fate

The dictionary defines the word fate as, "The supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events," and "the inevitable events predestined by this force." It also says, "An event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future: the ultimate agency that predetermines the course of events."

There are many phrases that talk about fate, like, "Don't tempt fate," or, "That was a twist of fate," or, "She deserves a better fate," or, "That will certainly seal his fate." In Greek mythology, "The Fates" were three goddesses who controlled human destiny! I say, "No thank you!"

Fate is also described and referred to in other ways, like, "Well that was just meant to be", meaning that it was going to happen and that it was supposed to happen, and so that's why it happened. If you follow that logic you end up with the conclusion that whatever happens was meant to happen. But doesn't that take away all personal responsibility for your actions? Yes it does, and that's the point.

Suppose I decide to have a sandwich for lunch. Is that fate? Was it meant to be? As I eat that sandwich, am I to think that eating this sandwich right now is what was supposed to have happened? Some would say, "Yes."

But what if I took the bread out to make the sandwich, and then stopped and said, "Wait a minute - I think I'll have a salad instead." But the bread is already out and sitting there! Wasn't I meant to have a sandwich?

Which one was meant to be, the sandwich or the salad? There are some who would say that I was meant to get the bread out first, and then I was meant to change and go with the salad. For those who think like that, everything is just meant to be.

The problem with that kind of thinking and rationale is that it eliminates free will. It also eliminates any and all responsibility for your actions. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

No one is destined to be successful or destined to be a failure. Far too many people accept that their lives are dictated by fate. They say things like, "This is my lot in life; these are the cards that I've been dealt; I'm just a victim of circumstances and fate; this is all I can really expect in life." To all of that I say, "No, no, no!"

How can a child of the Creator of the universe go through life accepting things as they are, thinking that he cannot change them and just accepting that this is the way things are supposed to be?

Have you ever considered that if your "fate is sealed," you have no free will?!

If you have no free will then it really doesn't matter what you do, good or bad, because it is not your fault. It's what was supposed to have happened.

Are we all just robots?

The Creator gave each and every one of us free will to choose. Each one of us can decide what we want to believe and what we want to do. And, with His help, there's really no limit to what we can accomplish.

If anything is really "meant to be," it is that God wants us successful and blessed with the life that we have to live. He has lovingly provided all that we need. But, he also gave us free will to choose.

If we want to, we can accept "fate," or, we can choose to believe to have a great life.

You are in life today where you are because of what you have believed and accepted as true. You can change your circumstances by changing your thinking. You can choose to focus on the things that you do desire instead of settling for the way things are now.

The only other choice is to accept fate. If you accept fate, well then, good luck. You'll need it!

But where and when will this special someone appear? For all you may know, he or she could be just nearby or even just beside you. It all depends on fate a lot would say. Fate? Well fate is again, something that cannot be explained, something that is always so amazing. Think about it. Among the millions and millions of people who could be out there, why is it that you had somehow met your friends to later become the best of friends? Got retrenched, feeling so terrible and disappointed but to later find your love among your new colleagues in your new job? Life has just suddenly become so beautiful? Well, this is indeed a very true encounter of a friend of mine. Hmm... thinking about it, isn’t there also kind of a fate between you and me that you are actually reading this article right now? Everything is like all so miraculously arranged, having a reason behind every event that happened.

Do you believe in fate? Personally I definitely do. But again, are we really going to be just sitting around doing nothing, waiting for fate to just come by? Well, I wouldn’t think so. If you are not going to help yourself, who is going to? Fate has always been around us. As long as we are in places where there are people, presence it may be. Many at times, it had actually been there but somehow we just didn’t realized and cherished it when it was there. Sad to know of it, isn’t it so? Well, sometimes we were just too obsessed with our works, dreams and nevertheless too high an expectation that we missed to see it, to cherish that someone who was all along just beside us. It is only too late to realize it now, an opportunity won’t drop by twice. Your happiness lies in your own hand, don’t live your life a regret. I am sure you wanna have a life that is so full of fond memories than with tons of regrets, don’t you? Think about it.

