I just got back from taking the dogs out for our morning walk around the property.  I like to pretend I’m a farmer, and I talk to all the animals next door as we head out back.  It’s great, because I get the joy of hanging out on the farm, without all the farm work. 

When we first moved in here, we got to see my new buddy Rico the calf being born.  The chickens have always liked me, but big momma the cow, and Sadie the horse, would have nothing to do with me at first.  I’m persistent, and every morning they get a “hi” from me no matter how far away they are.  Nowadays, Rico and Sadie will go for walks with us sometimes.  Me and the dogs on one side of the fence, and the big animals on the other side.  It’s pretty funny to watch.  The neighbors leave here for the summer to escape the heat, and although their daughter stops by once a day, I feel like it’s my job to keep the animals safe.  I have chased off hawks, coyotes, and owls.  Uncle Bill even stopped a huge hawk right when he was in flight swooping down on a little bunny out back.  If I was a superhero, I would be called “Farm Man”.  Did I hear a duck quack over there?  I better go check it out!!   Off we go…  No lie, that is how I act.  Ask your aunt.  lol

When I am out there and I see all the animals, the green grass, and the vast horizon,  I think a lot about what heaven will be like.  This kind of daydreaming is one of the coping mechanisms I use to block out how awful this world can be sometimes.  That daily walk, in my version of nature, is exactly what I need to start my day and put a smile on my face.     

When I started learning about what heaven will actually be like, I was very surprised.  I had this idea that our spirit went to heaven, and we spent eternity there as a ghost like being.  I pictured everything I liked about this world being there in heaven, but with none of the worries.  This was what I understood from all my time growing up in church and private school.  I had no idea the Bible had so much more information on heaven in its pages.  I had what’s called “Hallmark Heaven” knowledge.  This is where most of your understanding about what heaven is like, comes from greeting cards you’ve seen over the years.   It’s funny, but it is true.  I had a very basic understanding of what heaven is really like. 

One of the features of heaven that first caught my attention was the fact that animals are no longer afraid of humans, and they will all be tame.  This is how it was in the beginning, before Adam brought sin into the world, and before the flood of Noah’s day.  In heaven, all the animals will live in harmony with each other and us.

 

The Bible says that an infant can be playing out back and put his whole arm down a cobra’s hole and not be harmed.  The cow and the bear will graze, and their young will play and hang out together.  The wolf will be chillin with the lamb, and the leopard will take naps next to the young goat, not even thinking about eating him.  A calf, young lion, and a chubby lamb, will all eat straw like an ox, while a little boy leads them.  Animals won’t hurt or destroy anyone or anything ever.  We will be able to train any animal, and they will actually follow your orders.  I’m going to have a bear as one of my many best friends.  I’ll have lots of dogs, and every farm animal there is.  I know a few of you are animal nuts like uncle Bill, so this should be great news to you!  There are not only animals in heaven, but they are all friendly and will like hanging out with you. My dad is going to ask for the dog free zone.  lol

Another awesome thing about heaven is that there is no real work like we think of it today.  There won’t be any worn out, dead tired and grumpy, just got home from the office days.  You won’t have to get a job to pay for anything, and there won’t be any bills waiting for you in the mail.  Plants get all the water and sun they need to grow to their fullest; food is always available, and gardening will be fun, not tiring.  I can have my own farm and not have to be out working 14 hours a day in the heat to maintain it like my father-in-law did.  I don’t know what will happen with all the animal poop, maybe it just quickly dissolves into the ground.  (the stuff I think about…)  We will build our own houses and nothing will ever wear out.  Ever!  Imagine that.  

If life doesn’t feel like hard work, what will it feel like?  ENJOYABLE!  Even your uncle Bill, who has your Aunt Steph do any sort of minor house project now, will somehow be able to build a place to live in that won’t fall apart 10 minutes later.  

Just think about how much better your life would be right now if you didn’t have to work at anything.  What would it be like if everything came easy? Imagine coming home every day not having to worry about the car breaking down or your favorite shirt wearing out.  You won’t be stuck in school studying all day, because you will know everything there is to know already.   God will also be there, and you will be more alive than you ever will be here. One second in heaven would be worth giving up your whole life in this world for. 

