God, Man, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Taoism

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**THE POWER TO CHANGE**

CAN YOU ANSWER ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS ??

Life is full of Questions. Some are simple to answer. What am I going to eat for dinner? Where did I park my car? Others are, well… more challenging.

Questions About Life
You can look for answers to life’s questions in many places, but have you tried these ??

1. How can I find purpose in my life?
2. How can I find peace?
3. How can I deal with past mistakes?
4. How can I really change?

In the days following the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, even very young children are asking questions like, “Why does God allow so much suffering in the world? Why does he allow poverty, war, and evil? Is God powerless? Is the devil stronger than God?” Although such thoughts may never even occur to some children, they will cause considerable worry to others.

Questions About God

1. Does God exist?
2. Do all religions lead to God?
3. If God is good, why is there evil and suffering?
4. Is Jesus God?
5. What will happen to those who never hear about Jesus?
6. Is there really right and wrong?
7. What about all the wars that have been caused in the name of Christianity

WHO IS GOD?

"HE WHO WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRISTIANITY MUST FIRST LEARN ABOUT AFRICA"

Who Is God - Who Does He Claim to Be?
Who is God? He's been described as everything from an impersonal life-force to a benevolent, personal, almighty Creator. He has been called by many names, including: "Zeus," "Jupiter," "Brahma," "Allah," "Ra," "Odin," "Ashur," "Izanagi," "Viracocha," "Ahura Mazda," and "the Great Spirit" to name just a few. He's seen by some as "Mother Nature" and by others as "Father God." But who is He really? Who does He claim to be?

Who Is God - Father God or Mother Nature?
Who is God? What has He revealed about Himself? To begin with, whenever He refers to Himself in parental terms, He always addresses Himself as "Father," never "Mother." He calls Himself "a Father to Israel,"¹ and in one instance, when His "children" were particularly disrespectful to Him, He said to them, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?" ²

His prophets acknowledged Him as Father by saying, "You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand,"³ and "do we not all have one Father? Has not one God created us?"⁴ Never once does God refer to Himself as "Mother" and never once is He called such by the prophets to whom He spoke. Calling God "Mother Nature" is comparable to calling your earthly father "Mom."

Who Is God - What Does God Care About?
Who is God in terms of moral attributes? What does God have to say about Himself in this regard? He says that He delights in justice and righteousness: "…Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight."⁵ "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity…"⁶

^{GOD AND GODS OF HINDUISM: Brahman:}

For Hinduism there may be millions of gods!... however, these gods are not God, they can not make stars, nor roses, nor human hearts... they should not be adored."Brahman" is called the Absolute, the only one real God.

Though believed by many Hinduism to be a polytheistic religion, the basis of Hinduism is the belief in the unity of everything. This totality is called Brahman, the Absolute, the Supreme Being, the Ultimate Reality, the Divine... also called "Bhagvan", or "Ishvara"... the purpose of life is to realize that we are part of God and by doing so we can leave this plane of existence and rejoin with God.

Everything in the universe is part of Brahman, (including each one of us), but Brahman is more than the sum of everything in the universe.

Hindus believe that each soul is an individual, and yet is also a part of the Divine; is part of "God"

Brahman is not a personal being in the sense that Christians think of God as a personal being. For most Hindus this God is not a person but a force, an energy, a principle... Brahman is entirely impersonal, and entirely impossible to know or to describe. Brahman is a supreme, perfect spirit or force that permeates everything.

The different gods and goddesses of Hinduism represent various functions or aspects or attributes of this One Supreme Divinity, they are not separate gods but they are valid to worship, according to Hinduism.
For example, the goddesses are really the female aspects of God, because the Divine contains both masculine and feminine attributes... some gods are represented with several heads or 8 arms to represent the omni-potency and omni-presence of God... all in all, it is often stated that

some Hindu teachers claim 330 million gods and goddesses!

THE IDEA OF GOD IN BUDDHISM

Quite contradictory views have been expressed in Western literature on the attitude of Buddhism toward the concept of God and gods. From a study of the discourses of the Buddha preserved in the Pali canon, it will be seen that the idea of a personal deity, a creator god conceived to be eternal and omnipotent, is incompatible with the Buddha's teachings. On the other hand, conceptions of an impersonal godhead of any description, such as world-soul, etc., are excluded by the Buddha's teachings on Anatta, non-self or unsubstantiality.

