BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CASTLE: A Young Adult Fantasy: “The Resurrection”

THE RESURRECTION

I sensed I was no longer in the garden. In front of me was a cave.

When I stood, I ached all over.

Somebody approached. I ran and hid.

A Roman official accompanied by two men in chains became visible. Another guard brought up the rear. The four men stopped at the entrance to the cave.

One of the prisoners said, “We rolled this huge boulder up to the entrance. It must weigh four thousand pounds. And we sealed it to make sure no one moved it—even if they were strong enough.”

The official picked up a rock and slammed it on the ground. “Yet it was moved. How did the rabble-rouser escape? A dead man doesn’t climb out of a grave.”

“A thief stole the body,” one of the men said.

“Did you fall asleep?” the official asked.

“No, we did not fall asleep. We took turns sleeping. Someone was always awake.”

The official glared at them. “How could someone have stolen the body if you didn’t fall asleep?”

They exchanged glances. “We don’t know.”

“We must make up a story,” the official said. “We’ll tell Pilate Yeshua’s disciples stole his body. We’ll give you money to keep quiet, and you can pray you aren’t executed for leaving your post.”

One of the soldiers insisted, “He was gone when we left. We didn’t leave our post.”

“You ran away,” the official insisted, “like cowards.”

Silence followed.

One of the men remarked, “See how the boulder is rolled away. Up a slope, not back from the entrance but away from the entire sepulcher. It would have taken several men to move it that distance. How could no one have heard anything? Other guards were nearby.”

The official smirked. “So the rock moved on its own. Yeshua’s disciples slipped in and stole his body, even though you were awake and saw no one?”

“We didn’t fall asleep. There must be another explanation.”

The official fumed. “You can give that other explanation to Pilate before your execution.”

The officials stomped off with their imprisoned former guards. After a couple of minutes, their voices faded in the distance.

The urgency to get Shale’s diary made me impatient to leave, but my body didn’t want to cooperate. I ached all over, including my head, but I was also anxious to examine the empty tomb. How fortunate I was to have stumbled upon it.

Before I moved, another person approached. I stayed hidden.

Soon I saw Mark riding on Truth.

I waved at him from behind the trees. “What are you doing here?”

He trotted over to me. “I found you at last.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked again.

“Well,” Mark stammered. “I wanted to follow you. I lost you when you galloped away, but I had a feeling you were going to the garden. I didn’t find you there, but I found your horse.”

Mark was too smart for his own good.

“After hearing what Mary of Magdala said, I wanted to visit the tomb. Alas, I find you here.”

“You seem to have a habit of secretly following people,” I remarked.

The boy dismounted. “Only people I care about. Besides, someone was about to steal your horse. I ran him off.”

I sighed. “Thank you. I didn’t think about that.”

I had an idea. “Mark, would you like to keep Truth for a while?”

“Truth?”

“The horse.”

“Sure,” Mark replied.

“I need to go to Galilee and return Baruch to his owner.”

“Who is Baruch?” Mark asked.

“The donkey. He’s near the garden entrance. And you can’t follow me to Galilee.”

Mark laughed. “I have no desire to follow you to Galilee. That’s a long way.”

I nodded.

Mark glanced at the tomb. “Did you check inside the sepulcher?”

I shook my head. “No. The Romans just left a minute ago. I haven’t had a chance.”

“Let’s go see.” Mark ran over and I followed.

All that remained was Yeshua’s grave clothes. The wrappings were in the position of a body, slightly caved in, and empty.

“It’s like he left his clothes behind,” Mark commented.

“You would know about that, wouldn’t you?” I responded.

Mark turned red in the face. “That’s not funny, you know.”

I ran my hand through my hair. “You’re right, Mark. I’m sorry.”

Mark shrugged.

I shook my head. That was poor comic relief. “I feel nervous being here. It’s too weird.”

“I know,” Mark said. “It’s creepy.”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “We need to leave before they discover something else.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t ask.” We lingered for a moment longer. Mark wasn’t ready.

“Mary must be right,” exclaimed Mark. “I had to see for myself.”

“Which way is it to the garden? I’m worried about Baruch.”

“How can you not remember?” Mark asked.

“I hit my head yesterday when I fell. It affected my memory.” That was partially true.

“Follow me,” the boy replied.

Garden of Gethsemane

We returned to the garden and found Baruch waiting in the back where Shale and I had left him.