This is just a glimpse into what’s in store for those who believe in the promises God made in the Bible.  Think about the times you were the happiest you have ever been.  All those days added up, will pale in comparison to one day in heaven.  I’ve only told you a couple things about heaven so far.  The Bible has a lot more info we will get into as we go. 

The very first time I read through the Bible I picked up a bunch of stuff that I never knew was in there.  I also noticed that there was a lot that I thought was in there, but wasn’t.  I was hooked. I read the Bible 5 times in 6 months.  I tried several different versions, then started looking for a more in-depth Bible study.  The stress was melting away, and I was learning something new every day.  Do you know how long it had been since I learned something new, let alone something new every day, for almost a decade?   

I remember one key moment when I was getting my mind blown from the stuff I was reading in the Bible.  I prayed so hard that God would give me the time and passion to keep studying it.  The time I spent learning what was in the Bible felt like the most important thing I have ever done.  That is not normal, and I would doubt, but you never know, that God’s plan for all of you will turn out just like mine.  My point is, it is not a normal human reaction, it is a God reaction.  What person out there who has the “unique set of skills” that I have, would just let it all go and pray for God to give him more time for Bible study? 

It’s not hard to imagine, that the words in the Bible I gravitated to first, talked about why I was going through this mess, and what my future will look like. There are things I stressed out about that the Bible said not to worry about for a second.  The biggest thing most of us worry about at some point or another is dying.  I didn’t realize I had that much fear of death lurking in my head, until I learned the Truth and no longer have that fear.  I was always afraid of the actual way I would die, and because I didn’t really know what happens after that, I had doubts, anxiety and fear about it.  I had greeting card knowledge of heaven, and that just isn’t good enough to help us live a life without needless worry and fear.  Look how much easier it is for me to daydream about heaven now that I know what it will be like.  The more I studied, the more the stress melted away.

Here are a few other things I worried about when I was in the age range you guys are in now:  “Should I take that job?  Should I quit my job?  Should I leave the parent’s house? Am I going to die young?  How am I going to die?  Is God going to pay me back for all the dumb things I did?   And the biggest one for me was; What am I going to do with my life? 

The answers to all these questions came when I started to understand what sovereignty means.  When the Bible says God is sovereign, it means He is powerful and trustworthy enough to override all He created. Nothing can stop any act or any event or design or purpose that God wants to make happen.  That is sovereignty, and the Bible shows us How God has always had His hands in the creation.   I’ve told you about the many times God has used His sovereignty in my life. Sovereignty is not Jesus “take” the wheel, it is Jesus “took” the wheel. Sometimes we will know when He took the wheel, other times we will think we are still driving, even though He is.

The Bible tells us that God determined where we would live before our parents were even born.  God also determined what your calling/career/financial situation in life will be before you even had your first job.  Love taking care of people?  Guess what, God put that in you for a reason. The Bible isn’t saying God controls us like robots, but we are where we are because He made it so.  We made our own decisions, but sometimes God made them for us, and the whole time we thought we did.  Sometimes like in my life, you can see God’s sovereignty in the things that I am doing that a “normal” person would not.  It’s not normal, and I am not normal.  That right there is a big red flag and should draw attention to the fact that God is doing something in my life.    

God also tells us that He set the day when each of us will die.  This isn’t God just seeing the future, this is God marking the specific day, time, and event, that will bring about the end of your physical body. The Bible teaches us that death is inevitable for most of us, (more on the exceptions later) and since God already has it all planned out, there is no need to worry about it.  Think on that for a second.  If you can’t know when or how you will die, but you know God knows, and you trust Him, then why would you worry?  He is a good father, and everything He does is for our long-term, eternal benefit.  If you die early, then you get in to heaven sooner. If you know what heaven will be like because you studied, then it will be easier to prioritize that next life over this one.   If you live longer, then you have more time to tell others how they can join you in heaven, and can help them understand what heaven will be like.   