In Buddhist literature, the belief in a creator god (issara-nimmana-vada) is frequently mentioned and rejected, along with other causes wrongly adduced to explain the origin of the world; as, for instance, world-soul, time, nature, etc. God-belief, however, is placed in the same category as those morally destructive wrong views which deny the kammic results of action, assume a fortuitous origin of man and nature, or teach absolute determinism. These views are said to be altogether pernicious, having definite bad results due to their effect on ethical conduct.

Theism, however, is regarded as a kind of kamma-teaching in so far as it upholds the moral efficacy of actions. Hence a theist who leads a moral life may, like anyone else doing so, expect a favorable rebirth. He may possibly even be reborn in a heavenly world that resembles his own conception of it, though it will not be of eternal duration as he may have expected. If, however, fanaticism induces him to persecute those who do not share his beliefs, this will have grave consequences for his future destiny. For fanatical attitudes, intolerance, and violence against others create unwholesome kamma leading to moral degeneration and to an unhappy rebirth.

Although belief in God does not exclude a favorable rebirth, it is a variety of eternalism, a false affirmation of permanence rooted in the craving for existence, and as such an obstacle to final deliverance.

Among the fetters (samyojana) that bind to existence, theism is particularly subject to those of personality-belief, attachment to rites and rituals, and desire for fine-material existence or for a "heaven of the sense sphere," as the case may be.

As an attempt at explaining the universe, its origin, and man's situation in his world, the God-idea was found entirely unconvincing by the Buddhist thinkers of old. Through the centuries, Buddhist philosophers have formulated detailed arguments refuting the doctrine of a creator god. It should be of interest to compare these with the ways in which Western philosophers have refuted the theological proofs of the existence of God.

But for an earnest believer, the God-idea is more than a mere device for explaining external facts like the origin of the world. For him it is an object of faith that can bestow a strong feeling of certainty, not only as to God's existence "somewhere out there," but as to God's consoling presence and closeness to himself. This feeling of certainty requires close scrutiny. Such scrutiny will reveal that in most cases the God-idea is only the devotee's projection of his ideal — generally a noble one — and of his fervent wish and deeply felt need to believe. These projections are largely conditioned by external influences, such as childhood impressions, education, tradition and social environment. Charged with a strong emotional emphasis, brought to life by man's powerful capacity for image-formation, visualization and the creation of myth, they then come to be identified with the images and concepts of whatever religion the devotee follows. In the case of many of the most sincere believers, a searching analysis would show that their "God-experience" has no more specific content than this.

Yet the range and significance of God-belief and God-experience are not fully exhausted by the preceding remarks. The lives and writings of the mystics of all great religions bear witness to religious experiences of great intensity, in which considerable changes are effected in the quality of consciousness. Profound absorption in prayer or meditation can bring about a deepening and widening, a brightening and intensifying of consciousness, accompanied by a transporting feeling of rapture and bliss. The contrast between these states and normal conscious awareness is so great that the mystic believes his experience to be manifestations of the divine; and given the contrast, this assumption is quite understandable. Mystical experiences are also characterized by a marked reduction or temporary exclusion of the multiplicity of sense-perceptions and restless thoughts, and this relative unification of mind is then interpreted as a union or communion with the One God. All these deeply moving impressions and the first spontaneous interpretations the mystic subsequently identifies with his particular theology. It is interesting to note, however, that the attempts of most great Western mystics to relate their mystical experiences to the official dogmas of their respective churches often resulted in teachings which were often looked upon askance by the orthodox, if not considered downright heretical.

The psychological facts underlying those religious experiences are accepted by the Buddhist and well-known to him; but he carefully distinguishes the experiences themselves from the theological interpretations imposed upon them. After rising from deep meditative absorption (jhana), the Buddhist meditator is advised to view the physical and mental factors constituting his experience in the light of the three characteristics of all conditioned existence: impermanency, liability to suffering, and absence of an abiding ego or eternal substance. This is done primarily in order to utilize the meditative purity and strength of consciousness for the highest purpose: liberating insight. But this procedure also has a very important side-effect which concerns us here: the meditator will not be overwhelmed by any uncontrolled emotions and thoughts evoked by his singular experience, and will thus be able to avoid interpretations of that experience not warranted by the facts.

