Böcker av Elder Vander Jones

A Closer Look... Denial is a well-known defensive mechanism. Defensive mechanisms enable us to distance ourselves from a full awareness of unpleasant thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Denial often kicks-in when we are seemingly unable or unwilling to face reality or admit an obvious truth. Clergyman, and activist Elder Vander Jones says, "It`s a strong probability that Judas entered denial when saying, "Master, is it I?" Doing so would be a good way to distance himself from the painful reality of exposure. Denial protects the ego from things we cannot cope with. Was truth spoken by Jesus just that excruciating, or merely too uncomfortable for Judas to face? If denial did kick-in, did it manifest appropriately as a temporal coping skill? Denial could have eased up on Judas, whispering to minimize the reality set before and within him. Or, did it surface as a flat-out rejection of truth? Moreover, if he had an evil conscience Judas would not experience guilt. A desensitized conscience is what it is: evil." Elder Jones goes further, "Today's evil manifestations are strikingly like those in scripture. Many witnessed the excessive force Jesus endured when arrested and many more knew he was unjustly executed. Pontius Pilate officiated as judge (supposedly) seeking truth. However, he folded under political pressure, somewhat like Judge O `Donnell in Timothy Russell/Malissa Williams` case in Ohio. In Eric Garners` case, did denial distance the New York grand jury from a full awareness or was the decision not to indict police officers a flat-out rejection of truth? While examining my exegesis of biblical episodes it is my prayer that readers enter a comparative back-and forth, then-and-now flow in a personal self-reflective way. I will remain prayerful that you prayerfully watch how you watch what you`ve been watching. Amen"

A personal relationship is one that is filled with love, support and genuine admiration for one another. It is a relationship that a person desires to have, once or numerous times, in his or her life. That same relationship can be experienced as well with the Heavenly Father, complete with intimate moments shared and blessings to encourage one forward. God desires to have this relational connection with each of us, but it may be hard to decipher where exactly God may be directing us to through this relationship. Author Vander Jones seeks to uncover aspects of this mysterious bond between Father and child in his new book The Novice, aiding readers in recognizing their spiritual gifts and discovering their purpose in God`s predetermined plan for them. A novice indeed, like a child on the first day of kindergarten holding on tightly to the hand or squeezing the leg of a parent, I embraced the Holy Spirit as He began leading me into all truth about various stages throughout my existence. Such embracing defines not only observing the truth of what the Holy Spirit reveals, but also humbly, and at times courageously, responding to it appropriately. Vander expounds on this journey of discovery into God`s interactions with us through our environment, in moments of silence and with the transformation of our hearts. The lives of well-known biblical characters such as Jeremiah, Saul, and Elijah are also viewed in terms of what was revealed in their personal interactions with God, along with what Vander has learned in his own relationship with God. As each of us shed our thoughts of inadequacy and embrace the feelings of purpose in God`s redemptive plan, we learn the importance of having a personal relationship with the Creator and our eternal Father God.