Let us just open up ourselves shall we? Every day is a beautiful day, stop burying yourself with that tons of endless work. Make time for yourself, reach out, make more friends, make new friends, widen up your social circle, live a balanced healthy social life. Make life enjoyable; you will see things in a more different way. You might be going, “Hmm... why is it that all this while, I have never noticed that she is actually such a pretty girl.” Well, in fact this is how true love comes about. It doesn’t always have to be a love at first sight, to be attracted to his or her physical look. Sometimes it is through an initial friendship, enjoying the companion of one another that a long time, you discover the beauty of his or her inner human qualities, unknowingly falling in love with the person. Wouldn’t this be a more beautiful and meaningful love than to a love at first sight?

Remember, love has always been a game ever awaiting your participation. Just as in life, it is a game of chance; if you never try you can never win. Well if you did not find your love today, be disappointed do not. It is just like missing the last boat leaving the dock. There will always be another one to pick you up the next morning? And always will there be.

Now, another boat is getting ready to set off soon. To the land of great romance and opportunities it will sail. The question is, will you board it? Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to guides on romance, do please browse for more information at our websites.

As I recall, the year was 2000.

I was on stage in Boulder, Colorado at Jonathan Mizel's Internet marketing blowout.

You know, sometimes you just get in a zone. And that year, I reckon I was in one.

Zip back in time two weeks before.

I was sitting in a movie theater watching a flick on screen that initially I didn't want to see. You see, it wasn't in English and you had to read subtitles the whole movie.

But everyone raved about this movie. The social proof was overwhelming. So there I sat.

Eyes glued to the screen.

Mesmerized.

The movie was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. And the most important part of the movie was the end. It left you breathless in more ways than one.

Fast forward 2 weeks. I'm back in front of the room of Jonathan's seminar. Doing a rendition of all the stupid marketing mistakes I've made in my life.

And talking about the path to becoming a marketing Ninja. Mixing that with flying through the air like they do in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Well, not exactly. When you're 6' 4 1/2", you don't exactly fly through the air. It's a speech that is now infamous.

Anyway, the audience was in total stitches. Falling on the floor laughing. That was ALSO the speech in which I revealed that Sandford Wallace told me over dinner he gets his best ideas in the shower.

Come to find out later, a LOT of people get their best ideas there.

Anyway, in the middle of the speech, two people get up and walk out. They thought it was the worst speech they'd ever heard in their lives!

For others, they sat mesmerized. I got a standing ovation for what it's worth.

Later, out in the hall, I was talking to a guy. I guess you could call it a chance meeting.

We chatted a bit and I told this person (I don't remember the conversation in retrospect) that all they needed was self confidence. They had all the talent they needed.

I could tell this from a brief chat. He had all the talent in the world. All he needed was confidence.

Later that person became a really, really well-known Internet marketing -- one of the best.

His name I'm proud to say is Jim Edwards.

For the record, I'm NOT taking any credit for Jim's success, other than that I was at the right place at the right time with a word of encouragement a very talented person needed.

Now, what if Jim hadn't gone to the seminar? What if he'd not spent the time or the money. What if he'd not gone because "the speakers sell products and do pitches" (God forbid THAT anyone should sell anything at a marketing seminar...the GALL!)

But Jim Edwards took a chance. He went. And Jim would tell you that a chance meeting and a few well-chosen words in the hall changed in his life that day.

I swear Jim'd tell you that if'n you asked him.

Thing is, that speech wasn't video taped. There's no record of it. You know, at seminars, often the most important things don't happen on stage.

They aren't video taped.

They're the people you meet. The things you hear. The things you say to others.

I'm pretty much an ordinary guy. Not much different than you other than I only work about 30 minutes a day most days, depending on what you call work.

I spend my time doing what I personally enjoy. Which is reading and learning. I'm not a millionaire (I don't work hard enough for that.) But I make more money than most.

But I have a good life. And a good living. I have control over my fate. Freedom to do the things I want. And a few good friends I've met along the way.

This is a good business.

I recommend it to you.

Best wishes, Marlon Sanders

P.P.S. In a strange twist of fate, Jim has given me some GREAT ideas for my business.

What goes around comes around.

If you want to get your hands on some great ideas for your business just head on over to: http://GetYourProfits.Com

Will you create negative karma if you leave your marriage? Some may say that you have an obligation to stay married for your children. We disagree because we feel children know when their parents are unhappy together, and a divorce, when handled with compassion, unconditional love, and responsibility, can be the best for all involved.