Hence a Buddhist meditator, while benefiting by the refinement of consciousness he has achieved, will be able to see these meditative experiences for what they are; and he will further know that they are without any abiding substance that could be attributed to a deity manifesting itself to the mind. Therefore, the Buddhist's conclusion must be that the highest mystic states do not provide evidence for the existence of a personal God or an impersonal godhead.

Buddhism has sometimes been called an atheistic teaching, either in an approving sense by freethinkers and rationalists, or in a derogatory sense by people of theistic persuasion. Only in one way can Buddhism be described as atheistic, namely, in so far as it denies the existence of an eternal, omnipotent God or godhead who is the creator and ordainer of the world. The word "atheism," however, like the word "godless," frequently carries a number of disparaging overtones or implications, which in no way apply to the Buddha's teaching.

Those who use the word "atheism" often associate it with a materialistic doctrine that knows nothing higher than this world of the senses and the slight happiness it can bestow. Buddhism is nothing of that sort. In this respect it agrees with the teachings of other religions, that true lasting happiness cannot be found in this world; nor, the Buddha adds, can it be found on any higher plane of existence, conceived as a heavenly or divine world, since all planes of existence are impermanent and thus incapable of giving lasting bliss. The spiritual values advocated by Buddhism are directed, not towards a new life in some higher world, but towards a state utterly transcending the world, namely, Nibbana. In making this statement, however, we must point out that Buddhist spiritual values do not draw an absolute separation between the beyond and the here and now. They have firm roots in the world itself for they aim at the highest realization in this present existence. Along with such spiritual aspirations, Buddhism encourages earnest endeavor to make this world a better place to live in.

The materialistic philosophy of annihilationism (ucchedavada) is emphatically rejected by the Buddha as a false doctrine. The doctrine of kamma is sufficient to prove that Buddhism does not teach annihilation after death. It accepts survival, not of an eternal soul, but of a mental process subject to renewed becoming; thus it teaches rebirth without transmigration. Again, the Buddha's teaching is not a nihilism that gives suffering humanity no better hope than a final cold nothingness. On the contrary, it is a teaching of salvation (niyyanika-dhamma) or deliverance (vimutti) which attributes to man the faculty to realize by his own efforts the highest goal, Nibbana, the ultimate cessation of suffering and the final eradication of greed, hatred and delusion. Nibbana is far from being the blank zero of annihilation; yet it also cannot be identified with any form of God-idea, as it is neither the origin nor the immanent ground or essence of the world.

Buddhism is not an enemy of religion as atheism is believed to be. Buddhism, indeed, is the enemy of none. A Buddhist will recognize and appreciate whatever ethical, spiritual and cultural values have been created by God-belief in its long and checkered history. We cannot, however, close our eyes to the fact that the God-concept has served too often as a cloak for man's will to power, and the reckless and cruel use of that power, thus adding considerably to the ample measure of misery in this world supposed to be an all-loving God's creation. For centuries free thought, free research and the expression of dissident views were obstructed and stifled in the name of service to God. And alas, these and other negative consequences are not yet entirely things of the past.

The word "atheism" also carries the innuendo of an attitude countenancing moral laxity, or a belief that man-made ethics, having no divine sanction, rest on shaky foundations. For Buddhism, however, the basic moral law is inherent in life itself. It is a special case of the law of cause and effect, needing neither a divine law-giver nor depending upon the fluctuating human conceptions of socially conditioned minor moralities and conventions. For an increasing section of humanity, the belief in God is breaking down rapidly, as well as the accustomed motivations for moral conduct. This shows the risk of basing moral postulates on divine commandments, when their alleged source rapidly loses credence and authority. There is a need for an autonomous foundation for ethics, one that has deeper roots than a social contract and is capable of protecting the security of the individual and of human institutions. Buddhism offers such a foundation for ethics.

