About The Author:
Larry Williams
I can distinctively remember when my spiritual journey began: I was in my early twenties and in the Navy onboard the USS Truxtun, stationed in the Tonkin Gulf during the Vietnam War. I was off duty, lying in my rack, and reading a book called "Life After Death". I don't remember any of the details of the book, but when I finished the book I knew that I had to find out more about the spiritual world. The next few years were filled with Eastern mysticism, reincarnation, meditation, and astral travel - all of which seemed to answer my questions and lead to some fulfillment. Through astral travel, my spirit once left my body and entered the spirit world, only to come face to face with a spirit being that was so ugly I was shocked and slammed back into my body. Wow! I now knew that there was a spirit world and spirit beings. However, my search continued since my yearning was for the eastern system that would best meet my needs, and answer all my questions.
During this time - the Tent days of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, my youngest sister and hippy, Kathy, became a "Born Again Christian", and shortly thereafter, introduced my Mom, and another sister, Bugg, to Jesus, as well. And it was a life changing event for all three of them. Their conversions were great for them, but not so great for me. For years, whenever I would come home on leave I would get bombarded with scriptures, tracts, and prayer. I would tear up their tracts, and we would argue constantly but they were relentless. They never gave up! Years later, while visiting Bugg, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the back bedroom of someone's mobile home, the love and prayers of my loved ones, and the Holy Spirit, finally overwhelmed me and my eyes were opened to Jesus. Bugg's pastor friend led me in a prayer that introduced me to Jesus.
Jesus became my savior, but not necessarily my LORD. I still dabbled
with the eastern religions because my intellect would not let go. In some
respects, Jesus was a master on the level with other eastern mystics, but
Jesus was near the front of the line.
When I got out of the Navy, I was living in Costa Mesa and attending Calvary Chapel. I really enjoyed Chuck Smith's Bible teaching. So much so, and as crazy as this may sound, I decided to put Jesus to the test. Seriously, after one of Chuck Smith's Sunday evening Bible Studies, I prayed to Jesus and told Him that I would give Him 30 days to show me who He was in relation to all the other masters. For 30 days I would read and study the Bible, and forget about all other religions masters. Jesus had one month to give me his best shot. (Was I dumb, or what?)
Fortunately, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, were up to the Task. A few days later, a Tuesday evening I believe, I wondered into a different Bible study at there at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, where a gentlemen by the name of Chuck Missler was conducting a chapter by chapter study of the boring, Old Testament, Book of Isaiah. I sat there with everyone else, opened my Bible to Isaiah, then to this book, and then that book, then back to Genesis, into the Psalms, into the New Testament a time or two, occasionally back to Isaiah, ahead to Revelation, and so on, and on, and on it went. Finally, after his study was over, I remember sitting there stunned, blown away I might say. I now knew that the book setting there in my lap was no longer just a Bible. It was the Word of God - The Inspired Word Of God! Or, as Chuck Missler would say, the Bible is a Highly Engineered Message System. I had the best book ever written regarding TRUTH, sitting there in my own lap! I left that study with tears in my eyes. The Holy Spirit saw me coming and hooked my spirit in a way that has never happened before or since. After that encounter with Chuck, I rarely missed any of his studies, and NO Old Testament Book would ever be boring to me again. God is so good!
In the weeks that followed, as I continued to read and study the Bible. And Jesus stood alone. No longer just a master, but the ONLY Master. No longer just a Savior, but LORD and Savior. All my questions and many others were answered in ways that gave me goose bumps and tears. I saw the lies and deceits of the enemy that fill the eastern religions. The spirit beings are lying demons, deceiving spirits misleading so called spirit guides and mediums with half-truths and deceptions.
