to the spiritual world for the solution, and this was the case with Hannah. In verse 1:6 we read that the Lord had closed her womb. There was nothing physical about her problem. According to the Bible, this was the Lord’s doing. No matter how many fertility treatments, potions, advice, medical treatments or consultations she received, nothing was ever going to work until she received divine intervention. By understanding that the same God who caused her problem was the one who was going to fix it, she was well on her way to receiving the answer to her prayer.

2. Hannah made her prayer at the Temple. (The House of God) The house of God has always been associated with God meeting mankind in prayer. Jesus reaffirmed this in Matthew 21:13 by saying that the temple was called “the house of prayer.” First, the churches and places where we worship God should be respectfully looked upon as places of prayer. Referring to the temple with the familiar word “house” gives it a familiar and comforting feeling. It helps us know that our places of worship should be viewed as homes where the people of God should feel free to discuss their thoughts and issues with their heavenly father. For Hannah, the temple was the place where she could meet with God and where he could meet with her. We should look at our churches the same way. By making her prayer at the temple, as opposed to in her home, she was using it exactly the way God intended: as a place of worship and divine communion. A house is meant to be a place of rest, relaxation, and refuge. This is what the house of God is supposed to be for us in a spiritual sense because God’s name, presence, and power rests and dwell specifically in the house of God.

“And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.“1 Kings 9:3

The important thing to understand about the house of God is that it is more than wood, mortar and stones. It is the place where God has put his name and represents his power, authority and presence. His eyes are in his house constantly to see everyone who comes to look not only at. His heart is there constantly to feel the emotion of anyone who comes make prayer. When Hannah came to pray for a child, God not only saw her, but he felt her need. He felt the bitterness of her soul and was determined to give her not just a son, but also one of Israel’s greatest son’s and prophets—Samuel.

When God is not answering our prayers, we should look not only at how we are praying but at where we are praying. Where we are praying has just as much to do with how and what we pray since the house of God is supposed to be designated as the house of prayer. Not using the church for prayer is akin to having a car and choosing to walk rather than drive. Praying at home and other places is fine, but as Christians, we have to make better use of the church when we pray since it is the place where God has chosen to meet his people and we can expect to have better results. When it comes to prayer, you can walk in the spirit, run, or drive. Which do you prefer?

3. Hannah vows to give her child to the Lord and make him a Nazarite. Although Hannah’s prayer focused on her personal needs, her prayer was not selfish because she vowed to give up the very son that she was praying for. How many of us would ask the Lord to bless us with something so that we can give it all back to him? To the normal person, this does not make sense. Many of us pray for financial blessings, promising to give God back ten, twenty or even thirty percent. Hannah’s prayer was different in that she pledged to give one hundred percent of her request back to God. She did this knowing that she would only have a precious few years to wean the child before she would have to surrender him to the service of the Lord in the temple. To Hannah, a few years would be better than nothing at all.

Hannah’s pledge was important because it filled two very important needs at that time. First, Hannah wanted a son to fulfill her personal desires to have a child and be a mother. It would also put an end to the stressful situation she had to deal with on a daily basis with Peninnah. Secondly, the Lord needed another man of God to be able to minister to his people and succeed the elderly head priest, Eli. At that time, Eli had two sons who were notoriously corrupt and scandalous. After Samuel was born, he was sent to serve at the temple. According to 1 Samuel 2:12, Eli’s sons were wicked and had no regard for the Lord. They stole from the offerings that people brought and fornicated with women who served at the tabernacle. Their sin and blasphemy was so great that God decided to kill them. Meanwhile, Samuel was ministering before the Lord and grew in stature and favor with God and men. God knew what the future was going to bring and had chosen Hannah to provide him with a righteous man of God—even though Hannah did not understand why she was going through her trials of not being able to have a child.

We should understand that when we are going through trials in our lives, it is often because God is preparing something in us that will later on be a blessing to others. The discouragement that we are temporarily experiencing will later turn into encouragement for others if we just continue to be faithful in prayer. As a pastor, I often have to encourage people while they are undergoing difficult circumstances. However, in order for me to be there to encourage them, I needed to have overcome the difficult circumstances that I experienced earlier in my life. How can I encourage someone if I failed all of my trials and remained discouraged? By overcoming one trial, you can potentially help hundreds of people overcome their trials. So it was with Hannah. By overcoming in prayer, Hannah later bore a son who ministered to millions. Thank God for persevering in prayer!