Buddhism does not deny that there are in the universe planes of existence and levels of consciousness which in some ways may be superior to our terrestrial world and to average human consciousness. To deny this would indeed be provincial in this age of space travel. Bertrand Russell rightly says: "It is improbable that the universe contains nothing better than ourselves."

Yet, according to Buddhist teachings, such higher planes of existence, like our familiar world, are subject to the law of impermanence and change. The inhabitants of such worlds may well be, in different degrees, more powerful than human beings, happier and longer-lived. Whether we call those superior beings gods, deities, devas or angels is of little importance, since it is improbable that they call themselves by any of those names. They are inhabitants of this universe, fellow-wanderers in this round of existence; and though more powerful, they need not be wiser than man. Further, it need not be denied that such worlds and such beings may have their lord and ruler. In all probability they do. But like any human ruler, a divine ruler too might be inclined to misjudge his own status and power, until a greater one comes along and points out to him his error, as our texts report of the Buddha.

These, however, are largely matters beyond the range and concern of average human experience. They have been mentioned here chiefly for the purpose of defining the Buddhist position, and not to serve as a topic of speculation and argument. Such involvement can only divert attention and effort from what ought to be our principal object: the overcoming of greed, hatred and delusion where they are found in the here and now.

THREE RELIGIONS, ONE GOD: CHRISTIANITY, JUDAISM AND ISLAM

Let us examine these three monotheistic religions which are based on faith in God. Judaism believes there is one God who cannot be made up of parts. To attempt to divide God's oneness is seen as a pagan throwback to many gods. Islam embraces an immaterial, invisible God -- one to be intensely feared in His omnipotence. God could not have children (or a Son) for this blurs the divine/human distinction of an Ultimate God. Christians hold fast to the trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To Christians, God gives a revelation of Himself through the flesh, Jesus Christ, God Incarnate.

Judaism, Islam, Christianity comparison -- Are there similarities in their prophets? All three religions acknowledge that Moses was a prophet of God. The prophets of Israel and Judah are one of the most amazing groups of individuals in all history. The Islamic faith eagerly awaits the return of the Prophet Jesus born by a miracle of God without a father. The Prophet Mohammed's words give an account of the signs that will precede the coming of Jesus. Through Christianity, the prophets confirmed that God is sovereign over history and is working out His purposes in accordance with an overall plan, sometimes indiscernible, but always in the hands of the Lord.

Judaism, Islam, Christianity comparison-- Are there similarities in their holy books? In Judaism, the people saw God's initiative at work in every step of their corporate existence. Yahweh (God) had called Abraham to father a chosen people of destiny. In Exodus, God used the Prophet Moses to affirm His power, goodness, and concern for history. The Ten Commandments established the moral foundations for human behavior. For traditional Jews, the commandments (mitzvoth) and Jewish law (halacha) are still binding. Judaism places the emphasis of serving God upon the Torah. In one sense, the oral Torah can never be regarded as completed, for with the changes in civilization there are always new situations to which it has to be applied. The Torah is generally considered to have received its definitive form in the Talmud and the Midrashim, the official, main devotional expositions of the Old Testament books.

If a Muslim were asked to summarize the way Islam counsels people to live, the answer might be: It teaches them to walk the straight path. God's revelation to humankind, they say, has proceeded through great stages: God revealed the truth of His oneness through the Prophet Abraham; God revealed the Ten Commandments through the Prophet Moses; God revealed the Golden Rule through the Prophet Jesus. The Books of God include the Jewish Torah, David's Psalms, the New Testament, and the Qur'an. All four are revelations from God, but each replaces the previous one. The Qur'an is the last, and therefore, the final and best word from God.

In Christianity, the Bible (Old and New Testaments) is the only book that reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the consequences of sin, and the origin and destiny of all things. The first person whom the Bible calls a prophet was Abraham. But Moses established the standard of comparison for all future prophets, having received a specific and personal call from God (Exodus 3). In Luke 4:14-21, Jesus Christ reveals that He is fulfilling the prophet Isaiah's words (Isaiah 61:1-2). Both Judaism and Islam are similar in that they do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God or His sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin (crucifixion).

