I remain unsure on where to begin due to past experiences with religion. If I speak the truth without clarifying some background or factual documentation, the wolves in sheep's clothing will come out of the woodwork and go on the attack (I fear) calling the truth, "the work of Satan" as they often do... as they did to Jesus.
Therefore, I have meditated at length, what should I say and how shall I say it?
My story involves around 30 years of experiences. It will be no small task to tell the tale. Though today, one small piece of the puzzle was given to me, through radio broadcasting.
As stated in my opening post, "777" is embodied in the life of a female child who is autistic. That child is now a woman, grown, but the story began when I was very young. Not even 10 years old. A prayer to God, most personal and sincerely as it was meant, that I might be as special as Solomon, and asked God for wisdom. Visions and dreams began, and signs were put before me. Harsh experience was the path that was put before me. Growing up with Autism, namely, Aspergers Syndrome, I lived my life in virtual isolation, sometimes the brunt of bullying, for starters in the hardships I faced. But I was not alone. I believed God was my friend and spent many days and weeks alone in that spiritual journey.
As the years passed by, I began to feel that something beyond, some supernatural force was trying to communicate with me. I would count .57 cents in my change. Or, waking up at 3:57 in the morning. One of my employee numbers was 1157, and another 357. Again and again, 357, sometimes 2:57 or perhaps 11:57. I knew the numbers meant "something" but was uncertain what. I questioned all who might have some connection with the supernatural from preachers and latter on, psychics. They were clueless.
It's a rather long story, but when I converted from Deism or Paganism to Christianity on blind faith in the year 2000, right before my conversion I was driving to my parents' home. I passed by an elderly man, sitting in a chair in his field planting seeds. Something in me was moved, sympathy perhaps, to turn around and at least offer to help him plant his field.
He arose from his chair and reassured me he was fine. He chatted some about himself and those he knew in the local area. Small things, and then the subject of his faith was brought up by himself. He said "God's people know each other," (implying it was why I had stopped my vehicle). Then proceeded to ramble off what seemed to be madness, "Three represents the Trinity, Five represents Guidance and Seven is the Holy Perfection of God." (Paraphrasing).
I felt I was in the presence of a man who was slightly mad in the mind. Feeling "uncomfortable" I excused myself after a short bit, but in the comfort zone of my car I could not help but to marvel how he'd read my mind and knew the number string "357" had haunted and plagued me for around a decade. I did not feel it was proof in itself of Christianity, but did find it rather odd that he specified "357" in his rambling.
Some years later, watching the movie Contact (itself a Hollywood production on the question of God's existence and the Cosmos), I finally learned what the patterns of numbers I'd been haunted by, be they 27, 1157, 357, 57, 35, or other slight variations: They are all Prime Numbers. (2,3,5,7,11). Therefore, I came to the realization they were numbers that intelligent life would use to communicate with.
There is "Intelligent Life" out there in the cosmos. It is here with us, and it is God.
I am not alone. Others have had similar experiences, counting or finding "888" (the number of Jesus in Greek text of the New Testament) and other derivatives of these mathematical spiritual enigmas. We know they mean something, but the question is "what?" We feel as though we are being communicated with by a higher power, but "whom?" God is the what and the whom.
I have finally got formal documentation of Aspergers Syndrome(a form of High functioning Autism). Just the task of getting an affirmative diagnosis from a professional has been an exhausting and dreary journey. Many professionals in the field lack the knowledge and experience to make a diagnosis, and many people are falling through the cracks which is so unfortunate for many who suffer and can not understand why they are living in nearly complete isolation, without companionship, so desperately wanting friends but incapable to make and keep them. The socialization skills that normal people take for granted, are absent in those who have Aspergers Syndrome and related conditions on the Autism Spectrum.
There were days I cried out to God, asking "Why?" had I been cursed to live in isolation without friendship, without love? No human being should ever have to endure the decades of imprisonment in solitude as I'd endured.
I did not know the term "Aspergers Syndrome" until the year 2007 when the school diagnosed it in my son. As I read on the symptoms, the more and more my life finally made sense and I had found my light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel. I had dwelled in isolation for the majority of 40 years of my life, without the benefit of human companionship that others would take for granted.
Today, I was driving to the formal diagnostic testing I just spoke of which at long last verifies I have Aspergers Syndrome like my children. And normally, no, I do not tune in or listen to religious programming. Like most people my own age I listen to mainstream music. I consider myself somewhat a rebel to the status quo. However, that being as it is, something caught my attention when I turned to the broadcast. The preacher was addressing the audience in regard to moving away from the typical shallow, worldly life to making one's self vulnerable that they may share in others' sorrow and suffering.
So different from what I've grown accustomed to hearing from pulpit evangelists who appeal to the greed and self-interests of their sheep.