Thank you, Jesus, that you heard my prayer and accepted my challenge, and opened the eyes of my mind, heart, and spirit to the truth of your Word. WOW - Our God is an Awesome God... who gave us His Word, and TRUTH, the Bible! Shortly thereafter, all my books regarding eastern religions, meditation, astral travel, etc., were thrown into the trash where they belong. I now, finally, had a new focus, and one True Master - His name is Jesus! Jesus said that, "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). WOW, what a thought - IF Jesus is my teacher when I'm fully trained I can be like my teacher! From then on, Jesus became my teacher, and I now pay special attention to those red words in my Bible, because it's Jesus speaking to and teaching me. And that was a life changing encounter for me, as I really developed a passion for reading and studying the Bible, especially regarding the Book of Revelation and end time events, as well as signs and wonders.
In the months that followed, more dramatic changes came as well. Next, I met Pamela, who was also attending Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. The first thing that I noticed about Pamela was her love, and passion, for Jesus - very much like my sister, Kathy. Pamela and I started out as best friends, then came love, and a year later, marriage.
Shortly after our marriage we moved to Carbon Canyon and began attending
Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda, led by a charismatic pastor, John Wimber. And
it wasn't long before Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda changed its name to Vineyard
Christian Fellowship and moved into the Canyon High School Gym. WOW - what
a fun change this was. John Wimber was all about the gifts, and his main
focus at the time was the Gift of Healing. In terms of a spiritual journey,
going from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa to Vineyard Christian Fellowship was
like graduating from High School and going to College. With John we learned
all about what Jesus did. Then we practiced doing what Jesus did, and amazingly,
the healing miracles would occasionally occur - it was an awesome learning
experience. And the signs and wonders are still occuring from time to time.
"I tell you the truth, anyone
who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater
things than these, because I am going to the Father"
(Jn 4:12). This has been a very encouraging verse for me. Jesus is our Teacher,
our example, and if He says that we can do what He did, then we
can do what He did! Click here, or
on the "Signs & Wonders" button above
or below to read about miracles I have personally been involved in.
From Anaheim Vineyard we moved to Riverside and Riverside Vineyard, which dissolved into Moreno Valley Vineyard. We had several wonderful several years with Mike Maynard at Moreno Valley, who was an absolutely awesome worship leader - Moreno Valley Vineyard had the best worship that I ever experienced. From Mike (as well as John Wimber) I also learned the importance of small groups, and how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and most importantly how to NOT quench what the Spirit was doing. Our time at Moreno Valley Vineyard was the most rewarding regarding my Christian experience and growth. Thanks Mike and friends.
After many years up in Northern California, we recently had to say good bye to Rex and Annie Lynch who left our small church here to go suffer in Hawaii, with YWAM ministries. Rex is one of the best Bible teachers I've had the pleasure of listening to, and besides Mike Maynard, is one of the most humble pastors I've had of the pleasure of knowing. Rex, like Mike, spent time growing under John Wimber in Anaheim, and as such, acquired some of Jesus DNA from through John. I met Rex and Annie at a time when I was wrestling with a religious spirit, and losing badly. They were very instrumental in helping to overcome and raise me from the dead. Thanks Rex and Annie.
And now, after many Churches and Vineyards of different flavors, we are at a place in our lives where we are really enjoying the Home Church movement. The programs, control, and manipulation of Organized Christianity is embarrassing to me. The Organized Church seems to have lost it's focus on who the TRUE leader of the Church, the Body of Christ, is. Our leader is Jesus, through the Holy Spirit and His Word. “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions... Thus you nullify the Word of God by your traditions that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:9, 13) This verse is even more true today then when Jesus first spoke it - much more so. I firmly believe that the next major move of the Holy Spirit will be in the Home Church environment. One thing that I have noticed already in the home setting is that when the Holy Spirit starts to move there's no "organized leader" who's quick to quench the move. Jesus is FREE to express Himself through any and all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit! We all know dozens of people who have left "The Church" for various reasons. But now they are starting to fellowship together in their own small groups or Home Church settings. No programs or agenda's - just fellowship, worship, study, freedom and more - as led by the Holy Spirit, in a quench free environment! Perfect? Perhaps not, but as Jesus says, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Mt 18:19) We don't all need a seminary graduate, or pastor, to tell us what Word of God is REALLY saying - just read the Word and believe, and the Holy Spirit is fully capable of doing the rest - if given the chance.