“Do you want some apples?” Mark offered. “I found these.”

“Sure.”

He pulled out several and handed me one. He also gave some to Truth and Baruch. “Donkeys love apples, too.”

As I put the apple in my bag, distant voices filled the garden. How long would it be before they found Judas’s body and the dead guard?

“Mark, we need to leave. Promise me you will take Truth and go back to Bethany now?”

The boy nodded.

I helped him on the horse. “Thank you for taking care of Truth.”

“I’m glad to,” Mark replied.

I slapped the horse’s rear and watched as they cantered away. Once they disappeared, I mounted Baruch.

“Let’s go, hurry.”

The donkey barely moved. I’d forgotten how slow donkeys were. But at last, he did move—at a donkey’s pace. When we reached the main road to Galilee, his slow speed didn’t matter. Hundreds of weary travelers were also traveling home.

While I was grateful for the crowds to help hide me from the Romans, getting there quickly was another matter. We would need to stay overnight in Dothan as the trip to Galilee would take longer than I anticipated.

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KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED: Devotional by Lorilyn Roberts

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: …and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4 (KJV)

“…and knowledge shall be increased.” The amount of information available at our fingertips has exploded in the last few years. Scientists tell us until the early 1900s, knowledge was doubling every hundred years. At the end of 1945, that rate had increased to every twenty-five years. In today’s world, thanks to the Internet, the doubling of knowledge happens in as little as twelve hours.

 Examples of the exponential increase in technology are endless. The Chinese robot, Sophia, is the most advanced robot ever created. We ask Seri and Alexa questions as if they were human and smarter than we are. 

No more do we need wires running through our house to connect us to the other side of the world. We have wireless. We can call anywhere for free—or send an email or enjoy videos and jpegs on social networking sites from Antarctica to Timbuktu. 

This expansion of knowledge is linked to the Worldwide Web. Scientists predict every place on earth will be connected by the super-information highway in the next few years.

The three “W’s” in Worldwide Web are represented by the letter Vav in Hebrew, and it is the sixth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Is there any coincidence that WWW, the symbol for the Worldwide Web, becomes 666 when switched to a numerical value in Hebrew? Because the number one source of information today is shared on a platform symbolized in Hebrew by 666, interesting questions arise. To quote Sir Francis Bacon, “information is power.” 

Most Christians know the number 666 is associated with the most powerful ruler that will walk the earth. He will control the information highway, including all buying and all selling. Those who want to survive will be forced to receive his mark on their right hand or forehead. Satan’s deception will come through this lawless one as well as others because they will not know the knowledge of the Holy One. The minds of unbelievers will be blinded, and because of hardened hearts, God will send a strong delusion that, if it were possible, could deceive even the elect.

 Too many will believe what is false. Too many will reject the truth because they prefer pleasure in unrighteousness. We are already seeing that today, and things will only get worse. Some will be enticed away from God because of their own lusts. Others will not be willing to endure sound teaching. We live in a “me-my-mine” world, where people believe they are entitled, are easily offended, and self-indulgent, where truth is relative and moral values reversed. Evil is called good and good is called evil.

Despite the chaos that is coming, God’s definition of knowledge in Daniel 12:8 is a different kind of knowledge that will increase, a knowledge that will fill the minds of Christ followers with understanding that far surpasses the knowledge of the heathen, knowledge far more significant and compelling than what can be found on the Worldwide Web.

When the Bible refers to “knowledge” in Daniel 12:5, the context does not refer to man’s knowledge bolstered by artificial intelligence or a beast system that’s coming. God’s promises include discernment that will help us to know the difference between real news and fake news, what’s right and what’s wrong, absolute truth and relative truth, and the difference between good and evil.

God created good and evil. He put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden. Just as Adam and Eve were tested, a time of testing is coming upon us, to separate the wheat from the tares—those who love the truth from those who love the darkness.

Where evil abounds, God abounds more. All manner of wisdom in the form of art and craftsmanship will be magnified. God only requires our complete obedience. By faithfully following our Lord and Savior, we can understand all knowledge and all mysteries.

No matter how dire the circumstances, the Word of the Lord is forever. God’s wisdom is sweet, like manna from heaven. Knowledge of the Lord will be as the waters cover the sea, and everything hidden will be revealed. We can take heart that those who love Jesus and are called according to his purpose will be full of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, from now until eternity.