Divorce, itself is not terrible, but the way divorce is too often handled can be. Considering the story-book fairy tales of relationships and marriage, breaking up is the end of the world. Alternatively, if you perceive divorce as a natural part of a relationship that was destined to end, such a transition can be peaceful and tolerable. Since traditional marriage and divorce are man-made concepts rather than spiritual ones, negative karma isn’t created from the act of divorce, but the through the negative ways people act before, during and after the process of divorce.

In case you’re concerned that you’ve failed if you leave your marriage, consider the following excerpt we’ve included below from our book, Your Love Life and Reincarnation, chapter 12, How Do You Know When to Leave (http://www.holisticmakeover.com/about_the_book.htm):

When a relationship ends, it’s often called a “failed relationship.” This implies that it was supposed to last forever, no matter what, and if it ends before one partner dies, there is something wrong with one or both of them. This belief is unreasonable yet surprisingly common. Not all relationships are meant to last forever—or even six months, for that matter. When people try to force a relationship to meet their expectations instead of allowing it to be what it’s meant to be, the result will be unhappiness and stress. The length of time a relationship lasts is irrelevant. What really matters is how we treat and react to our partners and what is learned and accomplished in the process, which is why we, on a soul level, choose the relationships that we do.

Copyright © Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo

Scott Petullo and Stephen Petullo are identical twins and have been exploring metaphysics since the early 1980’s. They are experts in the fields of prediction, personal fate, love life, and past life regression and are natural psychics and mediums. Get their free report: 13 Spiritual and New Age Myths and 11 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Psychic. http://www.mystictwins.com http://www.holisticmakeover.com http://www.scottpetullo.com Free Report: 13 Spiritual and New Age Myths and 11 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Psychic at www.MYSTICTWINS.COM

God created the world in seven days. On the fifth day He created the first man, Adam. He shaped Adam out of the earth and breathed spiritual Life into him. That is how God will set His Seal upon you.

God will shape the Seal upon your forehead out of the earth too. That is because God will plant a little blessed garden in you, much like the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve fell.

The garden of the Seal is the place for a single wheat Seed to be sown. That first wheat Seed is Jesus Christ Himself. He will grow up out of your soul until He bears Fruit, and when He does you will have two choices.

The Fruit Jesus bears is the Fruit of Judgment. It is the Fruit of the determining of your eternal fate. There is the Fruit which will give you eternal Life in Heaven forever. And there is the Fruit that will send you to an eternal death.

This is like the choice Adam and Eve were faced with. There was the Tree of Life which would offer them Life. And there was the tree with the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil--the Forbidden Fruit.

Those were the two special trees Adam and Eve could choose from. The fruit of the Tree of Life was available to freely eat from and it offered a blessed eternal Life for them.

Then there was the Forbidden Fruit. They were forbidden to eat it or even touch it. They were to remain intangent, not touching that fruit or eating it. If they even touched it they soon would be tempted to eat it.

Jesus bears the Fruit of Judgment when He grows up in your garden where you are sealed. This does not mean that you become judgmental of any people. No. It means that you exercise caution when you reap the harvest.

Because the Fruit of Blessing which will choose a person with his or her works and bring that person up to Heaven is the Fruit you seek from Jesus. But the Fruit of Condemnation is intangent--you are not to touch that.

You are not to condemn people and you are not to teach people to condemn anyone. Furthermore you are not to lead anybody into the kind of sin they can be condemned for, or teach them any such thing.

The Fruit of Condemnation is intangent. You are not to do it or teach it and you are not to even learn it. You do not need to know anything about how other people lightly condemn anyone.

But there is much Fruit of Blessing you can eat of and share with other people. This Fruit is not guarded by intangency. This is the Fruit from Heaven and the Fruit that shall return to Heaven.

Some people have sinned too much and God will condemn them. You are intangent when it comes to their sin. You do not sin like that. And you are intangent when it comes to judging them. You do not condemn them.

When you are sealed Jesus will bear the two kinds of Fruit in you--Blessing and Condemnation just like the two fruits Adam and Eve could choose in the garden. The condemnation is intangent but the blessings are yours when you receive the Seal.

