There have been a few men in history that commanded by their presence and words t hat startled the world and those within their speaking. An example that was written by Ben Johnson of Francis Bacon comes to mind. “The fear of every man that heard him was that he would come to an end” Indeed to have been of that time, to be there, listening “his hearers could not cough nor look aside from him, without loss”

Perhaps we have been in that situation, startled and in the presence of a speaker so captivating, so filled with undeniable truth, that these things would occur to us as well. Billy Graham comes to mind. Standing alone, filling entire stadiums with eloquence and truth that the usual mutter and shuffling was gone from hearing. All within hearing indeed, captivated by one man telling us things we have longed to hear.

Another man, several centuries ago was Cicero of Rome, was similar and heard well. Before him was a man that spoke and wrote of experiences that could barely be understood and continue to this time to be treasured. His experiences and recollections of history cannot be dismissed as mere stories. Thousands of writers confirm what that man wrote and those words must be read and understood by all men. Many efforts have been made to share those words with the world. Even to the point of recording them in languages that have no written language.

Every man with an open heart can read these words and then so moved, read them again and again. This man’s words were written several centuries ago by a man known by most by his first name! He was in the presence of the man that he knew, the man he wrote about. This man, John, was best friends of this man. Beloved actually. The stories he has told stun Norm when he reads them and reveal truth he has ached for all his life. Words that prove that the ache has occurred to many men before him. Cervantes, Defoe, Bunyan and Donne to name just a few of them. Worth the read to understate the beauty that awaits you.

The man that John spoke and then wrote about was the Messiah Jesus who indeed captivated all who heard Him ( what a privilege to have been there for that!) I have attempted to write about these things in my columns and have been chastised and told not to do so. Rather than rant about that, I wrote one more missive complementing my detractors for listening to my words. It was enough to even provoke one them to telling me they admired my boldness and devotion to truth. Still, afraid of offending others, they could not recant. Their loss and the readers of their publications loss.

I suggest to you to read John’s story and his clear recollection of the life and words of Jesus. All the way to the end of the book that contains his and other writers from the beginning to the end of their lives. Many names are used and they all are the names of Jesus. Accurate visions of the times before His birth and His transformation into the most important Son of Man that ever lived, died, and returned to tell us of wonders for our lives to this day.

These stories have been spoken about around our world. The hushed crowds that listened to Billy Graham and Martin Luther King and countless others heard them too. These stories are even found in bedside drawers in hotels throughout the world. It’s the Bible. Venerated by millions and despised by millions. As all men, we are disturbed by these words and we always have a choice to reject them or take them to heart and speak to other men about them. Questions and discussions of that book are encouraged and welcomed. Doubt and fear usually inculcate questions, good questions too. Even the famous writers of old went there. Read them too. “I think, therefore I am… and if I think, why do I think about God? Where does that extraordinary train of thought come to me?” That’s Descartes thoughts. It’s pretty good. Jack Gator