“You will remember what needs to be remembered—the perfect has come.” The angel squeezed his shoulder. “It was the nature of the beast, so to speak. It was a war down there. Much confusion, many traps. You had an enemy that was out to destroy. We helped and protected you where we could.”

Yes, there was a new thought pattern. Only good things came to mind. Good vibrations. Other thoughts fizzled out and he couldn’t place them in context, but there was no concern because he knew adjustments were taking place in his mind. It was like this new body was being tuned in to another world. Well, it was.

“In many ways, your thoughts were in a battle with thoughts that were not your own. Such thoughts and whispers were planted by the unseen enemy, who delighted in hurting others. Know that those who have been hurt and found the Lord have also been healed. Your memories of each other will not include bitterness or resentment. They are emotions God did not bring. Your mind no longer entertains such thoughts. Those who plant such thoughts, and the things that make you susceptible to such thoughts, are not in this kingdom. The negative thoughts trying to enter your mind are mere memory fragments. They will soon be erased completely as your mind is restored and renewed.”

Wow, the workings of the mind. Jack looked around the eatery. Everyone he could see looked content. He knew his angel referred to things that opened up the mind to the evil in the world. The drugs, the alcohol, all eagerly embraced by a lost world in search of meaning. In search of love. What was going to happen next in this amazing place? He sensed movement under his arm, so he raised the arm to see words displaying on the table.

Information graphics displayed various quotes.

The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

As we move away from the city to your places of resident normality will return. No need to record or note time. When light shuts down for the day, sleep. When light returns, awake. Your body will be in tune.

Your place of abode has been prepared for you. You will soon travel there. You will all be busy. Some will be building ancient ruins, some building cities, some building nations. You will be busy. There are crops to plant, vineyards to be cared for. God knows your calling, your gifts. Many did not find this in their old life. It will soon be revealed to you. Contentment will be yours. The curse has been removed.

The ancient prophets are here, the apostles are here, the saints are here. In time, this will all make sense. Your senses can’t be overwhelmed by what God has planned.

You will be able to walk the streets, walk the nature paths, hike. Ride a bicycle if you wish, ride horses if you wish, steer a boat if you wish, drive a vehicle if you wish.

What power source did vehicles in this new world use? He looked forward to digging deeper in understanding even about how his new body was powered. He let his imagination run wild. Perhaps were cars powered by their own cells. Adventus had travelled a vast distance. What was Adventus’s power source?

He looked again at the large tree. He was told it was for the healing of the nations. Warfare had ended. Conflict had ended.

They were now clothed in God. So different, so good.

43 - Different pathways

Thomas Wiley made his way back to Noosa after being released from the correctional centre. He felt for the police officers who believed he belonged behind bars, not on the street. The looks on their faces said it all. But Wiley suspected the magistrate was a member of one of the local chapters, so had no surprise in being let off with a short stint in the centre. Besides, he felt like a new person. A change had come over him. He couldn’t explain, but he’d had a change of heart. His dad put him up in a converted garage at the rear of his house.

Wiley hadn’t been sleeping well. He’d been lying in bed talking to God and fighting off demons—which turned out to be possums screeching during their battles with other possums. He imagined demon warfare would sound similar. The dark circles under his eyes told him he needed to deal with the possums sooner rather than later.

Sheila lived nearby, and he’d visited a few times. He currently sat in her kitchen, having one of her remedial herbal teas—chamomile, fresh from the garden. He sipped his tea as he watched her gather other delights from her garden. The tea was already working—he felt good. He folded his arms on the table and used them as a pillow for his head. The rotating washing machine vibrated the timber table and up through his arms added a further calming effect. He closed his eyes.

He reflected on the time he was under the table with Sheila. The earthquake, the realisation she’d turned in the direction of Jesus, his feeling about that. But things had changed.

He opened his eyes. Odd. Sheila was talking with someone in the garden. He stood up and walked over to the window and looked in her direction. He still couldn’t see anyone. She turned her head toward the house and gave Wiley a smile. A strange smile. Her eyes were watery. He heard a loud noise, an unusual sound, almost like a trumpet.

