In Pasco, Washington State, USA, 1945, on the day known as V-E Day (Victory in Europe), Ruth Richardson was born into a devout Christian family. In the fall of 1982, Ruth began reading the Bible. Turning to a diligent study, the search for truth became an obsession. Learning to trust God alone for answers, Ruth's only teacher became the Bible. Years passed. Rather than decreasing, the number of questions grew. Frustrated, pounding her fists on the desk, she screamed, "God, what's with your book? Your creation coordinates; there is a wondrous plan! There is harmony. But the Bible...? Furthermore, what's all this talk of Good News? - It seems you should have called it good/bad news." Expecting lightning to strike her down, Ruth braced for death. No Lightning! However, later she did suspect that God laughed. Determined to understand how it fit together, Ruth invested more years reading and studying the Bible. Finally giving up, she came to a place of comfort - that someday, she, along with millions of other persons with questions, would sit at Jesus' feet, waiting no longer for His answers; they would make sense and coordinate. Several weeks later, in the spring of 1992, the answers came to many of Ruth's questions. Now it made sense! Though profound, the information was, however, surprisingly unconventional. Studying the Bible for her benefit alone, she resented the thought that kept entering her mind, "Write what you know. You must share it with others." Refusing adamantly for many reasons, topping the list was - no one would believe her. "Absolutely not!" She would not attempt this daunting task - Ruth pleaded that this "assignment" be given to someone, anyone else! The request to compile the information persisted until, in January, 1993, Ruth finally relented and said, "I will try." Following a discussion of the responsibility and complexity of the task, a concerned friend, after leaving Ruth's home, said a prayer. Shortly after the friend's car left the driveway, another answer flashed into Ruth's mind - the solution to the mystery of the keys of God's kingdom, presented in chapter three. "The Camel We Christians Have Swallowed," representing twelve years of work, is available at your fingertips. If you have unanswered questions, whether you read the Bible or not, perhaps you will find and consider the unexpected. INTRODUCTION Bible scriptures flooded my waking mind. Scriptures previously presenting questions now linked together like pieces of a puzzle offering mind-boggling answers; the truth - no contradictions or inconsistencies. Rather than bad news for some people, the truth stood its ground as good news for everyone. Jesus said the truth sets us free. It does! The unexpected answers struck a profound chord. Expanding the borders within which Christians are taught to believe, this good news required exposing. Despite my early refusal to do this work, I realized that Christians worldwide question, seeing that truth can have no inconsistencies or contradictions. Must God's truth rest confined within such a framework? Inadequately expressing the wholeness of receiving a message from the Holy Spirit, the information on these printed pages is offered for your consideration; Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to teach and counsel those who ask. My goal is that the reader, understanding the guidelines by which the truth is recognized, will himself learn to listen to God's Spirit. Inviting it using an open heart and mind, the message speaks clearly. Believing it, the message is profound. Steeped in years of Bible study and contemplation, I learned to ask myself difficult questions and became willing to let Jesus reprimand not the Pharisees, Saducees, scribes, His disciples or others, but reprimand me. The same learning technique carries this work throughout; the title is no exception. "The Camel We Christians Have Swallow