You can read more of Lorilyn Roberts’ blogposts at LorilynRoberts.com

WHAT NO EYE HAS SEEN: Devotional by Lorilyn Roberts

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”—I Cor 2:9

Many years ago I traveled to Nepal to adopt my first child. Nepal, located between India and China, is one of the poorest countries in the world. I had waited many years to become a mother, and now as a single woman, I felt God leading me to adopt a three-year-old girl. Her mother had died and her father was unable to provide for her.

I arrived in Kathmandu trusting God to lead the way. I was sure He would go before me, and I had no reason to doubt I would go home with my new daughter. But after two weeks of bureaucratic delays and attempted bribery, the adoption was denied. My hope that God would give me a daughter seemed impossible now despite my prayers and those of my friends. After spending hours in a remote village in Nepal, I headed back to Kathmandu, lifting my sorrowful pleas before God. Was there any way to reverse what seemed like a final decision?

A pastor of a local church in Kathmandu had been helping me, and he had an idea—that we would appeal directly to the Home Minister. Only he and the Prime Minister had the authority to reverse the decision that had been made against me.

That day arrived. We took a taxi to the courthouse, and I waited outside and prayed as my friend went in to meet the Home Minister. Within a few minutes, the decision was reversed, allowing me to adopt Manisha. I praised God for touching the Home Minister’s heart. I had no doubt, without God’s intervention, I never would have become a mother.

A flurry of activity followed to get all the paperwork completed to bring her back to the United States. On one of the many trips we made through the Himalayan Mountains, I was sitting in the van with Manisha waiting for Pastor Silas to finish up inside. It was quiet and cool as the sun hung high in the sky, and I was struck by the immense beauty all around us. The mountains seemed to reach up into the heavens and touch the throne room of God.

The passage came to mind as I was admiring God’s splendor:  “…no eye has seen.. no ear has heard…no human mind has conceived  the things God has prepared for those who love Him.”

I felt caught up to heaven at that moment anticipating the greater eternal home that awaited us when we would walk with Jesus and live with Him forever when there would be no bureaucratic red tape or governmental bribery or endless forms to fill out; where God’s love would be known in the remotest regions of the world, and we would see all of God’s majesty and splendor that we can only dimly imagine now.

In reflective moments, I’ve thought about that experience many times. Recently, however, God revealed to me something I failed to grasp. That vision wasn’t for heaven—it was for the earth. God was showing me my future.

As I thought about God’s glory that day, I failed to see His glory revealed in me—the joy of adopting not one daughter but two, returning two decades later and bringing Christian books to Nepal, working as a kitchen helper at a camp for kids in Juneau, Alaska; visiting inmates in prison and giving them hundreds of books to review for Christian authors; donating devotional books to an organization helping women caught up in the sex trafficking trade—God had plans I couldn’t have fathomed at that time.

While it’s exciting to think about what awaits us on the other side, God gives us gifts and talents in furtherance of His kingdom here. People need the Lord—the rich, the poor, the downtrodden the homeless, the drug-addicted, the businessman, and the nomads in Africa. The needs are great and the workers are few.

God gives us inspiring examples of people in the Bible who were just like us. People no one would have guessed were destined for greatness in the kingdom of God. Moses was a young baby left in some reed bushes in the Nile River. Joseph was sold into slavery and spent years behind prison walls. Esther was orphaned and hid her identity to protect her adoptive family from persecution. Ruth had no Jewish lineage but became the bloodline for the King of kings.

These mighty men and women are only a sampling of those God used. They simply loved God and served Him.

We are God’s workmanship, His hands, and His feet. We are His heart in a world becoming more and more godless and more corrupt, where good is seen as evil and evil is seen as good. Jesus told His followers, “Pick up your cross and follow me.”

God has given us gifts to serve Him in His kingdom here. He has knitted us together to love, teach, admonish, and encourage, and He wants us to share His artistry that moves hearts and souls. Jesus prepared the way so that others could see His glory in us.

What gift has God given you? Use it. What calling has God put on your heart? Pray about it. What longing keeps you awake at night? Ask God to fulfill those desires. What inspires you to be more like Christ? Study His character. What grieves your soul? Ask God to show you wisdom—what can you do to make a difference? What grieves our hearts grieves the heart of God even more.