Sheila vanished.

He rushed to the door as the huge shadow came over the yard. He stepped out, looked up, fell to his knees, and punched the damp grass with his fists. He had returned.

What was going on? Had he been dreaming? Was he still dreaming?

Slowly standing, he looked up at Adventus. It was moving gracefully, with shafts of light shooting up as it passed. Was this the gathering of believers in the sky he’d heard about?

Sheila had talked to him about the Passover. It had seemed relevant at the time seeing Easter was upon them. He’d brought up the topics of aura glasses and green people. Sheila compared the green people to the blood painted on the Israelite’s doorframes, a seal or marking for the believer. The green people were being collected.

He went back inside, and the loneliness overcame him. He sat down closed his eyes and placed his head in the palms of his hand. Tears came to his eyes. He wanted to sleep. To escape.

He has returned. Jesus has returned.

Wiley’s eyes were heavy. He sensed a presence, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Dad!

He needed to be with his dad. He opened his eyes, stood up and rushed out of Sheila’s house. He paused and looked back at the house. Was there someone there? No time to ponder, he just wanted to run.

* * *

The linear notion of time needed to be suppressed while everyone was collected. At least, that was how the guardian angel explained it to Jack. His detective mind kicked in. Did time exist in the New Earth? He had no idea how long they’d been in their new environment. His watch was frozen at the time they entered the gates.

The mountains were still crystal clear. The Lord was sitting on the throne, surrounded by praising people. This would go on for eternity. Jack looked forward to the day when he could be in the front row, but there was no pressure. When would this day end? That was why his mind was on time.

Time. Humanity measured everything by time. He looked at his watch again. A mechanical thing, just ticking away. Well, it had been. Time had controlled their lives. God obviously had another measurement in mind, perhaps something that had more to do with the sun, moon, and stars.

Catherine walked over. “Well, my friend. It’s all pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

“It is.” He tapped his watch. “Of no use now.”

“Who knows? Sunrise. Sunset. Maybe we’re getting back to the basics. Someone once told me that month was a mispronunciation of the word moon. And there could be some hints in the connection between Sunday and even Saturday and elements of the solar system.”

He looked forward to when it all will be revealed. Best let his detective mind rest for now—too many questions.

His guardian angel approached them. “Hello, Cath. I’m Leo, Jack’s guardian angel.” Leo nodded in Jacks direction. “He was hoping to rest his detective mind but not yet. May I show you some things?”

“Of course.”

They found themselves in a room—a room like no other. The walls were white and appeared to be giving off their own light source. The floor was the colour of sand. There were minimal furnishings—just chairs and a small table. The walls to the left and right were covered in white shelving, with narrow rows and columns housing items emitting a mixture of colours.

A bearded person walked in wearing a panama hat, white shirt, and canvas shorts.

“Jack, Cath. I would like you both to meet Ollie Fernshaw.”

After the greetings, Leo spoke. “Ollie is another guardian angel.”

“I imagine there are quite a few of you.” Jack had come to realise that they were all spiritual beings, with the body giving form to the spirit. A tent, some liked to call it.

Ollie grabbed a chair. “There are many of us, Jack. And you and Catherine are now in that category as well.”

That comment just added to the confusion of the room.

“This room is known as a ‘capture room’. It is one of many,” Leo said. “These rooms store the life record of every person that lived. Every thought, word, action, and deed are captured and recorded and stored. The storage mechanism is similar to the human brain. It has an immense capacity and is connected to the Books.”

“Jack, you have shown an interest in time.” Leo pointed to the front wall and ran his finger from left to right. A straight black line appeared on the length of wall. “That’s a timeline. Time does not exist here. We live outside of time, but we’re able to view history from beginning to end. And we are able to venture into that timeline at any point at God’s will. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Why was Leo telling him these things?

Leo smiled. He caught Jack’s thought. “You or Catherine may be one of those sent back. But we need to explain further.” Leo handed them a small device and pointed to his ear. “That device will enable you to not only hear but experience the thoughts and emotions of what you witness. It is like watching a movie—real-life movie clips.”