4. Hannah’s Prayer was blessed by the man of God when she finished. As a sign of affirmation that Hannah was indeed praying for the right thing, Eli, the man of God, blessed her prayers. Why was this significant? Well, the Bible constantly confirms the fact that God blesses prayers when more than one person agrees on the subject matter of the prayer. Two or three people agreeing on serious matters is a principle first put forth in the Old Testament and then established in the New Testament:

“One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” Deuteronomy 19:15

Consider the words of Christ:

“Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20

When two or more people agree that, a matter is serious enough to be brought before the throne of God so that it can be established in the earth, God takes it more seriously than when one person makes the request. This is not to say that the prayers of one person are not serious enough for God to consider, because indeed, they are, but God takes the request more seriously when more than one person is making the request. Doesn’t our government take our petitions more seriously when more than one person makes the petition? Are not lawsuits more powerful when people file class action lawsuits as a group rather than as singular individuals? The same principle applies to the prayer request that we make to God.

Result of the Prayer
Hannah gave birth to Samuel a year later and he became one the greatest prophets in the history of Israel. Not only was he a prophet, but he became the judge and the spiritual leader of the nation for many years. It can be said that the one child that Hannah bore was more significant that all the children of Peninah, Hannah’s rival for many years. Not only was Hannah blessed to have Samuel, but the Lord continued to bless her with more children than she asked for. 1 Samuel 2:21 says, “The Lord visited her and she had three more sons and two more daughters.” God often provides overwhelming blessings when answering our prayers. Hannah went from having no children to probably having to hire a nanny to help her with the five she had at home and the one at the temple! Psalm 23:5 comes to my mind when I think about Hannah’s situation with her rival.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:5-6

Hannah was living with her enemy but God gave her the peace of mind and strength to be able to endure the constant harassment and humiliation. Although the answer to her prayer was not immediate, God’s anointing, goodness and mercy were so plentiful that she could coexist peacefully with her enemy. Over the next few years, the Lord provided an overwhelming blessing of five more children. Her cup ran over with more than what she could ever dream of. This was God’s goodness and mercy following her throughout the rest of her life. Faithfulness in prayer will bring overwhelming blessing every time!


Get the rest of the novel for only $0.99 at:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YJIHU

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0057YJIHU

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

FREE Kindle copies of Seven Years Until Eternity: The Rise of the Antichrist!

Hello Everyone. I'm giving away FREE copies of Seven Years Until Eternity: The Rise of the Antichrist! I'm giving it away tonight instead of tommorow and by the way, it's FREE! go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045OULO2/ to get your FREE digital copy.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Success with Amazon KDP Select

Hello Everyone,

Like a many other authors currently selling books through Kindle Direct Publishing(KDP), I was skeptical at first about enrolling in the new KDP Select program from Amazon.com. As an emerging author, I wondered if pulling my books from other online distributors was worth it. Well, it was! The number of books that I am now selling on Amazon has increased dramatically. If I could sum it up, my book sales have increased four times in one week compared to what they were in one month!

When you enroll your book titles in KDP Select, you are able to participate in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library monthly fund and become eligible to receive part of the $500,000 divided up each month. The best part is that you are allowed to use the the newly launched Promotions Manager tool, which will allow you to directly control the promotion of free books. I found that giving away free books increased actual sales. It sounds crazy right? But it's not. Below I have listed some of my results with giving away free books:

1/9/2012 - Gave away 299 free copies of Ready for the Rapture. Sold 2 copies in December and 28 copies during the first week of January.
1/10/2012 - Gave away 315 free copies of The Ten Greatest Prayers of the Bible. Sold 0 copies in December and 30 copies during the first week of January.

These numbers do not include the additonal 21 borrows that have taken place. What am I trying to say? If you are an author, then take advantage of KDP Select.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Get my book for free...NOW!

Hello Everyone. Change of plans. Because I'm so thankful that everyone has made The Ten Greatest Prayers of the Bible the number one prayer book on Amazon,(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YJIHU) I'm giving away FREE copies of Seven Years Until Eternity: The Rise of the Antichrist! I'm giving it away tonight instead of tommorow and by the way, it's FREE! go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045OULO2/ to get your FREE digital copy.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

My Story

I would like to give my personal testimonial about the power of prayer and how I began my writing career.

In September 2006, the Lord delivered me from a sickness through his grace and the prayers of many. I had been suffering from Ulcerative Colitis and bleeding for several months. After spending several weeks in the hospital, doctors cleared me to go home for rest and recuperation. I was not showing much improvement at home and continued to bleed every time I went to the bathroom. Early one morning, I awoke and went into the bathroom where I continued to bleed severely as I had done for days. I tried to walk back into the bedroom, but passed out and fell on the bathroom floor. I do not know how long I was unconscious but my wife found me lying on the bathroom floor and she began trying to wake me. On waking, I gasped for air but could not breathe. Later we found out that this was due to having suffered severe blood loss and dehydration. My mother and aunt came upstairs after hearing my wife screaming and crying and called 911, and helped my wife carry me back into the bedroom, where it only got worse.