As a side bar, I must warn all readers here, that I am, absolutely, and without any doubt, the world's foremost expert on my personal opinion! And that's just what this web site is: a full expression of my personal opinion. The Bible, through my eyes and as I read and understand (or misunderstand) it. My views, beliefs and theories although not as everchanging as they once were. And my christian experiences, as good, bad, and ugly as always. My collection of notes just started out as a reluctant hobby in the mid 90's as very few others were teaching about a partial rapture theory, and none of the main stream end time teachers that I was aware of. In 2000 I started my first web site, but not until 2004 did the web site start to become an ebook. Over the years the web site has never been much more than a hobby. Or, perhaps because it's just hard kicking against the goads. Recently, now though, some very dear prophetic ones have been encouraging me to bring the web site up to date and finish it becuase they are convinced that God has this as part of my destiny. Honestly, sharing my ideas and web site and ideas with hundreds of family, christian friends and acqaintances over the years since then, only two people, that I am aware of, have read the web site from beginning to end and given me positive and encouraging feedback. (Thank you, Tom & Eric) These ideas certainly go against the stream of most believers, and perhaps others are just waiting for me to finish it, but with all that is on my mind, this ebook will never be finished, but rather, constantly updated. And to those I have offended through this site I can only say that I apologize, I am sorry that you are offended; but, I can not change my views - what I write is what I believe - What I am saying needs to be said! Perhaps toned down somewhat, but said none the less. (As Pamela might say, I've always been Trumpish?) At least for now, I'm going active again and this relunctant hobby of mine is becoming a little more serious. As far as a destiny, good or bad, only time will tell. Again, what's being said here neeeds to be said. If the REAL big time religious leaders were saying what needs to be said, then I wouldn't need to be the outlandish and foolish one. But I suspect that many of them may be more concerned about their 501c3 non profit status. Truth will prevail, and wickedness will fail. And prayerfully, very soon...
Acknowledgements
Early on, I also discovered the importance of having trustworthy men in my life, to whom I would be accountable regarding my walk with Christ. For the last seven years or so, I've met weekly at the Cosmic Cafe with an awesome man of God and my good friend, Eric Lamb. We discuss our inner most thoughts and struggles when appropriate for accountability and prayer. Sometimes our discussion is regarding, "How the Church ought to be," and at other times our topic might be Astro physics, time travel, chemistry, DNA, etc. and how these topics relate to the God of the Bible. Before Eric I had a wonderful relationship with "Big Ed" Shelton, who is now with the Lord. Ed knew the Holy Spirit like no one that I have ever met before or since. Prior to Ed I met with Bob Stanton, a great friend from Emmaus and one of the wisest men I have ever known. Kevin Bird and Larry Shea are two men that although I don't see them all that often because of distance, when we do get together it's like the years in between are like just a few hours. And now, once again, I am greatfully blessed to have Kevin Bird back in my life locally. Kevin, now a retired Vineyard pastor, a true worship leader with a pastor's heart and passion for God's people that's second to none. I first met Kevin, and his wonderful wife Anne, just after Pamela and I were married. I can still remember our early get togethers with Kevin and Anne, wonderful fellowship, great worship, and discussions about the way church ought to be; and three and a half decades later, little has changed.Another wonderful Man of God I've come to love and respect during the last ten years becuse of his kowledge of Signs and Wonders and the way the church ought to be is my brother-in-law Tom Kill. I cherish these wonderful God fearing men and the awesome guidance and council that I have received from them over the years. Thanks guys, for being there and holding me accountable, and for helping me to shape my thoughts and this eBook as well.
Mrs. Wonderful, Pamela, who's Theory of Everything = God, singer, dancer, worshiper, waterfall chaser, and my best friend forever, biggest supporter and harshest critic, the love and inspiration of my life, my wonderful wife and mother of my children, chief cook and bottle washer, and SoulMate, and without her this would just be a thought; yes that's My Pameluv...
And of course, Kendra and Jim, Nathan and Elizabeth, I absolutely could not be more proud of who you are than I am...
... With Mrs. Wonderful
Seven Day Prayer Walk around California Capitol...