And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and "Get God's 'Seal of Approval' and Get the Victory Over Evil" Jason Witt

Comparative Study between the Bible versus the Quran (34) , the second part.
Chapter by Chapter and Verse by Verse;
(Chapter 34:1-10)

The Old Testament Verses from 1-10 are talking about the love story that ended up with mass murder and mass destruction of his entire country.
The New Testament Verses from 1-10 are talking about Jesus' brothers and sisters and His commandments to the disciples that no one is following nowadays!
The Noble Quran Verses from 1-10 are talking about many subjects, e.g. 1) Who is Allah?, 2) The Faith and Fate of the Believers, 3) The Faith and Fate of the Disbelievers, 4) What The Jews who have the knowledge said about the Quran, 5) The Honored King David, 6) Two Modern Scientific Subjects etc.
=========

The Noble Quran:

Chapter 34 in the Noble Quran is composed of 54 verses.
Verses from 1-10 are talking about many subjects, e.g. 1) Who is Allah?, 2) The Faith and Fate of the Believers, 3) The Faith and Fate of the Disbelievers, 4) What The Jews who have the knowledge said about the Quran, 5) The Honored King David, 6) Two Modern Scientific Subjects etc.
----------
Know your Creator, Who is Allah?

1) Praise be to Allah, He is kind to His creation
2) Unto Him belonged whatsoever of created beings which are in the heavens and in the earth
3) His is the praise for his favor in the Hereafter upon the dwellers of Paradise in the heaven,
4) He is the Wise in His command and decree; He commanded that none should be worshipped save Him,
5) He is the Aware; He knows His created beings as well as their works.
6) He knows that which go down into the earth of rain, water, dead people and treasures and He knows what comes forth from it of plants, water, treasures etc., (- 7) He knows, also, that which descend from the heaven of rain, sustenance and other things and that which ascend into it of angels and guardian angels who carry the scrolls of the servants.
8) He is the Merciful towards the believers,
9) He is the Forgiving; He forgives whoever repents.
10) He is the Knower of the Unseen, He knows what is hidden from people.
----------
The Faith and Fate of the Believers:

Allah will reward those who believe in Muhammad and in the Quran and do good works between them and their Lord.
For them is pardon, their sins are pardoned in the life of this world and a fair reward in the Hereafter when they dwell the Paradise for eternity.
----------
The Faith and Fate of the Disbelievers:

1) The disbelievers say: The Hour will never come unto us.
Say to them, O Muhammad: Nay, by my Lord Allah swore by Himself, the Hour is coming unto mankind surely.
2) The disbelievers denied the afterlife and mocked Muhammad and said to the lowly among people: Shall we show you a man who will tell you that when you have become dispersed in dust (after death) still, even then) Muhammad claims you will be created anew; the spirit will be given back to us after death?
3) The disbelievers said: Muhammad either has invented a lie concerning Allah, or is there in him madness?)
Allah said: Nay, but those who disbelieve in resurrection after death are in torment in the Hereafter and far error from the Truth and guidance in the life of this world.
4) Have the disbelievers not observed the creation of the heavens and earth? If Allah will, Allah can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them) and thus destroy them. This kind of punishment, if we will to do it, is a potent sign for those who understand and for every servant who turns to Allah (repentant) and who hastens to Allah and to His obedience.
5) Those who deny Muhammad and the Quran, will not escape Allah's punishment, theirs will be a painful doom of wrath and they will have a severe chastisement.
----------
What the Jews who have the knowledge said about the Quran?

Those who have been given knowledge; the knowledge of the Torah, i.e. "Abdullah Ben Salam", the great Jewish rabbi, and his followers see that the Quran is revealed from Allah and realize that the Quran is the Truth and leads unto the path of the Mighty and guides to the religion of He Who is Mighty in retribution against those who do not believe in Him.
----------
The Honored King David:
Allah gave David grace, kingship and prophet hood. Allah commanded the mountains and the birds echo his psalms of praise hymn Allah's praise with David!
Allah also made the iron supple unto him) doing with it as he pleased.
----------
The Two Modern Scientific Subjects:

1) There are no straight lines in space but the lines are geodesics.