Until God’s work is done, we can’t escape the tares of sin, but we can work towards sharing His kingdom with others. Christ’s body is a formidable weapon, and He works through imperfect people like you and me. His vision is beyond measure, His dreams outlandish, and His redemption incalculable. God has destined all those who love Him with a destiny we can’t imagine. If you hear His clarion call and long to see His glory in your life, don’t delay in responding. No bribes, scandals, or sin can hold back His kingdom here for those who want to serve Him.

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THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND AMERICA'S FUTURE - IS TRUMP THE FINAL TRUMP: Christian Blogger Lorilyn Roberts

A good friend of mine who lives in England sent me this link to read from Elijah List. 

I hope you will click on the link and read what Johnny Enlow has to say. I haven't posted much lately because I have been working on The Howling and there is so much I want to say, I end up almost paralyzed because of the lack of sufficient time to write what needs to be said and finish my book. 

So in bits and pieces, I’m going to put things on my blog. I respond to a lot of emails, and here's one that I wrote in response to a good friend in England. If you read the blog post at the link, you will understand my comments below more fully. If you don't have time to do that, just read my blog post below. It’s important that Christians learn what's really going on in America.

Good article. It’s nice to see that he and I are in complete agreement on almost everything. The biggest difference is he has a more optimistic view of the immediate future than I do. I hope that all the pedophilia and corruption in Washington is revealed. I hope God sends those involved to prison. But justice doesn’t always happen here. Some justice will only be meted out in eternity.

God’s Kingdom is expanding and spreading to every tribe that has yet to hear the Gospel. You know the story of the wheat and the tares. God is allowing those tares to exist until the harvest is ripe. Will those tares be uprooted before Jesus returns? 

I’m not sure. I can’t remember your stance on the rapture, but either way, whether we are taken out before Jesus’s return or after He returns, the end result is the same: God wins, and all those who rejected Him will face an eternity in hell.

Now, here is something I want you to think about. I do believe God’s kingdom comes here to earth. Without a tiny shadow of any doubt. It’s here now, growing and expanding. But I don’t think it fully comes in all Its glory until Jesus is sitting on His throne in Jerusalem. It’s a timing thing. 

I think this writer (see link above, Johnny Enlow, Elijah List) thinks God’s kingdom will come shortly to earth in our time because it’s expanding now, and all evil will be stamped out or pushed back in the next few years under Trump’s leadership. I wish that might be so. Especially if Jesus tarries.  

But I don’t know if the kind of righteousness Enlow is describing can happen or if we are so far down this path of unholiness that the future is determined, set, and God is just holding back evil until every last person has heard the Gospel and everyone whose name that’s written in the Book of Life has been redeemed.

I think things are going to get darker — and I think you think things are going to get brighter. I hope you are right for my children’s sake. But the church here is asleep. Really asleep. If the church doesn’t wake up — I don’t know what will happen. 

For sure, Trump has taken on the powers of darkness like no one in recent history. And VERY FEW people have a clue. He’s hated without cause. Like someone else we know. 

This is something very concerning to me that no one has talked about. If something happens to Trump, Pence becomes the acting President (and I’m not sure if he might not have some skeletons in his closet that I won’t mention out of respect for him and because those reports could be fallacious). 

But if both Trump and Pence were removed from office, either by impeachment or death, do you know who is next in line? Nancy Pelosi. She is corrupt to the core, I mean really corrupt. Awful corrupt. She is the Democratic leader in the House now and is the number one person blocking Trump’s wall. The only female more corrupt than her is Hillary (in my opinion).

We are living in perilous times. I am praying more than ever for our country. Looks like Brexit might not go through despite the fact the people voted for it. What do you think about Macron?  He is someone we need to watch very carefully.

Blessings!!!

Lorilyn Roberts

BOOK IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS: ”Seventh Dimension - THE Door: A Yong Adult Fantasy,” a Great Christmas Gift for Your Teen Reader

Seventh Dimension - The Door is the first book in the Seventh Dimension Series. The Kindle and Nook versions are free.

The print version is on sale through Amazon for only $12.95 through Christmas. Order it using your Amazon Prime and you can get free shipping.

To order a free Kindle version or Print version from Amazon click here.
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QUESTION FOR READERS: Which Game in “Seventh Dimension - The Howling” Would Best Demonstrate Battle Between Good and Evil?

Which game in my next book "The Howling" could best demonstrate a symbolic battle between good and evil?