It was getting harder and harder to breathe. I felt my life slowly slipping away. After a few minutes, the struggle just became too great and I could barely keep my eyes open. At that moment, I knew that I was going to die. A strange peace came over me as I lay on the floor. I felt that I was living in my final moments. I looked up at my wife and whispered, “I love you.” I then closed my eyes and everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I saw nothing but extreme darkness. It appeared I was in a large open space, like a valley, with a black sky with no stars. The ground beneath was blackish gray with cracks in it like a dry desert. Everything appeared dark and desolate. I experienced intense feelings of fear and loneliness. It felt like several minutes passed as I looked around, wondering what was happening. As a pastor and a Christian, I expected to see something quite different in the afterlife. What I experienced made no sense to me at all.

Darkness and void cannot be all there is in the afterlife; there must be more I thought. I have served God for a long time…felt his love and Holy Spirit so many times. I know that he is real. Despite what I am seeing, I know there is a God and there must be a heaven I continued thinking. I began praying Psalm 23 and about halfway through, a bright flash appeared in the sky above me. When I looked up, I could see a large city with a bright gold aura, surrounded by angels in white robes. It was the city of New Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation 21 and 22. Instantly, the loneliness vanished away. I felt joy and relief from knowing that heaven was real and I would be going there.

A presence above me caught my attention. When I turned my head and looked, I saw more angels, who were closer and smiling. They stood around a figure wearing a white robe with a golden belt. His face gleamed with a white brightness so intense that I could not make out the features. I soon realized that this was Jesus Christ! I tried to look into his face to make out his features, but the more that I stared, the brighter the light around his face became, forcing me to look away. Suddenly, I felt great shame and sorrow. I later realized what Daniel 10:8 meant when he said, “my comeliness in me is turned into corruption.” I could feel the sin of my lowly human nature in comparison to God’s awesome righteousness. I knew that however righteous I may have thought that I was, it was nothing when compared to God’s true holiness. I felt so ashamed and embarrassed that I didn’t want to look up at Jesus. I stared at the ground and thought, I wish that I could go to that city. Immediately a thunderous voice resounded throughout my entire body and spirit saying to me; “You can come here if you want.”

Excited, I looked up, thinking about how much I wanted to go to the beautiful city above. A force immediately propelled me at an incredible speed up towards the city just as quickly as I imagined going there. As I got closer, I could see there were many angels surrounding the city and they were all smiling, with white robes and gold trumpets pressed to their lips. The entire city was gold, yet it had a white translucent glow that made it shine so brightly. There were large walls with three gates on each made of white pearl.

It was interesting to me that I saw large buildings, which resembled skyscrapers of different sizes behind the walls, which had what seemed like windows. As I moved closer and closer at a great speed, I felt there was something behind me. As I turned to look, a large screen suddenly appeared and I felt myself stop. Different groups of people began to appear before me on the screen. Some I recognized as pastors and their wives, while others I did not know. At that point, a heavy burden for them and sadness swept over me. I quickly realized that it was God’s burden for the ministry and humanity. I could not help but feel that the Lord showed me these people for a reason. At that moment, I understood a decision was necessary. I thought, Lord, they have no one to help them. Like a switch, everything went black and I was inside my body once again.

I had experienced sickness and pain for several weeks. As I returned to my body, I realized that I was no longer sick or experiencing pain while outside of it. I opened my eyes and saw my wife, mother, and aunt above me crying. I also noticed that I was having trouble breathing again. It felt strange because I did not feel the need to breathe before my soul returned. The pain and sickness suddenly resumed after a few moments. The paramedics arrived a little while later, put an oxygen mask on my face, and took me to the hospital emergency room. The medical staff gave me a blood transfusion and IV liquids through two PIC lines inserted directly into veins in my neck. The doctors told us that even in severe cases, only one PIC line is inserted into the vein blood for blood transfusions. However, because my condition was critical and I was in danger of imminently dying, the medical staff had no choice but to insert two lines. I had lost much blood and my body was severely dehydrated. Later, after I had recovered, my wife told me that I was lifeless and not breathing when I was in her arms for at least five minutes back at the house. She later told me she prayed, continuously rebuked the spirit of death, and asked God to put life back in my body when I suddenly returned to life.

This life changing experience led me to study more about the resurrection in detail and share what happened to me and what I learned with others. I began an intense study Bible scriptures associated with resurrection, which has resulted in me beginning to write six books. (with a seventh soon to be published) I encourage you to visit this blog often for more great testimonials and books.

Take Care and God Bless