Verse Two says that Allah knows all that comes down from the heavens and all that ascends (Araga in the present tense) thereto
The verb "Araga" indicates irregular lines that are by no means straight; i.e. the lines are geodesics
For more details, Read my article: "Space Travel: Straight or Geodesics? In Bible and Quran"

2) The Atomic Weight and the Subatomic Weight

Verse Three says that Allah knows the unseen - from who is not hidden the least little atom's weight in the Heavens or on earth: nor is there anything less than that. Hence, the Quran is the first book On Earth which mentions 1) The Atom, 2) The Atomic weight and 3) The subatomic weight.
No book before the Quran mentioned these three topics together.
For more details, Read my article: "The Atomic Weight and the Subatomic Weight in the Bible and Quran"

Think about WHO told Muhammad about these two Modern Scientific Subjects That are known recently and are of course not mentioned in the Bible?!
----------

[1] Praise be to Allah, to Whom belong all things in the heavens and on earth: to Him be Praise in the Hereafter: and He is Full of Wisdom, acquainted with all things.
[2] He knows all that goes into the earth, and all that comes out thereof: all that comes down from the heavens and all that ascends (Araga in the present tense) thereto and He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving.
[3] The Unbelievers say, "Never to us will come the Hour": say, "Nay! but most surely, by my Lord, it will come upon you; - by Him Who knows the unseen - from Whom is not hidden the least little atom's weight in the Heavens or on earth: nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but is in the Record Perspicuous: [4] That He may reward those who believe and work deeds of righteousness: for such is Forgiveness and a Sustenance Most Generous."
[5] But those who strive against Our Signs, to frustrate them, - for such will be a Penalty - a Punishment Most humiliating.
[6] And those to whom knowledge has come see that the (Revelation) sent down to thee from thy Lord, that is the Truth, and that it guides to the Path of the Exalted (in Might), Worthy of all praise.
[7] The Unbelievers say (in ridicule): "Shall we point out to you a man that will tell you, when ye are all scattered to pieces in disintegration, that ye shall (then be raised) in a New Creation?
[8] "Has he invented a falsehood against Allah, or has a spirit (seized) him?"Nay, it is those who believe not in the Hereafter that are in (real) Penalty, and in farthest Error.
[9] See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).
[10] We bestowed Grace Aforetime on David from Ourselves: "O ye Mountains! Sing ye back the Praises of Allah with him! And ye birds (also)! And We made the iron soft for him;
=========

Back to the main issue of my series of articles; this is my question to you smart readers: "Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?"

Comparative Study between the Bible versus the Quran (34) , the second part.
Chapter by Chapter and Verse by Verse;
(Chapter 34:1-10)

The Old Testament Verses from 1-10 are talking about the love story that ended up with mass murder and mass destruction of his entire country.
The New Testament Verses from 1-10 are talking about Jesus' brothers and sisters and His commandments to the disciples that no one is following nowadays!
The Noble Quran Verses from 1-10 are talking about many subjects, e.g. 1) Who is Allah?, 2) The Faith and Fate of the Believers, 3) The Faith and Fate of the Disbelievers, 4) What The Jews who have the knowledge said about the Quran, 5) The Honored King David, 6) Two Modern Scientific Subjects etc.
=========

The Noble Quran:

Chapter 34 in the Noble Quran is composed of 54 verses.
Verses from 1-10 are talking about many subjects, e.g. 1) Who is Allah?, 2) The Faith and Fate of the Believers, 3) The Faith and Fate of the Disbelievers, 4) What The Jews who have the knowledge said about the Quran, 5) The Honored King David, 6) Two Modern Scientific Subjects etc.
----------
Know your Creator, Who is Allah?

1) Praise be to Allah, He is kind to His creation
2) Unto Him belonged whatsoever of created beings which are in the heavens and in the earth
3) His is the praise for his favor in the Hereafter upon the dwellers of Paradise in the heaven,
4) He is the Wise in His command and decree; He commanded that none should be worshipped save Him,
5) He is the Aware; He knows His created beings as well as their works.
6) He knows that which go down into the earth of rain, water, dead people and treasures and He knows what comes forth from it of plants, water, treasures etc., (- 7) He knows, also, that which descend from the heaven of rain, sustenance and other things and that which ascend into it of angels and guardian angels who carry the scrolls of the servants.
8) He is the Merciful towards the believers,
9) He is the Forgiving; He forgives whoever repents.
10) He is the Knower of the Unseen, He knows what is hidden from people.
----------
The Faith and Fate of the Believers:

Allah will reward those who believe in Muhammad and in the Quran and do good works between them and their Lord.
For them is pardon, their sins are pardoned in the life of this world and a fair reward in the Hereafter when they dwell the Paradise for eternity.
----------
The Faith and Fate of the Disbelievers:

1) The disbelievers say: The Hour will never come unto us.
Say to them, O Muhammad: Nay, by my Lord Allah swore by Himself, the Hour is coming unto mankind surely.
2) The disbelievers denied the afterlife and mocked Muhammad and said to the lowly among people: Shall we show you a man who will tell you that when you have become dispersed in dust (after death) still, even then) Muhammad claims you will be created anew; the spirit will be given back to us after death?
3) The disbelievers said: Muhammad either has invented a lie concerning Allah, or is there in him madness?)
Allah said: Nay, but those who disbelieve in resurrection after death are in torment in the Hereafter and far error from the Truth and guidance in the life of this world.
4) Have the disbelievers not observed the creation of the heavens and earth? If Allah will, Allah can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them) and thus destroy them. This kind of punishment, if we will to do it, is a potent sign for those who understand and for every servant who turns to Allah (repentant) and who hastens to Allah and to His obedience.
5) Those who deny Muhammad and the Quran, will not escape Allah's punishment, theirs will be a painful doom of wrath and they will have a severe chastisement.
----------
What the Jews who have the knowledge said about the Quran?

Those who have been given knowledge; the knowledge of the Torah, i.e. "Abdullah Ben Salam", the great Jewish rabbi, and his followers see that the Quran is revealed from Allah and realize that the Quran is the Truth and leads unto the path of the Mighty and guides to the religion of He Who is Mighty in retribution against those who do not believe in Him.
----------
The Honored King David:
Allah gave David grace, kingship and prophet hood. Allah commanded the mountains and the birds echo his psalms of praise hymn Allah's praise with David!
Allah also made the iron supple unto him) doing with it as he pleased.
----------
The Two Modern Scientific Subjects:

1) There are no straight lines in space but the lines are geodesics.

Verse Two says that Allah knows all that comes down from the heavens and all that ascends (Araga in the present tense) thereto
The verb "Araga" indicates irregular lines that are by no means straight; i.e. the lines are geodesics
For more details, Read my article: "Space Travel: Straight or Geodesics? In Bible and Quran"

2) The Atomic Weight and the Subatomic Weight

Verse Three says that Allah knows the unseen - from who is not hidden the least little atom's weight in the Heavens or on earth: nor is there anything less than that. Hence, the Quran is the first book On Earth which mentions 1) The Atom, 2) The Atomic weight and 3) The subatomic weight.
No book before the Quran mentioned these three topics together.
For more details, Read my article: "The Atomic Weight and the Subatomic Weight in the Bible and Quran"

Think about WHO told Muhammad about these two Modern Scientific Subjects That are known recently and are of course not mentioned in the Bible?!
----------

[1] Praise be to Allah, to Whom belong all things in the heavens and on earth: to Him be Praise in the Hereafter: and He is Full of Wisdom, acquainted with all things.
[2] He knows all that goes into the earth, and all that comes out thereof: all that comes down from the heavens and all that ascends (Araga in the present tense) thereto and He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving.
[3] The Unbelievers say, "Never to us will come the Hour": say, "Nay! but most surely, by my Lord, it will come upon you; - by Him Who knows the unseen - from Whom is not hidden the least little atom's weight in the Heavens or on earth: nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but is in the Record Perspicuous: [4] That He may reward those who believe and work deeds of righteousness: for such is Forgiveness and a Sustenance Most Generous."
[5] But those who strive against Our Signs, to frustrate them, - for such will be a Penalty - a Punishment Most humiliating.
[6] And those to whom knowledge has come see that the (Revelation) sent down to thee from thy Lord, that is the Truth, and that it guides to the Path of the Exalted (in Might), Worthy of all praise.
[7] The Unbelievers say (in ridicule): "Shall we point out to you a man that will tell you, when ye are all scattered to pieces in disintegration, that ye shall (then be raised) in a New Creation?
[8] "Has he invented a falsehood against Allah, or has a spirit (seized) him?"Nay, it is those who believe not in the Hereafter that are in (real) Penalty, and in farthest Error.
[9] See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).
[10] We bestowed Grace Aforetime on David from Ourselves: "O ye Mountains! Sing ye back the Praises of Allah with him! And ye birds (also)! And We made the iron soft for him;
=========

Back to the main issue of my series of articles; this is my question to you smart readers: "Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?"