This is not some crazy talk.  God tells us that we can’t add a day to our life, and that it’s pointless to make any effort to live longer in this world than God has already planned. Don’t get me wrong, God can and will use natural or human remedies as the catalyst to get you to live to the age He chose, but you can’t go past that day. You guys are all pretty young, so I doubt you are sitting around thinking about it like us old people do.  Just know that God always has a purpose in everything He does.  He is always proactive and never reactive.  If he wants me to live to 101, then there is nothing I can do about it.  I just want to finish this book and some Bible studies before it’s my time, but I’m ready whenever He calls me home.   

We have no control over the day of our birth, and we have no control over the day of our death.  Both were pre-determined by God a long time ago.   

Learning about all of this has helped me a ton.  If I listen to what God is telling me, then I can avoid stressing out about a lot of things.  I worried a lot about dying young.  Now I worry about living too long.  It is a totally different state of mind, and one you can only get from studying and knowing the Bible.  Had I never really understood that we all die, and God already set the date, I would still be stressing about it.  Now it is irrelevant.   If we all have to go someday, what difference does it make how or when it happens?  We should all take care of our bodies; they are God’s design and creation.  But, should we worry and stress that if we don’t do enough, we are going to die earlier than we wanted to?  No way! 

I love exercising.  I should say, I love walking.  I was considered overweight/obese most of my life.  I know how much better I feel now that my eating and exercise habits changed.  The more you exercise, the better you will feel.  You will have more energy to do what God calls you to do.  God can’t use a slouch who never gets off the couch.  That’s how I was.  I was useless to God because I didn’t take care of myself.  So, in no way am I advocating for you guys to avoid trying to stay physically and mentally fit.  I am saying don’t let it rule your life, and definitely don’t give credit to your diet and fitness regimen if you live to age 80. Credit the God who planned it out before the words diet and fitness ever existed.

I have to tell you this story.  Big boy Bill had an eating problem, and he could never stay consistent with any exercise program.  This was another reason why I was down in the dumps about my life back then.  I hated how my body looked, and I had zero energy most of the time.  Every time I tried to lose weight I gained it right back.  Another fail, after fail in my life.  Thankfully God gave me this face to look at as a distraction.  Lol 

I remember this one year, I got extra cocky about my weight goals. I wrote a letter to my family letting them know that I was going to lose a ton of weight by Christmas. We didn’t have emails or text back then in case you’re wondering why I always wrote letters. lol  Christmas came, and chubby Uncle Bill had actually gained 5 lbs.  I opened up a present, and it was the letter I wrote to the fam, put nicely in a frame.  I’m sure I handled that well…  Again, now I can look back and see all the times like this that God was working to bring my pride in check.  I never forgot that day, so in a way it worked.   

Flash forward to today.  I might still have a dad bod, but I am not overweight according to US government health guidelines for my height and weight. Lol   I love walking, and before I started going nuts writing this book, I was walking at least 15,000 steps or around 7 miles a day. I have been doing that for about 5 years now. Wait, what?  Uncle Bill spent his whole life trying to get in shape and lose weight, but never could until God got involved?  Now he has done it, and maintained it for several years? Is this another example of how God works in our lives?  You better believe it. 

When I first started really studying the Bible, I would always fall asleep reading it.  I wasn’t getting as much study time in as I wanted to.  I decided I would try walking around the house, listening to the Bible on my phone app with my ear buds in.  If I stand up, I can’t fall asleep.  I also found out that as long as I was listening to the Bible, or a Bible study, I could keep walking, and I could be consistent with it.  I have to be careful, because I started to get obsessed with getting my steps in, instead of the real reason I started walking in the first place.  I know I am only an injury or bad illness away from gaining all that weight back if I’m not careful.  I found the secret formula, and I am in the best shape of my adult life. It is also no coincidence that God led me to a doctor on YouTube, who told me about what sugar does to our body, and changed the game for me.   I even challenged Miles to the 100-yard dash, but he got scurred and cancelled it.

Balance in life is the key.  Balancing all the junk you put in your body and brain with the good food and nourishment you can only get from time in the Bible should be our goal. 

I told you earlier that many people think we can stop the earth from wearing out and ending, by driving electric cars and getting rid of cow farts.  The same applies to your physical bodies.  Many think if they never eat meat, go keto, fast, run marathons, and sleep in hyperbaric chambers, they will live longer.  None of those things are wrong by the way. The wrong comes from a life focused more on that stuff, then on learning about and growing with God.   