I found myself actually listening, and moreso, actually enjoying (deep down where it counts, in the soul) what I was hearing. All that was spoken, actually spoke to me. I was busy driving and listening, and felt prompted for a second to look at the digital clock (though the time was messed up, it was actually sometime during the 10 A.M. hour), and lo and behold, there it read: 3:57 as has often happened. I hadn't had time to look at the digital, in the midst of heavy traffic. I believe God intended me to scan for new music, just in time to hear that particular sermon, then to see that meaningful number, reaffirming it was a message, so personal to my heart. It was so unlike the usual messages the churches produce.
I made certain when the sermon was over to take down the name of the speaker and the date, to share an excerpt from the sermon.
I clipped out the most important segments.
But most important, to me, I found myself rather shocked that we have a preacher who unabashedly admits that "God sends a little cancer" or other misfortune, to sometimes teach his people compassion for the suffering of others.
Yes, "God sends a little cancer" is well said. Why does God allow suffering? As it will become known to my readers, I reject any belief in Satan due to what I have learned from theologians and scholars, through the years of events that unravelled the mystery and meaning of 777. In fact, I arrived at this conclusion after reading the Bible through several times, for instance, Satan does not reconcile well with the earlier monotheistic truth, "Isaiah 45:7 (King James Version) I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." This sacred truth of course was recorded before false priests and their idolatry hijacked the scripture.
The word "Satan" does not occur until the latter half of the Old Testament. Satan made its entry due to false prophets and myths, folk lore and fables all of which were condemned long before by the true prophets. Alas, the strange gods were given the glory, and the Monotheism of Moses was exchanged for the Polytheism of the latter day Jews, just prior to God's judgment and destruction of Israel. The first time that abominable word "Satan" is found in the concordance is in the book of Chronicles and in clear contradiction with an identical account of the numbering of Israel by the prophet Samuel which clearly states that "the anger of the Lord was kindled and moved David to number Israel". As Israel continued in its idolatry following the example of Solomon's mass polygamy, concubinage (adultery) and erecting temples to pagan gods, the more the Priests and false prophets lead the Hebrews astray, away from God and to follow after their idolatry.
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:23)Satan, the mystery religion of Babylon with the mythological "war in heaven" between Marduk and Tiamat the Dragon, and the snake worship of Egyptian Polytheism. But how dare any should speak the truth? And pray, "Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil." How dare any should say we are tempted by God! Yet Jesus, the son of God did dare to utter this "blaspheme".
My story, 777, being what it is, I know the meaning of suffering and the ridicule of standing alone with only the consolation of a single truth. I suffered in isolation my entire life and I endured it ALONE. 40 years in isolation without human love or tenderness, only bitter ridicule and callous judgmental presumptions from people who did not know what Aspergers Syndrome was, how deeply it affects an individual life, therefore many Christians lacked the compassion, much less understanding of why I behaved as I did, why I was alone as I was. Even eager to condemn another Autistic person as "demon possessed". There were no "outreached Christian hands". Many individuals who genuinely are afflicted by Aspergers Syndrome, succumb to the symptom of "brutal honesty" which makes enemies. Just ask Jesus what happens to those who speak the truth.
Luke 6:26, King James BibleFor the longest time it seemed I only knew condemnation and ridicule, during the very limited times I got out and bothered to socialize. Those experiences, the "light in the darkness" that Christians are suppose to be, as I have said is a very long dreary story, but lead me to the brink where I rejected the Bible, perhaps even loss of faith in the higher power I knew as the "Great Spirit" or Deity.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
I will save that story for another day. Those who wish to fully understand the mystery and truth of 777 are welcomed to read, those who prefer the fables and falsehoods of religion, then continue on your way.
These words, spoken by a Pastor by the name of David Jeremiah, I feel every person who calls themself a Christian or seeks to be one should hear.
777 - Where are the true Christians?
Jesus did not come to the millionaires. No, Jesus said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus, though the son of God, did not choose his counterparts according to whether they wore expensive suits and ties, he travelled with simple men who were fishermen. On the contrary, was it not the same (wealthy and powerful) who murdered Jesus? Jesus went out to the sick, the poor, the fatherless, the widow and brought hope to those who endured all forms of suffering. Jesus was murdered by that same powerful and wealthy elite.
Most of what "religion" consists of in this day and age, is sheer vanity. It does not speak to the needs of the poor, downtrodden and meek, those people whom I feel at ease to call my true heart-felt "brethren". The church, as I've seen it, in all my experiences and many of those being harsh experiences, simply does not resonate with me.
They have fallen away from the truth, from the true teachings of Jesus in pursuit of their own worldly interests.
I will tell my story in the coming days, and my prayer for the envied "Wisdom of Solomon" and will tell the story too of how the greatest thing of all things in this world I was taught, greater than gold, greater than the finest things modern technology and innovation has devised, the one thing which is greater than life itself, because without it, life has no meaning. That thing is HUMAN LOVE.
For the full-length sermon by David Jeremiah visit his radio archives, dated January 31, 2011 under, Outstretched Arms: Living a Life of Community 1 Peter 3:8.
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