Our research tells us that we choose our paths (especially the key players and major events) before incarnating. However, when we say "we" we mean our souls. Once we're here on earth, "we" operate from our personalities. We as personalities have free will to make certain choices (the "right" one may be predestined and therefore feel right), but what we want isn't always for our highest good and the highest good of all involved. No matter what you or your loved one consciously wanted, his or her soul had already made the decision to leave in the case of an unexpected death in the family, for example.

Pre-set circumstances in each of our lives are necessary to learn important lessons. If we all had complete free will in life, we would skip the otherwise unavoidable challenges and miss the point of being here on earth. Comprehensive numerology and astrology offer tremendous support for the theory that a great deal is predestined in our lives; conditions, opportunities, challenges, rewards, and more are consistently identified well before they manifest. These and other ancient esoteric sciences offer priceless personality, compatibility and timing insight.

Further research about predestination can be found in the fascinating books written by Michael Newton, PhD. Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls explain how our souls plan key circumstances and situations before incarnating on Earth.

From an earthly perspective, it's not easy to embrace challenging life circumstances. Detaching from what you want (especially if you're not absolutely certain it's part of your highest path) and accepting and embracing "what is" makes life much more tolerable. Yes, death is always difficult to accept, but from a higher perspective, there is no good or bad, just experiences to learn from. It's been said that a true mystic views a diamond no different than he/she views a pebble. The mystic also accepts that this life is just a sentence in the text of earthly incarnations.

Copyright © Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo

Scott Petullo and Stephen Petullo are identical twins and have been exploring metaphysics since the early 1980’s. They are experts in the fields of prediction, personal fate, love life, and past life regression and are natural psychics and mediums. Get their free report: 13 Spiritual and New Age Myths and 11 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Psychic. http://www.mystictwins.com http://www.holisticmakeover.com http://www.scottpetullo.com free report: 13 Spiritual and New Age Myths and 11 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Psychic at www.MYSTICTWINS.COM

Recently seen in the WSJ In the $36 billion dollar beer market, the brand strength of an American beer is sometimes its most powerful "reason-to-buy." The Wall Street Journal recently had this to say about the Stroh Brewery, the nation's fourth largest brewer, now being sold off: "The sale of Stroh, a 149-year-old Detroit brewer that was once a strong contender in the beer market, is the result of poor brand management in a flat market, distributors said.... It [Stroh] didn't take advantage of its strong regional brands...." Tempting fate The above story doesn't just happen overnight. For every right thing a brand can do, it can also take as many actions that simply don't contribute anything worthwhile to a brand's presence, personality, strength and, ultimately, its sales.

Let's briefly review some identity basics. Any company, product or service has an image. So... What is image? It's the public perception, not what the company, product or service is, but how it is perceived. It lives, or doesn't, in the mind of your public. What creates this image? Everything from packaging to identity-these being the messengers affecting the marketplace's perception. PR and word-of-mouth are also soldiers in this battlefield. What is identity? Not to be confused with "corporate identity" or "brand identity," identity is how the company, product or service really is, before its message has ever been exported into the marketplace, i.e., your consumer's mind and senses. What is branding? These are the collective actions-design, packaging, message, color, personality, media-taken by a company, product or service to create its image. Not done pro-actively, the brand "just happens." This is where "brand management" mentioned in the above article comes into play.

To better manage your brand's "fate," we've compiled a checklist for anyone managing, or affecting, the building of a brand. Basically a "things-not-to-do" checklist, the "Seven Deadly Sins of Branding," should help make any branding efforts succeed with greater ease. Sin #1: The superior product fixation In our global marketplace, the apparent differences between products has reached an all-time pinnacle of grey, meaning the differences aren't so black and white. So he who gets to the market first and stays present (and with online media increasing every hour of each day, the battlefield is grimmer than ever), can outsell a similar product that is vastly superior. With the lines of communication around the globe literally a click of the mouse away, one can no longer rest on one's laurels for very long. To "be better than" doesn't mean as much as it used to. The solution is first, creating a brand and second, ensuring that that image connects your product-not simply it's superior attributes- to your audience. Successful examples of this are Nike's "Just Do It" and Apple's "Think Different" campaigns. Sin #2: The "no-one-can-touch-us" syndrome This pitfall rears its ugly head whenever a company reaches any level of complacency. Xerox and IBM are two examples in which each had reached an enviable level of brand equity. But time, technology and trends didn't and don't remain the same.