Judaism, Islam, Christianity comparison -- Are there similarities or one main difference? The prophet Isaiah paints a prophetic portrait of Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Isaiah 53). All the other prophets' remains have decayed. Only Jesus Christ's tomb remains empty (Luke 24:25-27, 44). What choice is there indeed? learn more about Africa

REAL LIFE STORIES

LIFE OUT OF DEATH

by Chander K.

It seems like yesterday when I woke up to find my husband slumped over the dining room table. I tried to wake him but his hand was cold. As I read the letter on the table, I couldn’t believe it. Though he said he loved me, my husband had committed suicide by a drug overdose. He had a successful medical practice. We had a good marriage. I was in shock for the next year.

A surprising love

As a Hindu, my life ended with my husband’s death. The Hindu faith says this tragedy happens because of things done in previous lives. The faith said I was reaping what I had sown.

As I slipped into depression, my three teenage daughters encouraged me to attend the church where they had gone to Sunday school as children. I went, somewhat unwillingly. I was surprised at how loving everyone was towards me. They prayed for me and seemed to really care. At Hindu gatherings, I had never felt the same love and acceptance.

Love without deeds

I kept going to church even though I was suspicious of Christians. I didn’t think I deserved their love. Gradually, through talking with Christians and reading the Bible, I understood there was nothing I had to do to gain God’s favour. His love for me didn’t depend on my deeds.

Jesus died to forgive me. Because of that gift of forgiveness, I have been able to forgive my husband and myself for his suicide. Only God can give the peace, love and joy I have experienced since then.

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

ADOPTED FOR A PURPOSE

by Lyndell E.

I was just three months old when my parents adopted me. Lying in a motel dresser drawer that very first night, I looked up at my new parents with distrust and suspicion, as if to say, ‘You just try to control me!’ My ornery streak was obvious from day one, but incredibly, I was now in a home where firm and loving parents would put me in touch with my Maker.

Thanks to my new parents, I learned that after life there is an eternity in one of two places, heaven or hell. It was easy enough to decide which was better. When I learned that receiving Christ was the only way to heaven, I knelt with my father, and asked Jesus to forgive my sins and give me eternal life.

The purpose of life

I lived smugly until a certain question began to haunt me: What is the purpose of life? What are we here for anyway—to live, make babies and then die? I was not interested in chasing after material riches only to leave them behind in 70 years. There just wasn’t a good reason for living anymore. Nothing I could do was going to matter in a hundred years anyway, much less for eternity.

But at a summer Bible Camp I learned that there was a purpose for my life. It came from God. I learned from the Bible that God made me to relate personally with Him, to know Him and to love Him.

I learned that completely giving my life over to Him was the key to an abundant and meaningful life. Suddenly, my life had purpose and significance. I was created to know God and to glorify Him for eternity.

Eternal significance

It was only minutes after realizing my purpose that I also discovered the plan that would bring eternal significance to my life. I was to share the truth and meaning that I had found in Christ, with others. I realized that pointing people to Christ helps change their destiny for eternity, just like my adopted parents helped to change my eternal destiny.

My nature is to be selfish and proud. I have a natural tendency to continually take the steering wheel of my life away from Christ. In my life, Christ has replaced a meaningless life. With Jesus, you can find the meaningful life you were meant to have.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO FEARED DEATH

by Tanya K.

As a young girl, I would wake up in the middle of the night with fear in my heart. I feared death. I did not know what would happen to me after death. I thought there would be nothing and when life ended.

I would run to my parents’ room in tears, asking, "Mama, am I going to die?" Throughout my childhood, this nightmare haunted my heart.

Getting close to an answer

As I grew up, death still scared me, but life went on. Sports and money became important to me because they gave me self-confidence, independence, and pride in myself. I alone decided what was good and what was bad. Everything my parents taught me became of minor importance. I had no interest in the lives of people around me. Yet, despite the importance and success I achieved, I still had no answer to the question of what happens after death. "Why live," I thought, "if I have to die all the same?"

I heard about God for the first time from my best girlfriend. At first, it seemed like a fairy tale. I heard that people can receive eternal life by simply believing in Jesus Christ. I realized I was getting closer to answering the question that had troubled me all my life.

