Unlikely Heroes of the Good News

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© 2015 William Doyle. All rights reserved.

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KJV

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

NRSV

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Website

Published by AuthorHouse    01/08/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9959-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9960-3 (e)

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Contents

Introduction

Dedication

Biblical Heroes

Jacob

Rahab

Ruth

Job

David

Ebed-melech

The wife of the prophet Ezekiel

Amos

Jonah

The woman who touched Jesus

Nathanial

Mary Magdalene

An Ethiopian traveller

Zacchaeus

Cornelius

Thomas

The woman at Jacob’s Well

Paul

Historical Heroes

Agnes

Patrick

Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer

George Herbert

William Law

Peter Chanel

Amy Beatrice Carmichael

Christina Rossetti

Mary Slessor

Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy

Isabella Gilmore

Wilson Carlile

Watchman Nee

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Charles de Foucauld

Betty Stam

Alfred Sadd

Edith Stein

Andrew Kagura

Janani Luwum

Oscar Romero

A Country Parson

End-Notes

God’s Book

Genesis

Summary of Genesis

Exodus

Summary of Exodus

Leviticus

Summary of Leviticus

Numbers

Summary of Numbers

Deuteronomy

Summary of Deuteronomy

The Book of Psalms

Prophesy

Suffering

Divine Judgement

Mysticism and Reality

Reality

Glossary Of Terms Used

INTRODUCTION

This is an urgent message for our times and draws attention to the changing consciousness in society, together with the diminishing relationship between people and the divine creator – God. Increasingly the truth of the Gospel is being greatly reduced and perverted; attempts are made to have the message it contains fit our comfortable mode of thinking, thus concealing the challenge it presents. Furthermore the intuitive process as a tool for use in scripture analysis has been cast aside, as being unworthy in coming to terms with true meaning. By omitting the faculty of the higher senses we miss the truth of what it is we wish know. The church must take some responsibility for this, in spite of the fact that the church has long recognised that the foundation stones of the Christian faith are the apostles and the heroes of Faith are those men and women whose lives have reflected the character of the Man Jesus, who is Himself the Cornerstone of the Christian faith and the supreme example of what humans can become. If the church is overly concerned with issues such as women bishops, instead of pastoral care and teaching the truths of the Gospel, thus enriching the lives of its members, it is heading in a direction opposed by the historic heroes of faith, who gave their lives for the teachings of Christ.

The people portrayed in these pages appeared least likely to convey higher thought principles to an unbelieving community, but did so by extraordinary examples. This book first highlights the lives of those men and women of biblical fame, who at a pivotal point in their lives were guided by their Higher God-Mind to serve the purposes of the Ultimate Reality – God. At this point should the reader have any difficulty with the word ‘God’ then settle for terms like ‘Infinite Intelligence, Higher Mind, Christ Consciousness’ whatever it is that conveys to you a Supreme Being.

The second half of this work will draw attention to more modern ordinary people with extraordinary ways; those noble characters whose lives are a shining example in our communities showing that with diligence and faith we can all reach the plateau of righteousness, improve our own landscape and go on to make a difference. The lives of these men and women are a testimony of God’s grace and challenge to all Christians to wake up from spiritual sleep and seek the mind of God; to work with His Spirit in the community in which they live.

The lives of heroes interest us because of their outstanding brave deeds done in the face of danger and risk. That person might easily be you; finding ourselves in trying circumstances an unusual surge of energy often emerges in an individual, which is dormant in ordinary affairs, but rises to meet the challenge of the moment and extraordinary feats are achieved. The efforts of such characters is brought before the public gaze in this book, to show a power and resilience that will transform lives and circumstances which will reflect on the social and economic landscape for the good of others, long after that life has been lived.

It is not wise to confine the education of a person to secular matters only; we are tripartite beings. As such each person ought to become familiar with their whole selves and in so doing discover a fresh source of power that will lead the soul to the truth of who they are and what they are capable of once they find the right path. Furthermore, the Lord God seeks witnesses who will speak of His love and holiness, men and women who will bring glory to His name. It should not be overlooked that in every community and in the most unlikely places, there are glittering jewels of possibilities, among improbable people.

In the course of time came Jacob, a deceitful man, who mended his ways. Rahab, with her crimson cord; Ruth, the devoted Gentile; Job, personifying patience; David, a boy shepherd tending his fathers sheep; Ebed-melech, the helpful eunuch; Ezekiel’s wife, Amos, the farmer and the reluctant Jonah, who found himself in the belly of a whale; a nameless woman reaching for the Master’s robe, believing if she could just touch it, she would be healed; He saw Nathaniel under a fig tree, who believed nothing good could come out of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene as a shining example to women; He found a eunuch, travelling in his chariot attempting to unravel the scriptures and Zacchaeus, a tax collector observing events from the branches of a sycamore tree. He found a generous military officer, Cornelius responding to an angelic vision; Thomas, a doubter among the apostles, who later learned to believe; a Samaritan woman drawing water from a Well; and Paul intent on destroying the followers of Christ.

In these persons and in these places the Lord God saw what others did not see, unlikely heroes in the most unlikely places, prepared to proclaim a better way. Among these historical heroes of faith we include, Agnes; Patrick; Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer; George Herbert; William Law; Peter Chanel; Christina Rossetti; Mary Slessor; Isabella Gilmore; Amy Carmichael; Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy; Wilson Carlile; Watchman Nee; Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Charles de Foucauld; Betty Stam; Alfred Sadd; Edith Stein; Andrew Kagura; Janani Luwum; Oscar Romero and an unknown English Country Parson.

There are many more – unseen heroes - worthy of mention, but our brief account of these stalwart souls will suffice for the journey we are about to make. A journey in which we too are caught up in the tussle against the dark side of human nature, which previous generations termed ‘demons’ - those unseen forces that pervade the minds of men who have allowed their hearts to grow cold. The Lord Jesus confronted such in His earthly fleshly life; sadly that same spirit of the Pharisees, the Scribes and Sadducees is inflicting our society in ever increasing measures, having a global influence, creating deception and destruction, driving the forces of greed, avarice, intolerance and malice among people and nations today.

This work has been commissioned to address these issues, not to satisfy idle curiosity, but rather to draw attention to the dangers of complacency and the fact that God the Creator wants men and women who will work with Him as co-workers to bring people to the Christ Spirit, in order that all may come to repentance and grow into highly evolved spiritual beings.

The characters portrayed in this work have led the way that others may know of God’s love for them, His willingness to forgive those who turn to Him and of His power to guide and save souls. Each of these persons, researched, have in their own way made a valuable contribution to the life and faith of generations of people. Their lasting heritage, besides the courage they showed, is the spiritual element they brought with them. When these higher thoughts and actions which these people demonstrated form part of fiscal making policies in all nations, greater benefits will be felt by all and business and social outcomes will flourish. If however, our energies are focused on profit for one and loss for the other,