— Lorilyn Roberts (@LorilynRoberts) November 3, 2018

BASED ON THIS POLL, THE GAME THAT IS DEPICTED IN “THE HOWLING” IS HOCKEY

MOSES SPOKE OF THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD - ALLUDING TO YESHUA: Devotional by Loirlyn Roberts

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live forever...Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people (Deut 32:39-40; Deut. 32:43).

Have you ever wondered if there was a reference in the Old Testament to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?  I came across this passage in Deuteronomy 32:39-40 and 32:43 while researching time reversals in the Bible for Seventh Dimension - The Howling.

www.arkcode.com (no longer available on the web) talks about in Resurrection and Possible Reversal of Time how God reversed the position of the sun by ten degrees in the Bible, which refers to the sundial (steps) of Ahaz. 

Most of the information in this article is way out of my comfort zone as I'm not a mathematician, but the reference to Deuteronomy was enlightening. Even in the Old Testament, God gave hints to a coming resurrection. In verse 43, he alludes to his return as the Messiah, to avenge the blood of his servants, render vengeance on his adversaries, and that he would be merciful unto his land and to his people.

Jesus will not return until the Jews, his chosen, recognize him as their Messiah. As we near the days of the Tribulation, I'm always looking for passages in the Old Testament that are relevant to his return, particularly in the Torah. 

Interestingly, this passage also infers that no one can take away those whom God has called, that Yeshua lifted up his hands on the cross (death) and that his human life was swallowed up in victory (eternal life).

I look forward to the day when one-third of the Jews will come to know Yeshua as their personal Savior (Zech 13:9). Today is the day of Salvation. Don't delay if you haven't accepted Jesus into your heart.

BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION – THE HOWLING: A Young Adult Fantasy, “Sneak Peek at an Underwater Scene”

Sometimes writing evokes deep emotions. I have been working on The Howling for close to a year, and I just wrote a scuba diving scene that takes place in the Red Sea. That was one of the places I dove many years ago, having made over a hundred dives all over the world. 

When I began writing these chapters, memories resurfaced, nostalgic sentimentality, and surprisingly, gratefulness. Today was my birthday. I just turned sixty-three and am one year out following my year-long battle with breast cancer.

I see every day I'm here as a gift, and when I think back to my diving years, I am reminded how quickly time goes by and what's really important when we get closer to the end of our journey. What a blessed life God has given me. 

With those thoughts as a backdrop, I decided to share a short excerpt I wrote tonight. Those who have read previous books in the series will wonder how this scene fits into the story--but I shall not spoil it. I hope The Howling will be the best book in the Seventh Dimension Series yet.

I followed Maurice along the colorful shelf where clownfish darted in and out of sea anemones. From the shimmering schools of fish to the tiny, shy creatures lurking under overhanging crevasses, God spoke to me, even if that voice was only to evoke in me a longing for more.

How can we fathom the depths of God's handiwork in the window of the deep? Can we know the inner workings of the tiny seahorse or understand the symbiosis between the known and the unknown?

My mind wondered as I videotaped the extraordinary beauty. I marveled how the masterful artist spoke this world into being before he created man.  Extravagant love blessed these waters and said it was good. Who could deny it came from a stroke of genius except for someone who didn't want to believe in God? 

However, we hadn't gone very far when our surroundings changed. The protective wall was a death trap. Heaped upon the sandy bottom were skeletons of decomposed fish. Did death have a voice?

I heard a muffled grating noise. Perhaps it had been there all along, just drowned out by our regulators and the normal rhythmic heartbeat of the sea. I shot the video in all directions to capture the disturbing changes.

The euphoria of being beneath the waters after such a long absence evaporated. The rainbow world of the deep had become a morbid cemetery. The vibrant colors of living coral were nothing more than whitewashed tombstones. Devoid of life, this part of the Red Sea was now a ghost town.

Maurice and I exchanged glances. Something had tarnished the ecosystem and brought death here.

The water became warmer as we glided along the shelf. Maurice wrote something on his slate and held it up—water temp?

I took his slate and wrote, “global warming?”

He shook his head, putting the slate back in his pocket. We followed the shelf until it leveled off and we came to a white sandy bottom. I checked the depth gauge—sixty-five feet.

Maurice wandered away from me a short distance and swam back, urgently signaling me to follow him. His eyes were as big as bowling balls. 

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