IBM's famous striped logo was introduced over three decades ago. Only now is IBM using design and branding to reclaim their heritage. Their new e-business campaign is simple and phenomenally effective, positioning e-commerce with IBM. Why now? Because IBM found its mindshare amongst net users was low. One could say IBM had had "e-nuff."

The son of IBM's founder, Thomas Watson Jr., stated over 35 years ago, while chief of IBM, "In the IBM company, we do not think that good design can make a product good.... But we are convinced that good design can materially help make a good product reach its full potential." Isn't it time we all listened? Sin #3: The brand called "Fear" Simply, if you're overly concerned about what associates think versus being overly concerned about your brand, getting anywhere near branding is a bad career move for everyone involved. The opposite side of this coin is a firm belief in one's product, a willingness to deliver what's promised, and a strength of conviction. One doesn't need to be an ogre, but one must believe in one's actions. That doesn't include being overly concerned with internal political popularity contests. Looking over the best brands, the majority came into existence driven by one person's vision, and belief, in that brand's potential and their persistence in seeing it through.

This cousin to complacency-essentially an unwillingness to investigate, evolve and challenge- has killed many possibly great brands, leaving only the competition happier, and stronger. Sin #4: Ignoring the design and image your brand conveys You've seen these products. You've maybe even bought them. They're everywhere as products...and nowhere as brands. Go into a store, any store, and look. Simply look. You'll find a gazillion products. You'll also find many great products, but, with most ignoring their design and image, only a handful have become great brands.

What part does image play in the real world of branding? Everything. Fact: Minute Maid® found that other orange juice companies were "borrowing" their signature black carton. What once was a point of distinction had now become "generic." Add to this the expanding choices given to consumers-bottled waters, flavored waters, iced teas, and bottled coffee beverages-and retaining marketshare had become a major issue for Minute Maid. The answer? Revamp the Minute Maid packaging line. The outcome? Volume sales increased more than 24%, with convenience store sales exceeding 34%. When you're dealing with 28 million servings per day, a mere one percent increase, 280,000 more servings per day, is considerable. Sin #5: Brand schizophrenia and anarchy Imagine this conversation: "Oh, you want to change the golden arches to day-glo pink? Sure, no problem." Not in this lifetime. You might as well print a new resume and look for another job.

The confusion between building a brand, being consistent, keeping a brand alive and reinventing a brand can be so mishmashed that disaster strikes. Random change is not the same as planned evolution of a brand. Boring, stagnant messaging is not the same as brand consistency.

A good rule of thumb is one laid down by Sir John Egan, chief executive for the world's leading international airport group, "Defining the experience that customers want becomes a criterion by which you can judge the design work you commission."

Other points to consider are, "Does this effort contribute to our brand image and equity? Does this dilute our brand position? Will this enhance our consumers 'experience' of our brand?"

This is all based on the fact that there is a foundation to build a brand upon. Sin #6: The human connection ratio The frailty of a brand is in direct ratio to the extent a brand fails to connect with its consumer. Flaunting one's wares is about as popular, and effective, as cramming in a term paper in overnight. What's good for Visine sales (remember "Takes the red out"?) isn't necessarily good for the grade.

Every strong brand has in some way become a product that represents what that customer is seeking: ease, convenience, power, stamina, pride, beauty. But in each case, it's the human factor that can be missed. Every product does have, as its end use, a human who is buying the product for a reason. Find the reason, keep it on personal terms, and you're well on your way to avoiding this pitfall. Sin #7: Forgetting where brands live If you were to ask brand managers where brands live, they might say, "On the shelf with our product. In our annual report. In the people that work here." Wrong. That's how a brand gets built, not where it lives.

Brands do not live anywhere but in the minds and hearts of the consumers and prospects. The job of branding is to get your product to the point of having an army of believers who stand by that brand, and what it means, in their mind.

The job of branding is to get in the front door and become a comfortable fixture in the mind of the consumer. Avoiding these seven pitfalls will help.

This article is vested by 'Zarkin and Partners' Company