I came to know God after eight years of great turmoil which brought me to the edge at the age of 14. If you have been to the edge, you know what I mean. My family was in continuous trauma, physically and emotionally. There is more about that in the account of my conversion at the beginning of the book. Since then I have walked with God in evangelical and disciple-making ministries as a layman, during and after college. I received an accounting degree, with honors, from the University of Texas in Austin. My studies included Economics and many technical disciplines: Formal Logic, Business Law, Oil and Gas Law, Real Estate Law, Tax Law and Classical Greek. Although receiving understanding of the scriptures is a spiritual experience in the spiritual realm, Greek has been helpful in technical aspects of studying the scriptures, since the New Testament was written in Greek. My legal studies trained me in technical, precise, unbiased interpretation of wording in contracts, statutes and court opinions.
These disciplines have also been helpful in studying the scriptures in intimate contact and communication with my Lord as I practice Psalm 119:99, prayerfully meditating on entire books of the Bible, many times deep into the night, praying and meditating, praying and meditating, praying and meditating, over and over and over, again and again, sometimes forty times or more. So, when I hear a teaching about God which I haven't seen in scripture, I ask:
Where does it say that in the Bible?
Acts 17:11
While in college, I taught Bible studies in my secular fraternity. When I was involved in the food and beverage business, I made devotional tracts available to bartenders. I remember seeing one of the bartenders setting up in the morning with a devotional tract in her hand. She held it up and said, "This is how I get through the day."