No longer afraid of death

As an 18-year-old, I went running to my mother in tears, just as in my childhood. Only the words were different, "Mama, I’m not afraid of death anymore. Christ has given me eternal life."

This year, I graduated from Bible College in Moscow . I want to tell the people of my country about our great, loving God, who gives love, joy, happiness, and, above all else, meaning to life.

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

HOPE WHEN LIFE IS TOUGH

by MICHAEL C.

Growing up in the projects of Dunedin , Florida was tough. We lived across from a sewage treatment plant and with it came every negative stereotype you can imagine. But throughout my childhood I never realized we were poor, because there was always so much love. I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything.

Broken promises

My mom was only 18 when she had me, and I grew up without a father. There were times when my dad promised to come by and bring over things for Christmas and my birthday but he would never come.

I tried to hide my disappointment so I wouldn’t hurt my mom. I never wanted her to think that she was insufficient. She was more than I needed. My mom gave me all she had and she supported me in everything I did. She was the one who gave me a foundation in the church and a strong belief system.

A faith through tough times

There was a time when I went to church because I had to. Church became more of a personal decision when I accepted Jesus into my heart at nine years old. Since becoming a Christian, I have always found encouragement during challenging times.

I have had some tough times in my life. My great-great grandmother, whom I loved deeply, passed away before she could see me succeed as a football player. My wife’s father was shot and killed when we were in university. Her sister died of cancer only three weeks after being diagnosed, leaving behind three small children. Most recently, her mom died.

Touching the lives of others

God has used the hard times in my life to help me touch the lives of others. I learned early in life that God is the only way to complete happiness. When I became a Christian I learned the true purpose and meaning of life. I now place my trust and hope in God.

Everyone has trials. No one is exempt from that. The difference is that I have a hope in Jesus Christ. Apart from God, there is no hope. If we don¹t put our hope in God, we end up putting it in things that perish and fade away. Belief in God is the only thing that lasts.

FREED FROM RELIGION

BY BILLY D.

Growing up, I remember having a very free, happy life. I was loved and taken care of by my family. That all changed when I was seven years old. My father put me on an airplane and sent me to a residential school far from home. In that one day, all those years of being loved, those years of peace and security, were ripped apart. I was devastated. I felt that no one loved or cared about me anymore. I thought my parents had given me away.

As a result, I grew up with a lot of anger and hatred inside. I was constantly searching for love. I wanted to know that someone cared about me. As an adult, I was determined to never let anyone hurt me again. I vowed I would be successful and never defeated. I took that attitude with me when I became the leader of my people.

Road to success

I grew up watching my father as chief of our community. People had great respect for him as a man of wisdom, leadership and integrity. He began to groom me to take his place as leader of our community and, eventually, the Cree tribe in northern Quebec .

I became chief of our Cree community when I was 21. Around that time many preachers and evangelists wanted to come to the reserve to share the gospel message. I tried to stop them from coming because as a child I had learned that God was a menacing, huge, punishing being. I did not want a relationship with that type of God.

Drawbacks to success

Four years later I became the first Grand Chief of the Cree Grand Council. I used this position to help my people develop. We modernized villages, built houses and schools, and encouraged health and economic development. I was very successful in this position. But like all successes, there are drawbacks.

I became very prideful. Alcohol and drugs took their toll. I lost contact with my wife and children. I knew I had to do something. Despite the success, there was a void in my life. I had no sense of accomplishment. I had no peace and I all I felt was emptiness.

The Change

During the latter part of my term as Grand Chief, things got really bad. I cried out to God. I asked Him to come into my life and forgive me for my sins.

Things changed drastically after that. I no longer had the desire for alcohol. My wife and I were reconciled, our dying son was healed, and our community was changed as more people asked Jesus into their lives. I learned that God is a loving Father. I learned that He is a forgiving and healing God and that you can have a relationship with.

Now I know that through Christ people can be changed. If you feel like you are not going anywhere, like you are stuck in a rut, and you are tired of religion, ceremonies and rituals, open your heart and let a living God touch you and begin to develop a relationship with Him. You will never be the same again.

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