Hi Marilyn:
I saved your letter to last in answering Five Dove mail. Your letter is so moving that I did not want to quickly answer without cherishing your love and empathy for Ed. It was emotionally very touching and I appreciate your sharing this aspect of your life with Ed. I hope we will meet when we go Home!
I began applying MIke T's tip on natural therapy for cataracts. I started this week by applying two drops of pharmaceutical grade Castor Oil in each eye before bed time. Just in three days, I have noticed an improvement, while it may take two to six months before the cataracts dissolve. Four years ago my eye doctor could not change my prescription anymore and told me that all he could offer was surgery. The past few days I have been able to read grocery coupon expiration dates without using my magnifier. I think it is the result of the castor oil keeping the eyes lubricated. This morning I found that I didn't require the use of my 2X optivsor to read my computer flat screen and that I didn't find myself leaning into the screen. I was sitting upright in my kitchen chair to use the computer.
About ten this morning I was looking outside my attic window and without my glasses the leaves on the tree outside my window were sharper than previously and so I assume this was a result of constant lubrication. In the last year or so I have not enjoyed reading as previously. I recently went to a large print "Subject" Bible that I bought about seven years ago.
We have so much to look forward to and so much to be thankful for in the promises God has given us. I'm 6'5" and it gets difficult to bend down and pick up something on the floor. I'm so looking to my new body. Over the past fifty-four years I have been a gleaner of Biblical "diamonds and nuggets" that confirm the true Author of the Bible. I have several 3-ring binders with Biblical proofs and confirmation that the Bible is not of human origin. For the lack of a better word, I simply refer to them as the DNA of God's Bible.
Thirty-five years ago I discovered the principle that when you believe, God will reward with His truths. Before that I was guilty of stating the "show me" state slogan. Show me and I will believe. When I came around to the proper view, things began to open up to me in the Word, it was like finding quarters on the pavement. I quickly realized how much I had missed by simply not trusting His Word. I wish I had known what I know now fifty years ago. My ministry was transformed virtually overnight thirty-five years ago.
I was privileged to have been part of the project to convert the King James Bible to computer magnetic tape for electronic study. I was a computer programmer at the University of Pittsburgh back in 1963-64. This was the first time the Bible was computerized. I then later had contact with the group 'Computers for Christ' at Standford University in California. It was during this time I had a near fatal car crash where I hit a utility pole, cut it off, and rolled my car over. I had my nose cut off but for a piece of cartilage as a hinge. A year later I had a call to ministry.
You asked how I came to the belief that the Rapture would be on Rosh HaShanah. Years ago I thought it might be on Pentecost, but when I came into the knowledge of our Hebrew Roots, and learned that the Feasts of Leviticus 23 were "rehearsal" events for the real thing, I became friends with several messianic rabbis that showed me the full meaning of the Feasts of Leviticus 23. It became evident there was much more to the meaning of the Feasts than I had been taught in United Methodist and Presbyterian seminaries. As a result of watching Zola Levitt ministries I soon discovered Christians are in the dark about important events in the Jewish calendar. When I learned that when Jesus was speaking to the disciples about the fact that no man knew the day or hour of His return, and after studying Hebrew studies on Idioms and Idiomatic expressions it became obvious that Jesus was telling the disciples when they should expect his return, with the 2-day new moon event of Feast of Trumpets, and things began to fall into place. Years later, when I was doing additional graduate school work, I took a course in Hebrew culture, customs, and manners where I learned more about the Old Testament that was totally new to my previous seminary work.
In a post a few weeks back I listed all the events and occurrences that occurred on Tishrie 1. The list compiled had over 40 significant things related to the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh HaShanah. In Hebrew culture, there is no other day than Rosh HaShanah that has so many events associated with Tishrie 1, other than the day of First Fruits. The day of the Resurrection of the Lord Christ Jesus has, as one of the seven feast dates, more events and significant occurrences related to it, more than any of the other Jewish Holy or Holidays.
For me, the Biblical Theme of the Bride, and all of its nuances, details, etc. in the 18 steps that I posted in my series on "The Theme of the Bride" along with the relationship to Rosh HaShanah has been the confirmation that we should be extra mindful of this particular Feast which has not been fulfilled by the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled the first four Feasts historically, personally, physically, and prophetically. There is another dimension to this in that each of the Feast days are also fulfilled in and by and is related to the Jews, the Church and the individual believer as well. This aspect of the Feast Days I have not addressed in any previous posts. I'll save that for the future should we be here after September 24-26th.
I did not post my story of my angel experience last week, I had misplaced my notes, which ended up in one of my grandson's homework book-bag. I forgot about it until he handed me them the other day. We all use the dining room table to do homework, all five grandchildren that we babysit until their parents get home from work.
Because of the possibility of next Wednesday thru Friday being our "departure" I'll post it separately before the weekend when Five Doves letters are posted.
God bless,
Pastor Bob