Everyone is looking for the key to longer life, but they fail to realize in the long run, none of it really matters.  If God set the year you would die at 39, there is nothing you can do to prolong it.  If God wants you to live as long as Methuselah did to 969 years old, you will, and nothing will accidentally take your life before then.  God did it this way so that we don’t sit around and worry about our longevity.  He wants us to focus on the fact that we will shed these sinful corrupting earthly bodies for new ones that never wear out or die.   God didn’t want me to be so anxious and down about my weight my whole life.  The stress only added to the problem.  Just dumb…

While most of you were in school, uncle Bill was in the school of “hard knocks”.  I avoided studying like the plague, and if I wasn’t interested in the subject, good luck getting through to me.  I always thought I’d go back to school and get my college degree someday, and I didn’t know God has His own curriculum.  Not having a college degree cost me a bunch of jobs, and I resented those positions that I was the perfect fit for, but couldn’t get because I didn’t have that degree.  Now I can see why God kept me out of the university education system.  Mainly, it kept me away from jobs I would have probably stayed at longer and made more money at.  At the time that seemed unfair to me, but now I know why God kept me away from climbing the corporate ladder too high.  I was just a middle manager in a sales department and I was a stress case every day.  I can’t imagine the pressures of running a huge company. 

I would much rather be here right now doing this, over running a multi-million-dollar company in corporate America.  It’s not even a tough decision, and it wouldn’t matter how much they paid me.  The only way I would switch places would be if God decided He wanted me to make that climb for some reason.  From watching how He has worked in my life over the years, I am going to guess that is extremely unlikely.   

To give you an idea of what God did to educate me, I put together a math question and some simple math equations. 

If Uncle Bill studied or read the Bible for 20 hours a week, starting in March of 2012, how many total hours would that equal?  What does that equate to in minutes, hours, and 24-hour days?  How does that compare to the other schools?    

Let’s show our work:

Uncle Bill’s Bible School 

Length of program = 13.6 years and counting.

20 hours a week x 710 weeks (13.6 years)  = 14,200 hours 

14,200 hours X 60 (minutes) = 852,000 minutes

852,000 / 1,440 (minutes in a 24-hour day) = 591 days

Kindergarten-12^th grade high school

Average hours per week = 30 hours

Length of program = 13 years.

30 hours a week x 678 weeks (13 years)  = 20,340 hours 

20,340 hours X 60 (minutes) = 1,220,400 minutes

1,220,400 / 1,440 (minutes in a 24-hour day) = 847 days  

Bachelor’s & Master’s degree from university

Average hours per week = 20 hours

Length of program =  6 years.

20 hours a week x 313 weeks (6 years)  = 6,260 hours 

6,260 hours X 60 (minutes) = 375,600 minutes

375,600 / 1,440 (minutes in a 24-hour day) = 260 days  

I think it took longer for me to do the math above, then it took me to write the rest of the chapter.  Thankfully God didn’t have math as a pre-requisite for His Bible class. 

Uncle Bill spent 13 years studying the Bible.  I used 20 hours a week as average, but it was likely closer to 30 a week.  If I was going to an accredited school, I would be working on my second doctorate in Bible studies with all the time God gave me. I’m not bragging, I’m just showing you how God made the impossible, possible. I’ve never been a good student, but now I am?  I studied most of the day, every day for a long time, and I didn’t get bored and stop after 13 years?  I couldn’t keep a job longer than a couple years because I got bored.  I was never consistent at anything, and now I can say I have been consistent for 13 years?  If you don’t see God written all over this, then you need a different school.

Those 3 years I spent on community college and university campuses never amounted to any real learning for me.  Yes, I know you have to go to class to experience learning, but I was too busy learning on the mean streets of Mill avenue.  You can’t learn that in them there colleges my nieces and nephews.  Lol

I think it was so awesome of God to give me the answers to the questions that I needed answered the most first.  Hopefully what I learned can help you guys as well, but nothing beats jumping in and reading it for yourself.   The biggest question I had during Bible school was what is God doing this for?  What is He training me for?  It’s pretty obvious He is preparing me for something, but what?  Today I know some of the answers, and they are all over this book.